Conn French Horns

The new Vintage 8D Conn Double French Horn was introduced at the 40th International Horn Symposium in Denver, Colorado, in July '08. Created in the Pro Shop at the Conn-Selmer Eastlake, Ohio facility, the new Vintage horn constitutes the superior option for clarity, flexibility, sound and performance. The instrument is created for and by professionals who demand the very best from their instruments, and has limited production of 150 per year.

The Vintage 8D is the result of an extremely high level of detailed craftsmanship and includes features such as Kruspe design, all nickel silver alloy, a lightweight, hand annealed bell, hand annealed lead pipe, stress free bracing and assembly, an extra long pull on 2nd Bb tuning slide, and a traditional string linkage on all rotors and the change valve. In addition, hand lapped slides & rotors, sized solder joints, brass bead rings, along with an optional hand flipper and screw bell, make the Vintage 8D the perfect choice for today’s finest artists.

Richard King, principal horn with the Cleveland Orchestra who was instrumental in play testing the new Vintage 8D said “with the arrival of the new Vintage 8D French Horn, Conn has that famous sound, the ease of play, the pitch and the opportunity to create every color you'll want. This is a great thing for the professional horn world and has been worth waiting for!”

Specifications

V8D

• Lightweight annealed large throat bell
• annealed lead pipe
• all nickel
• stress free bracing and assembly
• extra long pull on 2nd Bb slide
• traditional string linkage on all rotors
• hand lapped slides and rotors (tapered)
• sized solder joints
• brass bead rings
• hand flipper (optional)

V8DS

• Same as V8D except with a detachable screw bell

Like a piccolo French horn, the Conn 12D Descant Horn offers remarkable performance in a descant instrument. The 12D features a .468 inch bore in the key of Bb / high F with a stopping valve and standard throat yellow brass bell for superior response when high horn work is needed.

Specifications

• Key of Bb/high F
• .468" bore
• standard-throat yellow brass bell
• A-stopping valve
• removable "H" section
• tapered rotors and bearings
• deluxe case
• 7BW mouthpiece
• clear lacquer finish.

L.A. recording artist John Clark says, "With the Conn 12D, I can handle whatever I am required to play. I love the evenness through the registers, the excellent intonation and quick response."

A variation on the 10D, Conn's Geyer-style symphonic horn‚ the 11D produces a rich but brilliant sound‚ and is slightly more open and free-blowing than the 10D. Key of F/Bb (reversible), .468" bore, 12" medium throat yellow brass bell. The rose brass bell models are ideal for softer dynamics and allow greater warmth and nuance of tone, but do not support loud, powerful playing as well as yellow brass bells.

Specifications

11D

• F/Bb (reversible
• .468" (11.89mm) bore
• 12" (305mm) medium throat yellow brass bell
• tapered rotors and bearings
• lacquer finish
• 7BW mouthpiece
• deluxe hardshell case.
• a Geyer-style horn (change valve following the main valve cluster)

11DS

• same as the 11D but with a detachable screw bell

11DR

• same as the 11D but with a rose brass bell

11DRS

• same as the 11DR but with a detachable screw bell

The 10D line is Conn's symphonic Geyer-style French horn. Associated with schools of horn playing in Chicago and Boston, Geyer-style horns are usually described as brighter, warmer, and more compact. Traditionally they have a smaller, medium-sized bell and bell throat, producing the more compact sound while their brass composition and lighter weight lend the greater warmth of tone. Usually played off the knee with the player holding it in the air, not touching the body. A Geyer horn will have smoother transitions between F and Bb at the expense of less flexibility and fewer tuning options. The 10D provides control and focus with the flexibility of sound necessary in chamber and symphonic settings.

Specifications

10D

• F/Bb (reversible)
• .468" (11.89mm) bore
• 12" (305mm) standard throat yellow brass bell
• tapered rotors & bearings
• lacquer finish
• 7BW mouthpiece
• deluxe hardshell case
• A Geyer-style horn (change valve following the main valve cluster)

10DS

• same as the 10D but with a detachable screw bell

10DR

• same as the 10D but with a rose brass bell

10DRS

• same as the 10DR but with a detachable screw bell

A variation on the famous 8D model, the 9D features a smaller, medium-throat bell that lends a more compact sound, greater resistance, and darker tone. The standard alloy for the 9D is nickel silver, which lends itself to greater brilliancy of tone and supports more powerful playing and dynamic range than a yellow brass bell. Rose brass bells, on the other end of the spectrum, are best suited to warmth and richness of tone but reach "red-line" limits of dynamic volume much sooner than nickel silver; yellow brass bells make for a good compromise between the two.

Specifications

9D

• F/Bb, .468" (11.89mm) bore
• 12-1/4" (311mm) medium throat bell
• all nickel silver
• tapered rotors and bearings
• fully mechanical change valve
• adjustable levers
• lacquer finish
• 7BW mouthpiece
• deluxe hardshell case.

9DS

• same as the 9D but with a detachable screw bell

9DR

• same as the 9D but with a rose brass bell

9DRS

• same as the 9DR but with a detachable screw bell

9DY

• same as the 9D but with a yellow brass bell

9DYS

• same as the 9DY but with a detachable screw bell

Conn's legendary Kruspe-style symphonic horn. The Kruspe design, historically associated with schools of horn playing in Cleveland, New York, and Los Angeles, is darker, broader, and more brilliant than the Geyer design; its larger bell throat, heavier weight, and nickel-silver alloy all contribute to this darker timbre, especially in soft passages. Kruspe horns are usually played on the knee, touching the body, which dampens the resonance a bit. The standard alloy for the 8D is nickel silver, which lends itself to greater brilliancy of tone and supports more powerful playing and dynamic range than a yellow brass bell. Rose brass bells, on the other end of the spectrum, are best suited to warmth and richness of tone but reach "red-line" limits of dynamic volume much sooner than nickel silver; yellow brass bells make for a good compromise between the two.

Specifications

8D

• F/Bb .468" (11.89mm) bore
• 12-1/4" (311mm) large throat bell
• all nickel silver
• tapered rotors and bearings
• fully mechanical change valve
• adjustable levers
• lacquer finish
• 7BW mouthpiece
• plastic hardshell case
• Full five year warranty

8DS

• Same as the 8D but with a detachable screw bell

8DR

• same as the 8D but with a rose brass bell

8DRS

sames the 8DR but with a detachable screw bell

8DY

• same as the 8D but with a yellow brass bell

8DYS

• same as the 8DY but with a detachable screw bell

The Conn 6D Artist Double French Horn offers professional features in an intermediate double horn. The 6D features a .468 inch bore, the same as the Conn 8D Professional Series, plus a 12 inch yellow brass bell for excellent tone and projection. The Conn 6D is a perfect choice for the intermediate player as their first double horn or for the school ensemble needing a high quality instrument at an affordable price.

Specifications

• F/Bb, .468" (11.89mm) bore
• 12" (305mm) bell
• clear lacquer finish
• nickel outer slides
• tapered rotors and bearings
• #2 mouthpiece
• deluxe hardshell case.