Trumpet/Conn Director 18B

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Expert: Mike Pawul - 11/3/2009


Question
Hello.
I have a Conn Coprion 18B Director which is near mint condition(little wear around 1st/2nd valve housing) Bell perfect.
All copper bell. Played another one of these years ago but was a 70's model. This I know to be a 1955 model (Diagonal brace on main tuning slide) How would you rate this model to the newwer Conn Selmers of same quality ?
What value ?
Thanks
Eugene

Answer
Eugene, I'll answer this in three parts.

The horn you have has a great sound and is a good player. The early 18B horns were designed without a 3rd valve slide adjustment and that makes it a bit different to play. There are more notes you have to lip into tune than the newer horns. For that reason it is not quite as easy to play as a newer horn.

The bell is Coprion and not Copper sheet. Conn doesn't make them anymore because they take a lot more money to manufacture. Copper Ions were formed into a bell over a mandrel to shape it. The bell has no seams. Modern copper bells are made from a sheet of copper and the welded to form a tube. Then the tube is hammered over a mandrel and spun into shape. For that reason the bell is one that you can't get on any Conn/Selmer horns anymore.

So we can move on to the value. The value is determined on the condition of the horn, the wear to the valves, and where and when you sell it. The 18B is in demand by many collectors and because the bell is hard to find many people buy it to scavenge that part. In mint shape the horn is somewhere between $300-500.

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Mike Pawul

Expertise

I am familiar with most trumpets, cornets, and flugelhorns. I can answer most questions about playing and musicality. Best of all, if I can't answer it directly I play regularly in several bands and have many "old timers" that are familiar with most things that I am not. I collect, repair, and refinish old horns and have sold over 600 with more than 400 on ebay

Experience

I have played since 1965 and studied with many directors and trumpeters. I have been collecting since 2002 and have over 150 horns in my personal collection. I have done repair and refinsh since 2003 and have done work on over 900 horns.

Organizations
Kosair Shrine Brass Band and Dance Band, The Notables, The Mello Tones, Bourbon City Brass Band, River Cities Concert Band, Derby City Brass Band, University of Louisville Community Band, Member of Trumpet Players International Network (TPIN), Bugles Across America (BAA), Member of the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT)

Education/Credentials
I played at Brunswick High School. I played through college and have a BS in Business Administration from Trinity College. Of course, I am still learning from all my friends that play and work on trumpets around the world.

Awards and Honors
Without being vain, numerous awards and have played in several honor bands.

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