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What is your Vintage Conn Setup?

179K views 387 replies 271 participants last post by  aFailedNerevarine 
#1 ·
What is/are your vintage Conn Setup(s)?

Year(s)?

Model(s)?

Finish?

Pads & Resonators?

Mouthpiece(s)?
 
#4 ·
Ian:

Alto:
undergoing complete overhaul at J and J Woodwinds
Conn NW II Series 1929 (229XXX) silver plate, tan roo pads
Mouthpiece - M.C. Gregory Model A 4A 16 HR
Reeds - Rico Jazz Select 3

Tenor:
Conn Tranny 1931 (245XXX) Art Deco engraved silver plate Conn reso-pads
Mouthpiece - Lamberson J6 HR (beautiful tone!)
Ligature - silver Harrison
Reeds - Rico Jazz Select 2 - 3
 
#5 ·
I like the 10m key setup. I have trouble playing a selmer style setup now that I have been playing 10m style keys for a while. I would agree that for classical, selmer style keys would be more easy to approach, but for jazz and inprov situations, the 10m works great.
 
#10 ·
1936 6M-ish Alto

Original Lacquer Finish
White Roo Pads with Flat Resonators

Mouthpieces:
Modern Meyer 6M Medium Chamber - LaVoz Medium Soft Reeds
Selmer Short Shank Soloist C* - Haven't decided on a reed yet.

Selmer 2 Screw Ligatures on both.

I had to adjust the Low B Tone Hole with cork to bring the low C in tune but otherwise am really enjoying this horn.
 
#14 ·
'46 10m (very late RTH) - very old factory relac, mostly bare brass...
neck ring moved for comfort...and to protect the pearly whites from the "Conn Cobra" aka "The Flying Metal Mouthpiece"
plastic selmer style resos on an old set of pads...time for a complete strip and repad soon...
Ackerman lost wax 7* florida link copy beautifully faced by Brain Powell...
 
#15 ·
nickel plated conn alto new wonder I 34xxx
gold plated conn alto new wonder II M169xxx
lacquered 6m alto 350xxx

-- white Buescher true-tone 3 or ebay Jody Jazz DV copy

lacquered Conn Tenor new wonder I M144xxx -- Otto Link 3*

all have generic oem-type pads/resonators on all of them.

sound/tone wise for alto, I love the "chu-berry" but the front Bb biss key kills me since it's seems so far from the B key. Intonation wise, the 6m is dead on throughout the range.
 
#17 ·
Tenor - 1945 silverplated 10M with standard tan pads and silver Resotech resonators. The horn had been overhauled by Ernie Sola who made a number of modfications to improve the ergononmics, including moving the strap hook, adding a Selmer style thumb hook and re-angling the neck. I am using a Morgan Excalibur 8*EL with either Francois Louis 3 or Robertos Winds 3S reeds and an Optimum lig.

Alto - 1932 Tranny currently being overhauled by Les Arbuckle. It will have brass Resotechs. As for mouthpieces, I have several to try including a Vandoren V16 (with combo job by "The Mouthpiece Guys"), a Morgan Excalibur 7E and a Conn Comet 7.
 
#18 · (Edited)
C-Sop:
M159XXX - Silver-plated with Res-O-Pads.
Buescher Csop mpc finished from a blank by Dave Tondi.

Bb-Sop:
60XXX - Nickle-plated curvie with a mix of pads in good condition.
Conn tunable mpc opened up by Dave Tondi.

F-Mez:
213XXX - Very old after-market lacquer with old brown pads and flat resos in good condition.
Babbit F-Mezzo mpc.

Alto:
6M Stencil (Silvertone 42M) in Silver-plate with Res-O-Pads.
Barone NY5M mpc.

C-Mel:
M121XXX - Burnished Gold-Plate "Artist" with Res-O-Pads.
Morgan Cmel mpc.

Bari:
M259XXX - Chemically de-lacquered bare-brass Tranny 12M with Res-O-Pads.
Morgan Bass/Bari mpc. (Waiting on a Barone Hollywood.)
 
#24 ·
I have a 1925 silver plated alto, Selmer C* m/p, Rico Royal #3 reeds, Conn Reso pads.
 
#25 ·
1936 10M (or tranny, depending on whether you believe it can be a 10M without the 10M stamp), flat metal resonators, Tenney BP Link Tone Edge 7 or Tenney Link STM "Hollywood".
 
#26 ·
C-Melody, 1922 New Wonder, Silver-plated, rolled tone holes, good microtuner. G# is smooth bar. SN 947xx. Pads are shot. Original HR mpc. Leaks like a sieve.

Bb Tenor, stencil, "H. Bettoney", nickel-plated, no pearls on keys. SN P89xx. Straight tone holes, drawn, not soldered. G# is little round key. Pads are shot. Have not even tried to play this one yet. I'm guessing 1919-1920 for year.
 
#27 ·
Check out my signature.
 
#29 ·
Conn Tranny Bari, 1932, Lamberson 8DD Bonade lig and 3 1/2 plasticover (will bury Trumpets at 100 yards). Domed metal resos, Conn ring pads and non destructive front F key.

Conn Tranny Tenor, 1934, Ponzol M2 modified (135 tip) plasticover 4 reeds or Guardala King or NY Link (same reeds). Standard Conn reso pads.

Conn Tranny Alto, 1932, NY Meyer 6 with 3 1/2 Javas or 3 Rico Royals. Modified JJ to 90 tip Blue alto mpc, Rovner lig and same reeds. Domed Metal resos on Conn ring pads.

Conn Bass, 1923 silver plate with Modified Conn Eagle Bass and Rico Royal 3 reeds. Mpc Domed metal resos on Conn ring pads.

Conn C melody 1291, with Ny meyr C melody Mpc modified by JVW with tenor reed #3 rico royal. Conn ring pads and domed metal resos. This is only trotted out on special occasions.

All my Conns have been fully stripped and rebuilt, body straightened, all rolled tone holes lifted up and levelled without filing. These Conn are as good as if not better than brand new horns. They all have the sound. It is amazing what a sax section with a couple of Conns in it sounds like and the power it can produce to overcome a brass section.
 
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