- #Conn pan american alto saxophone serial
- #Conn pan american alto saxophone full
- #Conn pan american alto saxophone plus
By raising it and moving it further around the horn, your hand is in a much more natural position which feels better when playing. Similarly the right hand thumb hook was originally way too low to be comfortable. By lowering it I make the weight distribution much better and this makes playing a lot more comfortable. Originally, the neck strap hook was too high making the horn swing back towards the player. And this starts with the neck strap hook and right hand thumb position. To do this meant a complete reworking of the mechanism and overall ergonomics of the horn. So, my aim was always to keep that wonderful sound but improve everything else around it. The magic of these early Conn horns is the sound and that comes from the main body tube.
#Conn pan american alto saxophone full
That was back in 2009 and I have since completed a number of full conversions for many of the leading players in the UK and the process has been continually evolving all the way. In fact Paul still has that horn and loves it. When I suggested what I had in mind Paul was like a kid in a candy store – he wanted the works!Īnd the sax turned out great. Paul had bought a 1930’s New Wonder Conn and had asked me to re-pad it. The British jazz saxophonist Paul Dunmall was the first test subject for my Conn Conversion project. It got me thinking about a much larger project where I could rework the entire horn to make a Conn horn feel like a modern “Mark VI” type mechanism, but still have that fabulous Conn sound. I started with moving the right hand thumb rest and adjusting some key shapes and positions. It’s best to avoid “H” or “High pitch” instruments which are tuned differently” The ideaĪ few years back I began to make adjustments to customers Conn horns. The T designates it’s a Tenor (A for Alto) and, importantly, the L at the bottom designates it’s “low pitch” which is now the standard.
#Conn pan american alto saxophone serial
“When choosing a vintage Conn, check the serial number. In fact, whereas you can pay anything up to £6000 ($10,000 USD) for a good Mark VI Selmer, there are Conn horns on the market for £1000 to £1,500 ($1500 – $2500 USD). In fact, ergonomically they can be a bit of a nightmare.Ĭost wise though, the Conn saxophones are much cheaper. The legendary 10m followed from 1933.Īlthough many players love the warm sound of the Conn saxophones (some would argue it’s a better sound than a Mark VI Selmer), there are tuning and mechanical issues that make them much harder to get on with. The American manufacturer produced the “Conn New Wonder” horns from 1914 onwards, and over the years to 1933 there were a number of variants including what is known as the “Chu Berry” and towards the end the “Transitional” model. So are there other options for vintage horns out there?Īnother horn maker that was doing interesting things in the first half of the 1900’s was C. But, because they are so popular, the price for a good Mark VI puts them out of reach of many players. Ask most people what their ultimate sax would be and the usual answer is “ a Selmer Mark VI from 1956-1962. May be withdrawn without notice if sold elsewhere.As sax players, we are all searching for the “Holy Grail” of saxophones from alto saxophone, tenor saxophone up to bass saxophone.
Try me with an offer by all means, you never know I may play ball! I'm going to go for £350 collected, 5 mins from J1/M6 or J20/M1 or can courier at cost.
You may also need to play around with mouthpieces and reeds to get the best from these older horns.Ĭomes in old but solid case with a turn to lock main catch for safety (great idea!), neck strap, barely used mouthpiece of unknown origin, lig, cap, reed guard reed storage, pull through, a few old reeds even!
#Conn pan american alto saxophone plus
Don't expect modern ergonomics, but do expect a fluidity in playing, plus the wonderful Conn sound. These 2nd line Conn models have the same body tube as the Conn 6M but more basic key work and finesse. They have modern plastic resonators so can't be that old.
From my perspective the pads look fine, have a look at the photos. Matt at Connollys commented it had been re-padded a while ago and, as always, that it would benefit from a re-pad (but of course) and the previous owner told me she had had it overhauled, including pads, but couldn't recall when. It's not perfect, but what 83 year old do you know that is? Just back from Connolly-MIR for a "set up", new neck cork (note the tuner neck too!), and removal of a few small but obvious dents, this is a 1932 Conn Pan American Alto sax with a splendid patina, S/N 47750.Īn old re-lacquer, sparkly at some angles, with a few patches of bare brass here and there.
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