My Goodwill Find

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

I often go to a nearby Goodwill store at lunchtime to look for instruments. Most are in very poor condition and grossly overpriced. This one, however, is in decent shape and was $50. It's a Conn USA Director that I'd guess was made in the 1970s.

It needs some cleaning and oiling but will be a good replacement for the beat up Olds Ambassador that I have for my grandson.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_JWBrxoQ5cIaTJqUDVYa1JFTk0/edit?usp=sharing

geezer · Veteran Member Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Posts: 239

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

geezer · Veteran Member Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Posts: 239

No need to call me "sir".

I'm a benevolent dictator

_________________
Holton MF6
Holton MF3

Cornetman2 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:34 am Post subject:

Are you sure it's not the lesser-known Conn Dictator?

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

What is recommended for freeing up slides and pistons on old instruments? Just pour some valve oil into it and let it sit? WD-40?

Bill W · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:48 pm Post subject:

valve oil soak, then hot water soak. if niether work, i'd take it to a tech. Im not sure if wd-40 would be a good idea.
_________________
Bill Wasserman
Shires B-LW
Shires Custom C
1962 Quesnon Flugel
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iMEHat1PXV0 Playing Maynard's "Hey There"

Dale Proctor · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:33 pm Post subject:

I've never had much luck with DIY stuck slide removal. Soaking, penetrating oil, etc have never worked for me. If they don't come out with a sharp jerk from a cloth looped through the slide, then it's off to the shop to let a professional do it. I have the will power to stop before I tear something up...

_________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

JonathanM · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:55 pm Post subject:

Geodude · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:23 pm Post subject:

Just curious was it the Goodwill on North Ave. or the one on Schmale? I prowl them infrequently in the hopes of stumbling onto something interesting but I've never seen anything to get excited about.

PB Blaster and Kroil both probably work a bit better than WD-40 for freeing things up. Your slides may need a judicious application of heat to help loosen up some lube that has dried out and glued things together.

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

The one on Schmale, right around the corner from from where I work.

I oiled the valves then poured some oil in the receiver and blew it through. Everything but the main slide freed up very quickly. It needs to be cleaned anyway so I'll let a tech work on the main slide.

Kent

mrsemman · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 5:10 am Post subject:

I agree, for a few bucks, a technician can safely get your great find back into shape.

Gary
_________________
Flip Oakes Wild Thing
Flip Oakes C Trumpet
Zeus Guarnerius Trumpet
Zeus Guarnerius Flugelhorn
Kanstul G Bugle
Jin Boa Bass Trumpet

Shaft · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 985

They always remind me of a limping animal with a stuck valve. Just looking for a good home.
_________________
🎺

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

Had a chance to play it this morning. It has a very nice sound. Different than my Getzen or Bach cornets but not quite like a trumpet either.

I've never had an instrument with a leadpipe that goes into the first valve and the bell comes out of the third. Also, the leadpipe and bell seem to be closer in length than my other cornets where the leadpipe is much longer than the bell. How does the Conn design affect the cornet?

Dale Proctor · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:26 am Post subject:

The most extreme example of this type of "reverse flow" cornet that Conn made (in the modern era) was the 76A Connquest. Very short leadpipe and very long bell/tuning slide arrangement, like an Olds Recording cornet. As far as how the design affects the cornet, I don't know. The 15A is the brightest-sounding Conn cornet of that era, though.

76A Connquest

_________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

John Mohan · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:41 am Post subject:

That's the cornet the majority of the kids played in my grade school and junior high school bands in the Bolingbrook/Romeoville area Kent. I remember them and that sort of trapezoid shaped plastic shell case they came in.

Nice find!

Goldpeak · New Member Joined: 20 Apr 2015 Posts: 5

That's a cool find, I like to often check places like that as well. Thanks for sharing!