[Giganova]

Hi all --

I am playing this wonderful Conn New Wonder Series II soprano from the 1920s, but it has no hook for a neck strap. Is it worthwhile soldering a strap hook to it or would that ruin the "vintage" aspect of the horn? This one has never been lacquered and the patina is stunning.

Thanks!

 

[turf3]

Straight soprano, I assume?

There is a diversity of opinion on the value of neck straps for straight sopranos. If it's a bare brass horn then soldering a ring to it is trivial and won't seriously affect the finish. Whoever does it can clean up around the ring and polish that area; then after a couple years it'll turn the same color as everything around it. Finding a good location may take some time. You could get a strap ring and try it in various positions by using some superglue to temporarily position it (the residue is easily cleaned off with acetone, and since it's a bare brass horn, the acetone won't hurt the lacquer that's not there). If you do this, make sure to take a couple turns of tag wire around the horn and through the ring for safety in case it breaks loose.

 

[Taragot]

I play my straight soprano without a strap. It comes in my way with my left thumb and does not support much of the weight.

 

[bruce bailey]

As a collector, if a strap hook has been installed, even well done, I would not buy it. I usually think adding the strap hook devalues the horn 30-50% depending on how nice the horn is. On the other side, if it is a horn that has really worn finish, bent body, removed dents, etc. then maybe the strap will not make it all that less valuable.

 

[turf3]

As a collector, if a strap hook has been installed, even well done, I would not buy it. I usually think adding the strap hook devalues the horn 30-50% depending on how nice the horn is. On the other side, if it is a horn that has really worn finish, bent body, removed dents, etc. then maybe the strap will not make it all that less valuable.

Really, 30-50%? Of course I am not a collector, so it probably wouldn't matter to me. Something that's 1 of 100 ever made and valuable to boot, maybe - say, one of the rare burnished gold plate Super 20 King sopranos with solid sterling separate bell and neck sections and special factory engraving over every inch of the horn and keywork, complete with the original engraving "Presented to Johnny Hodges, 1960", but a bare brass Conn straight soprano is not a highly valued collectible instrument anyway. (OK, I exaggerate but you get my drift.)

 

[clarnut]

I guess I would weigh out whether I want a horn to play or collect/sell.

 

[Guto]

I play my straight soprano without a strap. It comes in my way with my left thumb and does not support much of the weight.

Same here. Never used a strap on straight sopranos.

 

[StuartSax]

Glad to see you have kept the horn and are playing it. If you are thinking of keeping it and playing it, I wouldn't worry about the potential loss in collector value.

So, this sax went to Giga from my friend in Ft. Pierce who says it belonged to Peanuts Hucko or at least that's the name coming to mind.

Maybe show the folks how heavily patina'd this is.

 

[rzzzzz]

strap offers no support, and sort of gets in the way of playing it correctly. Though my (used) VI came with a hook.

 

[E_di_e]

I guess it's up to your preferences. I bought recently a MKVI and it comes without hook, but since is lighter (huge) than the Serie III it's no problem for me. Maybe you can try for a time and see if you get used to. It's always an advantage to not use another strap if you change horns, for example, in a gig.

 

[turf3]

I guess it's up to your preferences. I bought recently a MKVI and it comes without hook, but since is lighter (huge) than the Serie III it's no problem for me. Maybe you can try for a time and see if you get used to. It's always an advantage to not use another strap if you change horns, for example, in a gig.

If you hold the soprano straight out, not down like a clarinet, your right thumb will be bearing the weight in a direction of far greater thumb strength, and the mouthpiece to embouchure relationship will be more saxophone-like. In that posture a neck strap won't do anything.

There are many fine players who hold the soprano more down than out. In that position the thumb is being strained much more. A neck strap can be helpful, though I have tried it and found it galling my left thumb. I think the curved-neck straight-body soprano may work better with the neck strap (your Conn is completely straight, of course).

No matter what you do, a straight soprano is harder on the thumb than a curved soprano which you can support with a neck strap just like an alto. If I had to play a ton of soprano I'd probably change over to curved.

 

[perina14]

I don't know the structure of you horn but sometimes a strap ring can be attached to the lyre holder. I believe Oleg made a device but I have just used a ring

 

[Reet McVouty]

Hi all --

I am playing this wonderful Conn New Wonder Series II soprano from the 1920s, but it has no hook for a neck strap. Is it worthwhile soldering a strap hook to it or would that ruin the "vintage" aspect of the horn? This one has never been lacquered and the patina is stunning.

Thanks!

One would assume the reason for your inquiry is that it's uncomfortable for you to play without it and you want one put on. Personally, I would put one on as I like the support and would like to eliminate pressure off my right thumb. Vintage aspect? What is it? Is the horn pristine? Would the horn fetch big money from a collector as is? If not, don't worry about it.

 

[Giganova]

Glad to see you have kept the horn and are playing it. If you are thinking of keeping it and playing it, I wouldn't worry about the potential loss in collector value.

So, this sax went to Giga from my friend in Ft. Pierce who says it belonged to Peanuts Hucko or at least that's the name coming to mind.

Maybe show the folks how heavily patina'd this is.

Hey Stuart! Absolutely love the horn, it plays phenomenal after I had it serviced by an experienced tech.

 

[Giganova]

One would assume the reason for your inquiry is that it's uncomfortable for you to play without it and you want one put on. Personally, I would put one on as I like the support and would like to eliminate pressure off my right thumb. Vintage aspect? What is it? Is the horn pristine? Would the horn fetch big money from a collector as is? If not, don't worry about it.

The thumb protector that I bought helps, but I can play it for an hour max until my right thumb hurts.

 

[Giganova]

So, this sax went to Giga from my friend in Ft. Pierce who says it belonged to Peanuts Hucko or at least that's the name coming to mind.

Yes, your friend told me he got it from Peanuts Hucko's widow, had it in his closet for 10+ years and then decided to put new pads on it to sell it (to me). One could almost say it is an "original owner" sax from the 1920s before I got it, pretty crazy. The original case has old stickers from all around the world.

 

[Sigmund451]

Long time no see Giganova. I hope younare doing well.

 

[dexdex]

I began on clarinet @ 12 .... 48 years ago. I remember very well that thumb pain was what limited my homework time for a couple of months as a beginner. I imagine muscle build is faster and firmer at 12 than ... later on, but I would try to persist. Soprano sax even more than clarinet requires a mouthpiece directed to the front more than to the floor, and any strap will make such a position cumbersome. Some players blow soprano with the head tilted down. Fine for the embouchure, questionable for the throat.

I remember thinking of a helium balloon (like we got by then from shoe shops) to carry the horn. My dad who was Physics professor estimated the unrealistic size of the balloon able to take a reasonable share of the weight.... (sorry, don't remember the figure....)

 

[E_di_e]

This images are taken from videos were they are actually playing, not some covers where they were posing with the sax. I understand that there could be that some of them aren't playing too long, but there you can see that the strap is there only waiting for the sax change.

Branford

Redman

Potter

Liebman

Evans

Lovano

Of the angle affects the weight, but if your sax isn't too heavy you can get used to. If you aren't confortable, then just change to a strap .

 

[Mike T]

Before you go about soldering on a strap ring, check out the following alternatives.

1. Are you sure it's simply the weight of the instrument that is causing the problem ? On my 1926 NWII soprano, the RH thumb ring was digging into my thumb painfully, because the saurface of the thumb ring was too hard and the edges too sharp for comfort. I solved this by lining the inside surface of the thumb ring with Sugru, which cushions the thumb very well, and eliminates the pain.

2. If you do decide to attach a strap ring, I'm sure you'll find that the best location for it is immediately above the RH thumb ring ! So, before you set about brazing a strap ring onto the instrument, try attaching your strap hook to the thumb ring itself. The thumb ring is large enough to accommodate both your thumb and the strap hook at the same time.

3. If you don't like the feel of the strap hook against your thumb, try the following work-around: Get a standard key ring and pass it through the thumb ring. You can attach your strap hook to the key ring instead of to the thumb ring. Then line the inside of the thumb ring with Sugru, placing the Sugru on top of the key ring, so that the key ring is fixed in one place, and your thumnb doesn't come in contact with it.

4. Investigate a Conn 4M Curvy. They're great fun, but for some reason when I play my Curvy (which dates from the same year as my NWII straight) what comes out is a softer, gentler sound than the one I get from from the straight soprano (which tends to be in-your-face, aggressive).

The point of all this is to modify the instrument in such a way that all modifications will be easily reversible.

Good luck - have fun !