Thanks ! And yes, the serial number is on the leadpipe side of the change valve !

I have a Conn that I'm going to sell but I can't make sense of the charts. My serial number is N53562 and the stamp on the bell only says C. G. Conn LTD and USA. Nothing else. I've been told based on the number it's an 8D, that it was made in Elkhart but the stamp doesn't indicate that so I'm pretty lost...

All help appreciated!!
Connie

Connie,

Your Conn was made in 1970 in Elkhart. In 1969 there was a hostile take over of Conn. At this same time they were thinking of making Conn and King French Horns with the same tools and dies and then just stamp them differently at the end of the line, depending who was going to buy it. They first set up the leadpipes and bells,the stamp was changed. During 1970 the new 'take over' president of the company decided the buildings and equipment was sub par and not capable of producing good instruments so they moved the plant to Abilene. (how ironic huh, never made a good horn since then).

The serial numnber doesn't say it's an 8D. The serial number sequence applys to all Horn models. For it to be an 8D it needs to be made of Nickel, the main tuning slide is on the backside, there is also an F tuning slide on the back side and one on the front side near the top. (If you have an original leadpipe it may have an '8D' stamped on the mouthpipe receiver.

Does all this help you?

It doesn't say 8D on the leadpipe but from the descriptions I've read and what I remember about the brand new 8D I played in college - it is the same. I've got it listed on ebay and I've had a lot of people lose interest when I tell them *though it's in the listing as well* that Elkhart is NOT visible on the bell. The marking's so faint I barely made out what it does say!

Thanks for the info!
Connie

Hello,
I have gotten so flustered trying to figure out the model and year of my horn as no descriptions seem to fit it and I have not been able to find it's serial number in any of the lists I find. It is labeled on the bell as 'C.G. Conn 8D U.S.A' and the serial number is located on the 1st rotary valve.
The serial # is 631446 and I can't really tell but I think there may be a space after the first number, possibly reading then as 6 31446.
I have been trying to sell this horn for so long now, and many people that have looked at the pictures of it tell me that it is not an 8D at all and maybe not even a Conn! Im so confused, help!

I have a Conn 8d and I got it a month ago from a college closet a few months ago. The bell has CG Conn Ltd. Elkhart Ind USA, and the serial number on the bar under the 2nd valve is H31529. Its in great condition with little wear and only a couple small dents. Could you let me what year it is and about how much its worth.

Thank you,

Austin

Made in 1966. What's it worth? Depends on how good it really sounds and how tight the valves are. How long will it hold compression? You're not going to sell it anyways so don't worry how much it's worth, but if you insure it insure it for $5K.

Hi,

I've got a question about my Conn 8D. I bought it new in 2002. The bell reads "CG Conn, 8D, USA".

The identification numbers are on the rotors. On the third rotor, it reads "3", on the first it reads "1", and then under the keys on the second rotor it reads "810669". In other words, it looks like this:


3rd valve________2nd valve_______1st valve


|___3___|___-___|________|___-___|___1___|

==============tube===============


|_______|___-___|_810669_|___-___|_______|


Are the "3" and the "1" part of the serial, or is that just identification for which valve they belong to?

If they aren't part of the serial, then the "810669" serial would mean that it was made in the late 50s/ early 60s, but I doubt that because the horn was in such good shape when I got it. I really think it was made recently (within 10-20 years)

Any idea what year this horn was made in? Is there part of the horn that I'm not looking at? I'm so confused!

Thanks! :-D

I know of two sets of six digit serial numbers for Conn French Horns; there could be a thrid series of six digits. One set is from the early years. The second set is more recent. Conn has been very quiet about the recent serial numbers, I don't really know why. But, If you bought the Horn new in 2002, it could be a 2002 Horn.

The 1 and the 3 simply indicate those are the first and third valves. The serial number on the 2nd valve is a serial number. If there is no prefix then it could have been made in 1988.

Thanks for the info-- that cleared up a lot!