Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

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MrHCinDE
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Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

Post by MrHCinDE »

Does anyone have any experience with the dual-bore SL2547 with a late Elkhart 8H and circa. 2000 88H (open wrap, thinwall?

How does each of these combinations play? How would you describe the sound and playability compared with the original slides of each?
Last edited by MrHCinDE on Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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hyperbolica
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Re: Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

Post by hyperbolica »

I play a '68 88h with the sl2525 and I love it. I've played GenII 8ht with the same slide, again fantastic. I was less impressed with the heavier bell. It just felt a little dead and heavy in comparison.

The sl2525 makes a lively horn even livelier. More nimble, snappier. I think the sl2547 mainly split the difference. To me, the change didn't seem worthwhile unless I went all the way to full 525. The dual bore didn't make a big enough difference.

It probably depends on what you like about the 88h. If you like the light responsiveness of it, go full 525. If you prefer the warmth, the bigger slide will retain more of that for you.
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paulyg
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Re: Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

Post by paulyg »

If you broaden the scope of the question to "who has played a .525/.547 dual bore slide?" you'll get lots of informative responses... like mine, below!

These are awesome.

There is nothing I've found that a dual-bore slide can't do on a large tenor. The dB might not be as great, but the sound quality is amazing (far easier to keep together), and good luck to everyone else trying to match your projection. Your air goes twice as far (not even joking, it's almost double), and you remember why you picked up the instrument in the first place. In my years of playing, I have not received the number of total compliments I got on my sound than I did when I played a dual-bore slide (for about two months).

I will say that the one thing I did not like about my Elkhart 88H was how much air it took in relation to how much you got out- it was not an efficient horn. Fun to let 'er rip, but not fun to play high and soft on. I think a smaller top tube could have really made that horn sing.

Now, on the upswing from some pretty serious chop issues, the dual-bore is back in the rotation. It was a real lifesaver at the absolute nadir of my problems (ask Colin Williams about that), and I'm hoping to use it to help build my strength back up. And hey, who knows, it might stick around for a while after that...
Paul Gilles
Aerospace Engineer & Trombone Player
ChadA
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Re: Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

Post by ChadA »

MrHCinDE wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:53 am Does anyone have any experience with the dual-bore SL2547 with a late Elkhart 8H and circa. 2000 88H (open wrap, thinwall?

How does each of these combinations play? How would you describe the sound and playability compared with the original slides of each?
I play an SL2547 with both an Elkhart 8H bell and a Greenhoe Conn 88HTG bell from not long before Greenhoe closed shop. I really like it for solo work, quintet playing, and the occasional orchestral tenor work I do (most of the orchestral work I do is on bass trombone). It has a little more projection than the 4747 slide, even though I use a slightly deeper mouthpiece on the 2547 than on the 4747. It doesn’t blow as big as the 4747 but feels very comfortable and stable.

I like the 4747 slide with Elkhart bell quite a bit also and would play that combo more if it had a valve (the quintet rep I play is really helped by the valve). My least favorite combo is actually the Greenhoe with its original 4747 slide, regardless of leadpipe (I’ve tried all 3 stock Conn pipes and a Shires 2.5). That combo isn’t bad; I just like the others better. I don’t have a vintage large bore slide to add into the comparison. My Elkhart bell came with the 2547 when I bought it used from Dillon.

The 2547 won’t work for everyone, but I like it a lot.
whitbey
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Re: Conn SL2547 for Elkhart 8H and GenII 88H

Post by whitbey »

I am playing Edwards horns.

I play a 525/547 for quintet, solo and much of my practice. I play 547/562 for symphony and concert band.
Happy with both. Each is good enough for the other.
Edwards Sterling bell 525/547
Edwards brass bell 547/562
Edwards Jazz w/ Ab valve 500"/.508"
Markus Leuchter Alto Trombone
Bass Bach 50 Bb/F/C dependent.
Cerveny oval euphonium
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