Bill, I agree with most of what you have posted. However, you need to check throat and bell diameter on Contempora horns made in Abilene, I think that you will find some differences. I agree with you that bell weight changed when they moved from Cleveland.
I don't know what part of the country you live in, but in the Northeast a Chambers Model will command more than the price you quoted. By that I mean a Cleveland horn marked Chambers. I have seen one of the first Contempora horns made around 1964 sans the Chambers marque, and agree that there is virtually no difference. I really think it might be a bit of a stretch to characterize the Abilene Contemporas as being the same horn. This is not to say that they were bad horns at all, but certainly not as good as the Cleveland made horns. The quandary that I have always had with the move to Abilene is this: MacMillan\Conn purchased the Abilene facility in the late 60's. There were established horn makers in Abilene at that time who worked for Reynolds. The reason that a lot of skilled workers stayed in Elkhart is most often given for the decline of the 8D has never been totally adequate in my estimation. I am always amazed that Reynolds managed to keep good quality control despite fluctuating management and ownership while Conn could not. Actually the Contemporas produced at Fullerton, CA are not bad horns either. Paul Mansur tells me that Olds (who eventually bought Reynolds and made Contempora horns) made a very good Geyer style horn in the 50's (not to be confused with their later Geyer model) and I always held their single F Ambassador line in high regard. I sold a lot of Olds trumpets in the late 70's and early 80's that were put on the market after Olds folded circa 1978. They were very decent instruments. One could wish for a lot of things, I suppose, but I wish the management of both of these venerable firms would have had the smarts and savvy to stay in business. There is no doubt in my mind that at one point, at least, Reynolds had the superior product with regard to a large throat, large bell horn. Caveat lector, Mark L. _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
