No love for the Conn 100H?

[Macbone1]

Years ago I tried a silver-plated Conn 100H at Dillon and liked what I saw and heard in the store. It had all 3 lead pipes, gorgeous factory case and one of the best slides I ever played on (even sans lube). I paid the "nice price" (nice for Dillon) and was on my way.

Once purchased, then out and about playing in groups I found it just didn't seem to project or blend as expected. I liked the light weight of the horn but it was a bit front-heavy. A lot of work to play loud in groups....I tried every lead pipe including an aftermarket from Brass Ark, different mouthpieces too. Never quite got what I wanted so I traded it to Massimo Pirone for a .525 bore.

Brass Ark has a brass lacquered one posted now for $2200. Looks really nice but I can't imagine anyone biting at that price. US makers are not coming up with an iconic .500 bore anymore? No more Holton TR-100s are being made.
Maybe just the Bach 12 is left.

[Burgerbob]

Bach 12 is not in production either.

[Thrawn22]

100Hs were designed to be studio horns or horns to be played in situations where you would be mic'd. I had a really nice one that i picked up for cheap that blew nice but couldn't get louder than MF. The early production 100Hs i hear were great because those were closest to Minicks design. And everyone i know that has a Minick built 100H kills on it.

If you want a good Conn .500 bore look at a 6H. There are plenty of them in the world. The 2B+ is a good .500 bore from what i understand. I'll be suprised if Bach stopped making 12s, though Bach does questionable business decisions.

I hope that .525 from Massimo was worth the trade.

[RJMason]

The 100H is a great horn but the quality of manufacture varies. I’ve tried some that sounded nice but the blow felt off, more recently produced. I’ve also tried one from the initial production, with a special curved handgrip, like the letter C with a bar that connects to the outer slide barrel. That one had a great slide and sounded wonderful! Look for the older ones with the grip.

The 100H can be great but honestly there are more options on the market which, in my opinion, work better. The King 2B+ provides more punch. The Bach 12 has more complexity to the sound and is a dream on a mic. The Conn 6H offers more punch and complexity in sound while also offering a strident tone when pushed. It also maintains a warmer sound with the heavier slide, so it is a little more versatile in symphonic/chamber settings as well as jazz, big band, horn section. The 6H was my favorite for a number of years.

I also used to own a Minick .500 which was the design basis for the Conn 100H. It outplayed the 2000s brass, silver plated, and older first edition 100Hs I’ve trialed. Truly brass alchemy, though mine was even lighter than a 100H. It was like driving a sports car with no power brakes and I had trouble controlling it effectively on sessions where precision is a must.

In the US, Schilke/Greenhoe now makes the GC2 model, a .500 bore trombone with 8 inch bell. It came out a little under a year ago. It sounds and blows better than all of them in my opinion.

While not as affordable as a used or vintage .500 bore, it is reasonably priced compared to other brand new instruments. I sold off my small bore collection (Minick, Williams, Conn, Bach) and just play the GC2-Y now. It’s that good.

[hyperbolica]

I played one about 20 years ago that I thought at the time was the greatest horn I had ever played, but I haven't had one since that I liked even a little. I think it matters a lot which generation of 100h you have. - test before you buy-

[Macbone1]

100Hs were designed to be studio horns or horns to be played in situations where you would be mic'd. I had a really nice one that i picked up for cheap that blew nice but couldn't get louder than MF. The early production 100Hs i hear were great because those were closest to Minicks design. And everyone i know that has a Minick built 100H kills on it.

--So, there was a good "era" for them. Mine was apparently not from then. Massimo said he didn't like the feel of it and it's probably somewhere in Italy now.

If you want a good Conn .500 bore look at a 6H. There are plenty of them in the world. The 2B+ is a good .500 bore from what i understand. I'll be surprised if Bach stopped making 12s, though Bach does questionable business decisions.

--Thanks...I've gotten to be a snob about counterweights ever since my Holton 65 and have not seriously considered the 6H. Maybe it's time.

I hope that .525 from Massimo was worth the trade.

--Kind of. It was for a MUCH older B&H Imperial in silver. WAY different but not worse, closet find, in some ways better made. Too different from a Bach 36 or Conn 78H so I sold it to a grateful collector in CA.

[Bach5G]

I had a Minick 100H. It tended to play flat. I sold it to a NY Pro who was touring with the Ellington band. He demo’d it during the sound check and I could see him wrestling with the tuning. He bought the horn but subsequently had it cut down a bit.

I also had a 100H for a while. Terrible slide. It would be good for about 20 minutes. Even the Slide Doctor (original) couldn’t fix it. Nice enough horn but for the slide problems. Nice grip, cool if not terribly effective counterweights, 3 leadpipes, and a nice high range. I heard the slide problem was a manufacturing/design flaw that affected early models but was corrected in later horns.

[Macbone1]

I also had a 100H for a while. Terrible slide. It would be good for about 20 minutes. Even the Slide Doctor (original) couldn’t fix it. Nice enough horn but for the slide problems. Nice grip, cool if not terribly effective counterweights, 3 leadpipes, and a nice high range. I heard the slide problem was a manufacturing/design flaw that affected early models but was corrected in later horns.

Well at least the later ones had good slides, based on my experience. I always wished the "tootsie roll" counterweights had been lead-filled to balance it better.

[harrisonreed]

This horn design sounds pretty bad

[Thrawn22]

This horn design sounds pretty bad

It wss a design for the time it was built. I don't like the Jiggs 2B for the same reasons. For me the 100H bell could've used a bit more weight. A friends father had his 100H bell silver plated and it played much better afterwards.

[Posaunus]

Think I'll hang on to my 1967 Conn 6H!

[RJMason]

Played several 100Hs over the years. Slides were ehh blow was ehh sound was nice though. The best was an early one with the C shaped handgrip. The one closest to the custom Minick design.

Also owned a Minick .500. Played so so much better (despite being the “same specs” as the 100H), but was very lightweight. I know he made heavier ones though. Was like a sports car with no power brakes. It was tough for me to play efficiently at loud volumes despite the sweet and malleable sound.

King 2B+ has more punch. Bach 12s have richer overtones and sound way dreamier on the mic. Conn 6H, my personal favorite for several years, has more versatility not only as a jazz horn, but with the warmth and feel of the heavier slide can work as a great chamber trombone with the right mouthpiece. In my opinion there’s just way better .500 options available.

Today in the US, Schilke/Greenhoe is making the GC2 model. 500 bore, 8 inch bell. Got rid my small bores and just play that now. More expensive than a used 100H, but 100 times better.

[Macbone1]

Thanks....yes I've read the rave reviews on the GC2 model. Looks pricey, but when I think of all the trades and sales I have done over the last dozen years (loss/break even, repair bills), I could have afforded it

I own a great King 2BL, which overlapped with the 100H. They were "too similar" in my mind and I liked the King way better, so I traded the Conn. Didn't like that old .525 I got enough to keep but not looking for any more horns right now.