Conn 60H

[ttf_bigbassbone1]

So burgerbob was kind enough to let me have a quick go of his 60h while I was over to borrow some stuff today.

I had never played a 60h before so was pretty keen. Whilst I only had a short go on it, I immediately liked it a lot more than my 70h back home. The sound was much broader and it was easier to move around on the 60h than my 70h. I really enjoyed the sound I got on between piano and mezzo forte.

I found that slurs were much harder to make clean than on my usual bach 50. It was easy to catch harmonics that were in between slurs, which I didn't like. I also found it much harder to find the "center" of the pitch on the 60h than on my bach.

I also did not like the valve on the 60h. The valve register felt similar as when I play on my 70h. Hard work and difficult to keep the sound even.

The 60h was a lot of fun to play. I think if I owned one I could get used to some of the quirks and really enjoy playing it in certain settings. Whilst I only played on it briefly, I did get the sense that it was a better instrument than my 70h in many ways. I wish I had had the opportunity to try it with the original 60h leadpipe. As burgerbob has mentioned here, he has a bach pipe in it now, so I don't know how much influence that has over the instrument than when it had the original pipe. Still didn't play or sound like a bach though!

Thanks burgerbob! You sounded awesome on it!

[ttf_Burgerbob]

^He sounded great on it too.

Here's an update! I've been playing the horn alongside my Bach/Edwards every day in practice, to really figure out how it works.

Compared to before:

The horn now plays with easier slots (as in, any slots). There is so much more core to the sound, all the way through the range. It feels so resonant behind the bell, and really fills up the spaces I've played it in. The slide is easier to use, with better action.

Compared to my Bach:

It's harder to play, for sure. In some ways, it's easier- the horn takes less air to play, technically, but that's a trade off. The flexibility especially is more difficult. The slots on the 60H are very unforgiving. If you play a note in the wrong position and buzz the right one, no dice! Better luck next time! This isn't really a bad thing, just a different approach. It's more difficult, in many categories, but not by a large amount- the 60H is still a viable instrument and is not hard to play. The sound remains very similar throughout dynamics, compared to the Bach, which gets an edge progressively as you put on the gas. The 60H flares suddenly, though this point is much more difficult to get to than the Bach. The Conn likes to play in the middle of the dynamic range. The valve range is definitely harder, but more different than hard- I can still pop out the low Cs quite easily, and that range sounds great. The upper range is different... I wouldn't call it more difficult, but a different sound than I get on the Bach.

Please note that I'm playing this with my big 'ol GB 1G, not anything smaller. It plays and sounds differently with my George Roberts mouthpiece (yes, I own one) but the trade off is a little too extreme for me.

I'm pretty happy with this horn, and can't wait until I get a situation to try it in.

[ttf_dj kennedy]

 

Quote from: Stewbones43 on Sep 14, 2017, 02:18AMYou say that there is some wear on the valve, if this is lateral wear i.e. with the valve moving along the axis of the spindle, a simple solution is to drill a small hole in the centre of the removable cap and then thread it to accept a needle point screw. This can then be adjusted to prevent any valve slap and tightened if any more wear occurs, probably in about another 50 years. This technique solved a problem on the worn Holton valves on my TR 181-based bass.

Cheers

Stewbones

[ttf_dj kennedy]

used   maybe school  horn  mpc w  bent out of round  shank  --high school kid 00  gee this doesnt fit  ????
 maybe if i  jam it in tighter  !!!!!!!!
---------
usually its worry  about the  wear on the inners  ----okokok i did get a  monstrously  way heavier than usual   72h ????????
---------old  thinny  elkhart 88h    VS   modern 88ho    or 42b  or  trendy  dark edwards  --flexi  elkhart 8h---  minick flare /build
there is some variation  ..........
   when i get  a  BACH i really   like  --i dont call it a BACH   anymore  --i call it  a  TROMBONE  !!!!!!!!!!
------------
  chuck and i  got  a  couple of 62h --stories and  all   --both  from denver
  ----one of them ---ONE  NOTE ---- -----GLORIOUS  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OH  MY  OH MY  OH  MY  --
---------
  for  me  the  conns    i like all  feel immediately familiar  user friendly  and  much alike  ---recently   MIKE EGAN --[kenton/harry james //many more] seeks  a  trombone defense in band with  5 maynards
    maybe  the  last 6h  i sent to him  will  BE IT --  filthy  slide  --dents in flare-gooseneck  --BUT  IMMEDIATELY  --YES--VERY BRIGHT--SPARKLE--SMASH --IN YOUR FACE !!!!!!!!!
 ======THE SHERIFF  [SCOTT BENTALL] CAME DOWN ONE TIME --  partly to  pick out  a  6H  for low  brass instructor at  vandercook   --okokok i had  a pile  of 6hs   ONE  IN PARTICULAR   --HOLY SCHMOLLY  //////////////  oh yeah  !!!!!!!!  MAN   WHAT A  NASTY  BELL  !!!!!!!!--A STRIPPER --BURLESQUE  BAND  -BAWDY - ///we loved this  bell  !!!
  but of course  --TOTALLY  UNSUITABLE  FOR  VANDERCOOK  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
------------ 
  those  leadpipes can  be  a  problem  !!!!!!!!!i know  unhip   guys who  rejected a williams ---the blow -sucked !!!!!!  ha ha  not all of earls  pipes  were happening --
--------------
 THE SHERIFF   brought  the best RAW  MILK  IN THE  WORLD    AND PAW PAWS  !!!!!!!!!  showing  off  his lawler  built  burbank bob  slide --the  williams seem sorta  conn//martinish 
--------
  anyway    BURGER BOB    is sorting  it out w  his  60 --after  blowing THE TANK 72  --A YAMAHA 422   WAS CAKE  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ttf_dj kennedy]

used   maybe school  horn  mpc w  bent out of round  shank  --high school kid 00  gee this doesnt fit  ????
 maybe if i  jam it in tighter  !!!!!!!!
---------
usually its worry  about the  wear on the inners  ----okokok i did get a  monstrously  way heavier than usual   72h ????????
---------old  thinny  elkhart 88h    VS   modern 88ho    or 42b  or  trendy  dark edwards  --flexi  elkhart 8h---  minick flare /build
there is some variation  ..........
   when i get  a  BACH i really   like  --i dont call it a BACH   anymore  --i call it  a  TROMBONE  !!!!!!!!!!
------------
  chuck and i  got  a  couple of 62h --stories and  all   --both  from denver
  ----one of them ---ONE  NOTE ---- -----GLORIOUS  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OH  MY  OH MY  OH  MY  --
---------
  for  me  the  conns    i like all  feel immediately familiar  user friendly  and  much alike  ---recently   MIKE EGAN --[kenton/harry james //many more] seeks  a  trombone defense in band with  5 maynards
    maybe  the  last 6h  i sent to him  will  BE IT --  filthy  slide  --dents in flare-gooseneck  --BUT  IMMEDIATELY  --YES--VERY BRIGHT--SPARKLE--SMASH --IN YOUR FACE !!!!!!!!!
 ======THE SHERIFF  [SCOTT BENTALL] CAME DOWN ONE TIME --  partly to  pick out  a  6H  for low  brass instructor at  vandercook   --okokok i had  a pile  of 6hs   ONE  IN PARTICULAR   --HOLY SCHMOLLY  //////////////  oh yeah  !!!!!!!!  MAN   WHAT A  NASTY  BELL  !!!!!!!!--A STRIPPER --BURLESQUE  BAND  -BAWDY - ///we loved this  bell  !!!
  but of course  --TOTALLY  UNSUITABLE  FOR  VANDERCOOK  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
------------ 
  those  leadpipes can  be  a  problem  !!!!!!!!!i know  unhip   guys who  rejected a williams ---the blow -sucked !!!!!!  ha ha  not all of earls  pipes  were happening --
--------------
 THE SHERIFF   brought  the best RAW  MILK  IN THE  WORLD    AND PAW PAWS  !!!!!!!!!  showing  off  his lawler  built  burbank bob  slide --the  williams seem sorta  conn//martinish 
--------
  anyway    BURGER BOB    is sorting  it out w  his  60 --after  blowing THE TANK 72  --A YAMAHA 422   WAS CAKE  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!