Pad choice for Conn C Mel
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I would say it depends on what you want to do with it. I recently rebuilt a New Wonder II Cmel and replaced everything with more modern equipment. For the pads, I used saxgourmet pads with maestro metal resonators. With a new aquilasax #5 metal mpc...this sax roars! I am playing it every day now...while the Selmer collects dust. You can get no better than those pads IMHO. If you want something that at least looks more like the original white puffy pads, try roo pads with more basic resos.
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The original pads were probably Conn-foil pads with metal foil under the leather, or more likely, Conn reso-pads with small flat resonators riveted to the pads and metal rings (or more accurately, flanges) around the outside edges of the pads, also inside the leather.
Conn reso-pads are still available, but somehow the rings (flanges) inside the edges seem to have grown in diameter. The new Reso-pads fit so tightly in the old Conn pad cups that they are difficult to install. Of course, the original Reso-pads were intended to compete with the Buescher "snap-on" pads which were touted as easily replaced by the saxophone owner... I have seen many old Conns with reso-pads installed without glue, so maybe the first Reso-pads were tight fitters, too.
The original Reso-pads were introduced at a time when Buescher had great success with their snap-on pads. The "snaps" acted like resonators and made the old Bueschers a bit louder, so Conn introduced Reso-pads with small flat resonators about the same diameter as the Buescher snaps.
This was in the early 1920s, so check your serial number to see when your horn was made. Reso-pads were used after about 1920-22.
Of course, things have changed in 80 years, and there is nothing wrong with repadding your Conn with modern pads with larger resonators. you may like the sound even better with larger resonators. Your repairman will probably like you better too, because the modern large resonator pads are easier to fit than Reso-pads. Thinner pads (.160" thick) will probably be better unless the keys are bent to fit thicker pads.
My Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/saxpsychosis
Conn reso-pads are still available, but somehow the rings (flanges) inside the edges seem to have grown in diameter. The new Reso-pads fit so tightly in the old Conn pad cups that they are difficult to install. Of course, the original Reso-pads were intended to compete with the Buescher "snap-on" pads which were touted as easily replaced by the saxophone owner... I have seen many old Conns with reso-pads installed without glue, so maybe the first Reso-pads were tight fitters, too.
The original Reso-pads were introduced at a time when Buescher had great success with their snap-on pads. The "snaps" acted like resonators and made the old Bueschers a bit louder, so Conn introduced Reso-pads with small flat resonators about the same diameter as the Buescher snaps.
This was in the early 1920s, so check your serial number to see when your horn was made. Reso-pads were used after about 1920-22.
Of course, things have changed in 80 years, and there is nothing wrong with repadding your Conn with modern pads with larger resonators. you may like the sound even better with larger resonators. Your repairman will probably like you better too, because the modern large resonator pads are easier to fit than Reso-pads. Thinner pads (.160" thick) will probably be better unless the keys are bent to fit thicker pads.
My Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/saxpsychosis
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If you have the Original pad you can Send them to http://www.edmyersusa.com
They Will remove the old Rings and Make new pads out them!
The new pads will fit perfectly into the key cups.
I have only found one old conn that still had all the Original pads.
You can also send the Keys and they will make pads to fit
http://pratherscustomrepair.blogspot.com
They Will remove the old Rings and Make new pads out them!
The new pads will fit perfectly into the key cups.
I have only found one old conn that still had all the Original pads.
You can also send the Keys and they will make pads to fit
http://pratherscustomrepair.blogspot.com
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