[chipcook]

Just acquired a 1920 Conn curved soprano (57XXX, LP). Overall, in good shape. It will need some tweaking and has a few leaks, even with some fairly recent new pads. This is my third Conn sax, including a 1923 Lyon & Healy stencil curved soprano (lacquer), and a 1923 Conn C Melody (silver plate).

I really like the silver plating on these horns, as opposed to bare brass, lacquer or nickel. This one has a faint gold wash in the bell (or it could be silver, I can't tell for sure).

Interesting that it has some rounded tone holes, but only a few (low C, C# and Eb tone holes). The rest are straight. I also like that it has the offset palm keys and goes to high F. I hope it will be a player once some work is done on it.

Some pics

 

[bruce bailey]

I have a 1919 one and the tone holes are like that too. Three different styles on one horn.......great players!

 

[lostcircuits]

Very pretty! I am envious!

 

[Guto]

Very nice! I have a 1928 model of these that I enjoy playing too. Yours seems in remarkable condition. Congratulations!

If you ever want to put it in a super protective case, check this thread out:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...scher-curvys&p=2632965&viewfull=1#post2632965

I've since ordered a custom-cut foam insert that fits the soprano as a glove, replacing the pick n pluck that came with it standard.

 

[zapatista]

Looks very nice, congrats!

 

[bruce bailey]

Yep, no inline palm keys and no thumb ring. I find them the best of the best. I have had many of these since 1963. If you have the original case...save it...worth some money.

 

[chipcook]

If you have the original case...save it...worth some money.

It came with one of those newer cases designed for vintage curved sopranos. It works and protects the horn, just not as neat as the original.

 

[zxcvbnm]

Yep, no inline palm keys and no thumb ring. I find them the best of the best. I have had many of these since 1963. If you have the original case...save it...worth some money.

Better than the later models? Do you think there were some acoustical changes?

 

[Guto]

It came with one of those newer cases designed for vintage curved sopranos. It works and protects the horn, just not as neat as the original.

the original case may have some collectible value but they do not protect these horns well at all. you're much better off with a modern, more protective case.

 

[Kenneth]

Beauty of a horn, congratulations!

If I may, I have a Pan American 46M (P19XXX) relac from about the same period, very similar to yours, but with non-RTH throughout. I love the sound, and it actually plays in tune pretty well with an unmarked, Riffault-like mpc that it came with, but I prefer either an older Selmer Soloist Scroll Shank C* or a Tenney OL TE 7.

Keep safe,
Kenneth

 

[Grumps]

It came with one of those newer cases designed for vintage curved sopranos. It works and protects the horn, just not as neat as the original.

The old DEG case? Now made by Allied, if anyone needs one. I have two; one for my Buescher curvy (Allied case) and one for my Conn (DEG). Bruce set me up with that Conn curvy which was made just a year or so after yours. I've been working on it one pad, one spring, one cork at time and it's been a neat project for me. You can hear it at the 2:28 mark from our Mardi Gras show last February:

[video]https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.crewscarey/videos/10221920511824912/UzpfSTI5ODg1MTQzMzc5MTU3MzoxMTI1MTQ0MzE3ODI4OTQz/[/video]

 

[chipcook]

The old DEG case? Now made by Allied, if anyone needs one.

Yes, made by Allied. It works fine.

Oh, your clip sounds great!

 

[Grumps]

Thanks for that. And you're gonna really enjoy that horn. When I first got mine, it just didn't seem to match the focus of my curved Buescher. But after finding all the leaks up top and swapping out some bad pads, it is laser-focused. Nice having the keyed range up to F on my Conn as my Buescher is one of the old ones keyed only up to Eb. I bought it solely for brass band gigs, but after getting used to the angle it puts my hands in, I'd probably favor it on my combo jobs when needed over the Buescher just for a cleaner high end given the limited key range of the Buescher. But that hand angle on the Conn did take some getting used to, as it's a near 45 degree difference as compared to my Buescher.

 

[zxcvbnm]

Thanks for that. And you're gonna really enjoy that horn. When I first got mine, it just didn't seem to match the focus of my curved Buescher. But after finding all the leaks up top and swapping out some bad pads, it is laser-focused. Nice having the keyed range up to F on my Conn as my Buescher is one of the old ones keyed only up to Eb. I bought it solely for brass band gigs, but after getting used to the angle it puts my hands in, I'd probably favor it on my combo jobs when needed over the Buescher just for a cleaner high end given the limited key range of the Buescher. But that hand angle on the Conn did take some getting used to, as it's a near 45 degree difference as compared to my Buescher.

How's the sound between the two, you find it pretty similar now?

 

[bruce bailey]

Better than the later models? Do you think there were some acoustical changes?

I don't see much difference in the sound but the later inline palm keys were a bit awkward and many don't like the thumb ring.

 

[Guto]

I personally prefer the thumb ring on my Conn as I play without a neck strap and the ring helps preventing the thumb from sliding off.

 

[Grumps]

How's the sound between the two, you find it pretty similar now?

Haven't played them side by side since I first got the Conn (and it needed work) and even my non-musical girlfriend could hear the difference (the Buescher was much more focused). I'm just going by the sound and feel these days... and ability to rise above four trumpets, three bones and two saxes in my brass band without amplification. At the first practice with the Conn the guys told me I wasn't as loud. Problem solved.

But yeah, I sound like me on both horns. Probably very little distinction between the two.

 

[Bronco]

Yes I have a curved Conn about 1922-23. Love the sound. Have a Chu alto. Also sweet. Excellent shape but I have some issues where my straps will not come high enough, and my fingers are very close. So I may return to a straight My Sop only goes to E-flat, not F. I may add some photos. I am at [email protected]

[ATTAC