1965 Alto Sax - please help identify

[Sceffi]

So I’m looking for a little info on this sax that was my father’s. He did (I believe) it’s an E flat Alto?
It’s marked E05110 and it’s the director (has he stars on it). Its sure it’s student model and I believe it’s from 1965 (that’s the year he started playing).
Anyway, where was it made? What can you tell me based on the number? Is it worth my son starting with it? I can post photos later. Other than being scratched up, everything appears to be working and nothing missing or broken. I’d like to take it in to have it looked at, but first making sure they won’t laugh at me! Hahaha

 

[thomsax]

It's a Conn made in Nogales, AZ, USA. Made in Conn's factory by Mexican workers, I guess. The town Nogales is devided in two parts,; Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and Nogales, AZ, USA. And it's from 1965.

 

[Sceffi]

It's a Conn made in Nogales, AZ, USA. Made in Conn's factory by Mexican workers, I guess. The town Nogales is devided in two parts,; Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and Nogales, AZ, USA. And it's from 1965.

What’s the difference in 14m and 16 - or however they are labeled online?

 

[thomsax]

Conn Director (Shooting Star) 14M is an alto and 16M is a tenor. Back in the 20's 14M was the modell nr for a Conn Bb bass. In the 90's UMI made the Conn Artist 14M Eb baritone to low Bb. Same model numbers were used on different Conn saxes.!!

 

[thomsax]

I can post photos later. Other than being scratched up, everything appears to be working and nothing missing or broken. I’d like to take it in to have it looked at, but first making sure they won’t laugh at me! Hahaha

Yes, I would like to see your Conn alto. If everything is working I can't see why your son shouldn't start playing on that horn. My friend is a music teacher in Boston and he called me for some times ago. A young saxplayer showed up with Martin Typewriter from the early 30's!!! My friend is a Selmer and Yamaha guy. But they started to work with his Martin Typewriter. And it was ok. A Yamaha studen sax is the best for a beginner. But if you must buy or rent a sax the parents maybe will though in the towel. We want so many young players as possible to start playing the saxophone. But buy a new mouthpiece.

 

[Phil]

The "mexi-conns" dont have a great reputation but plenty of them are just fine. If the pads and springs are ok or can be brought up to specs for a couple hundred bucks its perfectly fine. It is a ton better than the junk coming out of China on ebay for a few hundred bucks (waste of money). It will be your horn and a lot cheaper than rentals. Dont go and pour a fortune into but its certainly a great place for you to start.

 

[jonf]

Let's just temper the comment above. Some saxes coming from China are junk and a waste of money. Some are very good, and good value. I currently own a range of saxes, including a couple of high end Yanagisawas and vintage Buescher and Conn. I also have a Chinese made sax, and it is very playable.

 

[pknight11]

Let's just temper the comment above. Some saxes coming from China are junk and a waste of money. Some are very good, and good value.

As a very happy owner of a Chinese-made Just Saxes Crescent Tenor, I can confirm that there are indeed very good saxes made in China. As a former owner of a real POS Chinese-made soprano (a Jinyin), I can confirm that there is real garbage made in China. I took Phil's comment to specifically warn against the very-low-cost Chinese saxes found on eBay. The best thing about them is probably the white gloves that are typically included.

 

[jonf]

I took Phil's comment to specifically warn against the very-low-cost Chinese saxes found on eBay.

I get that, but eBay's just a marketplace, where you can indeed get completely useless junk saxes, and also decent Chinese ones, such as the one you mention, my Bauhaus Walstein, Conn-Selmer and so on. None of these are junk, and categorising all Chinese saxes you can buy on eBay as such is simply prejudice. It's reminiscent of the coments from fans of British and US motorcycles in the late 1960s and early 1970s about 'Jap crap' bikes. We all know how that turned out.

 

[kevgermany]

Let's not go too far off here, but concentrate on the mexicon.

 

[Phil]

Yes...i didnt expect the OP to go off and spend a grand at this juncture. I was speaking about the aluminum foil 200 dollar saxophones on ebay. I admit I forget that China has started to engage a market beyond junk.

 

[Sceffi]

Not sure why we are talking about Chinese saxophones and Japanese bikes. I think I’ll just take mine to a shop and have them look at it and give me an opinion on what to do.

 

[thomsax]

Not sure why we are talking about Chinese saxophones and Japanese bikes. I think I’ll just take mine to a shop and have them look at it and give me an opinion on what to do.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[majordennis]

IMHO you would be best taking it to a saxophone technician, they would give you a valuation and a quote to put it right should it need attention.

Some shops do have in-house techs.