What up are describing are NOT Elkhart 8d's. You are describing Eastlake OH 8D's and possibly a couple of Abilene 8D's.
Anything made in Elkhart (1950's for instance) would say specifically Elkhart. The logo with the flames was not used until the 1990's. During the Abilene and early Eastlake days the logo merely stated Conn, USA without flames or other design. Additionally, there was a brief period of time where six digit serial numbers were essentially reused. Mouthpipes are frequently changed as they are damaged with generic pipes especially in school environments. The skinniest pipe might just be the last remaining stock type mouthpipe. Witness marks can easily be turned around if the bearing plate is spun 90 degrees or even 180 degres. No one could address specific mismatches without verifying that first they are installed correctly and on the correct valve. Mediocre general repair persons often mix and match parts when cleaning in assembly line fashion-especially if they don't line up the proper mark with the proper mark on the valve casing itself. The Jack Attack! On Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 11:00 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > This 8D is rather interesting. The serial number is 559xxx, meaning it was > from 1955 if I dated it right. This is about the era of the rest of the 8Ds > the school owns. We have 9, The oldest is from 1954, and the newest is from > about 1962. They are practically identical, but with slightly varying lead > pipes, and on the one I was using, different valve levers. > However, this one 1955 Conn really sticks out from the rest. I'll go from > the leadpipe out to the bell with all the differences. > The lead pipe for one is quite a bit smaller bore wise than the other lead > pipes. It gives no more or less resistance, however. The bracing that > connects the lead pipe to the flair is also a whole inch and a half longer on > each of its 'arms.' It's also thicker and more rounded. > On the main tuning slide, there are the last 3 digits of the serial number. > This is only on one of the other horns. It is engraved, but it looks like > the engraver had tourrets or something like that because the numbers are > erratically engraved and are even cleaved. > The curve right after the main slide that connects it to the Bb valve casing > has an extra curve away from the valve casing. It has a very strange S shape. > Each of the valve cylinders is quite strange. For one, there is a "B" on > each of them. It's under the numbers 1 2 and 3 on each of the valves. Under > each of the valve caps, the B is also present. Serial number is on the > second valve, this is no different from the others. > The witness marks are off. On the first valve, the marks line up when the > valve is pressed, but not when it isn't. It's off by about 20 degrees or so. > This is about the standard on the other two valves as well. The thumb valve > has witness marks going the opposite direction than what I've seen as normal, > facing towards the lead pipe. The thumb's marks are the only ones that line > up when the valve is pressed and it isn't. > The valve levers are strange. For one, they're very light. The metal is > very different from the other horns. For another, they're very quiet and > fast. The thumb valve uses a string linkage rather than the mechanical > linkage I'm used to seeing on 8Ds. > The tubing that goes out from the third valve, which eventually turns into > the top F horn tuning slide(not the F third valve slide) has a much wider > curve than the others. It goes out way farther as well. > All bracings are drastically different. Instead of having a U shaped plate, > a cylinder between them, and another U shaped plate, they have circular > plates. > The last thing is the icon engraved on the bell throat. > On the other Conns, It's a shield and banner with ornamental flames and > whatnot under it. It says C. G. Conn(r) on top then 8D in the banner, then > U.S.A under that. > On this one, it says in really big letters, CONN(with no little r after it) > then 8D under it in big letters. Under that it's USA. The engraving is in a > different lettering style as well. It is also very inconsistent, as some > lines are thick then thin, some lines are thin all the way, and some are > thick all the way. It's very random and inconsistent. It's also slightly > lopsided. > > My question is, why is this one Conn so drastically different from the others > from practically the same era? It's even different from the other 1955 one, > which is almost identical to the others. > It plays very well, but the fourth line D is occasionally stuffy on the Bb > side. It is much more responsive > What do the Bs mean on the valves? > Why are there such inconsitencies and errors that make it seem thrown > together? > > Thanks > -John Stacy > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/horn > > End of Horn Digest, Vol 93, Issue 24 > ************************************ > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
