Conn

Made by C.G. Conn.

Showing all 32 results

  • Conn 10M Tenor Factory Relacquer Gorgeous Shape Great Deal Orig Pads 334663

    $ 1,700

  • Conn 10M Tenor Pre-War Original Lacquer Cleaned and Ready for Pads Very Good Condition Great Deal – just add an overhaul

    $ 3,650

    This is a BEAUTIFUL original lacquer Conn 10M that is totally ready to be overhauled by your favorite saxophone repair shop. Or get it overhauled through GetASax if you prefer. Way back in 2009 I was selling 10M’s this nice for more than this price, also with original pads, and they have gone up a LOT over the past 10 years. I am pricing this one low so that it sells quickly. Check out those photos. Go ahead – zoom in, make them full screen. The larger the image, the better this horn looks. It has had a few small dings removed, and the body side of the brace was carefully resoldered where it had popped off. (This happens sometimes on Conns.) You can hardly tell at all. That’s really about it! This is as clean as a 10M gets, even if you wait around for a year for the best one you can find.

    If you have been looking for a definitely great 10M, look no further. If you want to get this AND get it in with a Conn specialist like Matt Stohrer for overhaul, I am open to giving you one of my precious reserved overhaul spots with Matt. His work on Conns is really outstanding. I don’t make any money on that. You just work out your overhaul options with Matt.

    To give you a taste of what this horn can sound like, here’s a classic recording of Dexter Gordon putting his 10M through its paces. That’s a Hollywood Dukoff from the 40’s if you’re curious. The horn can take a ton of air, and just keep giving you more tone. Dex never sounded better than at this period on the 10M. It’s a natural fit. 

  • Sold Out

    Conn 10M Tenor Saxophone 1935 Fresh Overhaul Original Lacquer Great Deal!

    $ 3,850

    This is this kind of Conn 10M tenor saxophone that makes people ditch their Selmers and Yamahas. It’s also a great deal at this price! It is original lacquer, AND it has been recently overhauled before I got it, and is playing very nicely. The keywork is comfortable, intonation is excellent, and the tone is to die for. Wide, dark, but still punchy and with a good amount of focus. Palm key tone is gorgeous and full, not a bit thin. This tenor has been well cared-for over the years, and the only past repairs I see are some small dents removed from the back of the body tube and bow, and evidence of a slight pull down having been ‘pulled back up’ from the neck, which is a very common thing to see on vintage saxophones. This pull down (now fully corrected) was about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 in severity, so not a big deal.

    I have a lot of Conns, but not many of them that are both pre-war and that have a recent overhaul. That makes this one an excellent deal. Only one available. By the way, this is what original lacquer looks like on the early 10M’s from ’34-35. The engraving style is a little different from later 10M’s, on the early ones in the 260-270k range. This is what it looks like (and should look like).

    Just for fun, here’s Dexter Gordon putting a 10M from the same era through its paces. (The mouthpiece is a Hollywood Dukoff, which I also have for sale, if you are looking.) The sound mixing guy who recorded Dex always had to dial him back a lot. There really is no limit to the volume on  a Conn 30M tenor.

  • Conn 10M Tenor Saxophone 1948 Original Lacquer Old Pads

    $ 2,750

  • Conn 10M Tenor Saxophone Late Example Great Deal! Needs Repad

    $ 950

    Conn 10M Tenor saxophone for under $1k! The Conn 10M is one of the best vintage tenors ever. This one is from 1967. It’s original lacquer and original pads, and it is just a repad short of being a solid player. The 10M keywork is nice and comfortable, and if you want a cheaper tenor that plays LOUDLY and has a big, dark core tone this is hard to beat. It should be an easy repad, as the horn is in very good condition.

    Only one available!

  • Conn 10M Tenor Saxophone Naked Lady Rolled Tone Holes Original Lacquer Good Pads 322571

    $ 2,950

    Great deal on an original lacquer, rolled tone holes Conn 10M tenor. This horn came from a big collection of great American saxophones that I recently bought. It was repadded at some point before it came in, and the pads are still in good condition. It has a huge, warm, medium dark, powerful tone that fills a room instantly. And the intonation is also great. The keywork is quite fast and comfortable once you get used to it, which only takes a couple of weeks if you are coming from a Selmer.

    The only past repairs are some small dents removed from the back of the body tube. Probably from a mouthpiece rattling around in the case with the horn long ago. One in the upper body tube, one near the strap hook, and one near the thumb hook. Also a small one removed from the top of the neck. It’s in very good shape now. It’s uncommon to see a 10M like this with so few repairs and nothing resoldered or seriously damaged and repaired. This is one of the good ones for sure! Engraving is beautiful and crisp also.

    Only one available! Get it now.

    Just for fun, here’s Dexter Gordon putting a 10M from the same era through its paces. (The mouthpiece is a Hollywood Dukoff, which I also have for sale, if you are looking.) The sound mixing guy who recorded Dex always had to dial him back a lot. There really is no limit to the volume on  a Conn 30M tenor.

  • Conn 10M Tenor Saxophone Pre-War 1935 Relacquered Fresh Overhaul Plays Easily

    $ 2,850

    This is a fully restored Conn Pre-war 10M Tenor saxophone that looks like a new horn. If aesthetics are important to you, and you also want a saxophone that is already restored, this would be a great purchase! And you save money since it has a new coat of lacquer, compared to if the original lacquer were still there. This beautiful 10M is from the second year that the 10M was made, and it is in very good condition. It was refinished and completely overhauled by Wichita Band, who sold it only a few months ago on eBay for $3850. I’m pricing it lower, because I think $3850 is a bit high for it. So you can get a great deal, on a horn that has an expensive restoration already completed. The pads are reso-pads like Conns originally came with, so it has a vintage soft feel under the fingers. The horn plays really easily, with a big, warm tone like you would expect with a 10M.

    Just for fun, here’s Dexter Gordon putting a 10M from the same era through its paces. (The mouthpiece is a Hollywood Dukoff, which I also have for sale, if you are looking.) The sound mixing guy who recorded Dex always had to dial him back a lot. There really is no limit to the volume on  a Conn 30M tenor.

  • Sold Out

    Conn 30M Connqueror Tenor Saxophone 1936 Relacquered Plays Great! 275847

    The Conn 30M. If you’re reading this, you probably know what this is already. It’s the more deluxe version of the best vintage tenor by Conn, the Conn 10M. The 30M is a 10M plus lots of keywork upgrades including ‘permadjust’ screws throughout, rather than traditional adjustment materials between key linkages; solid silver key touches on spatula and side keys, and a newly designed pinky table and neck octave key. This is the saxophone geek’s dream horn. It is also one of the best sounding tenors ever produced, without any doubt.

    This particular example is refinished, obviously, and then it got a recent overhaul done by the good people at SaxAlley in Colorado. They used a wide, flat pad that looks like a Conn Reso-pad, but is solid throughout, so it feels snappy and positive instead of the soft, squishy feel of a normal reso-pad. This is an improvement. There is some kind of dark leather sealant on the pads that makes them look weird, but hey, they are sealing well, and the horn feels quite good under the fingers, so I’m not going to mess with success here. The response is quick, and the tone is saturated throughout. The low register is particularly nice. Subtone and ballad playing is very easy, and this Conn 30M can play softly while still sounding full and rich. There is really no upper limit to the volume. You’re the only limiting variable here.

    If you’re looking for a great player’s tenor that is much cheaper than a normal 30M even though it is in good playing condition, and that sounds great all-around, then this may be the horn for you. It came to me in a pretty worn old Conn case, so if you want to upgrade the case, I’m happy to cut you a good deal on a new case for it. I like the BAM Classic for Conns, as the foam is great quality, and the cut out in the interior allows the bell keys to fit without a whole lot of squishing necessary.

    Just for fun, here’s Dexter Gordon putting a 10M from the same era through its paces. (The mouthpiece is a Hollywood Dukoff, which I also have for sale, if you are looking.) The sound mixing guy who recorded Dex always had to dial him back a lot. There really is no limit to the volume on  a Conn 30M tenor.

     

  • Conn 4M Curved Soprano RARE Late Example 244750 Matt Stohrer Overhaul Exceptional!

    $ 6,950

    If you want the best, the most beautiful, the rarest, and the highest quality overhaul all in one soprano, then this is the one for you. You can get a ‘normal’ conn curved soprano for a lot less, but it will not be like this. This Conn curved soprano is for the connoisseur, the collector, and the discerning player.

    The general rules for buying these, in my view, is to get the latest curved soprano that you can find. I only know of a few individual instruments with later serial numbers than this. You could probably count the total number that were made after this one in the single digits. This is only the second one that I have seen in person, and it is by far the nicest one I have seen. Like every Conn curved soprano it had a couple of key guard feet resoldered, and that is it for past repairs. They look good, and are not at all glaring. The neck is particularly nice. The bell flare and body tube are undamaged.

    It just got a complete overhaul and gentle hand polish and cleaning done by Matt Stohrer, Conn enthusiast and my personal favorite repairman for Conn overhauls. Matt’s work needs no introduction, but you can find his website here, and his youtube channel here, complete with several Conn-specific repariman’s overview videos. I got the silver plate touched up in a couple of places where it was starting to show some wear, and I got the gold wash in the bell redone also, though there was still some gold in there to start with. The resonators are the nice, reusable, high-end TenorMadness set, flattened for an authentic look. They look great. An overhaul is a big job, and that’s now done, so this horn is back to factory fresh or better playing condition. Better, because Matt’s pad work feels better than the reso-pad job found on these originally. It’s tight, snappy, and positive under the fingers. Pad heights are just right, and all the little details that distinguish a really good overhaul from a mediocre one are present and correct on this horn.

    Playing wise, this soprano is a monster. It’s warm, round, broad, and room-filling, even at low volumes. When pushed, it is almost too loud. It wants to project over a band. The tone is completely different from modern sopranos. Much more warm and medium-dark, almost like a larger saxophone voice squeezed into the small soprano body. The intonation is quite good, and this works well with a wider range of mouthpieces than many sopranos. I used my Bilger Morgan, and it sounds great. But a modern Yanagisawa HR or even a vintage Buescher will all work, so there’s a good range. This is easily one of my favorite vintage sopranos that I have ever played. If you are looking for a new dimension to add to your playing, a curved soprano like this is interesting and stimulating. A whole fresh world to explore. It also looks great on stage, and catches eyes if you’re a full time performer.

    This beautiful instrument comes in its original case, also in good condition.

    Just for fun, here’s a clip Dave Koz playing his silver Conn curved soprano with postmodern jukebox. Also, be sure to check out Keenan McKenzie’s curved Conn soprano playing in a 30’s swing setting. So great, and tons of fun!

  • Conn 6M Naked Lady Alto Saxophone Original Lacquer 1953 356523

    $ 1,100

    1953 Conn 6M alto original lacquer with old pads. The later 6M’s like this are an excellent value, because they are still well made, but the price is almost laughably low for what you get. I always recommend the 1948-55 or so Conns to people who want a great tone but  who are on a tighter budget. The tone is fantastic – big, wide, with plenty of projection. Intonation is very good, and the keywork is comfortable. There is not a lot to tell condition wise. This horn is in great shape. Original lacquer, neck is in great shape. It looks like there was a small dent removed from the back of the bow, and maybe from behind the lower thumb hook. I hope that I’m in as good shape at 65 years old!

  • Conn 6M Transitional Art Deco Alto Saxophone 247105 Great Shape 1931

    $ 1,600

    I love Conn altos in the 230-260k range, and especially the ones near 250k serial. This 247k is a transitional Conn between the New Wonder II (‘Chu Berry’) and the 6M (‘Artist’) models. It is a true transitional in every sense, and is almost half NWII and half 6M. These special alto saxophones have a tone and set of features found nowhere else, and that makes them especially great in several ways. The bore still feels more like a NWII to play, so the tone is wider and wilder than the later 6M’s (which are also great, but are more focused and a bit less wild). The neck is like a 6M, so you get the improved intonation that ‘slots in’ better – NWII’s have good intonation as well, but it is more flexible than the 6M versions. The bell keys have moved around to the left, but the left hand spatula keys retain their NWII shape, but with improved mechanics. No saxophone has an easier or more direct feel on the low B and Bb that this version of Conn. It’s nice and light and fast, though you don’t have anything like modern ergonomics on those keys, of course. The regular main stack keywork is already mostly updated to the fast and comfortable 6M design. That is very good keywork, and is hardly improved upon in modern horns, so this is a very comfortable horn to play.

    It came with special ‘art deco’ engraving on the bell that you only see for a short time around 245-249k serial with Conn altos. This example is original or ‘first’ lacquer, and has not been refinished. It has original pads and even comes with the original warranty and care booklet in the original case.

    Tonally, these late transitional 6M’s are an ideal choice for big band or jazz band lead alto. They have almost unlimited projection or ‘carrying power’ as the old advertizements put it. And the tone stays strong and cohesive no matter how much you push it. It’s just a joy to hear one of these in full song. Marhsall Royale and the Basie band all played Conns like this, as did Charlie Parker for a while (among many other horns). You see them commonly in clubs in NYC and all over Europe these days. Nothing sounds like a Conn. This one is priced low for what it is. Superb original condition. Add a good overhaul, and you will have one of the best built alto saxophones ever, that will be dependable and fantastic to own and play for many many years to come. If you like this version in silver, I also have a silver 249k that I just got completely overhauled that is also for sale.

    Only one available!

     

  • Conn 6m Transitional Art Deco Alto Saxophone 249081 Overhauled!

    $ 3,250

    Just completely overhauled! Price includes the full restoration. Take how it looks in the photos, and make everything perfect and shiny with all new everything and that’s what you’d be getting.

    The Conn 6M transitional takes many forms, and this particular original silver plated example is from 1932.  It features art deco engraving (a style which only appears for a few years), left hand bell keys, 6M style keywork everywhere except the left hand pinky table, which is New Wonder II style.  This is the last iteration before the transitional becomes nearly identical to the 6M, and to my ears these have a bit more of the big tone of the New Wonder II than the transitionals just after it- and in fact around this serial range is my favorite of the transitionals, playing-wise.  

    This horn plays a bit on some very old pads, but it will need a repad.  Physically it is in extremely good condition, with no dents or dings or evidence of past repairs that I can see.  The neck is undamaged and shows no signs of past pulldown, and the microtuner is free and functional. The silver plate is thick and unworn, and will shine up unbelievably well, if my past experience is any guide (see Matt Stohrer’s guide on polishing silver saxophones to see what I mean).  It comes with its original case in good condition and its original warranty card. These are great altos, built by the finest American saxophone craftsmen in their heyday, and a super clean one like this is a great place to start if you are looking for a fantastic vintage horn that will last you a lifetime for less of an overall investment than most any new horn of even middling quality that you can buy today.

  • Conn 6M New Wonder II Transitional Alto Saxophone

    Conn 6M Transitional Art Deco Burnished Gold Plate Alto Saxophone The Best!

    $ 3,950

    Price just lowered!!

    This is one of those super-rare Conn alto saxophones from when Conn was at the height of it’s manufacturing expertise. Conn had the most advanced saxophone manufacturing facility in the world, and it set the standard for quality for all other manufacturers. This alto would have been a special, top-of-the-line model. It has the most elaborate thick burnished finish that is also by far the most time consuming to apply. (Ever burnished anything by hand?) This is original (real, actual) gold plate. (People often think this can’t be real gold, but hey, welcome to the 1930’s where both gold and labor were cheap, and American craftspeople were the best in the world! And there’s the most desirable engraving pattern here also, or at least one of them. For just about a year and a half, Conn did this deluxe ‘art-deco’ geometrical engraving style on its nicer instruments. There’s a lot to see here – it’s a masterpiece of hand engraving that is no longer done at this level by any manufacturer today.

    Conns from the early 1930’s are my absolute favorite There was a short burst of gold plate examples mixed in with other horns between 238k-252k, and they are the best of the best in my book.

  • Conn 6M VIII Alto Saxophone 1937 Pre-War Original Lacquer Excellent Condition 282496

    $ 3,250

    This is a beautiful Conn 6M VIII alto with great original lacquer. It comes with a full high end overhaul. If you are relatively new to vintage saxophones, almost all saxophones older than 1990 or so that have been played with any frequency are in need of a labor-intensive process of restoration called an ‘overhaul.’ This does not touch the finish, but it completely replaces everything that needs to be replaced to put the saxophone back to factory fresh mechanical and playing condition. If you do it right, (which is a big if) then the horn can even be better than new mechanically and playing wise. That’s what this horn is getting right now. It costs about $1000+ to have done right, because it involves at least 25-30 hours of skilled labor.

    This Conn 6M VII is really the one you want. It is in excellent condition, original lacquer, no resolders, no serious past repairs at all (a few small dings removed). As soon as it comes back from overhaul in a week or two, it is going to be AMAZING! Conns are very consistent from horn to horn once you fix everything mechanically. This one will be no exception. Even on original pads when I got it from a collector, it played really big. It is medium-focused, and very free blowing. Intonation is excellent. Keywork is fast. It comes with a BAM Classic alto case or similar, (we can discuss) to keep it safe when you are not playing it (which won’t be that much of the time, based on how these play!)

    Only one available!

  • Conn 6M VIII Alto Saxophone 1942 Original Lacquer Pre-war Excellent Condition!

    $ 2,250

    This Conn 6M is the most desirable version, with the VIII stamp on the neck, and the entire saxophone is in excellent condition. It is all original – including neck, pads, original lacquer, and original case. The pads are completely done and you’ll have to overhaul this to play your first note on it. It would be hard to find a better overhaul candidate. Usually there’s at least one resolder, but the only thing I can see that has ever happened to this alto is a small dent removed from the back of the bow which is now nearly invisible.

    The neck is gorgeous, body tube, bow, and bell are all dent free and beautiful. The engraving really pops on this horn, and the lacquer has a luster that you don’t always see. The reason this Conn 6M alto is in such great condition, is that the original owner bought it in early 1942, (just before Conn stopped producing saxophones to start making alitmeters for the war effort), and then he enlisted and went off to war. When he came back, he bought a Conn 10M tenor saxophone  and played that instead. The 10M is in nearly as good condition, though it’s not original lacquer like this alto is.

    Conn 6M altos are amazingly consistent from horn to horn. Just get it properly overhauled, and it will be a really lively, projecting, room-filling lead alto that sails over a band with ease. There’s nothing like a Conn in full song. Plus, as you may know, the keywork layout on the 6M is very comfortable and fast under the fingers. In an alternate universe where Conn kept making saxophones during WWII and Selmer stopped making saxophones to fight the Nazis, Conn’s keywork design would have become what you see on all modern saxophones. It’s that good. I prefer Conns to Selmers on alto, generally speaking, and my favorites are these pre-war 6M’s. They’re just so fun to play. The horn comes alive in your hands, the body tube vibrates in response to the sound, and there really is no limit to the amount of sound you can get out when pushed. People come in the shop and play the Conns, and they are regularly blown away.

    I have some other, very similar altos right now that also come with the full overhaul / restoration included in the price. You can see the selection of Conns available here. There are also some in other finishes like silver plate or even gold plate.

    Just for fun, here’s Marshal Royal and the Basie Band (all of whom used Conns) playing a ballad on his 6M. 

  • Conn 6M VIII Alto Saxophone Pre-War Original Lacquer Very Good Condition Plays Well 294775

    $ 1,950

    This pre-war (from the American perspective, meaning prior to the government order than restricted the manufacture of musical instruments along with anything else made out of brass) Conn 6M was built in 1941, and is the desirable “VIII” version, with the VIII stamp on both the body and neck.  

    It is in very good physical condition with original lacquer, no dents, and no major or minor past repairs or resolders, with the exception of a repaired dent on the bowguard, which is visible in the photos.  It has what appears to be a recent repad, or perhaps an old repad that wasn’t played much after it was done, and Conn Res-o-pads were used. It plays well with a big voice, and although to my professionally-obligated-to-be-picky tastes it is not quite as astoundingly slick under the fingers at these feel when they have been overhauled as the best repairers can do, it is definitely playable as-is and will beat the pants off of most any challenger, especially modern imports that cost a lot more and give you a lot less than this fine example of vintage American saxophone craftsmanship.  

    Oddly, the lacquer on the neck is more worn than the rest of the horn- although physically the neck is in immaculate condition with no dents or past pulldowns.  In the past when I have seen this the culprit is usually a homemade neck bag that was lacquer-unfriendly, or perhaps the owner had a habit during rests to hold the horn with the neck in his hand.  Given the lack of wear elsewhere on the horn, I’d guess a neck bag was the culprit here, although I can’t be certain. But again, though the lacquer itself is mostly gone from the neck (and the neck alone), the neck tube is flawless and there are no signs of past repairs of any kind.  

    The microtuner is free and functional, and all of the original rollers and present and moving freely.  The engraving is crisp and clear with no lacquer loss, and the pearls seems largely unworn. The keywork is tight and the body is straight.  This is a very clean example of the most desirable vintage of the most desirable variant of the Conn 6M, and it can be yours for less than a new Yamaha YAS-26.  

  • Conn 6M VIII Original Silver Plate Pre-War Rare Version Excellent Condition

    $ 2,450

  • Conn 94M DJH Modified Tenor Saxophone Keilwerth Made Excellent Pro Tenor!

    $ 2,750

    Getting a complete high end overhaul right now! This is in the hard-to-beat-for-the-price category for sure. Made by Keilwerth for Conn, this is like a Couf Superba 1 with straight tone holes and Conn 10M engraving. As you may know already, the Superba 1 is one of my favorite tenors. I’m not surprised that when Conn wanted to add a new professional instrument to its line, it went with the Keilwerth. It is the most like a Conn of any modern horn, and it is well made, tunes well, feels great undet the fingers. It really checks all the boxes of what you might want in a tenor.

    This particular example has original lacquer and no resolders. It is getting overhauled right now, which is a big job – 30+ hours of highly-skilled labor goes into a good overhaul, and that means the horn will play its very best with all new everything, for a long time into the future. It’s a joy to play a horn like this with a fresh overhaul. Just the work costs around $1100-1500 to do everything, which means you are getting an excellent value. The horn itself is less than half the price!  Buy it now to reserve it. It should be ready in the next 2-3 weeks (so June 2019).

  • Conn Chu Berry New Wonder 1 Tenor Saxophone Burnished Gold Plate Portrait 1924

    $ 3,950

    Conns from the 1920’s like this have an enthusiastic following these days. I’m told that it’s now more common to see a tenor player in NYC playing a Conn than a Selmer, which is hard to believe if true. I have definitely noticed a large and growing amount of interest and enthusiasm for Conns like this over the last 5 years at least.

    The way I think about vintage Conn tenors is this. They are all built quite well, and they are all good players once you get them all fixed up and overhauled. So if you have the choice, and budget allows, you might as well buy the nicest one you can to fix up. This is for a couple of reasons. First, resale value will always be better the more beautiful the horn is, and the rarer the finish. Second, you get to experience the satisfaction, even joy, of owning such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship from the world’s greatest musical instrument factory of the 20’s and 30’s, which is undoubtedly Conn. Conn set the standard for musical instrument manufacturing during that time. Its designs were copied by all the other makers, from France to Germany, Italy, and even eventually Japan. They are still being copied today in fact!

    If your goal is to get the best, most beautiful, rarest Conn that you can, it would be hard to do better than this beautiful burnished gold Conn New Wonder 1 ‘Chu Berry’ tenor saxophone from 1924. The finish is a bit tarnished at present, because I haven’t had time to get it disassembled, cleaned, and polished yet, but there’s a lot of original gold plate there, and not a whole lot of finish wear. The burnished (bright) gold Conns like this are incredibly rare. Much rarer than the satin gold examples, which are themselves very rare. The engraving is striking. Each burnished gold Conn had the option for a custom portrait. I wonder whose sweetheart this is! Some stylish flapper 20’s lady in any case. This would almost definitely have been pro-owned by the tenor player from a big band. I got the horn from Ohio, if there’s anyone who can connect the dots at all. I have never seen any other Conn tenor with engraving like this, so it has some historical value as well, to me at least.

    This tenor comes in pretty good playing condition. It was tuned up before I got it, and I’ll probably spend some more money on pad work before I sell it. It also includes a nice Hiscox case with my favorite, the red interior, which is no longer offered. Much better than the blue for a gold saxophone.

    Just for fun, here’s Lester Young on his New Wonder 1 tenor just like this one, also gold plated. The wide, lush, spread, medium dark tone is just gorgeous.

     

  • Conn Connstellation Alto Saxophone 28M Excellent Condition Original Lacquer 338006

    $ 2,750

    The Conn 28M will always have a special place in my heart.  It represents the last time one of the great American saxophone manufacturing companies tried something wholly new, and although the horn never really found a market and not many were made, they are fantastic instruments that besides being unique and historically interesting, play *really* well.  

    These saxophones were redesigned, utilizing many ideas from Allen Loomis (Conn’s resident saxophone visionary) and Hugh Loney, with input from Santy Runyon, with the aim of creating a saxophone that had extremely slick keywork and a very balanced scale.  The keywork, although familiar under the fingers with regard to placement and layout, is mechanically quite different from any other saxophone and has been built from the ground up with the goal of reducing mechanical friction. There are no pivot screws anywhere on this saxophone, instead the long rods have a very long hinge rod with the middle machined down so only the ends touch.   The G# has a very unique torsion mechanism to provide a G# feel that is smooth throughout the range. The side keys are designed so that the angle and distance of travel is the same for each key. There are adjustment screws on the upper and lower stacks as well as the left hand pinky table. The bell keys are on the left side, and the pants guard/bell keyguard is a large acrylic plate that was designed with the idea in mind of allowing the horn to vent properly regardless of playing position or clothing choice.  The octave mechanism has three pips (octave vents), one on the neck and two on the body, which has the end result of a very clear middle D and no hiss on the A or G#, as well as excellent intonation. The keywork in general is very light, and the pearls are larger than usual for Conn and a little flatter. The overall feeling is of a very light horn, extremely slick, easy to play, excellent intonation, and very even throughout.

    The one downfall of this design is the pants guard, which is fairly brittle and often broken.  Although nowadays there are excellent replacements available, this one has its original guard is about as good condition as they come, fully present with only a few small cracks radiating from around the screw holes, which is common.  However none of the cracks are large and it is not broken in two or missing any pieces, which is not common! And believe it or not, I have experience shipping these so you can rest easy knowing I will remove it for shipping, wrap it separately, and it will arrive to you in good condition.  

    This instrument plays quite well on older pads, with a strong, moderately bright, cheerful voice.  The clarity of the tone is notable, and it is a lot of fun to play with a unique look and feel and timbre that would lend itself easily to classical, big band, or small group jazz.  The lacquer is original and nearly flawless, with no evidence of past repairs or dents or resolders of any kind. It is also a unique and interesting piece of saxophone history, in exceptional condition, and whoever owns this instrument next will have a lot of fun being its steward for the next generation.  

  • Conn Connstellation Alto Saxophone 28M Very Good Condition Original Lacquer 335771

    $ 2,350

    You could be forgiven for thinking that because there are two original lacquer, very good condition Conn 28M “Connstellation” saxophones on my website at the moment that these are somewhat common, but I assure you that is not the case!   I will copy and paste the general statements about the 28M from the other description, with the unique description of this particular instrument’s physical and playing condition at the bottom.

    The Conn 28M will always have a special place in my heart.  It represents the last time one of the great American saxophone manufacturing companies tried something wholly new, and although the horn never really found a market and not many were made, they are fantastic instruments that besides being unique and historically interesting, play *really* well.  

    These saxophones were redesigned, utilizing many ideas from Allen Loomis (Conn’s resident saxophone visionary) and Hugh Loney, with input from Santy Runyon, with the aim of creating a saxophone that had extremely slick keywork and a very balanced scale.  The keywork, although familiar under the fingers with regard to placement and layout, is mechanically quite different from any other saxophone and has been built from the ground up with the goal of reducing mechanical friction. There are no pivot screws anywhere on this saxophone, instead the long rods have a very long hinge rod with the middle machined down so only the ends touch.   The G# has a very unique torsion mechanism to provide a G# feel that is smooth throughout the range. The side keys are designed so that the angle and distance of travel is the same for each key. There are adjustment screws on the upper and lower stacks as well as the left hand pinky table. The bell keys are on the left side, and the pantsguard/bell keyguard is a large acrylic plate that was designed with the idea in mind of allowing the horn to vent properly regardless of playing position or clothing choice.  The octave mechanism has three pips (octave vents), one on the neck and two on the body, which has the end result of a very clear middle D and no hiss on the A or G#, as well as excellent intonation. The keywork in general is very light, and the pearls are larger than usual for Conn and a little flatter. The overall feeling is of a very light horn, extremely slick, easy to play, excellent intonation, and very even throughout.

    The one downfall of this design is the pantsguard, which is fairly brittle and often broken.  Although nowadays there are excellent replacements available, this one has its original guard in decent condition.  There is one repaired crack (visible in the photos) and the common small cracks radiating from some of the screw holes.  I would anticipate, absent any further damage, that this keyguard will last and should not present any problems- although I will furnish you with contact information for obtaining a well made (and somewhat more durable) replacement should you ever need it.  And believe it or not, I have experience shipping these so you can rest easy knowing I will remove it for shipping, wrap it separately, and it will arrive to you in good condition.

    This instrument plays quite decently on what appears to be an older repad with plastic domed resonators, with a strong, moderately bright, cheerful voice.  The clarity of the tone is notable, and it is a lot of fun to play with a unique look and feel and timbre that would lend itself easily to classical, big band, or small group jazz.  The lacquer is original and in good condition with some playing wear and a few stand scratches near the low C#, with no evidence of past repairs or dents or resolders of any kind. It is also a unique and interesting piece of saxophone history, in very good condition, and whoever owns this instrument next will have a lot of fun being its steward for the next generation.  

  • Sold Out

    Conn Eagle Baritone Saxophone Mouthpiece D73

    This is a Conn Eagle mouthpiece for Bari. It has a .073 tip opening, no baffle, curved side walls, and a large round chamber. For you philatelists out there, it looks like this piece was stamped with the logo twice. The shank is slightly discolored, but this piece is in excellent condition.

  • Conn Gold Plate Chu Berry Alto Saxophone Portrait

    Conn New Wonder 1 Alto Original Burnished Gold Plate Portrait 84738

    $ 2,950

    There are a ton of beautiful altos on the site, but this one stands out from the crowd. It is the heaviest gold plate finish that Conn offered – basically sheets of thick (actual) gold rubbed onto the brass to give you a finish that will last for centuries with minimal maintenance required. Both gold and skilled labor were cheap back in 1920’s America and Conn could afford to invest an extra couple of days’ labor in applying all this gold by hand-burnishing, and engraving such an elaborate scene on the saxophone, and still make a profit. These days, it would be literally impossible to reproduce saxophones like this and market them. They would cost far too much. Just a thin layer of modern gold plate costs like $3500 to do.

    So this horn is something very special. Not just as a piece of art, or a piece of exceptional craftsmanship, but as a musical instrument as well. William Morris, the influential artist, famously encouraged us to “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, and believe to be beautiful.” This alto sax just wails as a player, and definitely fits both requirements nearly as well as a saxophone could. The engraving features (probably) Apollo, god of music, with his harp, and an extremely ornate C.G. Conn logo and decoration.

    This alto has very good pads, and plays extremely easily on the current, high-quality overhaul. It feels nice and snappy under the fingers, and the pad work is very good, flat and ‘dry’ feeling, which is a sign of high-quality work with rolled tone holes. The tone is pure 1920’s jazz power: wide, smooth, warm, and dark, but very projecting. This horn vibrates under your fingers even at moderate volumes, and is super fun and responsive to play. Low register is easy. Intonation is good, though you can easily bend notes around also. The keywork is vintage, so it will feel weird if you’re coming from a Yamaha, at least at first. But the tone and beauty you get in exchange makes it well worth it.

    Only one available!

  • Conn New Wonder 1 Alto Saxophone Silver with Gold Keys

    $ 1,100

    Bargain price for one of the most beautiful vintage Conn New Wonder 1 ‘Chu Berry’ alto saxophones around. This is satin silver body tube with real gold plate on the keys and in the engraving and other details. These horns look AMAZING when polished up and overhauled, and this one is sure to be no exception to that.

    I have it priced very low, so that you can buy it, get it nicely overhauled, and still get a great horn for the money. This should be an easy, uncomplicated overhaul, as Conns are well made and this one is in nice shape. I do also take returns money back with 5 day trial period, so buy with confidence, take to your repair shop, and then make a decision! Marshall Royale and the whole Basie band played these and got that beautiful, wide, warm tone.

    Only one available!

  • Conn New Wonder 1 C Melody Saxophone Original Nickel Plate Good Condition 70276

    $ 300

    This is a nice, clean original nickel plated Conn New Wonder 1 C melody saxophone. It has OLD pads and needs a full repad. I am pricing it so low that you can get it nicely overhauled by your local woodwind shop and still be into it for not too much money. The nickel plate is extremely durable and will shine up to a beautiful finish, and it will also last nearly forever. It doesn’t tarnish like silver, so it will stay bright even if you play it a lot or leave it out or don’t wipe it off very often.

    If you want a budget C melody made by Conn that sounds big and warm and plays nicely, this will be that horn, after you get it overhauled. Only one available.

  • Conn New Wonder 1 C Melody Saxophone Plays Well! 79645

    $ 475

    This is a nice, clean original bare brass Conn New Wonder 1 C melody saxophone. It has actually been repadded at some point, and the current pads are still sealing well. They’re not new, but they do play just fine. This is a fun horn to play, with a big, warm, vintage 1920’s velvety sort of tone. Stand at the piano with your family member, and play along with the music! You don’t have to transpose. That’s actually very nice. I love my personal C melody sax, which is also a Conn.

    Bare brass is nice because you really can’t hurt it. The horn will pretty much always look the same, unless you want to disassemble and polish it up. You could even get it lacquered, and it would look new, if you fall in love with this and want to restore it to a brilliant shine at some point in the future.

    If you want a budget C melody made by Conn that sounds big and warm and plays nicely, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money at all, this would be your horn. It’s pretty hard to beat for the price! Conn made the best C melody saxophones.

    Note: My favorite mouthpiece for C melody is the Morgan hard rubber in a 5 or 6 tip. It sounds full and open like a tenor sax.

  • Conn New Wonder 1 Tenor Chu Berry Exceptionally Fine Player Fresh Overhaul BAM Case

    $ 3,150

    Do you want the biggest, darkest, most spread and room-filling vintage Conn tone possible? Do you want a gorgeous vintage Conn with original silver plate that looks almost new? Do you want it with a freshly-done high end ($1k+) overhaul, with high-end metal resonators? Do you want a premium $350 BAM tenor case included that fits the horn beautifully and will keep it in top adjustment?

    Well, look no further. That’s what this is. Any you should buy it. Right now. You won’t be sorry. I didn’t call it an exceptionally fine player for nothing.

  • Conn New Wonder II Chu Berry Alto Saxophone Relacquer 1930 Good Pads Great Deal 236664

    $ 800

    This is a Conn New Wonder II Transitional alto saxophone from 1930. It is probably the best playing alto per dollar spent on the site, because it has good pads but has been refinished. The new coat of paint it got made the price go down, but didn’t hurt the playability. This horn came to me playing well on its current pads. It hasn’t been freshly overhauled, but it does play on the current setup. That makes it a great deal, because you get the beautiful big, warm Conn tone for under $1k, which is crazy. This horn is pre-war, if you’re looking for that, and it has rolled tone holes. By ‘transitional’ in the title, I mean that it was made very late in the New Wonder II (or ‘Chu Berry’) run, and it has some features that anticipate the 6M or ‘artist’ or ‘naked lady’ or ‘lady face’ (I could go on. Conn nomenclature is kind of convoluted.) It’s basically a New Wonder II, but it has the raised high E side key and a few other small changes like palm key shapes and possibly a different neck though I’m not sure about that.

    It includes the case in the photos as well.

    Only one available.

  • Conn New Wonder II Curved Soprano 220xxx Late Example! Original Silver High F Fresh Overhaul!

    $ 4,250

  • Conn New Wonder II Tenor Original Gold Plate Near Mint Fresh Overhaul Excellent Player 198048

    $ 5,500

    If you watch gold plated Conns, you will know that this one is uncommonly clean and original. It is the most perfect gold Conn that I have seen for sale in the last year or two, actually since another gold one much like this that also sold on GetASax.

    Really beautiful gold plated Conn tenors are very hard to find. Yes, the keywork isn’t like your P Mauriat, but hey, neither is the tone! You adjust for the sake of the sound. Besides, the bell keys are really not so bad, and the stacks are plenty comfortable if you have medium to large hands. You can also mod these a bit to decrease the bis key reach or whatever. That’s easily done.

    This is a truly gorgeous example. The neck is in great shape, as is the body tube, bell and bow. There’s a post resoldered by the G# key, and it was done very well, so it is almost invisible. There are no other past repairs, and no dent work that I know of. This tenor just got a complete overhaul and plays effortlessly. Low Bb is just another note, subtone is easy, response is quick. It has This is the version with the more comfortable palm key shape, not that that is a huge concern. The resonators are from TenorMadness and are the premium, machined, slightly-domed brass reusable type. They look great against the gold.

    If you’re one of those people who really wants your vintage saxophone to look nearly new, this is one of those rare opportunities that only come up every couple of years at best. It would be hard to beat this tenor. The price also includes the new BAM case in the photos. If you want a Conn tone but at a lower price, check out a lacquered NWII or similar. The gold ones are very rare, and just the gold plate would cost more than the asking price of the horn if you did it today!

    Only one available!

  • Sale!

    Conn NWII Transitional Tenor 238k 1930 with MODERN keywork by Palo Tung UNIQUE!

    $ 5,950 $ 5,400

    This is a really unique and cool vintage Conn tenor with modern keywork! Palo Tung of Just Saxes spent a ton of time on this Conn conversion.

    It is essentially three saxophones put together into one. The Conn transitional tenor is the horn, which is just about my favorite vintage of all time for Conn tone, with a bigger, wider tone than the 10M, but with more focus and somewhat easier tuning than the NWII. Take that horn, and then add the main stack keywork from a Keilwerth, and the palm and pinky keys from a Just Saxes ‘Crescent’ modern tenor, and put all that together into one horn and that is what you have here. The keywork feels pretty good under the fingers – not super slick, but it falls easily under the fingers and the palm and pinky keys are particularly comfortable. The key is functionality. If you have always wanted to play a Conn, but you just can’t deal with the NWII style keywork, then this is one of the few options that you have. I’m told Palo has only made two or three of these ever, and the amount of work involved is, of course, enormous. The price on this horn is far lower than you would normally pay, and it should sell quickly. I have seen other Conn conversions selling $11-14k, but this one is being sold second hand, so you can save a ton on the labor compared to paying to have it done yourself. If you want to pair this with a new BAM case, I can find one that fits it well, and give you a good deal. That would be a good idea for shipping and for gigging.

    There is most certainly only one available!!

  • York made by Conn Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece D83

    $ 50

    This is a York alto saxophone mouthpiece made by Conn. It has a .054 tip opening, a concave baffle, curved side walls, and a large round chamber. This piece should look great after a cleaning.