[MTKilpatrick]

I notice that the Conn 444N/446N/etc clarinets have been mentioned a couple of times in the forums...

Firstly, I wonder if anyone could first put a rough value on my 444N (B342750L) and 446N (B298512L)? Sadly the medallion is missing from the bell of the 444N.

The 446N is a strange beast with its articulated C#/G# tone hole going through the tenon!

My main query is regarding the barrels. One of them is just over 66mm long whilst the other is just under 60mm long - quite a difference. rather annoyingly I'm not entirely sure which came with which instrument - I may have swapped them round! Any ideas? Is one of them not the original barrel?

Both barrels have L Conn USA stamped on them. The tenons are not quite the same as the longer barrel is a little looser at both ends, but this could perhaps be some wear?

Any help with this much appreciated. I'm not much of a clarinet player (yet) so I can't judge properly on the intonation and tuning of the barrel/instrument combinations.

For a last point, I have seen some photos of a 448N. It's odd that they made a full Boehm low Eb clarinet but did *not* include all the extra articulation and keys that you find on the 446N. It seems that the 446N is a more sophisticated instrument from this point of view, no?

 

[tictactux]

The 446N is a strange beast with its articulated C#/G# tone hole going through the tenon!

I don't know this exact model, but it's quite normal that a tending-towards-full-Boehm horn with an articulated C# has a hole in the tenon. Usually the LJ socket has a metal sleeve because the tone hole and the bedplace over the socket significantly compromise the strength of that part.

As per the value - if you're happily playing them (and plan to continue to do so) it's priceless. For everything else, ...