I just repaired three Conn 5J tubas for a school...

[bloke]

I’m guessing that there was one band director that was there for quite a few years, because the three of them were obviously built through three different manufacturing eras, as the factory lacquer is three different styles.
They were pretty beat up - including the smaller bows, and they are all now in really good playing shape - as well as being straightened out pretty nicely.
I haven’t spent much time with 5J tubas in the past, but formulated this opinion over the weekend:
“Though ‘just fine’, Conn 5J tubas do not play quite as well as do no-longer-made Olds O-99–4 tubas (or as well as the Bach tubas made from the same Olds tooling).”

Change my mind.

[the elephant]

Agreed. I like the little Olds tubas better by a good bit.

[bloke]

The 5J instruments seem to offer a type of resonance that I tend to refer to as “throaty“ – whereby the sound doesn’t seem to quite “make it out of the bell“, and basically don’t seem to produce quite as much sound for the same effort.
I would sell either model to a school in good conscience - used, in good condition, but I have a strong preference.

[Cameron Gates]

I deal with 5J’s on a daily basis.

I love them because without them I would not have a job as a repairman. They keep me busy and employed. Long live the 5J.

I hate them due to the fact that I am on the suicide hot line immediately after play testing them. The low end of these horns is why I have them on speed dial. Kill the 5J.

The main school district our shop services has tons of these things. They were the only 4 valve, non Yamahoppy tuba on the district “bid list” up until 2 years ago. With a lot of coaxing from us we have successfully had it replaced on the list by the new age King thing.

Hopefully the hot line folks will be hearing from me less in the future.

[GC]

I think 5J's sound better to the player than to the audience.

[bloke]

‘ funny how previous owners of Conn-Selmer shelved the Olds/Bach tooling, and yet continued to use the 5G tooling… (The Olds/Bach instruments - quite obviously - are easier to assemble.) Over the years - the various owner have seemed to have made quite a few odd decisions.

[Jperry1466]

I have to agree. The Olds-99 was just more facile, less stuffy and tubby (to me, anyway), and the younger kids could handle them well. They tended to get a more blatty, "forced" sound on the Conns. I have an Olds-99 (belongs to a school client) in the shop waiting for a Franken-bell transplant and am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

[ParLawGod]

This thread is really making me regret selling my Olds O-99-4 a few years back. I had a lot of fun using it as a quintet horn. Pitch was fantastic on it (after I had the 3rd valve tuning slide shortened).

[ProAm]

This thread is really making me regret selling my Olds O-99-4 a few years back.

This thread is making me sad because the only tuba I own is a beat up 5J. I thought it was OK until I read the comment about sounding better to the player than to the audience.

[bloke]

1. You have a tuba.
2. It works.
3. It has monetary value.
4. It works for you.
5. You can choose to keep it, or you can choose to shop around.

This thread is really making me regret selling my Olds O-99-4 a few years back.

This thread is making me sad because the only tuba I own is a beat up 5J. I thought it was OK until I read the comment about sounding better to the player than to the audience.

[LeMark]

I had an olds/Bach that played quite nice. Probably should have kept it, but I sold it to a student for $800 (paid 600 and fixed it up some)

[York-aholic]

Did the 5J tubas suffer from any of the 'odd' tuning circuit lengths that the O-99-4 did (too long a 3rd circuit)?

I have a trashed (I meant TRASHED) 1979 Conn 5J here, strangely with very good valves (but bent up valve slide crooks).

I have a 1969 Olds O-99-3 that has a destroyed 3rd valve (must have been seriously stuck, as the valve stem has been hammered on and punched through 2 port walls, the bottom disc in the piston has been knocked upwards, and the bottom valve cap is missing about 1/3 of the wall where the threads are), but pretty good bugle.

So I'm thinking it might be a match made in heaven (pretty much the same bore), but wondered if there are any known issues with valve tuning circuit lengths.

[Casca Grossa]

I played on an Olds 0-99 for many years before I could afford my first tuba. A few years ago I had the chance to play a few notes on one. Those are nice horns. Especially for a quintet or band setting. I am curious as to why I don't see many franken projects with these. Are they just fine as is? Are they difficult to build with? Anyone ever cut one to CC (probably a fast track to hell when you die for the BBb purists) and slap a 5th valve on?

Just curious. My ignorance is probably showing also.

[Tubajug]

I've played a three valve Bach version and loved it. I have wanted to cut one to CC, but I would need to get it for pretty cheap to justify the experiment.

[DonO.]

When I was trying to decide what horn to buy getting back into playing after a 20 year hiatus, I went back and forth between the King 2341 and the Conn 5j. Based on what I read here I’m happy I chose the King. It has its quirks but ultimately I think it serves my purpose very well. My question is, why doesn’t the school with the 5j on the bid list also include the King on that list? It’s less expensive than the Conn, and seems to be, arguably, a better instrument.

On the subject of the Olds O-99, Taylor music has three iterations for sale right now. All Econo Overhauls, one an actual Olds, one a Reynolds that looks an awful lot like it, and one Bach Mercedes. All 3 valves. All 1795. Just to mention if someone here might be interested. Seems like fair prices for not-too-easy to find instruments. I mean, yes, they are easy to find in beat up condition, but not so easy in good shape.