I've been playing a Conn 8D nickel/silver for almost 2 years, and I'm happy with it. The problem is: it's not mine. It's the schools, and I want my own pro horn. However, I can't afford my own Conn, blemished or not. While looking for another horn, I came upon an Atkinson A800. It's also nickel/silver. The drawback for this horn is that it's a step down from the one I use, and I want to continue playing professionally. I haven't played it myself, but I plan to before I buy. Any advise if I were to replace the Conn 8D with an Atkinson A800? Is the Atkinson A800 a good college horn?

The other thing I noticed is that the Conn I play has a slow response. I think it's because of the material. I hate the sound of a yellow brass horn, but like the response. I love the sound of a nickel/silver, but hate the response time. I was thinking about a rose brass horn. Is this a good option, or should I get another nickel/silver?

It would help to know which series Conn 8D you have been playing and where it was made. IF you happen to be lucky enough to be playing an Elkhart 8D you will not be happy with the A800.

If you have been playing an Abeliene 8D and you get a Elkhart you will be in for a wild ride and a treat. But it will take awhile to learn how to play it properly.

If we assume you are playing an Abeliene or Eastlake horn (8D - and we can tell by the serial number) you might want to consider the Atkinson NN508. Pope Intrument repair has one or two for sale presently.

What exactly do you mean by you "want your own pro horn?" and why do you feel the A800 is a step down from your Conn? And most importantly it would be easier to help if we knew what your actualy budget was. When you throw out names it can be very confusing as Conn french horns can be worth anything from $1200.00 to $10,000.00.

IF you want to play professionaly do you know what type of playing you want to do? Orchestra, Symphony, small chamber groups, recording work, USA or abroad?

When you talk about "slow response" are you meaning the attacks are late? Yes, well you do have to wokr on that with a nickel horn. If you can only purchase one horn I would stay away from the Rose brass. In my opinion it is a fad that is going to go away and if you look at the major symphonies I don't think you will see very many of them.

Where are you planign to go to college?

Let me try answering those questions.

I don't know the serial number because i don't know where to look-it never crossed my mind.

My budget is $2000, no more.

I would like to play as many types of music as possible. Orchestra, mainly.

As for a college, I don't know. I want to study paleontology, which isn't really taught. So far I've looked at universities in North and South Dakota, where fossils are abundant. I'm still looking into colleges.

Also, I called WWBW (woodwind brasswind) about the Atkinson. The worker said it's a step down, although she didn't explain why.

And thanks about the brass types. I'll stick with nickel/silver.

What about e-bay? There's a good-looking Conn N series (N meaning nickel?) at an unusually cheap price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Conn-8D-N-series-used_W0QQitemZ280371800123QQihZ018QQcategoryZ16215QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26ps%3D5

Sorry about the web address. Copy and paste.

The e-Bay is an auction and the reserve has not been met yet. In Conn's the N series is part of the serial number. N series were made in Elkhart Indiana about 1970. These are the largest bore tapers (which I won't go into right now).

You can try and bid on it, but I am pretty sure you will see the price go very high very quickly towards the last three days of the auction, but if you do bid it would be a great catch (again, I wll guess his 'reserve' is up around $4K.)

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Try this one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/French-Horn-Conn-Elkhart-8D-1964-must-see_W0QQitemZ290330283112QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBrass_Instruments?hash=item4399088c68&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Sorry for the off-topic question.

The ebay horn that alove4music posted has yarn wrapped around the handgrip. Would this be a good, bad, or so-so idea for me to try?

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Thanks!

Last summer at the International Horn Society Symposium in Denber, I tried out about 12 Atkinson horns. Everyone of them played splendidly. I can't imagine anyone NOT being happy with an Atkinson horn. (I don't play an Atkinson, becuase I previously had purchased a used Holton Merker I like just as well.)

I always advise people to buy used whenever possible. It's so much more of a bargain. Most people who sell used horns will be willing to let you try the horn for a week or two on a trail basis before you decide to buy it. You will usually have to pay the shipping, but it's worth it considering what you will pay for a new horn. I would NEVER buy a used horn from someone who would not allow for a trial period.

You can check on line for use horns: ISH website, Hornplayer.net and others. I got my Merker through hornplayer.net.

My 2 cents!

Valerie Wells
"The Balanced Embouchure" for French Horn
best contact information: Wells123456@juno.com

Frederick,

You can try it. It's a little time consuming to put it on but it does give some people an excellent grip (better than the standard leather hand guard), especially if you get sweaty hands.

Another question... What's your take on Accent horns?

There's a shop relatively near me that has an Accent horn. The serial number is HR9152.

Thanks so much.

I have never played an Accent Horn. What I do know is that they are made in Germany and we don't see a whole lot of them because they have very few distributors and you have to purchase a new one from a qualified dealer (few and far between).

Dallas Brass plays on Accent instruments and they sound good. Probably theirs are specially made for them like when Yamaha made the gold plated insturments for Canadian Brass (Trivia: Does anyone know where the original gold plated Yamaha for Canadian Brass is?).

I have never heard a bad thing about Accent. They are put together by hand (which is good). If you can try it do so and see what you think of it. Take a couple pieces of music with you and play the horn.

The "HR" in the model number stands for 'Horn', the 952 is their Artist series, so it's not their student model. Go give it a try. they are made in yellow brass and nickel. Don't "hate" yellow brass. some sound very good, I even own a horn in yellow brass (although most are in nickel).

Accent could be a good sleeper horn (a good horn no one knows about).

Thanks. Yellow brass just sounds too much like a trumpet to me. I like that deep, mellow sound that you get from nickel horns.

I don't think it's the metal that is making the sound like a trumpet. Chicago plays on brass horns, Cincinati is playing on brass horns, and they don't sound lke trumpets.

I'm all for Nickel but go out of your way and play some brass Horns until you find that some of them do sound wonderful. You don't have to purchase one, but we do need need to get that bad taste out of your mouth (smile).

Ok.... I'll try some.

Tell me what you think about this: I found a used Dallas Brass horn. It's an Accent 952. It was originally over my budget, but I will trade in my single horn and get $400 off. Then it's $200 under my budget. They'll throw in a saddle/grip thing and laquer touch ups. It's yellow brass and around 20 years old (just a guess based on when the dallas brass was founded). Sound like a good deal?