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Conn Severinsen


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Martin
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Joined: 18 Nov 2001
Posts: 1168
Location: Vienna/Austria

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 4:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hans wrote:
Only a handful of SS-horns were sold in Europe. Mostly because of the name . Conn would have been smart if they renamed the model before the sent them over here.


I had the same thought. There´s just not much awareness about these things overseas...
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badebop
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Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 1591
Location: Lacon, IL

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 11:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I purchased gregplo's SS-1 from him. Compared to my SS-4 the SS-1 has more resistence...I would say a lot of resistence in relation to other horns I have played. The SS-4 is more open. I think it takes someone of Doc's caliber to make the SS-1 sing. It's a lot of work.

On the other hand, the 1000B "Doc" trumpet is very open and speaks very quickly, with moderate resistence, but you can't blow too hard or the sound will distort. For a student it would be a really great horn.

I also have a 1000B post-Doc trumpet. A different animal all together. A heavier horn with a hefty bell where you don't have to worry about holding back. More resistence than the "Doc," though. Slots well above high C.

If I were playing Big Band I'd use the SS-4
If I were playing small ensemble I'd use the "Doc" 1000B
If I were playing concert band I'd use the post-Doc 1000B
I don't know what I'll use the SS-1 for. A good practice horn I guess. Put all that resistence to use.
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Timothy Connelly
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 91

PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2005 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After leaving Getzen, Doc Severinsen did a brief stint with Conn. Severinsen seems to have been partial to Bachs and Bessons. He later explained that the Severinsen-Akright Bel Canto trumpet was an attempt (hardly the first) to emulate the old New York Bachs. It seems that the Conn Severinsens were also based on the Bach Stradivarius model. The Conn horns were designated "SS" ("Severinsen Series" ?), but did not bear Doc's name. When one of these was listed on eBay, the seller reported that there had been four models--the SS 1 (a bright lead/ solo horn which Doc himself played), the SS 2 (a light french type), and the SS 3 and 4 (which were darker in tone). Evidently the Conn Severinsens could be fitted with a variety of leadpipes and bells. I believe that they were manufactured in Texas. In my opinion, the valve casings could have come from the left over parts auctioned off by Olds in 1979. I purchased an SS 3 some time ago. It certainly appears to be a Bach clone, and seems to be a large-bore orchestral type of instrument.

Interestingly, Doc’s association with the Conn Severinsen seems to be more tenuous than that of other celebrity musicians with instruments named in their honor (e.g., Mendez, Hirt, Maynard Ferguson, Sandoval, etc.).

If my horn is any indication, the workmanship on the Conn Severinsens left a lot to be desired. The factory evidently counted on silver plating to conceal shoddy soldering; and it seems that the valves were simply dropped into the casings without any hand lapping (the serial number does not appear on the valves). The serial number on my trumpet is 02XX, which suggests that very few Conn Severinsens were made. They are good, but not great horns. Musicians who wanted Bachs, purchased Bachs, and Conn’s faux Stradivarius quickly fell by the wayside.

Tim
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badebop
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Joined: 28 Jan 2003
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Location: Lacon, IL

PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2005 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Timothy Connelly wrote:
The serial number on my trumpet is 02XX, which suggests that very few Conn Severinsens were made.


As I mentioned in a previous post, my SS-4 serial # is 300623 so they either changed the numbering (maybe this was made after Doc left) or they made a whole lot of them.
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meplaytrumpet
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Joined: 03 Aug 2003
Posts: 13
Location: Denver, CO

PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a note. The serial # on the SS1 I'm selling on ebay is 301332:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130416235643&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123
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GHughes
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Joined: 08 Dec 2012
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Location: Malvern, AR

PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got my Con SS3 back in high school around '89 or '90 (serial #402528). The high range is wonderful, but the low range (like others have stated) is stuffy. Though I'm looking to upgrade relatively soon, it is still the horn I play on today. No complaints about this wonderful trumpet.
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Tony Scodwell
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 9:20 am    Post subject: Doc Conns Reply with quote

FYI, Dick Akright was very involved with all the design of the ill fated Severinsen/Conn venture after some initial work by Dave Monette. Conn was indeed making instruments in Texas then after Macmillon Publishing bought the company prior to selling it to Danny Henken who moved everything to Texas. Dick Akright was all set to become plant manager and decided it wasn't for him with the many problems obvious with quality and the workforce. Design was good, quality suffered and Doc split the sheets shortly thereafter and worked with Dick on the Bel Canto for a few years. I played some of the Conn horns through the years and if you find a good one, it should be a good buy. It still seems like the best playing horns Doc was involved with through his many permutations were the Getzen Eternas and the Bel Canto's, which continue to be outstanding instruments and some of the best used trumpets out there. The current Shires affiliation will be judged down the road I suppose.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany.
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michael manthey
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have to agree, the Getzen's & the Bel Canto's ... but let's not forget Scodwell #0106. Better than either I ever played; your horn but with a 23 guage bell. Still, I love my Scodwell #0105 ... 25 guage bell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVLEMN0UDhI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMv9mmWM-A
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yourbrass
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I may be wrong, but I believe Conn numbered the model as 100B, not 1000B.

I've seen a couple of them, didn't get a chance to play one.
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DickieG64
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scodwell 0288 is a killer. Just a little aside.

Dick G.
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NYC-player
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Joined: 03 Jun 2016
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:23 am    Post subject: Re: Doc Conns Reply with quote

Tony Scodwell wrote:
FYI, Dick Akright was very involved with all the design of the ill fated Severinsen/Conn venture after some initial work by Dave Monette. Conn was indeed making instruments in Texas then after Macmillon Publishing bought the company prior to selling it to Danny Henken who moved everything to Texas. Dick Akright was all set to become plant manager and decided it wasn't for him with the many problems obvious with quality and the workforce. Design was good, quality suffered and Doc split the sheets shortly thereafter and worked with Dick on the Bel Canto for a few years. I played some of the Conn horns through the years and if you find a good one, it should be a good buy. It still seems like the best playing horns Doc was involved with through his many permutations were the Getzen Eternas and the Bel Canto's, which continue to be outstanding instruments and some of the best used trumpets out there. The current Shires affiliation will be judged down the road I suppose.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany.


Yo Tony,

Congrats on all your successes man! I'm glad you're doing so well.

I've played a few of your horns and love them. Question:

Have you ever experimented with a medium bore block? I've been playing medium bore horns for a decade or so, and would jump at the chance to get a Scodwell M bore.

Thoughts???
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Odneal's Inferno
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Joined: 22 Sep 2004
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Location: Houston (Baytown), Texas

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recently bought a Conn Severinsen 1000B in great shape! It's a real player. Good sound, good slotting and good valves. Someone had put slide grease on the valves. I tried to clean them and couldn't get it all off until I got an idea. I tried WD40 Electrical Contact Cleaner! Success! I've seen some pictures of 1000B's with regular water keys, but this one has Amados and Severinsen in script across the bell.
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