C. G. Conn Co.
Elkhart, Indiana
Bb/A Trumpet model 2B
#253886 c.1928

Length = 19.25 "
Bell = 4.625 "
Bore = 0.458" #1-1/2
Weight = 38.4 oz
Finish : #2 - satin silver w/burnished silver engraving and gold wash inside bell
Cost = $110 in 1928 ($1,980 in 2023)

I had a Conn 2B trumpet many years ago and recently decided to find another one to restore and play in my local concert band. This was Conn's top offering in the 1920s and played by professionals in many bands and orchestras. These were all made with one-piece bells.

1928 Catalog Image

What Conn said in 1927:
"New World Symphony 2-B Trumpet Destined to Become Most Popular Trumpet in the World".
Flexibility of scale never before attained in any other trumpet, a superb "trumpet tone" without one blatant crack or trace of "squeel" from low F to the top of the scale, rich and solid in fortissimo and zephyr-like in pianissimo, faultless intonation throughout the complete range! "Most perfect trumpet the world has ever seen" is the way some of the most celebrated symphony and concert artists have charaterized our new 2-B trumpet.

What Conn said in 1931:
This is a medium bore trumpet with a bell made of one-piece French brass, giving this instrument unusual resonance and responsiveness. When first introduced, this trumpet was adopted by the complete trumpet section of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, and each year since then has consistently increased in popularity among symphony orchestras, concert bands and soloists. Artists make particular mention of its unusual flexibility of scale and its superb trumpet tone. Has finger hook and special screw mechanism for setting valve slides when changing from Bb to A. Built in Bb and A.

1928 Catalog

Here are some images before cleaning and restoration.

Interesting handle! This came with the original BI-222 mouthpiece and a later Bach 7C. All the accessories are long gone.

All apart and ready for restoration.

The original mouthpiece had no plating left so I substituted a BI-225 from my collection. This is a deeper mouthpiece which will give more of a sound that I like.

Serial number 253886 dates this to 1928.

The model number is stamped on the bottom of the receiver.

The case has a faded sticker from the Columbus Ohio North High School. Their mascot from 1929 on was the polar bear.

The school has had various uses since it closed as a high school.

The only clue to who owned this is the name "Dan Schofield" printed out on one of those plastic strip labels and attached to the bottom guard on the case. I did a search for that name in the Columbus area but came up with nothing, but this could have been sold many times over the years.

Cleaned up and ready to go back together.