[Trombone-l] Problem with my Elkhart Conn 72H

[t.stone@att.net]

Hi List,

I'm new to the List and have never posted before ab am hoping I can get get some help regarding a problem I am having with my Elkhart Conn 72H. I got the the horn in 2003, and after having it restored by Kanstul in 2005 and playing it for a while I noticed it was not playing the way it should. It was way to open and notes could not be centered well. Tone was good, though. John Sandhagen looked at whole horn and pronounced it fit except for the discovery that somewhere during it's 41 year life someone had jammed something down the lead-pipe and totally destroyed the venturi. No wonder it didn't play well, we thought. John removed the old, damaged pipe and I decided to go the drop-in pipe route as not to destroy the mouthpiece receiver of the horn. After trying many, many Kantsul copies of this, that, and the other, I settled on their clone 62H pipe. The horn now plays somewhat better, except that the most of the mid-register notes still don't center particularly well and c rack ever
y other time I play them, and the lower register just doesn't sound the way a vintage Elkhart Conn 72H should. From trigger F down to low C, and B with the E-pull (all of the money notes!), the notes sound just awful. I can't get a nice pinging attack. The attacks are heavy and "thuddy" and each sustained note sounds dull and lifeless. Now, here's the kicker: I was at Ferguson Music the other day trying yet more lead pipes when I flashed on trying one of their new OEM new-build Conn 62H slides with one of their Kanstul 62H pipes (screw in). I fitted it on, tightened it down, started playing and, lo and behold, it was like night and day! Every note centered, every attack had just the right amount of ping and every sustained tone had that wonder, warm Elkhart Conn 72H sound like the horn was suppose to have.
I'm at a loss to explain this, and so is John Sandhagen, Robb Stewart and every other technician I've talked to. So, I'm soliciting the List for some feedback and input on my dilemma, and asking that anyone located in the LA area who has a Conn 72H (Elkhart or not) contact me. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to try your slide on my bell to see what, if any, difference different 72H slides make in the way my horn plays.I thank you all in advance for whatever assistance you can offer.

Tim Stone
t.stone at att.net

Northridge, CA