Conn 79H and 78H Schooling
- Kevbach33
- Posts: 295
- Joined: May 29, 2018
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a medium bore Conn with F attachment that was labeled as a 79H. However, according to the serial number list on the Conn Loyalist site, my instrument (949xxx) is outside the production range.
At the same time, the stampings and lacquer on both parts look like they match, and the female tenon and slide are both stamped 78H. The slide does not have staggered cork barrels like a true 79H would. Thus, my left hand is cramped when holding it.
What, exactly, do I have here? Could it actually be a 78H Special that wasn't stamped as special? Did the 79H begin production earlier than 1966?
I have ideas to fix the holding issue, but that's a topic for the modification forum.
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At the same time, the stampings and lacquer on both parts look like they match, and the female tenon and slide are both stamped 78H. The slide does not have staggered cork barrels like a true 79H would. Thus, my left hand is cramped when holding it.
What, exactly, do I have here? Could it actually be a 78H Special that wasn't stamped as special? Did the 79H begin production earlier than 1966?
I have ideas to fix the holding issue, but that's a topic for the modification forum.
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- Burgerbob
- Posts: 6327
- Joined: Apr 23, 2018
My 78 Special is marked as such. But I wouldn't be surprised if some weren't.
- chromebone
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Apr 08, 2018
I have a 1962 78h special with f attachment, it is just marked 78h. All 78h’s with f attachment were special orders until 1966, when the 79h became a production model.
The earlier 78h specials had flat wraps, the 79h style wrap came out in the early 60’s. Maybe a couple of specials were marked as 79h earlier than that.
The earlier 78h specials had flat wraps, the 79h style wrap came out in the early 60’s. Maybe a couple of specials were marked as 79h earlier than that.
- hyperbolica
- Posts: 3990
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
If your hand is cramped when holding it, you have a 79h bell with a 78h slide.
The 78 and 79h slides are different because the 79h trigger is in front of the bell main brace. The 79h slide brace should be further from the slide tenon. Also, the top cork barrel on the 79h should be shorter than the 78h, probably to tell them apart easily since they are not interchangeable. .
The horn might have the model and serial number stamped twice - once on the bell section between the valve and slide nut, and another one on the hand slide on the portion that goes up inside the cork barrel. Check to make sure they are the same.
The 78 and 79h slides are different because the 79h trigger is in front of the bell main brace. The 79h slide brace should be further from the slide tenon. Also, the top cork barrel on the 79h should be shorter than the 78h, probably to tell them apart easily since they are not interchangeable. .
The horn might have the model and serial number stamped twice - once on the bell section between the valve and slide nut, and another one on the hand slide on the portion that goes up inside the cork barrel. Check to make sure they are the same.
- Kevbach33
- Posts: 295
- Joined: May 29, 2018
Original post updated with pics.
[quote="chromebone"]I have a 1962 78h special with f attachment, it is just marked 78h. All 78h’s with f attachment were special orders until 1966, when the 79h became a production model.
The earlier 78h specials had flat wraps, the 79h style wrap came out in the early 60’s. Maybe a couple of specials were marked as 79h earlier than that.[/quote]
Thanks, this is what I suspected to be true of my instrument.
[quote="chromebone"]I have a 1962 78h special with f attachment, it is just marked 78h. All 78h’s with f attachment were special orders until 1966, when the 79h became a production model.
The earlier 78h specials had flat wraps, the 79h style wrap came out in the early 60’s. Maybe a couple of specials were marked as 79h earlier than that.[/quote]
Thanks, this is what I suspected to be true of my instrument.
- hyperbolica
- Posts: 3990
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
If you match a 78h slide with a 79h bell section, the grip is very cramped 78 and 79 slides are not the same. The main brace for the 78h slide is closer to the player because the 79h hand position is further out {due to the trigger position} . I'd guess that you have a mismatched slide.
- Thrawn22
- Posts: 1436
- Joined: Sep 06, 2018
You could have a 78H that was modified with a valve section sometime later.
- Kevbach33
- Posts: 295
- Joined: May 29, 2018
[quote="Thrawn22"]You could have a 78H that was modified with a valve section sometime later.[/quote]
I don't think so unless it was factory... There doesn't seem to be any evidence of those specific flanges, ferrules and bell braces being removed/resoldered. Again, the lacquer looks largely original save for the main tuning slide and other areas that were clearly worked on (burned areas that weren't cleaned up).
Did known (early and late) 78H specials also have the staggered cork barrel setup like the production 79H? If not, why didn't Conn build them with the special order long trigger as seen on a handful of 88H instruments? That could have given the proper clearance. (Speaking of, short of going mechanical, this is actually the modification I'm seeking, including flipping the saddle. Long shot, I know...)
If only Conn included shop cards for factory special order instruments like Bach did...
I don't think so unless it was factory... There doesn't seem to be any evidence of those specific flanges, ferrules and bell braces being removed/resoldered. Again, the lacquer looks largely original save for the main tuning slide and other areas that were clearly worked on (burned areas that weren't cleaned up).
Did known (early and late) 78H specials also have the staggered cork barrel setup like the production 79H? If not, why didn't Conn build them with the special order long trigger as seen on a handful of 88H instruments? That could have given the proper clearance. (Speaking of, short of going mechanical, this is actually the modification I'm seeking, including flipping the saddle. Long shot, I know...)
If only Conn included shop cards for factory special order instruments like Bach did...