Conn tuba

[graybach]

I teach middle school choir and Mariachi, though my training is in band, and I played tuba from junior high until the end of college.
I share a hallway with practice rooms and offices and things with the band directors. I went into the room with the sink that they use for cleaning and sanitizing mouthpieces, etc., and for storage, and this was on a table in there.
Thought everybody would like to see it. (And maybe give more information than I know about it, which is not hard to do.)
The bell inscription reads “C.G. Conn, LTD, Elkhart, Indiana.” This tuba is VERY HEAVY.
I didn’t even know they had this. I will ask them about it Monday, as they were already gone for the weekend when I saw this.

[arpthark]

Neat. Old Conn 20J in satin silver.

[bloke]

yeah...Ask if you can borrow it.

[bort2.0]

High school kid: I want to play the tuba!
Director: Great, here you go!
Kid: Nevermind...

[arpthark]

At a high school honor band one year, I sat next to a kid from one of the poor eastern Kentucky coal mine counties playing on an old beat-up 20J. I thought I was hot stuff, but he played circles around me and sounded great. That was when I found out what false tones were, when he played these beautifully subtle D-flats at the end of a Bach chorale.

[The Big Ben]

Neat. Old Conn 20J in satin silver.

And it looks pretty good! Usually, those things are riddled with dents. Remember, if you do get to use it, you need two tuning bits in the mouthpiece receiver after the mouthpiece. It was designed to have them. I think the reason was that it would be easier to reposition the mouthpiece than move the horn. There might be a Wenger stand to hold it up in one of the dusty closets.

[hrender]

High school kid: I want to play the tuba!
Director: Great, here you go!
Kid: Nevermind...

There's a distinct subset of kids for whom this horn, sitting on a table or in a stand, will be an object of fascination. That's where you get your players. My wife is a secretary in an elementary school who found out one of her "frequent flyers" (kids who appear in the office frequently) was obsessed with tubas. She relayed this to me. I gave her an old Kelly mouthpiece I used to buzz on, and I suggested she offer it as a potential reward to the kid if he behaved better. Reportedly the kid's eyes lit up like Christmas lights, and he markedly improved for the rest of the semester. He got his mouthpiece. I was actually going to give him one of my "good" mouthpieces, but my wife said he really wanted the Kelly, and it would do less damage if he dropped it.



Back on topic: That's a good horn from all appearances. I'd see if it's in playable condition and offer to demo it to the kids.

[donn]

The lack of normal dents makes me a little suspicious.

[The Big Ben]

High school kid: I want to play the tuba!
Director: Great, here you go!
Kid: Nevermind...

There's a distinct subset of kids for whom this horn, sitting on a table or in a stand, will be an object of fascination. That's where you get your players. My wife is a secretary in an elementary school who found out one of her "frequent flyers" (kids who appear in the office frequently) was obsessed with tubas. She relayed this to me. I gave her an old Kelly mouthpiece I used to buzz on, and I suggested she offer it as a potential reward to the kid if he behaved better. Reportedly the kid's eyes lit up like Christmas lights, and he markedly improved for the rest of the semester. He got his mouthpiece. I was actually going to give him one of my "good" mouthpieces, but my wife said he really wanted the Kelly, and it would do less damage if he dropped it.

You have to find a way to "get" some kids. Sometimes, the little rabble rousers have little or no inside motivation. They don't yet understand that they will grow up to be a bum if they don't pay attention in school so they need something to focus on. This kid might be intrigues by the tuba that, when it comes time to join the band, he will sign up and actually learn to play real music. Could be just a fun thing to do until the end of HS or it could be a life long hobby.


BTW: That sousie in the picture looks like an Eb sousie. Not a bad idea for younger and smaller kids...

[York-aholic]

It looks like a BBb sousaphone with the requisite smashed in 1st valve crook.