Conn 90J BBb circa 1918

[DuckCallDan]

After borrowing horns for most of my life this is the first horn I will own outright. It's a Conn 90J BBb, 4-valve top action. The serial number dates it to 1918. I can't find anything about Conn 90Js online. I would be interested to know if anyone out there has any information on these horns.

This specific horn was previously owned by my old High School. It lay broken for at least 35 years and was believed to be beyond repair. In addition to massive dents, the third and fourth valve tubing was smashed. The third valve housing was warped and its piston jammed half-in half-out. Some student long ago had tried to "repair" the bell and third valve with a pair of vice-grips and a crowbar. After many hours of work master craftsman Tom Treece was able to hammer life back into this classic horn.

The forth valve stem is missing in the pictures but it has since been replaced and works great. Tom has made a straight bell for it and I have polished what silver is left. If there is interest I will post some "after" pictures when it is done.

Conn90j_front.jpg

Conn90j_back2.JPG

Conn90j_PN.jpg

[EdFirth]

I'm sure interested in some "after" pictures. Tom told me about your horn the other day, and was gathering up some bell prospects.He's working on a 36J for me to include a new bell, and a valve job.He's the best friend any tuba ever had. Ed

[DuckCallDan]

Cool!
What's the bell size, collar diameter, and the bore?

The bell is 23 inches, the collar diameter is 6 inches and the bore is .78 inches measured at the second valve. The bell almost makes a 90 degree bend making it look more like a sousaphone bell then a recording bell.

I had to sacrifice the collar off of the front bell to make the straight bell. The front bell would be great for outdoor concerts so I am in the market for another 6in collar (Part Number 35) if anyone knows a source for those other than eBay.

[Dan Schultz]

... The bell is 23 inches, the collar diameter is 6 inches and the bore is .78 inches measured at the second valve. The bell almost makes a 90 degree bend making it look more like a sousaphone bell then a recording bell.

I had to sacrifice the collar off of the front bell to make the straight bell. The front bell would be great for outdoor concerts so I am in the market for another 6in collar (Part Number 35) if anyone knows a source for those other than eBay.

That number '35' on the bell collar is just a manufacturing number. Those collars and tenons were produced in sets and the number is one way to keep the body matched with the bell.

The 6" tenon is very common and you shouldn't have any trouble finding another one. Many of the Conn sousas had a 6" diameter bell tenon. 14K and 36K are the first two that come to mind.

[Heavy_Metal]

ISTR that Conn reworked their model designations sometime in the 1920s or 30s, at least for tubas. Baltimore Brass has a "20J" that is actually an Eb horn, from the era before the changeover.

And I'll add my voice to the call for "after" pics.

[DuckCallDan]

As promised here are some "after" pictures.
The new bell is an after market Miraphone replacement bell cut down to fit the 6in tendon salvaged from the original recording bell. It works great.

I re-plated the raw brass areas myself. I first tried using using my own design:
The negative side of a AA battery is wired to the tuba.
The positive side is wired to a old silver dime wrapped in gauze and soaked in a solution of distilled vinegar and Epson salts.
Slowly rubbing the dime (anode) over the raw brass would silver plate the tuba (cathode).

It worked but was very slow. I ended up borrowing a Silver "Plug and Plate" kit. It works the same as above but replace the vinegar with a solution that contains dissolved silver. Much faster.

The plated silver layer is very thin so is not as bright and shiny as original silver.

Questions and comments welcome.

[thattubaguy]

I've played this, it's very different.

[NCSUSousa]

Questions -
How's the tuning with the new bell? It looks a bit taller than what I'm used to seeing on the 20J. In theory that should push it flat, but I don't know if there's much of a change or if it's just a visual difference. If so, did you have the main slide cut at all to compensate for the change of height?

Did you keep the original recording bell?

[DuckCallDan]

How's the tuning with the new bell? It looks a bit taller than what I'm used to seeing on the 20J. In theory that should push it flat, but I don't know if there's much of a change or if it's just a visual difference. If so, did you have the main slide cut at all to compensate for the change of height?
Did you keep the original recording bell?

The horn was built flat but required no modifications to be A=440 in tune. In air-conditioning the main tuning slide is almost all the way in. For a warmer room (common here in Florida) the main slide is out approx. 1/2 inch. I have only played in a cooler room once, the tuner said I was flat but so was the rest of the band.

The new bell does look taller but that is an optical illusion caused by the smaller flair. The vertical height from the collar to floor is 18 inches. If the bend in the recording bell was straightened it would be almost exactly the same height.

I did keep the recording bell and plan on using it for outdoor concerts if I can find a reasonably priced replacement 6 inch tenon. The original tenon was removed to make the new straight bell.

[Tom Coffey]

I love seeing the older horns rescued and used again. Congratulations on a classy rehab!