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Trumpets

Conn 40B Vocabell


United States

Silver


1935 Rimless Conn Vocabell with octagonal valve casings. This 40B with the interior of the bell finished in a gold wash, is one of the most unique trumpet designs to come out of the art deco era. On the bell is a factory-engraved nymph sitting and playing panpipes. Also unique is the position of the third slide finger ring on the octagonal third valve casing, which is reversed from the usual/modern way. This 40B has a #1½ (0.459") bore, and was produced from 1932 to 1941. What Conn said in 1933 about the Vocabell: The most popular trumpet on the market. Used by such first chair stars as Lebert Lombardo (Guy Lombardo), Jack Cavan (Charlie Agnew), Lamar Wright (Cab Calloway), Charlie Williams (Duke Ellington), David Glickstein (Broadway shows) and Eddie Camden (Don Bestor). The Vocabell rim is a single, integral piece of metal which allows it to vibrate freely. Conventional bells have a rigid wire in the rim which tends to muffle the tone and dampen out the delicate harmonics that are so essential to clear tone and rich coloring. Delicate instruments of Columbia Broadcasting Studio in New York show the Vocabell has from 12 to 15 decibels greater volume, is smoother and more even in scale, and is clearer and purer in tone than trumpets with the conventional type bells.

 

Owner:
Catalog#: HWMC