#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERS#
#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBER#
#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS PRO#
#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS PROFESSIONAL#
#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIES#

The Vintage 8D is a current Conn product, produced since 2008, which Conn describes in their website as follows:ДЇrom the Pro Shop in Eastlake, Ohio, the new Vintage 8D introduces a new age of custom horns to C.G. In the article though (if you have read this far be sure to check their article) the story was about the new Vintage 8D and their use by members of the Cleveland Orchestra.

I have worked with many students with recent production Conn 8Ds. The bells are still heavier than those seen on vintage Elkhart 8Ds but the valves are again tapered and quality control is good. This was a change driven by the school market, and most horns geared in this direction today are made with somewhat heavier, thicker bells to avoid denting but with a resulting different feel and sound than the classic Elkhart 8D.Д¬urrent production Conn 8Ds are produced in their Eastlake factory. One obvious feature that was different between the two plants was the bells were made thicker. Elkhart horns are clearly marked Elkhart later production instruments are marked вЂњC. I pulled a valve out and the cylindrical valves confirmed it for her.

#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIES#

I once had a student that was very proud of her 300,000 series 8D and it was not something I enjoyed having to tell her that it was in fact an Abilene 8D with a recycled serial number. They can be OK but the valves are problematic in particular. The Abilene horns are in general horns to avoid. The cylindrical rotors were one of the biggest design flaws in the Abilene horns. The most positive way to tell an Abilene 8D from an Elkhart 8D is to remove a rotary valve and measure the rotor with either a micrometer or a set of dial calipers. Elkhart horns, with the exception of the вЂњNвЂќ series have rather thin pull rings.

#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERS#

When Conn moved to Abilene, Texas they did make horns with six digit serial numbers that drastically overlap the Elkhart numbersвЂ¦.The Abilene horns have 2nd valve pull rings that are as thick as the ones on the new Cleveland horns.

#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBER#

In the same Conn 8D website we learn from Randy Harrison thatДЄ Conn 8D with a six digit serial number and no letter prefix is not necessarily an Elkhart 8D. However, be careful! Conn made a couple unfortunate decisions and not only moved production of the instruments to Abilene, TX to lower costs but also changed key elements of the design and recycled serial numbers. Conn LTD, Elkhart, IND, USA.вЂќ Earlier instruments of this vintage will have a mechanical thumb valve (very early with slide tubes made with ends that are soldered on) and later instruments of this vintage have a string action thumb valve with slide tube ends that are rolled. The key spotting feature is the engraving on the bell which will read вЂњC. They have serial numbers that run from вЂњpre-letterвЂќ numbers into serial numbers preceded by a single letter (E, L, etc.). The general viewpoint out there on the three production runs is that the Elkhart instruments are the classic, вЂњvintageвЂќ 8D and most professionals using this type of horn are playing horns of this vintage to this day. The Conn 8D has been produced in three different plants, in order: This gets at also that there have been a number of changes over the years to this classic horn. My old ones have a larger (in the tail, ala Kruspe) heavier bell, and sound better. They went to a thinner bell as well, then. That might explain why the Conn had slightly better intonation than the Kruspe, and was not prone to вЂњwolfs.вЂќ He also said that the bell taper was changed slightly in the early вЂ™60s due to new mandriles and a new bell spinner on the job. Jim Klapp, sales manager at Conn in the вЂ™60s, told me on a visit to the Elkhart plant in вЂ™69 that the 8D was based on Arthur BervвЂ™s Kruspe with certain modifications, mainly the taper of a Schmidt leadpipe. There is a brief history of the early production of the Conn 8D by Kendall Betts over in The Conn 8D website, where he notes that the first instruments have serial numbers in the 320,000 series.

#CONN 8D ELKHART SERIAL NUMBERS PROFESSIONAL#

The Conn 8D was basically an improved upon version of a nickel silver Horner model Kruspe and for many years was one of the best professional level horns you could purchase. The model was first produced in 1937 this advertising image from 1956 is linked from the Conn Loyalist website. But, as I noted last week, it is a distinctive design and вЂњsome hornists вЂ¦ hate 8Ds almost as much as some hate the mellophone.вЂќ The first obvious thing to note is that the Conn 8D is a classic instrument beloved by many players. turns out classic horns for worldвЂ™s best musicians.вЂќ Also last week I got back to exploring my roots in the Conn 8D school of horn playing so it is a good time to review what a вЂњvintageвЂќ 8D is. Last week an article was featured on, вЂњ Conn-Selmer Inc.

Conn 8d elkhart serial numbers