Conn 26M question

[keuhkoman]

Hello from Finland! I just bought a relacquered Connqueror alto and it has a neck with no microtuner. This still has an underslung octave mechanism and it looks like the one on Constellation model. Could it be still original? I found on the www.saxpics.com the following : "These horns also appear to have a variation on the model VIII neck, used on the best 6M altos." What does this model VIII mean? Thanks in advance!!!!

[Wicked Good]

I asked Gayle Fredenburgh of http://www.vintagesax.com the same question awhile back, and she replied as follows:

"During the mid-later 30s Conn was offering two styles of necks with their 6Ms and 26Ms. The "normal" or more often seen necks had the fine tuners. The other neck that you don't see as often is what I've heard called the "New York Style" neck. It had no tuner."

At the time she had a couple of 26Ms for sale; one with a microtuner neck, and one with the New York Style neck. She may still have one or both. <shameless plug>Gayle's a fountain of information and a pleasure to do business with.</shameless plug>

FYI, there is another thread in the Conn forum dealing specifically with the VIII necks vs. "regular" microtuner necks.

[keuhkoman]

Thanks a lot for your answer! I just thought if somebody has changed the original to a Constellation neck at some point. As I mentioned this neck looks almost exactly like the Constellation neck.

[Wicked Good]

As I recall, the New York Style necks on some 26M Connquerors are somewhat similar in appearance to the 28M Connstellation neck. If you're still unsure about it, I would suggest that you ask some of the acknowledged Conn experts around here or on the alt.music.saxophone Usenet newsgroup. Sadly I'm not among them!

My 26M has a "viii" neck, which is similar in appearance to the "regular" underslung neck found on the 6M ... but it has the Roman numeral viii engraved on the front of the neck where it attaches to the body.

I also wonder if perhaps certain 6M and 26M altos were specifically made to accept the viii neck. The model number engraving on the back of my alto reads, "26M viii" (without the quotes).

For what it's worth, the tone and intonation on my 26M are incredibly good. I've used it big bands, jazz combos, R&B bands, concert bands, saxophone quartets and symphony orchestras, and it has never let me down.