TromboneChat

Just picked up one of these from Aidan (thank you!). It’s made in Abilene, but plays like it’s from Mars

I’ve tried a couple Elkhart 48Hs over the years but they all felt woofy and dark. Maybe this one is different. Haven’t gigged on it yet, but recorded with it and wow. Totally getting Minick .500 vibes, but way more core (something I think a lot of those horns lack). The GC2-N feels flimsy compared to it even though it’s roughly based off this design.

Connstellations are strange and beautiful horns. No idea why they didn’t catch on with somebody, I don’t really see them ever. I began pairing the bell section with an Elkhart 6H slide and tuning slide. It’s a little warmer, heavier, but the stock parts got charm too. Starting this thread because I’m deep in an old Conn wormhole. Maybe an old Bach will pull me out. They really don’t make em like they used to.

I'm glad to learn that others like the Connstellation 48H.
I really enjoy playing mine (the only 48H I've played) - S/N R342xx (Abilene, I presume).
Beautiful nickel-silver bell; Outer slide lacquer mostly intact but obviously used; Inner slide tubes immaculate; Great compression and smooth slide action.
Are these underrated, or just relatively rare?

From what i've seen the 48h is actualy quite popular and desireable. I dont think they are particularly rare considering they pop up often enough, but I dont think they are just readily available with extras constantly floating around the market. From what I've seen, most people that own one dont want to let it go because they are so good. and people that want one, will get one when they show up on the market. So it isn't truly rare at all, just never overpriced and always in demand and good to have around.

What you end up with is a horn that shows up on the market frequently but also transact fairly quickly. People selling one want them to go to a good home and know how much they are worth and wont overcharge.

They are wonderful horns. you just gotta snap them up in the short time window you have when they are on market otherwise they will rapidly make a transition to a new owner because they are very in-demand.

Yeah, I'm a 48h nut too. I used it on a tbone choir concert playing some high parts once, and the tbone prof wasn't really excited. He wanted to see some woofy 547 instead of "that hot spiky tiny thing" I brought. I loved the sound. It is dark and warm down soft and can get some bite when you lean on it. I always thought of it as the ultimate marching trombone, which isn't exactly a compliment, but I also think it behaves itself nicely when you get the right mouthpiece in it and don't push too hard.

For me, the 48h is in a constant state of competition for my favorite small bore with my Getzen 3508. You can swap the slides, but it doesn't seem to improve either horn.

If you like the 48h and old Conns in general, you might try a 38h if you can find one. It's somewhere between a 6h and a 48h. They call it a Connstellation, but it doesn't have a nickel bell. They're also a bit rarer.

I still have to spend some time on a 48h. I love my 6h and generally love that size of horn, but didn't really have a chance yet to get a good idea of the 48h. Seems like some love it, some hate it...

I don't play my 1966 Elkhart 48H as much as I used to since I've added a couple more horns to the stable, but it's still fun to play.

For those who've played both the 48H and a 38H, I have a question. Are the slide sections the same? I understand that the bell sections are different, but from the pics I've seen, the slide sections look very similar. My 48H slide section is pristine, so picking up a 38H bell section from a 38H with a bad slide would be fun if the sections are virtually the same.

JohntheTheologian wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 7:35 am I don't play my 1966 Elkhart 48H as much as I used to since I've added a couple more horns to the stable, but it's still fun to play.

For those who've played both the 48H and a 38H, I have a question. Are the slide sections the same? I understand that the bell sections are different, but from the pics I've seen, the slide sections look very similar. My 48H slide section is pristine, so picking up a 38H bell section from a 38H with a bad slide would be fun if the sections are virtually the same.

I think the slides are interchangeable, but not exactly the same. The bell section is the big difference. The main difference is yellow brass bell and built in counterweights instead of nickel and a bolt on cw. Both have the "ergo" grip gussets and the engraving parallel to the bell axis. The 38h is a little more even tempered

Interesting stuff! When I say I don’t see them, I guess I mean that I don’t see them played in professional settings where I worked? I’ve seen three in fifteen years and one of those players is in Italy and does more experimental stuff. While I can’t say I played a 6H I didn’t like, I guess the 48H is kind of different. The last Elkhart I tried was in August and while it was cool it didn’t really get my gears going. This one is checking the boxes though. It is also not a particularly heavy horn, which I’ve read online can sometimes be the case. It’s pretty light and well balanced, but not Minick featherweight. I have read about the horn being tougher to blend in a section. Will see about that eventually…

The 5-day lead trombonist at Disneyland plays a 48H, and sounds great on it. It's a big difference from the Yamaha Z he used to use - so much more life to the sound. We almost had an all-Conn trombone section in the park the other day...48H on 1st, 6H on 3rd, and me on my 72H on 4th.

I still have yet to play a 48H myself, though I know multiple people that have one. I've loved all of the 6Hs I've played so I'd imagine I'd like the 48H as well.

Finetales wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 12:03 pm I still have yet to play a 48H myself, though I know multiple people that have one. I've loved all of the 6Hs I've played so I'd imagine I'd like the 48H as well.

I think of the 48H as a 6H+ !

Posaunus wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 12:34 pm

Finetales wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 12:03 pm I still have yet to play a 48H myself, though I know multiple people that have one. I've loved all of the 6Hs I've played so I'd imagine I'd like the 48H as well.

I think of the 48H as a 6H+ !

Is it 8 times better?

Finetales wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 12:03 pm The 5-day lead trombonist at Disneyland plays a 48H, and sounds great on it. It's a big difference from the Yamaha Z he used to use - so much more life to the sound. We almost had an all-Conn trombone section in the park the other day...48H on 1st, 6H on 3rd, and me on my 72H on 4th.

I still have yet to play a 48H myself, though I know multiple people that have one. I've loved all of the 6Hs I've played so I'd imagine I'd like the 48H as well.

My 891 still sounds more “all-around” and versatile, but the 48H is just more fun, more alive. The Conns don’t have that juicy Yamaha bloom I am (sometimes) able to coax out of that horn. But they have other interesting things going on. They’re old school in the ways I love and feel like home in my hands. I’m gonna live with this setup a little longer and see how things develop.

Finetales wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 12:03 pm The 5-day lead trombonist at Disneyland plays a 48H

It’s funny you say this, my former teacher who played lead trombonist at DisneyWorld in the main street band used a 48H for a number of years and loved it.

I own one a 48H from 1968 and it is a PLAYER. I’ve had a few people pick it up and be very impressed.