1946 Conn 80A cornet....

khedger · Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 4:43 pm Post subject: 1946 Conn 80A cornet....

I recently acquired this horn and just wanted to drop a little note about it.
My first cornet was the venerable Conn Director back in the late 60s (like about a million other 5th grade trumpet newbies....). Since then I've never played Conn horns, nor thought much about them.
I have to say, this horn has been a bit of an awakening. It absolutely rocks for me! It's got no finish left (which I really like) and it's just got an amazing sound and feel. The instrument is VERY well constructed and has the micro tuner (I don't know what they called this device) on it.
So, if you find yourself looking for a cornet, do yourself a favor and try one of these if you get the chance.

keith

P.S. I got this from Trent Austin....

laundryman · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:08 pm Post subject:

My one and only horn is a 1941 Conn 80 A. I have heard what you termed the "microtuner" also referred to a "opera glass" because it looks like a binocular adjustment as well as "bell tuner." As you probably know several kinds of adjustments after the valves have been used to adjust pitch. No matter what your call it, it is a handy device. Many older models had a mechanism for adjusting valve slides when the main slide was extended so the cornet could be tuned to sound in A rather than Bb. I have found my old cornet to be fun to play and it can blend well with trumpets as well as cornets. Mouthpiece choice and the player can make a difference in the tone results. You will find differing opinions concerning mouthpiece tapers. Some say it works well with modern tapers and others insist we who play the horn should use mouthpieces of the older taper Conn used until the mid 1950's. The Conn Loyalist web site has information about that.
Have a good time with the horn.

bworth · Regular Member Joined: 17 Feb 2018 Posts: 35

I ended up with two of them. I sound best using a older Conn 4 mp. I do like them.

bwoodard · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:07 am Post subject:

I have a 48 80A that I was gifted by my Aunt. I have played it since 5th grade and it took a beating. I had it restored a few years back by Mark Metzler. It is a fabulous horn which I should play more than I do.
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Bob

2015 Harrelson Summit 4/10
2014 Getzen 4895 Flugelhorn
2014 Getzen 3850
2010 Callet Sima Bb
2010 Callet Sima C
73 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
48 Conn 80A Victor Cornet

khedger · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 11:42 am Post subject:

I'd be interested to hear what types of mouthpieces you guys are using with the 80A. I got a 3C type mouthpiece and it seems okay, but I'm having a lot of trouble with the upper register on this horn and with fatigue. Could be me, but there might be some adjustments to the mouthpiece that would help....any ideas?

keith

Dale Proctor · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:05 pm Post subject:

Those older Conns need a proprietary mouthpiece to play correctly. Up through the late 1950s Conn cornet mouthpieces had a slightly different taper, and modern cornet mouthpieces don’t fit correctly. Sometimes the receivers are worn from people twisting newer mouthpieces into them, though.
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giakara · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:50 pm Post subject:

I have a 81A and I use a vintage Purviance 4*3 mpc with it and it works and plays great .

Regards
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Getzen eterna 850 cornet
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Dieter Z · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:47 pm Post subject:

I have a '47 Conn 80A and love to play it either with a Curry BBC or Curry DC
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Conn 80A
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B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing

Bflatman · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Nov 2016 Posts: 720

I have a 56 80a and I had it refurbished a little over a year ago.

I play an early small cup mouthpiece in it that looks slightly similar to the one in the bix picture which looks like a cookie cutter but this mouthpiece I have is not a cookie cutter it is more rounded in the rim than that.

I played it today shortly after playing on a nickel plate Olds Special trumpet fitted with a Yamaha 16e4. I mention this because the two horns, the Olds with a large cup mouthpiece and the Conn with a small cup mouthpiece sound very similar in tone and play very similar.

I played the Olds in the morning and the Conn in the afternoon and received an excellent reception with both.

I tend towards a deep and rich tone so I dont like deep cups in a cornet.

The small cornet mouthpiece is a good match for the conn and gives sparkling performance and tone. There are no markings on it other than a number 2 stamped into it.

As for the cup shape of the cornet mouthpiece it is not a regular c shape but slightly deeper and more towards a v shape but not a true v.

I think I struck lucky with this mouthpiece I got it with an old cornet and it languished in the drawer of lost dreams until wedded to the 80a and it became a marriage made in heaven.

Suck it and see is all I can advise and you too might strike it lucky.

Andy Cooper · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:47 pm Post subject:

Like any older horn they benefit a great deal from a good valve alignment. It really makes a difference.

The high register should be very good on an 80A - getting tired I can understand. Check your mouthpiece "gap". If there is no actual end of the leadpipe visible when you look down the receiver then figure out the narrowest point of the receiver/leadpipe and use that point in checking your gap.

I always preferred to use the 80A as super large .485" bore trumpet" and got along well with "M" style cups and Warburton KT , 4 or 4* backbores. Bach straight cups and A cups were OK but I was never successful in using Wick style BB mouthpieces with them.

jhatpro · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:15 pm Post subject:

Mine's from 1955. With a Yamaha 14E mouthpiece I get a soft, fluffy.

When I use a Curry DC the sound gets bright and crisp.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

CartersPop · Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 5:52 am Post subject:

My son inherited my father's 1922 80A which plays like new and looks nearly as nice w gold accents still evident. I've silver finish 1917 and 1935 versions of the 80A myself. All play with a tone somewhere between more typical dark cornet and brighter trumpet sounds, and mesh well with or replace either easily in almost all but the most strenuous situations. Original Conn 4 mp's for 2 and a 5 for one (Conn's old short small bore). All have functional "mechanism" for Bb to A tuning which is just plain cool, even though I doubt we will ever use it as intended. The opera glass main tuner is also cool, and I am surprised it never caught on with more horns. I guess it was probably too much engineering and novel construction for the little extra convenience and tuning accuracy it brought to the table.

Enjoy yours.
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Conn '22 80A New Wonder Cor w/m
White '15 King Liberty Silver Trum
Conn '27 22B New York Symphony Trum
White '25 King Liberty Silver Trum
JinYin '15 Marching Bb Fr Horn
Conn '35 New Wonder 80A Corn w/m
Pan-Am '23 40I Bari