Saxophones Conn 150th Anniversary Alto Saxophone

[ghostler]

I just found out about this new sax being marketed from The Woodwind Forum. It is a limited edition with only 40 being made. Kessler & Sons in US has received 3:

https://kesslerandsons.com/product/conn-150th-anniversary-limited-edition-alto-sax-connfirmation/

Cost is $6,999.00.

 

[Ivan]

The appearance of the sax aligns with contemporary mores... lacquerless, double arms where you expect them, contemporary engraving and alternative keyguards

(Personal opinion) The engraving looks classy in that photo. The minimalist wire keyguards look good, but can they guard the keys?

There's the delight that is a Klangenboggin style oversized neck screw that will permit open season for floods of marketing effluent about the sound enhancement expanding the resonance and the unique sealing of the neck to body joint. It is to be hoped that this wonder of woodwind manufacture is fashioned from the winter-cooled rivets of Sir John Franklin's washbasin, plucked from the wreck of HMS Erebus in Disko Bay; because that's where the most sonically exciting brass comes from

If this retails for under $6000*, it will look like a blinged-up Sino-MexiConn and no-one will touch it

If the retailers have balls of Franklin's brass and turn the marketing knob to eleven, what with the fine mechanical detail and the 150th Anniversary tagline; when this retails at more than $7000, who can doubt that forty buyers will want to collect it?



*For sale in US currency?

 

[turf3]

Fugly overpriced essentially fungible Far Eastern copy of a Selmer Super Action 80 with a few cosmetic modifications. Big bunch of nothing.

 

[Ivan]

Fugly overpriced essentially fungible Far Eastern copy of a Selmer Super Action 80 with a few cosmetic modifications. Big bunch of nothing.

Such cynicism in one so young

 

[PigSquealer]

$7k USD.

https://kesslerandsons.com/product/conn-150th-anniversary-limited-edition-alto-sax-connfirmation/

Conn 150th Anniversary Limited Edition Alto Sax Details​

The 150th Anniversary model, also referred to as the “CONNfirmation” model alto sax, will have a full series of truly unique features:

• • • Assembled in the USA
    • American Brass (from Bach) for all acoustic tubes (neck, body, bell and bow)
    • Complex Large Bore Taper for vintage American sax tone
    • “ConnSonic” process – a custom suite of modern technologies to maximize tone efficiency and response.
    • Hand-Assembled in Elkhart, IN
    • True Rolled Tone Holes
    • Single Post to Body Construction
    • Unique “Generative” nickel-silver bell to body brace
    • Black Pisoni Pro Pads with Flat Metal Resos
    • Art-Deco Hand Engraving
    • Heat-fused aged brass finish
    • Custom hardshell case
    • Hand-Finished Brilhart Ebolin Mouthpiece

CAS 81 origins ?

Chenonceau Alto Unlacquer saxophone - CAS-81U - Château

chateau is the best saxophone brand for beginners, students, amateurs and professional use.

www.chateau-wind.com

 

[PigSquealer]

“With a legacy dating back to 1875 with the first cornet under the Conn brand.”
Conn’s first sax wasn’t until something like 1892.

 

[ghostler]

Conn 150th Anniversary Limited Edition Alto Sax Details​

The 150th Anniversary model, also referred to as the “CONNfirmation” model alto sax, will have a full series of truly unique features:

• Assembled in the USA
• American Brass (from Bach) for all acoustic tubes (neck, body, bell and bow)
• Complex Large Bore Taper for vintage American sax tone
• “ConnSonic” process – a custom suite of modern technologies to maximize tone efficiency and response.
• Hand-Assembled in Elkhart, IN

After looking at their points #1, 2, 3, 5 is a reflection of my Le Blanc Beaugnier Vito 37 alto sax, which appears to be assembled from parts of their 1952 French sax model but at a later date, maybe early to mid 1960's? It has no country of origin stamp on it, so it is possible it was assembled by one of Le Blanc USA assembly plants (Kenosha, Wisconsin? to avoid importation tariffs).

It has that large bore taper, but back then one was thinking of that classic vintage French sax sound? I was surprised that the neck receiver accepted a 26 mm octave key pin protector plug instead of the smaller 23 mm one for alto. Plus, its bell diameter is larger. The rim is sized that of a modern tenor sax.

So, on a Ramen eating budget, I now have that vintage alto sound.

I enjoyed the humorous satire by @Ivan (Klangbogen neck receiver screw 😉 ). The real proof will be when they are sold out. There are enough with more money than they know what to do with, so it will sell out.

Q: Will I sound like Paul Desmond with this sax?
A: No, you will sound like you.
Q: If I buy that Berg pre-Larson metal mouthpiece replica for $1,000 plus this sax, could I sound like David Liebman?
A: No, you will sound like you.

CAS 81 origins ?

Chenonceau Alto Unlacquer saxophone - CAS-81U - Château

chateau is the best saxophone brand for beginners, students, amateurs and professional use.

www.chateau-wind.com

That I can't say. I downloaded a Chateau Wind brochure on their Art Series, their pro altos are a bit cheaper and have some interesting finishes for those wanting to make a statement (at extra cost of course). They have a dealer in Oklahoma City, OK, where I got an idea on pricing.

The reason why I initiated this thread is that it's the first I've heard of anything from Conn-Selmer USA on bringing back the Conn line. Here is their brand line up for saxes:

Saxophones

Explore ConnSelmer's selection of saxophones

connselmer.com

Yanagisawa and Henri Selmer are only mentioned for distribution.

The Selmer line, Le Blanc line are theirs. I thought it interesting that they now have a complete line up under Le Blanc.

So far the only sax they are listing under Conn is the subject of this thread. I don't know if they plan to bring back the Conn name.

Unless I missed something, I've noticed that Henri Selmer pro saxes thus far do not have double braced key pad cups. But my Chinese Venus tenor I bought in 2016 has them:

A Musical Wheel photo, a vendor on US E-Bay.

 

[Ivan]

Opinions on the guardiness of the key guards?

If a collectors item, they are only to be admired. If the horn is put to good use, is thick brass wire a good enough protection?

 

[ghostler]

If a collectors item, they are only to be admired. If the horn is put to good use, is thick brass wire a good enough protection?

If this were a student instrument, it might be easy for one to whack the sax against a chair to the right side of the player. At its high cost, I don't think we would see a student playing it, but one may never know.

Some of the earlier saxes had a similar style wire guard. My guess is for most adults it probably does the job.

 

[Pete Thomas]

What is a generative bell brace?

I don't know if they plan to bring back the Conn name.

If only they'd bring back the Conn pinky table. What they appear to have done (said Mr. Cynical), is add bits that are cheap and easy to add to a stock Asian Selmer copy, ie bell brace, olde trouser guards, Art Deco engraving (we all know that's what made the Conns sound so good).

Assembled in the USA? My suspicions are they assemble them in China/Taiwan, then take apart the main bits and put back together in the US - Elkhart no less.

To do otherwise would be crazy because it's best to assemble in the factory so that any keys can be tested as they go on to the body and the inevitable dodgy ones can be thrown in the recycling bin or adjusted on the spot to fit that exact horn. So when they send the disassembled horn they know the bits will fit the horn.

 

[turf3]

If you look at the odd shapes of the wire key guards, it appears that they are designed to mount to the same mounts as sheet metal guards. Actual Conns with wire key guards the pads are well protected and the key guards are soldered down to the body at points that fit the wire guards. In other words, the new horn shows yet another cheap and cheesy way to mimic appearance but not function. It really wouldn't have cost that much to either reproduce the actual Conn key guards, or to make a new fixture for soldering down the key guard mounts in different locations.

So, do the bare minimum to make something kind of look like a poor imitation of a well-respected other thing, then jack up the price and hope for suckers.

 

[Grumps]

Martysax was just telling me about this horn the other day and the likelihood it'll be at the Symposium in January. Can't wait to see him blow it apart.

 

[ghostler]

What is a generative bell brace?

This:

Screen capture of a smaller portion from https://kesslerandsons.com/wp-content/uploads/conn-150th-anniversary-alto-back.jpg

 

[Grumps]

Suddenly I'm reminded of an old Simpson's episode.
The one when Homer designed a car...

 

[Pete Thomas]

This:
View attachment 31317
Screen capture of a smaller portion from https://kesslerandsons.com/wp-content/uploads/conn-150th-anniversary-alto-back.jpg

Yes but what does it mean? Does it generate something?

 

[turf3]

Well, I'd say, having read lots of Stephen Howard reviews, that it's a pretty decent design, as a shot to the bell is likely to bend the brace before bending either tube. Lots easier to straighten out a bent brace than to raise that dent in the lower stack.

 

[PigSquealer]

Opinions on the guardiness of the key guards?

If a collectors item, they are only to be admired. If the horn is put to good use, is thick brass wire a good enough protection?

Maybe a Goth Heavy Metal Retro 1890 look ?

 

[PigSquealer]

pro saxes thus far do not have double braced key pad cups.

Chateau product has had double key arms depending on the model since 2005 or earlier.

 

[ghostler]

Yes but what does it mean? Does it generate something?

It generates "puffery" (see my statement as a child at end of my message). I learned about it in work related contract administration training. A good explanation is given by Yandex A.I.:
Puffery in contract language refers to exaggerated or boastful statements that are not legally enforceable. These claims are often vague, emotional, or subjective, and are used to make a product or service sound more appealing. A reasonable person would see puffery as just that — exaggeration, not a fact they can rely on. 125
Examples of puffery in contract language include:

• “The best burgers in Australia”
• “A world-famous cleaning service”
• “Unmatched quality you can count on”

This may account for the "vagueness" of the term. Another example from manufacturer's description is:

• “ConnSonic” process – a custom suite of modern technologies to maximize tone efficiency and response.

This is another example of "puffery".

We would say as high school kids, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then baffle them with bull 🌸 ."

Chateau product has had double key arms depending on the model since 2005 or earlier.

Thanks. I am new to Chateau, didn't know they have been around that long.

 

[PigSquealer]

Thanks. I am new to Chateau, didn't know they have been around that long.

It’s on the website “About us”. The company was established in 1979.
Global sales are ten million + in USD. A high percentage of the companies products are stenciled. They make a good quality product at each price point. If they are the maker of the 150 and it’s properly finished assembled. I”ll bet it’s a good player. The CAS81 is a great playing quality horn.

About us- chateau saxophone - Château

chateau is created by Tenon, which was a leading musical instrument manufacturer since 1979 in Taiwan. Developing saxophones and other wind instruments at good quality and reasonable price is chateau's goal.

www.chateau-wind.com