Valve Trombone

[rleegabe]

I just bought a Conn Valve Trombone today, The serial numberif I am reading this correct is E3099 According to Conn serial numbers for brass reads it was made in 1965. Can someone confirm I am reading this correctly? What's confusing me is mine only has 4 numbers and the chart here has 5.

https://www.conn-selmer.com/en-us/resou ... al-numbers

Conn Cup Mouthpiece and Reed Mouthpiece Instruments
1957 - 1972
Date Serial #
1957 652002
1958 718626
1959 779657
1960 834200
1961 898556
1962 949465
1963 c00501
1964 c73854
1965 e54106
1966 h31247
1967 k35274
1968 l20454
1969 "m" prefix
1970 "n" prefix
1971 "p" prefix
1972 "r" prefix

[Burgerbob]

Picture of the horn?

[BGuttman]

If the instrument is Abilene (1972-c.1980, and saying "Conn USA" on the bell engraving, it's possible that there is a weird serial number. I had a Conn Director from Abilene that had the serial A 2xx (no idea when it was made).

Another possibility is that there are other numbers or letters before what you think is the serial. Maybe 2 letters like "GC". There is a way to interpret serials like that down to the month of manufacture.

[greenbean]

The Gen II horns had a letter followed by a space and then 4 numerals. But, yes, photos are needed. Of the bell engraving and the serial #.

[rleegabe]

If the instrument is Abilene (1972-c.1980, and saying "Conn USA" on the bell engraving, it's possible that there is a weird serial number. I had a Conn Director from Abilene that had the serial A 2xx (no idea when it was made).

Another possibility is that there are other numbers or letters before what you think is the serial. Maybe 2 letters like "GC". There is a way to interpret serials like that down to the month of manufacture.

[rleegabe]

If the instrument is Abilene (1972-c.1980, and saying "Conn USA" on the bell engraving, it's possible that there is a weird serial number. I had a Conn Director from Abilene that had the serial A 2xx (no idea when it was made).

Another possibility is that there are other numbers or letters before what you think is the serial. Maybe 2 letters like "GC". There is a way to interpret serials like that down to the month of manufacture.

[Posaunus]

The photos certainly prove that the bell is from Elkhart. (Implies 1972 or earlier.) The serial number on the valve casing (E3099) does not seem consistent with the numbering scheme used for other Elkhart instruments of the time. (As you point out, in 1965 we would have expected 5 numbers after the E - Exxxxx.) Apparently some sort of an outlier - and a rare find. You may have a treasure!

Have you cleaned it, oiled the valves, and played it? What do you think?

[greenbean]

The valve section looks nothing like a Conn valve section.

[pfrancis]

I agree with Tom about the valve section, in fact if I were betting I would put money on it being a Getzen valve set.

[CalgaryTbone]

The bell is older than an "E" serial number based on the engraving and size. The "E" serial numbers would have either the fairly ornate engraving typical of the 88H's of that era, or the "Marching Men" engraving that you see on a lot of 6H's. That looks like it's from the 30's (maybe 20's?).

Jim Scott