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1941 Conn 38A Victor Special Cornet - All Original
Estimated price for orientation: 530 $
Category: Trumpets
Class:
Description
Up for sale is a rare 1941 Conn 38A Victor Special Cornet, Serial number 325103. Everything on this cornet is original. The lacquer has aged to a beautiful dark brown and is about 95% present. The elaborate engraving is sharp and clear, though the lacquer on the engraving is starting to break down, so those areas appear a bit fuzzy on my photos. There are only a couple tiny dings on the body of the cornet. The tuning slide has a few spots of red rot starting to develop. I had them checked by my brass tech and he said they are in the very early stages and not problematic. There are many years of playing left in this cornet. The last photo is a closeup of the tuning slide. The valves are smooth and fast, and the compression is very good. All of the mechanics work as they should. The 38A Victor Special is thought to have received special care in manufacturing at the Conn plant. This particular 38A is an exceptional player, as demonstrated below by jazz artist Kevin Dean, in a film provided courtesy of Randy Cole (below). Here’s what Conn said about the 38A in 1937:"The new 38A Victor cornet was developed to meet the insistent demand for a cornet similar to the famous 80A Victor but in smaller bore. Soloists especially demanded a cornet which would make their work easier in the upper register. To make a cornet in small bore with both a good upper register and also a good lower register presented a most difficult task. But Conn engineers, after nearly two years of experimenting, have produced just such a cornet. The angle of taper in the bore of this cornet is greater than in any other Conn cornet. It widens from a small mouthpipe to an unusually large throated bell. This design gives a very flexible scale and a rich, mellow tone. The upper register is true and pure, while the lower notes are solid and full. This is unusual in a small bore cornet, for generally if the upper register is good the lower register is windy, colorless and hard to get. Although free blowing, it has proper resistance which gives the player just the "feel" he wants. Being in small bore, the stroke of the pistons is shortened, giving a short, fast action. Some of the finest cornet soloists in America helped us develop this model and their tests of the final model are enthusiastic in its praise." Included are a Conn Number 4 cornet mouthpiece in excellent condition, and a non-original Olds cornet case.Check my other listings for several vintage horns, modern horns, and accessories for sale.
Description
Up for sale is a rare 1941 Conn 38A Victor Special Cornet, Serial number 325103. Everything on this cornet is original. The lacquer has aged to a beautiful dark brown and is about 95% present. The elaborate engraving is sharp and clear, though the lacquer on the engraving is starting to break down, so those areas appear a bit fuzzy on my photos. There are only a couple tiny dings on the body of the cornet. The tuning slide has a few spots of red rot starting to develop. I had them checked by my brass tech and he said they are in the very early stages and not problematic. There are many years of playing left in this cornet. The last photo is a closeup of the tuning slide. The valves are smooth and fast, and the compression is very good. All of the mechanics work as they should. The 38A Victor Special is thought to have received special care in manufacturing at the Conn plant. This particular 38A is an exceptional player, as demonstrated below by jazz artist Kevin Dean, in a film provided courtesy of Randy Cole (below). Here’s what Conn said about the 38A in 1937:"The new 38A Victor cornet was developed to meet the insistent demand for a cornet similar to the famous 80A Victor but in smaller bore. Soloists especially demanded a cornet which would make their work easier in the upper register. To make a cornet in small bore with both a good upper register and also a good lower register presented a most difficult task. But Conn engineers, after nearly two years of experimenting, have produced just such a cornet. The angle of taper in the bore of this cornet is greater than in any other Conn cornet. It widens from a small mouthpipe to an unusually large throated bell. This design gives a very flexible scale and a rich, mellow tone. The upper register is true and pure, while the lower notes are solid and full. This is unusual in a small bore cornet, for generally if the upper register is good the lower register is windy, colorless and hard to get. Although free blowing, it has proper resistance which gives the player just the "feel" he wants. Being in small bore, the stroke of the pistons is shortened, giving a short, fast action. Some of the finest cornet soloists in America helped us develop this model and their tests of the final model are enthusiastic in its praise." Included are a Conn Number 4 cornet mouthpiece in excellent condition, and a non-original Olds cornet case.Check my other listings for several vintage horns, modern horns, and accessories for sale.