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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Conn Saxophones / Chu tenor..base price?

Edo
User ID: 2212414 May 12th 7:56 PM
Guys..how much should a Chu Tenor worth? How much is the base price?

What make Chus that good anyway?

Bootman
User ID: 1676554 May 13th 6:39 AM
Chu's play much more freely than 10M's. The sought after range is the late post 200K models. These can go for very little but will generally require major surgery to repair to nearly $3000. It is dependant entirely upon condition.

Play one or two first and then you will see what the fuss is about. The keywork can feel a little clumsy at first but the sound soon makes up for this. You can always have the keywork tweaked up.

BATMAN
User ID: 1188554 May 13th 6:55 AM
I usually see good examples go for around $2500. Gold plated obviously worth more. The better the condition, the better the price, but $2500 seems about average, for a decent example in original silver.

Bootman's right. They play very big, and are free blowing. The keywork is fast, and the left hand pink table is actually more comfortable than a THE MARTIN IMHO. I've seen some nice mods that can make the keywork much easier to get accustomed to. VERY good horns indeed.

vonbraig
User ID: 9767833 May 13th 8:44 AM
I paid $2,100 for my mine in orginal silver. It took me about a month to be able to play bob tunes I had down on my JK but the sound is making me can't wait to practice.

Edo
User ID: 2073324 May 13th 10:12 AM
So the saying that these horns are big band horns that you can blow alot of air into it and still get a big sound is true? Hmm....

Btw, what's with the late post 200k? What's wrong with the pre 200k?

OnyxSax
User ID: 2024664 May 13th 1:17 PM
I purchase a 201,xxx Chu which was a beater, it was orginally a silver plate horn that had the silver stripped off and lacquered many years ago. I had Gayle at VintageSax restore the horn and get it replated back to the original silver plate and gold bell. I also had a few minor modifications made: repositioning of the strap hook and Bis key modification to make it play easier. Total outlay for everything came to around $2250. It was worth every penny. This horn is a MONSTER!

BTW - I was so pleased by the end result that I sent my Chu Baritone down to Gayle to receive a similar treatment.

ferrari
User ID: 8088533 May 27th 9:40 AM
I've never played a Chu tenor. Is it possible that there is a more free blowing horn than my 298XXX 10M with the Florida Link? I gotta try one of these!

Jayree
User ID: 0756324 May 27th 12:12 PM
I think $3000 is the very, very, NYC-Tokyo music store price for a MINT one. (Gold plate prob)

If youve been checking out eBay, you might find that they have been average in $1,200 - $2,000range, or so. That is, non-gold plated variety, of varying conditions. (Re-laq, Nude, old laq, old Silver)

I think that the gold plated (& swapsax may back me up) look very nice, but, as with alot of old horns, the stripped or nasty-laquered horns seem to blow the best. (not always, but..)

Fred
User ID: 9990163 May 28th 5:45 AM
Everyone here seems to love the Chu, but I can't imagine one playing better than my 298xxx 10M. It is the most responsive horn I have ever played and has an unbeatable full lush tone.

Bootman
User ID: 1676554 May 28th 5:57 AM
The Chu tends to be bigger and richer than most 10M's, the keywork of the 10M is superior but the Chu tenor sound is the winner. Think late, post 200K for Chu tenors and you will see and understand what we are talking about.

Definitely look for the nasty looking Chu tenor because these are usually the best players.

swapsax
User ID: 0714654 May 28th 12:27 PM
Nasty looking may mean well used. Which could mean picked out of a bunch new as a good one and
played professionally for many years. But I have
played gold-plate horns which blew great. Probably, you can't make any hard and fast rules
about what might play or not from appearance or
finish.

I have a rare orig laq 226xxx Chu tenor available
for trade. Altos especially of interest, not being a tenor player myself. This is one of the
first lacquer horns from Conn.

paulwl
User ID: 9022063 May 28th 8:23 PM
In my experience, it's usually a lot easier (not to mention less risky and less expensive) to get a good-looking Conn to sound good than it is to get a good-sounding Conn to look good. I will put my near-mint silver and gold Chus up against all comers.

We're not in Mk VI territory, where a lightly played original suggests a doggie horn to some. Conn achieved a remarkable consistency of product in its great years.

OnyxSax
User ID: 9683713 May 28th 10:56 PM
Swapsax, I have a Buffet alto, serial 16xx, that I may be willing to trade. Maybe we can work something out. Please e-mail me at OnyxSax@aol.com if you are interested in pursuing this.

Edo User ID: 2212414	May 12th 7:56 PM Guys..how much should a Chu Tenor worth? How much is the base price? What make Chus that good anyway?
Bootman User ID: 1676554	May 13th 6:39 AM Chu's play much more freely than 10M's. The sought after range is the late post 200K models. These can go for very little but will generally require major surgery to repair to nearly $3000. It is dependant entirely upon condition. Play one or two first and then you will see what the fuss is about. The keywork can feel a little clumsy at first but the sound soon makes up for this. You can always have the keywork tweaked up.
BATMAN User ID: 1188554	May 13th 6:55 AM I usually see good examples go for around $2500. Gold plated obviously worth more. The better the condition, the better the price, but $2500 seems about average, for a decent example in original silver. Bootman's right. They play very big, and are free blowing. The keywork is fast, and the left hand pink table is actually more comfortable than a THE MARTIN IMHO. I've seen some nice mods that can make the keywork much easier to get accustomed to. VERY good horns indeed.
vonbraig User ID: 9767833	May 13th 8:44 AM I paid $2,100 for my mine in orginal silver. It took me about a month to be able to play bob tunes I had down on my JK but the sound is making me can't wait to practice.
Edo User ID: 2073324	May 13th 10:12 AM So the saying that these horns are big band horns that you can blow alot of air into it and still get a big sound is true? Hmm.... Btw, what's with the late post 200k? What's wrong with the pre 200k?
OnyxSax User ID: 2024664	May 13th 1:17 PM I purchase a 201,xxx Chu which was a beater, it was orginally a silver plate horn that had the silver stripped off and lacquered many years ago. I had Gayle at VintageSax restore the horn and get it replated back to the original silver plate and gold bell. I also had a few minor modifications made: repositioning of the strap hook and Bis key modification to make it play easier. Total outlay for everything came to around $2250. It was worth every penny. This horn is a MONSTER! BTW - I was so pleased by the end result that I sent my Chu Baritone down to Gayle to receive a similar treatment.
ferrari User ID: 8088533	May 27th 9:40 AM I've never played a Chu tenor. Is it possible that there is a more free blowing horn than my 298XXX 10M with the Florida Link? I gotta try one of these!
Jayree User ID: 0756324	May 27th 12:12 PM I think $3000 is the very, very, NYC-Tokyo music store price for a MINT one. (Gold plate prob) If youve been checking out eBay, you might find that they have been average in $1,200 - $2,000range, or so. That is, non-gold plated variety, of varying conditions. (Re-laq, Nude, old laq, old Silver) I think that the gold plated (& swapsax may back me up) look very nice, but, as with alot of old horns, the stripped or nasty-laquered horns seem to blow the best. (not always, but..)
Fred User ID: 9990163	May 28th 5:45 AM Everyone here seems to love the Chu, but I can't imagine one playing better than my 298xxx 10M. It is the most responsive horn I have ever played and has an unbeatable full lush tone.
Bootman User ID: 1676554	May 28th 5:57 AM The Chu tends to be bigger and richer than most 10M's, the keywork of the 10M is superior but the Chu tenor sound is the winner. Think late, post 200K for Chu tenors and you will see and understand what we are talking about. Definitely look for the nasty looking Chu tenor because these are usually the best players.
swapsax User ID: 0714654	May 28th 12:27 PM Nasty looking may mean well used. Which could mean picked out of a bunch new as a good one and played professionally for many years. But I have played gold-plate horns which blew great. Probably, you can't make any hard and fast rules about what might play or not from appearance or finish. I have a rare orig laq 226xxx Chu tenor available for trade. Altos especially of interest, not being a tenor player myself. This is one of the first lacquer horns from Conn.
paulwl User ID: 9022063	May 28th 8:23 PM In my experience, it's usually a lot easier (not to mention less risky and less expensive) to get a good-looking Conn to sound good than it is to get a good-sounding Conn to look good. I will put my near-mint silver and gold Chus up against all comers. We're not in Mk VI territory, where a lightly played original suggests a doggie horn to some. Conn achieved a remarkable consistency of product in its great years.
OnyxSax User ID: 9683713	May 28th 10:56 PM Swapsax, I have a Buffet alto, serial 16xx, that I may be willing to trade. Maybe we can work something out. Please e-mail me at OnyxSax@aol.com if you are interested in pursuing this.