Conn Connstellation 28A: Conn's Hidden Gem

[@paulgrimm]

Can’t beat the old horns

[@donaldhodgin9269]

Had that horn in high school ('63 - '65 Greensboro, NC ). Traded for a guitar that I still have and can't play. One of my few regrets in my life. I'd give an appendage to have it back.

[@JonathanMilam1]

They are delightful horns, that's for sure. The good news is you can still buy one. The bad news is they're probably much more than they were new back in the day. :) Thanks for commenting, Donald. I've got 3 guitars - and can't play any of them either. :)

[@chris430811]

Good vid Jonathan thanks

[@JonathanMilam1]

Thanks, Chris. Your last Etude was gorgeous! Great, haunting melody. :)

[@stephenlenton8191]

Hi Jonathan, I’ve just joined your channel and would like to say I’ve been enjoying watching for several months.You sound great on all the horns, I’d like to say I’ve noticed a marked improvement then you play on the GR mouthpieces. Over the last few years I’ve switched to a wedge mouthpiece my playing as really improved, I’ve got a very similar set up to you- I’d love to see you review the wedge 66mv.God bless you Jonathan.

[@JonathanMilam1]

Stephen - thanks so much for the kind words! I don't have any Wedge mouthpieces at the moment, but I've been thinking of doing a mouthpiece vid (or two) before long. Keep in touch, and again - thanks for the kind words. :)

[@golf4funjn532]

Nice video, Jonathan! Do you still have this horn?

[@JonathanMilam1]

No; I had two in quick succession and sold them both - after saying I never would. :) Absolutely phenomenal horns. Really, one of the best of the best.

[@FlowJunkie65]

Hey, Jonathan. Just curious. You've had the good fortune to try out a bunch of different horns, and thank you for sharing your play-tests with your audience members. So, that said, what are your favorite trumpets and flugelhorns that have really stood out to you in terms of sound quality, responsiveness, and which have best captured your "sound concept" (how you want to sound and project)? There are a ton of horns out there, but some just really speak to the horn player, wouldn't you say?

[@JonathanMilam1]

Very, very good questions - thanks for asking. The vintage Olds horns really amaze me; their intonation is most always noteworthy - far better than many horns around today. A good Conn can be very impressive, and I think the A28 is a very good example. At this time I'm really enjoying the Bach Strad more than anything else. I've got 3 of the 43 Bell Stads, 2 of the 37 bells, a 72* and a 65G. The Strad 43 bell (Bach Stradivarius 18043) is SO easy for me to play; it's a pretty small bell and just easy to do anything with; low range, mid range or upper range. The Callet Jazz sticks out in my memory as a tremendous player, as does one very good Benge 3. As for flugels, there are a good number of low priced flugels on the market now that are actually VERY good players. Dillon's makes a fantastic flugel for around $475; it's an extremely good copy of Yamaha's 631. It may have been tweaked to play even more in tune than the original Yamaha, and although it's almost certainly made in or around China, finding a good flugel for $475 new that compares well to many $2500 flugels? It's amazing. Personally, I found a Bach Strad 182 flugel, it's kind of a cross between a cornet and flugel, that I enjoy very much. Again - great question. So good, in fact, that I thought about it several days before responding. I've had so many trumpets though, it's hard to recall all that I've admired and enjoyed.

[@FlowJunkie65]

Thank you so much for your very thoughtful answers, Jonathan! Much appreciated! BTW, one of my friends from middle school (now 67 years old) STILL owns his Olds Opera that he has kept in immaculate condition and he plans on NEVER selling it. Good move, I say! It sounds terrific and he's been able to really advance on that horn though middle and senior high school. Another friend from middle school owned a Benge that was partially silver plated and partly clear lacquered that play so beautifully! Super-responsive and really sang. Sadly it got stolen when he left it unattended at a performance that we gave for our city. Another friend from middle school had the original Getzen Doc Severinsen Eterna (circa 1971) and that, too, was an incredible horn. I've owned several Kanstuls which were also very fine horns, and got to play test a number of them at their former shop in Anaheim, CA. I also got to play test their Chicago line of flugelrhorns, which were quite nice, but they didn't have that beautiful copper model (1525?) in the showroom when I visited Charles Hargett way back then. I also liked the Kanstul-made Besson flugelhorns, but honestly, for the way I play my flugel, I didn't experience a significant advantage to these high-end horns, include the Flip Oakes's Wild Thing. Don't get me wrong, they're gorgeous horns and play terrifically, but surprisingly my Jupiter 846S with a Bob Reeves PVA held/holds its own. Lastly, I still own my 1964/5 Conn Connstellation 38B with a Bob Reeves PVA that STILL plays and sounds incredible, and its valves remain flawless. Okay, that's enough sharing! 🙂 Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and for sharing your play tests on your channel, Jonathan. Much appreciated!

[@JonathanMilam1]

I've had the Jupiter 846 flugel - and it is very nice! It also is a copy of the Yamaha, I think. When I took mine apart to clean it I had a deja-vu moment; the valve guides (little white plastic pieces) look EXACTLY like my Yamaha's did. That flugel is a style that is hard to beat, really. I've had Kanstul's Besson line flugel, and it's nice but no nicer a player than what you have. I've had several of the Connstellation 28A's, but I've never had either the 38B or the other one (36B?). They are supremely popular though. So, you've got a top-line trumpet AND flugel. :) Life should be good. :) I really hate hearing about stolen items. About 12 years ago we allowed my nephew to bring a troubled friend into our home for a few weeks. We went on a family vacation, and I really made the most out of a Canon digital camera I had bought just before we left. Well, we returned home and the 'friend' that we had fed and sheltered for weeks thanked us by stealing my camera. I was beyond furious, but I was just as upset with the memory disc of all our vacation pics that he took WITH the camera. I like the way the Middle-East treats thieves; they cut off one hand. :)

[@FlowJunkie65]

@@JonathanMilam1Thanks for your reply, Jonathan. And, yes, I'm very happy with my two horns and they serve me well. 🙂 My third horn is a little CarolBrass mini pocket trumpet which is a lot of fun to play, too. LOL. Gosh, I'm really sorry about your Canon digital camera getting stolen by that kid who you had trusted. And, yes, THAT would really bother me a lot, too, especially after how you and your family had welcomed him into your home and provided for him. Hope that kids gets straight before it's really too late for him.

[@davidstrope9121]

Hey I was watching one of your mouthpiece videos and was confused on what the "drill" in a mouthpiece is. Is the drill just another name for the throat?

[@JonathanMilam1]

I guess you could say that it is, the drill is the thinnest part of the backbore. I've heard mouthpiece makers say, 'It's a loose 27...' The mouthpiece gauge that I have measures by the drill size, from 29 (quite tight) down to about 20 or so.

[@timseiber3982]

Jonathan. What mic do you use to record these videos? Pics up the sound very well.

[@JonathanMilam1]

Tim; thanks for the compliment. I notice a train going by as I was just getting started and yes; my mic's picked it up real well. :) I'm using a little Rode mic for talking and an AKG P420 for the horn. I'm very impressed with the AKG mic. I picked it up used locally for $120, I think. I've been tempted several times to buy a new one - just as a spare. I can't imagine anything sounding much better. I use a ProFX 12 v. 3 too; from Guitar Center and somewhere around $250. Not too expensive and I'm pretty happy with the sound. It doesn't add range (now that's a shame) but it certainly makes video's sound much, much better. I just wish I'd done this 7 years ago. :)

[@АлексейКрымский-ф8с]

Продаётся дудка?

[@JonathanMilam1]

Нет, прости; это уже продано. Net, prosti; eto uzhe prodano.