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Thread: Factory Conn Kicker?

  1. Factory Conn Kicker?

    Has anyone seen one of these tuning slide adjusters in this configuration before? It's on one of my Conn double bell euphoniums, circa 1935.
    Was this an option offered by Conn, and is it in any of the '30s Conn catalogs, or does this look more like a custom job?
    There's a lever on the side of the euphonium that operates the kicker.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails image.jpg   image.jpg   image.jpg  

  2. Never seen that before. I have a 1968 Connstellation with a spring loaded kicker, but no lever mechanism like that...

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. #3
    Not that this adds anything to the thread - but wow. That's cool! I've never seen 5 valves on anything, let alone a double-bell euph!
    My horn: Yamaha 642II Neo. My mouthpieces: Yamaha 51D, Yamaha 53SH, Denis Wick SM4X Ultra, Doug Elliot 104 J8

  4. #4
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    Alternate euph trigger syatem.

    Here is a shot of the custom trigger on my rebuilt '68 Besson model 181:

    A combination of Dan Oberloh & I in the design, his workmanship.

    The main slide is coaxial with a micrometer adjustment for tuning.

    This system is very simple & strong, engaged by the middle finger of the left hand. Much easier than the thumb for me.

    Dennis
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails bessie back.JPG  

  5. #5
    highpitch: That is one cool-looking horn! Very tidy design on the trigger, too.

    Gongadin: This is a design I've never seen before. I'm sure its simplicity is an advantage for production and durability. The one problem I see is that there appears to be no way to set the basic tuning on the horn. In Dennis' photo, you can see the wheel to set the overall intonation, then you have the trigger to make touch-ups as needed. But I don't see that dual functionality in the photos you provided.

    anson: Double-bell euphoniums need an extra valve to switch to the small bell. So a 4-valve double-bell is actually a 3-valve euphonium with one extra valve for the bell. A 5-valve double-bell is just a 4-valve horn with the extra bell valve. Here is a blog post with a photo of my own double-bell Holton (1935):

    http://www.dwerden.com/forum/entry.p...Show-in-Church

    And here is a larger photo of the horn:
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  6. It must be designed to adjust the overall tuning, not to use to adjust on the fly like a slide trigger. The positioning wouldn't lend itself to use while playing, given that the 4th and 5th or at leat the fifth are already being operated by the left hand. Just my guess.

  7. #7
    That must be hard to play to the smaller bell if you have to use your pinky to hold the valve down while you're playing!
    My horn: Yamaha 642II Neo. My mouthpieces: Yamaha 51D, Yamaha 53SH, Denis Wick SM4X Ultra, Doug Elliot 104 J8

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by anson View Post
    That must be hard to play to the smaller bell if you have to use your pinky to hold the valve down while you're playing!
    No, that's why God gave us two hands! You can use the left hand to work the bell valve. I did that in the video below. You can sort-of see what I'm doing if you use your imagination and enlarge the video. The only time I use my pinky is in the variation where I'm using my left hand as a wa-wa mute in the small bell. And during that variation it seemed like a loooong reach for my pinky!

    Dave Werden, Carnival of Venice, Double-Bell Euphonium
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

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