[crazydaisydoo]

I am a Martin player, and have no expertise in these old Conns, but this one popped up on ebay, and it looks almost too good to be true!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Conn-28-M-Alt...ryZ16232QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Too good to be true?, apart from the price of course, which equates to about $4000!! I normally would not post a link like this in case I upset bidders, but in this case it is unlikely, especially as it is Buy It Now only

The thought that something 56 years old still looks this good.....

I would appreciate your comment on this horn, overpriced?

 

[dburlone]

WOW!!! SUPER GORGEOUS!!! Looks pristine... I kind of wonder why though. Maybe it's just that I haven't studied Conn instruments all that well, but the fork F# mechanism looks really interesting to me as well as the large plastic guard.

The other thing... Does it look this perfect because it wasn't worth being played? Just a thought... I don't think well at 3:40AM!

 

[milandro]

Well, it is higly unlikely to be completely original! Even if it would have been sitting in a closet all these years it would look different and not as fresh. I've seen a couple of these horns in the " flesh" , especially the plastic guard is too fresh to be the one this horn started his life with! The lacquer is also very " clear", Conn of this generation are normally in much worse state and are much darker. Other than that, it is a great horn, I have a Martin relacquer myself and I paid a lot less than the current rate because it had been relacqured.....this is way too expensive and my guess is that it won't sell

 

[Seasax]

for any americans, that is $4000.
i saw the auction a few ours ago,
dburlone -- this is 28M constellation and they all had the large plastic guards with gold leaf on.
and -- what forked f sharp?!

 

[dburlone]

That touch piece isn't the forked (alternate) F# (For F#1 and F#2) key between the D and E Keys?

 

[RootyTootoot]

Surely way too much money? But it does look super-minty.

I've heard one or two people round here say "closet horns often stay in the closet for a reason" - there could be something in that. I'm not sure that ultra-pristine look is particularly reassuring.

 

[bruce bailey]

Some of them DID have ungilded plastic. The lacquer on these was pretty light and the one I just sold was the same color. The fork F# looks like the G# trill as it has the hole on the back side with the lever poking through. This one really is a nice one but I am not 100% positive that the plastic is original. The case is correct.

 

[Chu-Jerry]

I'd guess it could be original. Judging on how clean the case looks, it hasn't been out of the closet much.

I had one that I had to re-lacquer due to an unfortunate accident during cleaning (hot water stripped the original lacquer). The new untinted lacquer was barely lighter than the original lacquer still on the keywork as seen here:

 

[milandro]

well very beautiful indeed! This type of horn has really beautiful rollers, any Idea where I can get such things for my Martin?

 

[Seasax]

well very beautiful indeed! This type of horn has really beutiful rollers, any Idea where I can get such things for my Martin?

you can steal them from jerry's 28m,

shhhhhhhhh!

 

[dburlone]

The fork F# looks like the G# trill as it has the hole on the back side with the lever poking through.

Always thought that G# trill was placed between the F and E Keys.

 

[Chu-Jerry]

The 28M doesn't have a G# trill key. The tonehole for alt F# is in an unusual location:

 

[SuperAction80]

I have never played a 28M, looks nice though. I can say that I wouldn't be a fan of that plastic keyguard. I would be sick to my stomach if it cracked. $4,000 sounds really high for any Conn. Of course I am a firm believer that any common pitched horn that is over $3,000 should play themselves. This could be a case of the seller having a horn that they really do not want to part with...unless the price is more than right.

 

[milandro]

there's no objective market price for anything antique, vintage or secondhand. The price is what people pay for a given item at a given time.
Rarity or peculiarities aren't necessarily the reasons why things fetch high prices. Desirability and the appeal to several people wanting to fight over it with increasing offers is the only reason the prices are what they are.
Do I see this horn fetching that price? No! Does it deserve it? Perhaps! I would never pay that much. Chu Jerry, yours is fantastic!

 

[bruce bailey]

I just sold mine and it is really a great horn. Better intonation than many VIs and keywork that is flute smooth. Rollers are easy to use, palm keys (L&R) are raised, 3 octave vents. That plastic thing IS a distraction but available aftermarket. There were a number of these built for the US military with wires instead of plastc. If I found one that needed the plastic replaced, I would consider putting a "rug beater" on it from something else.

 

[milandro]

" guard aftermarket available " Interesting, I know of a repair shop in Amsterdam where one of these horn currently is but it has a broken guard and the owner of the shop was thinking of making a wire guard but would be happy to buy an original plastic one, I think.

 

[crazydaisydoo]

Milandro, good point regarding value. What can you get for the same money over here in the UK?

A mid range Yani, Keilwerth or Yamaha. A very basic Selmer Series II, a top of the range cannonball or P.Mauriat. Is this horn worth as much? intrinsically, yes!

If this were a guitar........... we are very lucky.............

 

[Chu-Jerry]

I no longer have mine. Traded it. It was a great feeling horn and the action was fantastic, but the tone just didn't do it for me. Too bright and focused. I tried it with a 6M neck once which gave a bigger, grittier sound that was interesting.