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Re: RE: Trombone (CONN never went back) (Benge update)

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: RE: Trombone (CONN never went back) (Benge update)
From: EconosizeFish@xxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 00:12:19 EST
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I've really been letting this sit in the in-basket, but a few comments...

In a message dated 11/21/99 07:45:22am, 
StephenTighe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

>3. Age is likely to be another factor, as if it is an Elkhart, it could
>be over twenty years old.

More like, it MUST be over 27 years old.

>5. Conn are again manufacturing in Elkhart and have taken up Christian

NO, NO, NO.  Conn NEVER went back to Elkhart.  When UMI purchased Conn
and King (which already owned Benge) the brass production work was
all consolidated in the (ex)King factory in Eastlake, OH - near Cleveland.
The woodwinds are manufactured in Elkhart and the US company HQ is
there, thus they use that address on all their marketing information.

>BULK MANUFACTURED
>Conn, for the reasons previously mentioned.

Benge is also a good instrument.  Let me pass along what I have
heard more recently regarding the Benge trombone situation.  I
spoke with my undergrad teacher who plays in the Cleveland 
Orchestra and he told me that UMI was trying to get the orchestra
guys to give the Benge instruments back!  I guess HQ in Europe
has remained insistent that the Benge name just wont work for
trombones.  They wanted the orchestra guys to go to the 88H
generation II and a new Conn Bass Trombone that is still a 
prototype.  The players have refused.  Supposedly they are
going to come up with some Conn horns that have some of the
features of the Benge line - the rounder slide crook profile,
a wrap more similar to the 190, etc. They had also forgot that
the 2nd trombonist uses a non-standard 191 model which has
a larger (9") bell with a larger throat, ala the old King 5B.
They are thinking about coming out with a prodction Conn
model with those characteristics, and it may be named 
after Allen Kofsky.

Regards,

John Fisher, baritone, CVBB

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