2xJ bells


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Posted by Frank on November 05, 2002 at 14:16:22:

After trying to find a bell I finally emailed UMI. Just for you info, here is a copy of that email. If any of you would want to contact them and add your voices, well, it might help???

A somewhat abbreviated version of my Email to UMI:

Hi,

I am an old duffer that has gotten back into playing after a number of years without a place to play - the community bands springing up are a wonderful thing.

I played a Conn 20/21J in college in the early 60's. When I went to get a horn to use, the first new horn I really looked at was the new King. Matt Walters was kind enough to let me try one of his when I was up at Dillons. You have a great, and apparantly from what I have been seeing, a very popular horn.

Unfortunately I have lost the sight in my right eye and have to play an upright, playing from the left side. There are not many big bore horns that are available with that configuration, but I was fortunate to find a rebuilt and relacquered Conn 20J. And if you like the sound of an American style horn, the horns from Britian & Japan just can't quite measure up.

Since finding the 20J I have searched high and low for an upright bell to use instead of the bell front, for small groups and inside concerts. What I am finding is that:

1) Upright bells are just not available. If you can find one that someone will part with, it is very expensive.

2) Bellfronts that could be converted uprights are just about as scarce as the upright bells.

3) I just had an email conversation with Matt Walters, and he has a number of 2xJ horns in stock, with no bells of any kind for them. And I suspect that is the case with a number of dealers. I recently emailed probably twenty or more instrument repairers, with no luck finding bells, either upright or bell front. I had two offer to convert a bell front to upright, if I could supply a bell. But as I said the bellfronts are very scarce as well..

4) I frequent the Tubanet website, and it is obvious from the comments that there are quite a number of folks looking for bells. In fact, many owners of bell fronts want a 2nd bell, an upright for their horns, just as I do.

It would seem to me that:

A) You folks have a guaranteed market for bells of both types that would result in quite a lot of sales. I hope the tooling has not been scrapped. If you will follow the market out there, a lot of folks have the 2xJ horns. After all Conn made them for a number of years. So I think the potential market for bells may be larger than you might suspect.

B) There very likely is a good market for a big bore modern short action valve horn, either based on the old 2XJ pattern, or even a King with the short action valves in a body similar to the new model. I would sure like the chance to try one.

Thank you




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