Conn 56B New Era
Date: 1931. Owned by John Hagstrom
Notice the position of the third slide ring. Perhaps not obvious from the picture, but the third slide ring is actually a mechanism which when pulled automatically extends the third slide. Also note that the position of the third valve slide and the tuning slide on the third valve casing are reversed from the usual/modern way. There is also a rotary knob near the first valve which changes the tuning from Bb to A. The 56B New Era had a #1 bore (0.438") and was built from 1928 to 1932.
This picture: Louis Armstrong with 56B proves that Louis Armstrong at one point (early, by the looks of the picture) in his carreer played a Conn 56B New Era. Apparently he later switched to a Selmer Balanced.
What Conn said:
In harmony with the modern vogue for smarter lines, greater beauty, lighter weight and higher efficiency, Conn
has manufactured the New Era trumpet. Besides the features of general appearance, the New Era possesses greater
brilliancy of tone, velocity of performance, facility of control and ease of blowing which are equalled by few
trumpets and surpassed by none.
Although built with the same bore, same taper and of the same gauge and quality brass as the famous New York
Symphony trumpet, 22B, the New Era possesses a scintilating brilliancy and carries power never achieved in
any of our trumpets.
The 56B and 58B models are alike as to general construction, except that the 56B has a rotary change to A and automatic
third valve adjusting mechanism, while the 58B has plain A slides and the adjusting third valve mechanism is
climinated - perfect balance on both models.
The New Era is fully one inch longer and one inch narrower than the older trumpets. Both features lend grace
and charm to its appearance. The valves are of new and fool proof design. The New Era is unquestionably the
instrument for the modern trumpet player.