My two favorites for quality and value are the Reynolds Contempora (made in Cleveland preferable, but Abilene will be fine with newer valves) and the Conn 4D (only trust those made in Elkhart. Not the 14D, it is a student model). I see a lot of King 618 models on ebay, but I don't have personal experience with them. I have heard the Conn 4D shares a common bell with the 6D. The 4D will have a slightly higher resale value, but the Reynolds is probably better made, especially the valves. Both horns were rather pricey when new, but I see them all the time as low as $50. Look for one in the $100-150 range that doesn't show a lot of school battering. When I buy a horn on eBay, I always have an exchange of email with the seller. Don't buy a horn without a provision to send it back if it needs a valve job to be playable. Have them work the valves fast and tell you how noisy they are. Also, have them work the bottom screw side to side and up and down. If they can make any noise doing that, move on. Most people don't know very much about what they're selling. Honest people welcome any information you can give them. They especially like to hear about your playing, and how you plan to use the horn, and to tell you how they come to have the horn. A few exchanges will give you an idea of the quality of the seller, and that usually parallels the quality of the merchandise. The quality of the merchandise is not reflected in the bidding or in the descriptions. Really honest people often describe things in a way that discourages bidding. Use current bidding and completed sales information to determine your own bidding level. Be patient.
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