Is this cracked Conn leadpipe worth replacing?

[dj4eagle]

My 88H slide was in the shop to fix alignment issues (warped outer tube that ended up wearing through the plating on one of my inner tubes) and I opted to have the leadpipe pulled and slide set up with a bi threaded nut.

I was surprised at how much the feel of the horn changed. Weight of the extra hardware? Added length? Subtle difference in fit vs. the soldered installation? Who knows, but I'm happy with the result and looking forward to having leadpipe options.

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The current stock Conn S leadpipe was discovered to have a crack forming at the very bottom of the tube.

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Should I be concerned about that? Is a crack that small likely to be having any detectable impact on the horn? I'm looking at trialing an MK pipe or two for comparison, but wouldn't be opposed to picking up a new Conn pipe since they're pretty cheap.

[hornbuilder]

Don't worry about it. Just play it.

[hyperbolica]

The Conn pipes are as good as anything else and a lot cheaper. Might not be a bad idea to keep a spare around anyway.

[harrisonreed]

That looks like almost nothing. I would just install it and leave it be. The S pipe is the best one for the 88H, anyways.

[tbonesullivan]

I'm not an expert by any means, but that looks to be pretty much nothing. Are you sure it hasn't been there for a long time and you just noticed now?

[greenbean]

The S pipe is great!

[dj4eagle]

Thanks for all the replies and peace of mind. Had the horn since new (~17 years?), so it's likely an age thing but I never noticed since it was fixed.

Nothing about the S pipe I'm inherently unhappy with or seeking to "fix". I'll keep it as my default. Still curious about trying other materials/styles though.

Sometimes, you just never know until you try! When I was looking into a valve swap on the same horn, my tech said my stock rotor was mechanically great, sealing well, and the going advice on forums seemed to be that stock Conn/King rotors were already very open and well suited for the horn. Sure glad I took the risk. Thought I'd have to invest 3-4k in a new horn to get such an increase in enjoyment and playability.