Conn Modifications?

[Matt G]

12J?

[Dan Schultz]

...... the 12J is in Eb......

HUH! I saw that on the Conn Loyalist website, too. But, I think it's in reference to horns made in the 20's. They may have 'recylced' some of the model numbers because the 12J tubas that I've seen built in the 70's are front-action BBb horns. That horn looks like a 12J but the bell should measure about 17 1/2"

Here's another 12J: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0417477612

Note that a 12J and 15J are the same except the 15J is a convertible marching/concert tuba. However.... the current 15J is actually a King 1140. Confused??

Also.... sometimes it difficult to tell exactly what these tubas are because many of the bells will interchange. I just put a 12J (front-action) bell on a 10J (top-action) tuba. I think some of the Olds/Reynolds bells ... IE 099 tubas will also interchange easily.

[Art Hovey]

I'm pretty sure that the 11J is the same as a 12J but with a smaller-diameter bell. The 4-valve versions are 4J and 5J.
I have a beat-up 10J (top-action) in my attic which I think has the same diameter bell as a 12J, but shorter.
They are all good small tubas with better-than average intonation, and they all need to have about an inch and a quarter hacked off each side of the third valve tubing. It's not hard to do. All you need is a hacksaw and a file to smooth down the edges.
It is true that Conn has recycled its numbers; I have seen more than one top-action 15J on Ebay... very confusing!

[TUbajohn20J]

I have a beat-up 10J (top-action) in my attic...

Selling the 10J by any chance?

[Art Hovey]

Selling the 10J by any chance?

Actually, I was thinking of throwing away the top-action piston set, removing some cylindrical tubing, and making it into a front-action CC tuba. I think it's a prime candidate for such cutting. (CC rhymes with "sissy".)

But right now I need a 12J bell, so I might just try cannibalizing the 10j for its bell.

[Dan Schultz]

Selling the 10J by any chance?

Actually, I was thinking of throwing away the top-action piston set, removing some cylindrical tubing, and making it into a front-action CC tuba. I think it's a prime candidate for such cutting. (CC rhymes with "sissy".)

But right now I need a 12J bell, so I might just try cannibalizing the 10j for its bell.

Don'tcha wish you had a truck load of those bells? I could use a dozen of them right now for a couple of schools around the area.

[Dave Hayami]

There is a "Conn 12J" for sale on the boards that has a very striking similarity to an Olds/Reynolds 3 Valve BBB.(In particular, the slanted brace that lies under your right hand) It looks to be identical to the brace found on the Olds/Reynolds tubas and their
Sousaphone valve clusters.Maybe the 12J was an "Olds" built 3 valve tuba in the same time frame as the 4J (4 valve BBb )and the 2J (4 valve CC). This would also match up with "Bloke's" observation about the 3rd valve being flat and shared with all of the different variations of this valve cluster.
My $0.02
Dave Hayami

[iiipopes]

You asked about cost-effectiveness of shortening the slide. I had the 1st valve circuit on a 2J that is hibernating in the basement of my undergrad shortened for very little money, probably less than $50 (I had some other stuff done as well, like some dent work and replacing the finger buttons with proper buttons, and it was a package deal) so the 5th partial D could be "pushed" into tune.

It is cost effective. You have the choice of playing a tuba out of tune that is a constant frustration, or getting it fixed and enjoying it, as I've done with my instruments, whatever their issue was at the time of purchase: whether shortening tubing, fixing dents, soldering leaks, re-aligning valves, both vertically and horizontally, reconfiguring paddles and thumb ring to fit my hand, realigning receivers to match my slight overbite, mouthpiece safaris to optimize everything, etc.

Tubas don't just play in the abstract. Every tuba, onced matched to a player, should have some adjustments or tailoring done to it to make it fit. You don't purchase an off-the-rack suit of clothes without at least having the pants hemmed up, and sometimes other alterations, so why should an instrument that we basically (pun intended) all wear as well as hold be any different?

[WakinAZ]

Eric,

Size would be 7/8: a big 3/4 or a small 4/4, take your pick. I have owned that horn and its out-of-town cousin, the Olds O-99. Yes, shorten the third valve circuit by an inch and also the first valve circuit by an inch. They are both cut way too long as a compromise for 1-3 combos and especially the dreaded 1-2-3 combo. My two were flat on all valve combos vs. the open bugle with 1, 2 & 3 pushed all the way in: I had the 1 & 3 slides on my Olds cut by an inch and still had plenty of pull if needed. Add to the mix 10-30 years of valve compression loss and these horns play much worse than they need to. The only thing is you will have to lip down 1-3 and *really* lip down (or pull) for 1-2-3.

It is totally worth the $100 or less the slide cutting will cost you.

RE: the 16 inch bell - does it say "Conn" on it? The Olds version of this horn had a 16 inch bell.

(EDIT: took out wrong info for posterity...)

Eric "who also likes a Conn Helleberg 7B in these medium-sized tubas" L.

[WakinAZ]

The Conn factory was indeed in Abilene for a while (c.1971-1986). The location stuff was hand-etched on, so it did look like what a school might put on its horns sometimes.

Does your horn have the smallish looking (baritone-like) Olds-type valves or the fatter looking Conn valves?

(EDIT: took out wrong info for posterity...)

Eric

[NDSPTuba]

I would call it an 11J, because of the bell size. I just sold mine, and it has the model number stamped on the receiver. 11J clear as day. Have you looked at the receiver to see if the model number is stamped on it?

[WakinAZ]

OK, after reviewing the info offered by NDSP and others (including myself in other threads about these horns, d'oh), I'm changing my answer on the model to 11J also. I edited my earlier posts to take out wrong or misleading info for future searches.

Eric "who owned an Olds with a 16" bell and a Conn with an 18" bell, but forgot about the 16" bell Conns" L.

[Dan Schultz]

The receiver has clearly been replaced as part of a repair job, prior to my buying the horn. Could that be a contributor to the intonation issues?

Could have replaced the bell, too! The different flare may be causing some intonation issues, too.

Might just be a 12J in disguise.