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Tom's Conn Vintage Saxes

A Little History (Updated - November 2007)

My first Conn sax was a 60's vintage student line alto sax which my parents paid $50 for when I was 10 years old and wanted to play saxophone - what a great beginning!  I played this horn until my senior year in high school until I convinced my parents that I "needed" a new pro style horn - enter a Yamaha alto - one of the first years they sold them in the US (1969).  I played this horn along with a "new version" Buescher 400 tenor which my grandmother gave me as a gift throughout my short college stint at the University of Florida (1970-72). 

It was at that time that I decided the best way to learn how to play sax was to actually DO IT...so auditioned for an opening with the Air Force band as a musician and was hired.  It was around this time that I came across my Conn "Chu Berry" tenor (the tenor shown below).  I bought this horn from my former grad student sax instructor at the U of F, Al Hager,  who found the horn in a yard sale - an elderly man had died and his wife was selling the horn which he had played during his college days and then had stored it in their attic for all the years following.  When I got the tenor it was literally "black" - I thought it was lacquered but someone said it was probably plated.  So, I took it all apart and began to clean it with silver polish and to my amazement an absolutely beautiful gold-plated horn appeared!  It still looks nearly new - other than the pearl on the left thumb rest and a few thin places (silver showing through a little) where it has been touched regularly. This tenor falls into the early “Transitional” period and is considered by most experts to be probably the best tenor sax made during this period. It has a much larger/fatter sound than a Selmer Mk VI, especially with the fast response and resonance the burnished gold plating gives it!!

My Conn New Transition (early 6M "Artist Special") alto was purchased in 1982 while I was stationed in Georgia.  It was actually my second "vintage" Conn alto - I had a early 6M lacquered Conn at the time which I had purchased about a year prior from an instrument repairman, Tom Mitchell, in Marietta, GA.  It was a great horn, too, but when Tom showed me this gold-plated alto and I played it ... well the rest is history!  He came across my current burnished gold-plated alto in a pawn shop somewhere in Alabama.  The great thing is the more I play this horn...the better it gets!  The sound is HUGE...no problem playing lead alto with a couple of big bands and no problem keeping up with the brass section volumes.

I have now played my Conn horns exclusively for about 18 years - I also owned a Selmer Mk VI alto and tenor which I eventually sold because I really preferred the "character" of the Conn sax sound much more.  I still own a Selmer Mk VI low-Bb bari - very funky looking - original lacquer (what's left of it).  Talk about "steals" - I bought my bari while stationed with the Air Force Band in the Panama Canal Zone in 1973, for $40!!!  It was auctioned off at a government sale - it had been part of the inventory of an Army band that had folded while I was down there.  It looks pretty "funky" as I said, but plays great!

I retired from the Air Force (1994) and haven't played much in the past few years...until February of 2007 when I felt God was convicting me to pick up my saxophones again began playing at our church.  What really confirmed that this was a new "gift" from God was that my chops came back, STRONG, within 2-months of light practice and playing on Wednesday and Sunday at our church...not a "church rock group"...just playing behind the choir and playing the instrument parts with the hymns.  Within another month...I started receiving invitations to join some of the local big bands...first the Fuquay-Varina "Falcon Park Jazz Orchestra" (tenor sax), then the "Carolina Revelers Orchestra" (lead alto) and "Raleigh Jazz Alliance" (lead alto) big bands.  I am having a BLAST playing again...and have actually found out how much I love music after the 14+ year break from playing.

I continue my "Day Job" (don't give up your day job....) as a Manager of a network design engineering group for Verizon which takes up just about all my time...but not so much that I can't "have a life", which I am very grateful to be true!

Pictures of My Conn Artist Model Alto & Tenor Saxes...

Conn "Transition" (very early 6M) Alto sax Bell #1 - Lovingly created in 1931 -	Conn "Transition" Alto -  Side View #1	Conn "Transition" Alto -  Side View #2	Conn "Transition" Alto -  "Naked Lady" Bell #2	Conn "Transition" Alto -  Bell Bow #1
Conn "Transition" Alto -  Bell Bow #2	Conn "Transition" Alto -  Side View #3	Conn "Transition" Alto -  Bell #3	Conn "Transition" Alto - Neck w/microtuner	Conn "Transition" Alto - Serial #
Claude Lakey Metal Tenor Mpc - rare - Claude only made a few - too labor intensive - I sat with him at his shop and he adjusted mine for me in 1976	Claude Lakey Metal Tenor Mpc 10* + - view #2	Claude Lakey Metal Tenor Mpc - w/Rovner Mk III ligature	Conn "Chu Berry" New Wonder II Tenor - Lovingly created in 1929 - with custom engraving of a Castle on a lake w/sailboats Sax Engraving #1	Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor Bell Engraving #2
Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor front Bell view	Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor -  Serial #	Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor -  Side View #1	Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor Bell Engraving #3	Conn "Chu Berry" Tenor Bell Engraving #4

• Dr. Margaret Downing's Vintage Saxophone Page   - Excellent Source of Info on Vintage Saxes
• The International Saxophone Home Page
• The Vintage Saxophone Gallery - lots of great info and photos of Vintage Saxes...
• Highly Recommended Reading!
  
  Paul Lindemeyer's "Celebrating the Saxophone"
  (available at Amazon.com)
  
  
• Dan Higgins website (Dan performed with Quincy Jones and had THE BEST version of the classic "Quintessence" solo for alto sax)... Here's the link to Dan's website.  Dan is one of the outstanding woodwind players that you hear all the time in movies or on t.v. and wonder "who is that person?!?!"  Dan falls into the very short list of "the best musicians you've never heard of".   I bought his most recent CD, which is really well done... I look forward to searching for more of his recorded solo work as Dan has one of those "golden sounds" on all the saxes that make you want to hear more....
  
• I had the blessing of studying saxophone with a true artist and gentleman, Bill Green, back in the 70's while stationed in Southern California.  Bill was truly an amazing musician, who played ALL the woodwinds.  I recall him talking about his disappointment at his performance one night when he was called in as an oboe substitute for one of the L.A. Philharmonic oboists who was unable to perform... he was upset because one of his entrances was slightly out of tune.  Bill and the other L.A. studio woodwind players I had the chance to meet and listen to absolutely blew me away with how great they truly are.  Bill could site read anything you put in front of him better than I could ever perfect it after many days/weeks of practicing it!  I've heard so many "famous" sax players over the years that couldn't hold a candle to Bill, Jackie Kelso, Dan Higgins, and so many of those I had a chance to hear and in some cases perform with.  So...for all you young "hot shot" sax players... hope you have the chance I did to find out that you're still in "elementary band" and get your attitude straight so you can really learn about being an "artist" and not just a "sax player"!  Bill Green passed away a couple of years ago after a short bout with cancer... I miss knowing he's out there still playing all week and teaching young players on the weekends.  He wasn't only a great player, but one of the kindest human beings and best teachers in the world... he loved music and loved helping young musicians grow.   Bill...thanks for all you gave to me and my wife, Drema... our lives were enriched by your teaching and your demonstration of kindness and friendship...and our love for music grew... I know that would please you!

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