Conn 50H

[bigbandbone]

Why isn't there any love for the Conn 50H? I'm playing big band gigs on a pea shooter .485 now and have been looking for an affordable 50H for when I occasionally am asked to cover a bass bone book.

[BGuttman]

A 50H is a bit small for covering a bass bone book except for 1940s charts.

I was kinda underwhelmed when I tried one. I'd much prefer a good 0.525" with F as 3rd trombone or for shows.

If you are covering a modern Big Band bass book you really need a double trigger; preferably in F/D or F/Eb. Certainly nothing less than a large bore (0.547").

[bigbandbone]

Ok, honesty is the key word here. I'm an old guy playing in an old guy swing band. Mostly 30's and 40's charts. Primary axe is a .485 bore 20H. Only double bass bone occasionally. What should I be looking for?

[BGuttman]

Do you have to out-honk the Bari? If so, you need a big horn (and lots of lung power). If there is no Bari, you might be able to get away with something smaller.

Most 40s charts were written for 4 tenors. Look at pictures of the old Big Bands. Nobody is playing an F-attachment until Bart Varsalona and the 1950s.

If all you want is to make it easier to reach C and F, almost any small bore with an attachment will work: Olds Recording with F, King 3B with F, etc. Or you could look for a Yamaha 356, which is a somewhat larger dual bore.

As I said, I was underwhelmed by the Conn 50H I tested. You may not.

[JohnL]

Don't buy a 50H without test playing one first. There isn't a lot of clearance between the bell and the slide, so some people have trouble with thwacking the bell as they go by.

[Pre59]

A King 4B works well in the OP's context.

I thought I'd trawl the net and and find a big band (Ted Heath) that at the time used a Bb/F on 4th tenor and I found this. Some nice tbn "sotto voce'" chords behind the vigorous trumpet soloists.

[bigbandbone]

A King 4B works well in the OP's context.

I thought I'd trawl the net and and find a big band (Ted Heath) that at the time used a Bb/F on 4th tenor and I found this. Some nice tbn "sotto voce'" chords behind the vigorous trumpet soloists.

We actually have that arrangement in our book!

[bigbandbone]

Well, I bought a 50H. My reasoning for purchasing one was this. Since I play a peashooter .485 straight horn in a community band I wanted something with a small bore size as a bass bone doubler that would accept my small shank mouthpiece without and adapter. I knew about the close tolerance between the slide and the bell rim (#thank you JohnL). So once I solved that problem I took it to a big band rehearsal. I was pleasantly surprised and found it very capable. I knew it would be good for all the old standards, but it also handled more contemporary tunes like the Buddy Rich arrangement of "Mercy Mercy Mercy" and Bill Chases "Get It On". It's a keeper! Once I get it back to my repair shop in Ohio at the end of this Florida season I will make a more cosmetic modification for bell clearance and I be a happy camper.

[AFStahlecker]

Got any pictures of what you did to it?

[JKBone85]

I get it. I have played on 4 different 50H's and played them all into the ground. They can be really great horns. Enjoy!