Conn 11D's can be very good horns. Kevin Owen, a Boston freelancer plays one as part of his professional horn collection as do several other members of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. There is a player in the Milwaukee Symphony who plays one. I know that Julia Rose has favorable things to say about Conn Geyer wrap models on her website.
As far as Conn 8D's being purchased and played professionally, they are still being played by professionals and not all of them were made in Elkhart. You are going to find Eastlake horns and yes even a few Abilene horns out there in professional use. A few years ago I heard the New York Philharmonic horn section play quartets in Hartford. The second horn was playing on a Conn 8DR which is definitely Eastlake. Like all horns (factory or hand made) each is unique and not all are equal. If you decide on an 11D, try several. Some like the 10D which has a smaller throat and I think also bell diameter (One Conn rep doesn't agree with me, but the bell measurements I've taken on a Conn 11D and a Conn 10D are 121/4 inches and 12 inches respectively...but then again factory specs change). Personally, if you are thinking of purchasing a factory made Geyer wrap horn, both the Conn 11D and 10D should be on your "short list" of horns to try, along with Yamaha and the new Merker Geyer models. My two euros, anyway... Mark L. _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
