Re: Pan-American Horns


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Posted by Lee Stofer on January 13, 2003 at 07:44:55:

In Reply to: Pan-American Horns posted by Matt Goosen on January 12, 2003 at 22:00:56:

Matt,
Pan American band instruments were a secondary line of Conn, Ltd., which were sold as a student-line here and were exported to South America. The Pan American line started right after World War I and was discontinued in the early 1940's as American involvement in World War II was increasing.
The Pan American instruments were of good quality, but were more basic, less ornate than the Conns. I have a Pan American Eb tuba that I rescued from a junk store, took to Germany with me, and had it refurbished and customized at the Rudolf Meinl factory. It will be part of my exhibit at the Army Tuba-Euphonium Conference.
You should be aware that any instrument of that age will most likely need a valve job, and expect to pay over $300.00 for that. Also be aware that Eb tubas of old, used smaller mouthpieces, with a smaller shank. Any competent repair technician can turn down the shank of a modern mouthpiece to fit this instrument, but it will need to be a smaller, shallower-cup mouthpiece if you want to play it in tune. Adding these factors into the cost of the instrument will make you a wiser bidder.
Lee Stofer


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