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RARE C.G. Conn Ltd 38H Trombone ~ Jake Burkle Experimental Prototype ~ ONE OFF
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RARE C.G. Conn Ltd 38H Trombone ~ Jake Burkle Experimental Prototype ~ ONE OFF
Price: US $342.99

\'We are passionate about providing the best’ RARE!! Vintage C.G. Conn Ltd. Custom Trombone ~ Stamped 38H - (Not a catalog version) ~ (.485”) Bore horn ~ 7” Bell Flare ~ Tuning in the Bell ~ ENTIRELY SEAMED TUBING ~ Serial Number #253xxx ~ Made in 1928 ~ Possibly a one off horn made b Model C.G Conn 38H Trombone - - -VIDEO:                                Get your own valid XHTML YouTube embed code Description Up for sale is an absolutely REMARKABLE piece of equipment, likely hand made by the famous Dean of Conn’s experimental engineers, Jake Burkle! This horn is extraordinarily rare, and I have never seen another instrument from the same time period produced by the Conn like this. As a maker of trombones myself, I can only say that this instrument is simply inspiring. Read the full description to understand the gravity of the craftsmanship of this horn, and the unique qualities!! As a result the instrument plays exceptionally well!! Condition This instruments is in really exceptional condition for its age. There are no signs of the instrument ever being damaged or repaired. The bell, neckpipe, tuning slide, and hand slide crooks are all in impressive condition. The condition of the engraving is superb. The hand slide feels smooth, however the inner slide tubes have soldered on sleeves, and are not chrome. While the slide is absolutely usable, we’d give it a 7 out of 10 on a scale of modern horns. (If the winning buyer would like, we can perform a rebuild on the slide, and either replace, or modify these original tubes with chrome plate to enhance the performance. At an additional cost) The instrument does come with an original period form fitted case, although I’m not convinced it is original. It looks more like a 30’s or 40’s vintage Olds case. The case is worn. How Does it Play?
This horn is actually a pretty exciting horn to play. It is very responsive, and has an incredibly unique presence of sound. The horn resonates very well and is very flexible. We’d characterize it as ‘compact’ however it is still very nimble, and easy to manipulate. History This instrument would be considered a ‘Ballroom Model’ trombone. With similar features as the Conn 40H, 22H, 24H, 42H, etc., this is what Conn said in their 1928 Catalog:
”What Conn said in 1928: The \"Ballroom\" Models have a number of special features which make them unique for dance work - the bell is further back, easier to reach for wow-wow; the handhold on the slides has been moved to give better balance and hence quicker control; the bell and slides are locked together by a positive lock - to mention a few of them.”
Now back around this time there was a craftsperson by the name of Jake Burkle who was considered the ‘Dean of the Experimental Engineers’. Jake was known widely as the creator of the model 30H, and 32H trombone. (Produced from 1934-49) The ‘Burkle Model’ horns were known to have been Jake’s pride and joy, and incorporated innovative tapers throughout the entire instrument and bell section. They were also tuning in the bell horns like the 38H being offered here. Jake also introduced some other revolutionary concepts and unique methods of manufacturing the ‘Burkel Model 30H and 32H’ Trombones. I would propose that the horn being offered here, because of it’s very unique features may very well be a hand created ‘proto-type’ that was built by Jake. This instrument may very well have been one of the stepping stones toward the creation of the Burkle model horns. And in and of itself, is a truly superb piece of equipment!! Specifications So what makes this instrument so unique?? The way it was made!! In the catalogs, and information we have available, the 38H should have been a (.485”) tuning in the hand slide instrument. As you can clearly see here, this instrument is not. It is a tuning in the bell. After incredibly close examination of this instrument, we propose that this was in fact a factory build, and not modified after it was originally crafted. An ‘excessive’ amount of components on this instrument are entirely made from seamed tubing!! This is absolutely incredible!! The bell is a two piece bell with a seamed flare, which is not typical either. (While it was offered on other models, it certainly is unique.) The neck pipe and tuning slide are also made from seamed tubing. What’s more, the tuning slide ‘outer tuning slide legs’ (or outside tubes) are also seamed!! You will notice the large leg on the tuning slide (or bell top tube) is tapered. This allows a smoother transition from the slide through the neck pipe and tuning slide into the bell. The hand slide sleeves are ALSO seamed tubing. Now, this is simply curious. I’m not sure why one would go that far with seamed tubing, if for no other reason just “why not?” It is very hard to tell because of the lacquer, and the fact that there is a large guard on the hand slide crook, but we speculate that the crook on the hand slide may also be seamed.
This instrument has a (.485”) bore which was one of the more popular sizes at the time, and is still the preference for a lot of musicians today. (This is closest in size to a King 2B to todays standards). The bell diameter is 7”. The bell, tuning slide crook and neck pipe are all made from a high copper content bronze. The bell is a higher copper content then the tuning slide and neckpipe. (We tested the material on an Ultraviolet X-Ray scanner to confirm this) The hand slide and hand slide crook are both yellow brass. Conclusion If you are looking for an incredibly rare horn to add to your collection, this is the axe!! It is quite possible this instrument was an important piece of the developmental puzzle for Burkle to design his popular 30H and 32H. Perhaps, not? It is so hard to say. We can say however that this instrument was expertly crafted by some of the finest craftspeople of all time. Built with American Pride. Don’t miss out!! Good luck and happy offerding! :o) A Special letter from our President and Founder: Thank you so much for taking the time to view our sale. My staff and I take great pride in what we do. Over the years this industry has changed drastically. Mom and Pop shops are nearly a thing of the past, and with that our industry bleeds. We are striving to preserve the character of a true American pastime. I started my shop in the basement of my house back in 2004 with a vision that no matter what the odds, I would be able to provide musicians and families around the world with the same care and attention that seems to be disappearing. There is no reason that because you are purchasing an item on the internet that the store you are working with shouldn\'t treat you with the same respect as if you live in our neighborhood and walked in our door. I am proud to say that my staff also believes in offering this positive one-on-one experience. We are blessed to have grown into the company we are today. We are all passionate about what we do. It is important for you to know that each and every customer we deal with is very important to keeping my mission a reality. We are here to help and offer our expertise to make your experience the best we possibly can. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask us!! We take great pride in our positive response on and strive to continue the experiences we\'ve shared with past customers with you! If you know anyone interested in purchasing musical equipment, or are in need of repair service, we hope you might consider helping to spread the word about what we do. Thank you so much! Sincerely, Michael T. Corrigan President B.A.C. Horn Doctor LLC Terms We appreciate you taking the time to read all of our terms prior to offerding. We WILL accept international offerding. Shipping in the lower 48 U.S. will be $45.00. Insurance covering the winning offer amount or purchase price is included with our shipping price. International Shipping costs will vary. With larger items (trumpets, saxophones, trombones) one may expect at least $85.00 to most locations. Mouthpieces and small accessories typically run approx. $18-$25 depending on the destination. Again, Insurance covering the winning price is included. We accept: PayPal, all forms of Major Credit Card, and direct money wire transfers. RETURN POLICY: All instruments are sold as is and we will only issue returns if the instrument was damaged during shipping or if the instrument was grossly misrepresented in its descriptions and pictures. We will also only accept returns if it is within 7 days or receipt of the instrument and if authorized by a B.A.C. Representative. If you have any questions about our new policy please feel free to contact us. CUSTOMS POLICY: Please do not ask us to commit Customs Fraud -- we WILL NOT alter any of our shipping paperwork or monetary receipts for the purpose of evading or minimizing international import taxes. We encourage you to build any customs and taxes into your high offer. (for example, if your budget is $200 and it will cost $45 to import that item, please offer $155 knowing that the rest of your budget will go toward the import of the item.) Again, we have an excellent response rating. We have one of the best ratings in the community for accurate descriptions -- we go the extra mile taking many high resolution photos to win your confidence in our description. If there are any questions at all, please do not hesitate to use the \"Question and Answer\" feature attached to this listing prior to offerding. We pride ourselves in the ability to accurately respond to these questions promptly. B.A.C. Horn Doctor Inc. is a qualified professional service center and employs knowledgeable musicians and experts in vintage instruments. While on occasion we may miss something, we ask that you read the entire description. If you have any questions at all or information that would further enhance our sales, please email us at info(at)bacmusic(dot)com. Good luck and happy offerding!! Photos

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