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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Conn Saxophones / Curved sopranos

Fun Bun
User ID: 8416263 Mar 25th 6:14 AM
Is there an optimum serial number range with the curved Conns like the MK VI?

Gayle
User ID: 9314413 Mar 25th 7:56 AM
There is no "optimal" serial number range. There are some mechanical changes to the soprano that may help you make a good personal decision. I think of the Conn sopranos as having 3 different designs.

The earliest Conn curved models had no rolled tone holes and a detachable neck. The necks were a bit more straight than a typcial curved model. It had the "normal" palm keys like most altos. I've seen these up into the 40,000s.

In the early 50,000 range up to around 100,000 the sopranos have a soldered on neck that has a bit more curve in it. Many horns in the 50,000-60,000 range will have some rolled tone holes. Its common to fine the larger rone holes rolled and the smaller ones straight. The palm keys are still separate and typical of other palm key set ups.

Around serial 100,000 Conn went to a different layout for the palm keys. They are on one rod with the tone holes in a straight line. The touchpieces of the palm keys are overlapping each other. This model also has a thumb ring instead of the earlier thumb hook. At times the neck is soldered on at an angle so the horn can be held slightly to the right when playing. Tone holes were always rolled throughout the horn. Conn continued to make their sopranos like this but they do get quite rare over 200,000. The latest I've ever seen is in the 289,000s.

There are a few photos of Conn curved models on my website VintageSax.com. Looking at these may help you see the overlapping palm keys I described above.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Mar 29th 1:48 AM
Dave Koz on Emeril tonite played a Conn curved kinda soft but very pretty tone..

Bootman
User ID: 9495963 Mar 29th 3:04 AM
I have a 72K silver plate/ gold wash bell rolled tone hole Conn Curved sop that is simply an incredible horn to play. Intonation is effortless, the sound is like that of a small tenor. If you are chasing a curved sop then these old conns with the separate palm keys are very comfortable to play (even with big hands), I would recommend that you chase one down if you are after the best sounding curved sop out there.

The Bueschers are also very good.

paulwl
User ID: 9816503 Mar 29th 4:42 PM
Funny thing: During the switch from pivot palms to stack palms (gee--sounds like a tropical island around here), Conn actually went back from a high F curvy to an Eb-only model. It was the old tooling, with stack palm keys. This was just for a few thousand(?) units around the #90k-100k (1922). Then a high E and F were added to that horn.

super20dan
User ID: 7705853 Mar 29th 4:59 PM
my curved conn sop is the same serial no range as bootmans 72k .it indeed is a very good horn and plays perfectly well in tune with its self. my curved buescher did not.

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Mar 29th 5:26 PM
My Conn curved sop. is a 51k keyed to hi F. It seems OK. BTW what are stack palm keys?

paulwl
User ID: 9816503 Mar 29th 7:40 PM
They're all mounted (stacked) on one rod. Also called "inline."

Dave Dolson
User ID: 9209903 Mar 30th 2:15 PM
I recently acquired a straight Conn soprano from Gayle. It has the "inline" left-hand palm keys (much like a MKVI soprano). They drive me NUTZ! I constantly mistakingly hit the high F palm key, cutting out the entire horn.

That design is one of many reasons I dumped my MKVI years ago. Yes, I suppose by diligent practice (or some re-engineering by a tech) I could overcome that design, but frankly I'm not interested in investing that kind of time (or money) when I have other superior sopranos. I would avoid those inline palm keys at all costs. Others may like them. DAVE

paulwl
User ID: 9816503 Mar 30th 6:00 PM
Build 'em up and you can keep your horn.

It also helps if they're not sprung too weak. Otherwise just a flick of your wrist can open them (especially that F).

This was definitely a money-or-labor-saving move on the part of Conn, don't you think? No way was it done for ease of use.

Fun Bun User ID: 8416263	Mar 25th 6:14 AM Is there an optimum serial number range with the curved Conns like the MK VI?
Gayle User ID: 9314413	Mar 25th 7:56 AM There is no "optimal" serial number range. There are some mechanical changes to the soprano that may help you make a good personal decision. I think of the Conn sopranos as having 3 different designs. The earliest Conn curved models had no rolled tone holes and a detachable neck. The necks were a bit more straight than a typcial curved model. It had the "normal" palm keys like most altos. I've seen these up into the 40,000s. In the early 50,000 range up to around 100,000 the sopranos have a soldered on neck that has a bit more curve in it. Many horns in the 50,000-60,000 range will have some rolled tone holes. Its common to fine the larger rone holes rolled and the smaller ones straight. The palm keys are still separate and typical of other palm key set ups. Around serial 100,000 Conn went to a different layout for the palm keys. They are on one rod with the tone holes in a straight line. The touchpieces of the palm keys are overlapping each other. This model also has a thumb ring instead of the earlier thumb hook. At times the neck is soldered on at an angle so the horn can be held slightly to the right when playing. Tone holes were always rolled throughout the horn. Conn continued to make their sopranos like this but they do get quite rare over 200,000. The latest I've ever seen is in the 289,000s. There are a few photos of Conn curved models on my website VintageSax.com. Looking at these may help you see the overlapping palm keys I described above.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Mar 29th 1:48 AM Dave Koz on Emeril tonite played a Conn curved kinda soft but very pretty tone..
Bootman User ID: 9495963	Mar 29th 3:04 AM I have a 72K silver plate/ gold wash bell rolled tone hole Conn Curved sop that is simply an incredible horn to play. Intonation is effortless, the sound is like that of a small tenor. If you are chasing a curved sop then these old conns with the separate palm keys are very comfortable to play (even with big hands), I would recommend that you chase one down if you are after the best sounding curved sop out there. The Bueschers are also very good.
paulwl User ID: 9816503	Mar 29th 4:42 PM Funny thing: During the switch from pivot palms to stack palms (gee--sounds like a tropical island around here), Conn actually went back from a high F curvy to an Eb-only model. It was the old tooling, with stack palm keys. This was just for a few thousand(?) units around the #90k-100k (1922). Then a high E and F were added to that horn.
super20dan User ID: 7705853	Mar 29th 4:59 PM my curved conn sop is the same serial no range as bootmans 72k .it indeed is a very good horn and plays perfectly well in tune with its self. my curved buescher did not.
Screech User ID: 9753653	Mar 29th 5:26 PM My Conn curved sop. is a 51k keyed to hi F. It seems OK. BTW what are stack palm keys?
paulwl User ID: 9816503	Mar 29th 7:40 PM They're all mounted (stacked) on one rod. Also called "inline."
Dave Dolson User ID: 9209903	Mar 30th 2:15 PM I recently acquired a straight Conn soprano from Gayle. It has the "inline" left-hand palm keys (much like a MKVI soprano). They drive me NUTZ! I constantly mistakingly hit the high F palm key, cutting out the entire horn. That design is one of many reasons I dumped my MKVI years ago. Yes, I suppose by diligent practice (or some re-engineering by a tech) I could overcome that design, but frankly I'm not interested in investing that kind of time (or money) when I have other superior sopranos. I would avoid those inline palm keys at all costs. Others may like them. DAVE
paulwl User ID: 9816503	Mar 30th 6:00 PM Build 'em up and you can keep your horn. It also helps if they're not sprung too weak. Otherwise just a flick of your wrist can open them (especially that F). This was definitely a money-or-labor-saving move on the part of Conn, don't you think? No way was it done for ease of use.