Just Joined the Conn 80A Club

Dale Proctor · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 3:43 pm Post subject:

Interesting stuff. I'll try it both ways, for sure. I tuned it only with the microtuner because the other slide was originally designed to be used only as a quick change to A.
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

ewetho · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 4:21 pm Post subject:

I use a CG Personal in my 80A and to get the sound I like I tend to overblow but mostly just lack of feedback from the heavy wall thickness. Alone no such problem. Need to just trust the horn to carry. It will just fine.

I use the micro tuner S that is how it was intended. The Conn 4 mouthpiece e was tooo bright for me.
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lipshurt · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:48 pm Post subject:

My cornet teacher way back when was a conn 80a player, and he said the micro tuner was only for adjusting an 8th inch or so. On my 80a and also 8a slender model, which I played a LOT, things were much better only opening the micro by a little bit. More that a half inch was def not as good.

That's why it's called micro tuner.
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bwoodard · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 11:31 am Post subject:

Dale

I play mine with a Curry 5BBC on a blank with the correct taper of .060" per inch. I really like it better than I did with the no letter Wicks.
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2015 Harrelson Summit 4/10
2014 Getzen 4895 Flugelhorn
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2010 Callet Sima C
73 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
48 Conn 80A Victor Cornet

Dale Proctor · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 7:27 am Post subject:

Update: I took the 80A to church orchestra rehearsal last night. It's a very good, large (40+ piece) orchestra, and we play some fun music. I began the rehearsal using a Curry 3DC. mouthpiece, but the intonation was a little wonky. The second piece was The Pines of the Appian Way, which we're playing for Easter. I switched to the Conn 4 short-shank for that piece and intonation was much better, I had no slotting issues, and the high C's popped out pretty easily. It will put out some serious volume if you push it! I stuck with that setup 'till close to the end of rehearsal, when we played a more melodic piece. For that, I switched to a Wick 4B. Really nice, round sound, intonation still good.

I did notice that the sound of the instrument changes slightly depending on which tuning slide you use. With the "A" slide all the way in and using the micro tuner only, it has more of a cornet sound. With the micro tuner all the way in and using the "A" slide only to tune it, it has more of a trumpet sound. Subtle differences, but I went back and forth a number of times with the same impression. I didn't notice any differences with slotting or intonation either way, though, but I'm still familiarizing myself with the horn.

Just one "real world" play test so far, but I liked the old horn! I was probably a bit premature in my analysis of it after having it only a few days, but it didn't just jump out at me when I first played it (like some horns have). It will be fun trying it on a few more styles of music, and I'm keeping it in my triple case so I'll have it with me at rehearsals/gigs.
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Richard III · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:01 am Post subject:

Dale Proctor · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 12:18 pm Post subject:

Thought I'd take a quick picture of the 80A and post it. Lacquer is worn in spots, but it's original and a nice gold color. Other than the dent in the bell bow that I had repaired, it's virtually dent and repair free - a very straight horn.

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

Richard III · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 1:54 pm Post subject:

Nice. Here's the best of my two courtesy of DQ:

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Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

Dale Proctor · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:11 pm Post subject:

Nice! How does the taper and bell flare of the copper bell compare to the original?
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Richard III · Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:55 am Post subject:

SHS_Trumpet · Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:34 am Post subject:

I have never posted pics of my baby before but I wanted to share with other 80A lovers. Here is a link to a small album of my 1915 80A Cornet.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101194795232754.1073741830.18302558&type=1&l=1bb7610c03
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MYNWA
"90% of trumpet music is below high C"

Dale Proctor · Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:08 am Post subject:

Footnote to this thread: I just bought a case for the 80A (it didn't come with one) on eBay. It came a couple days ago and is pretty nice for what I paid for it. I'm pretty sure it is a Director trumpet case, but it's from the right era, around the mid '50s. A simple relocation of the valve block holder and it was a good fit.

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

BrassTonics · New Member Joined: 21 Jul 2016 Posts: 7

I too have finally acquired a Conn 80A Cornet/Trumpet hybrid and it has wonderful with a old Conn 4mpc I have. The 80A is a 40s Victor model.

Grits Burgh · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:55 am Post subject:

I'm still trying to figure out what a Conn 80A is. Is it really just a trumpet? Does the sound have anything in common with a shepherd's crook, British Brass Band coronet? I'm looking for an economical cornet, but I want one that is short to make using mutes a little easier. The Conn 80A doesn't look much shorter than a conventional trumpet.
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Richard III · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:01 am Post subject:

Shorter than a trumpet but longer than a SC cornet. Sounds like a cornet but with a little better projection. After that it's all mouthpiece and your approach.
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Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

connicalman · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 10:42 am Post subject:

Hi Dale - congrats on your accepted offer, and welcome to a new frontier!

Note that the old and 'new' mouthpieces may extend the same into the receiver, but the old mpc's are shorter by a smidge overall. I find the right length 'piece makes a difference in the liveliness of the blow, a difference that can't be accounted for at either tuning slide.

Second, the trumpet-like main slide is a stepped-bore tube. I find the best for me by drawing out about 1/2 an inch there plus 1/4 inch at the microtuner. This lets me dial in the sweet spot when using a period-correct mouthpiece.

Last, I wish Conn made these with a first-piston trigger, or one that actuated the microtuner, vertically. That would allow you to cut the 3rd slide back a bit for all the 2&3 notes and provide flexibility without the added 'lip' work.

You wrote about like the 76A Connquest for marching. I think you'll like the 80A even more for that type of use.
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connicalman · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 11:57 am Post subject: