Posted by Supplemental Info on January 15, 2004 at 17:52:09:
In Reply to: 1921 Conn "Orchestra Grand" For Sale posted by Paul R. Ogushwitz on January 15, 2004 at 16:25:24:
Thank you all for the many emails that have arrived during the one hour since I posted the sale notice! Here is some supplemental information to answer the questions:
This is a 1921 Conn upright tuba in BBb, model 34J. Conn's designation for this instrument is "Orchestra Grand Bass". Serial number 183848. This horn is in excellent condition. One dent on bottom bow. Some small dings. The finish is silver plate with some bright silver highlights. There is no wear on the plating. The bell has a mellow gold wash.
Some details: Four front-action piston valves in perfect condition. (Two of the valves were restored by Nate Griffith, N.P.Griffith Company, Omaha, NE, and all four valves were then plated and fitted to honed valve casings. Service was completed in mid-November, 2003.) All slides pull smoothly. The bore is unusually large at 0.810" (eight-ten), measured at inside of second valve slide. The bell diameter is 22" (twenty two inches). The horn is 40" long, 12" thick at the first valve including the valve stem and button, and 18" wide at the first valve. Surprisingly, the horn weighs only 26 (twenty six) pounds, which is on the light side for a big-bore 6/4 4-valve Conn.
There is no case. Conn's original literature of the period does not list a case for this model, although the Conn factory did offer to manufacture cases on a custom basis.
My repairman is Mr. Harvey Hartman (Harv's Happy Horns), a master technician. Harvey removed some of the minor dings referred to above. Harvey also replaced the water valve corks, put new felts on the valves, aligned the valves, and cleaned the horn internally and externally.
This instrument is in BBb. It is very free-blowing and requires remarkably little wind, considering the large bore. It plays pianissimo with but little effort. Fortissimo is full and throaty.
Incidentally, Martin Wilk has told me that the 0.810" bore is considerably bigger than Conn's usual bore sizes (maximum was apparently 0.773"). Martin conjectures that this may have been a prototype horn or a made-to-order horn for one of the hotshot players of the day. If so, it may be one of a kind.
My tuba teacher is Don Butterfield. Don examined and played this instrument on December 11, 2003 and then prepared the following testimonial: "This afternoon I have spent several hours checking over a four valve Conn BBb Tuba belonging to Mr. Paul Ogushwitz. The instrument was built in 1921 at the C.G. Conn factory, Serial Number 183848. It is in excellent physical and mechanical shape. For its size it is an especially 'free-blowing' horn, through all registers and all notes seem to 'center' very well. The 'core' of the sound is very clear. It is also extraordinarily in tune with itself. Its basic construction is of the highest quality --- in fact a quality we do not always find in instruments manufactured today. It has one of the most resonant low end responses I have heard, over the years of having played a great many different tubas. I would highly recommend this instrument to any serious tuba player." (The signed original of this letter will become property of the person who buys the horn. See photo.)
There are ten (10) photos. The tuba stand shown in the photos is not for sale.
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