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SOLD Conn 7M Alto - Closet queen?

DavidUK

Well-Known Member
Café Supporter
Messages
7,853
Locality
Near Lutterworth, Leics.
Price of Item
£495
P1010987.JPG



FULL PHOTOS HERE: Conn 7M

Unusual to find one of these in the UK, let alone on this condition. This was the follow-on Pro horn to the Conn 6M but with improved key work and natty left hand pinky table with removable G#/C# linkage (in situ). Also notable are the "M" neck octave key and "Conn" body octave mechanism (See photos in link above).

No dents or dings, some tiny marks and scratches if you look hard, but otherwise in excellent playing condition.

Comes in its original pristine Conn case with original Conn Precision MP, BG mouthpiece patch, lig, cap, original Conn neck strap and Conn cork grease, neck plug, and a couple of unplayed reeds. As under...

P1010990.JPG


This was one of my "must find" horns and after many years one came up for sale. It was serviced and regulated by Paul Carrington in Jan '20 and since then hasn't had much air time as I'm fully into my 1958 Superdynaction now. So, having scratched my itch to find one of these after having had a few Conn altos I'm happy to pass it on to someone else. As such it wasn't a "bargain buy" but I'm selling it here for what it's cost me, £495.
You try and find one better for less.

I'm not inclined to post this one so collection is 5 mins from J20 M1 or 10 mins from J6 M6.
 
You're killing me!

So tempting... But I'm nowhere near J20 M1 or J6 M6. :confused:

I don't know how you find all these amazing horns...
 
If I hadn't just bought a new alto yesterday, I'd be sorely tempted
 
i'm very tempted, david. what do people have to say about the 7M?
 
the only problem really is that i just invested all my money in a rationnel alto, which certainly will not play, if it turns up.
 
Well Peter you should do a little research and you'll find some assume it's poor as it's a later Conn, but those who have owned one are mostly impressed.

I recall @JayeNM has seen a fair few on his bench. He may be prepared to comment?
 
jaye is always nice. i will take your word on it, david. but i can't buy it now.
 
 
The 7M may suffer from association with lowlier Conns I guess. I do recall reading somewhere that the new factory had different lines, one for the student models and another for the professional.
I'm guessing those working on the pro line had batter materials to work with for a superior fit and finish and were perhaps the more accomplished craftsmen.

One thing @JayeNM or others may be able to advise on though... I've not been able to work out fully the "move" from USA to Mexico. I have it in my head that Conn had one building in the USA and the new one was in Mexico, but they were both in the same town with the border between them.
Can George or anyone else link to any history on this?

Sorry to digress... hang on - it's my thread! :doh:
 
What I have read is that the 7M has the same body tube as the 6M, but with more modern keywork. It was supposed to be the successor to the 6M, and thus a professional horn. But that Conn was struggling by this time.

The consensus on the SOTW thread seems to be that the second-tier Mexiconns suffered from poor assembly quality but that this does not necessarily apply to the first-tier 7M.
 
One thing @JayeNM or others may be able to advise on though... I've not been able to work out fully the "move" from USA to Mexico. I have it in my head that Conn had one building in the USA and the new one was in Mexico, but they were both in the same town with the border between them.
Can George or anyone else link to any history on this?

What I have read is that the 7M has the same body tube as the 6M, but with more modern keywork. It was supposed to be the successor to the 6M, and thus a professional horn. But that Conn was struggling by this time.

The consensus on the SOTW thread seems to be that the second-tier Mexiconns suffered from poor assembly quality but that this does not necessarily apply to the first-tier 7M.
Yes A) is mostly correct, Nogales, the town, is bisected by the border. So Conn up until 1970 operated a factory in Nogales Arizona. In 1970, for whatever reason (I am sure cheaper labor) MacMillan Publishing (new owners of Conn) moved all production to Nogales, MX. I have heard from former employees this wa salmost literally 'across the street' from the Arizona plant. But i cannot particularly link to that info as published anywhere, although Dr. Derksen at the Conn Loyalist website may be a good person to confirm this. She is generally 'contactable' via the website, if not, I may have her email somewhere.

B) Nigel, yes, correct. 7M same body tube as 6M, with RH bell keys and modern keywork, as David noted. Tonality is that of a 6M.

This appears to have been Conn's only foray under MacMillan into an upper-shelf horn. 6M's and 10M's were still being made for a few years...I have a 10M body with serial # which indicates it would be from '73-ish, and I have a '71 Conn catalog which shows both the 6M and 10M. 7M seems to have been started right after the factory relocation, so '70, '71. Their serial numbers are quite low, indicating this.

All through MacMillan/Mexico (1970-80), the 7M was the ONLY new model Conn introduced. Other than that they just kept making the 50M Alto and 16M Tenor, 12M and 11M baritones, in MX. And some 6M's and 10M's for the first, few years, before ceasing production of those....

I am not sure Conn was 'struggling' in '70....I think they still were doing robust sales in the student/band instrument line market...from what I have read regarding the change of ownership it was more akin to what would be considered a 'hostile takeover' today; or rather, if I recall correctly from a quote by the cheif exec at Conn in '69, the sale to MacMillan was partially to prevent a hostile takeover from within.

It seems to me that the Conn name, by 1970, was no longer associated with pro-calibre horns. The 7M was an endeavor to nudge back in to that market, arguably one of the few good decisions MacMillan made in their reign... it just never became a popular enough seller to do that. They seem to have disappeared by around '74, extrapolating high vs. low serial #'s.

Good horns, though. I really like them. The price is criminally low....especially given the condition.
 
Thanks for the info all...

I'm aware it's cheap for what it is, and rare, but rare and relatively unknown doesn't help with resale value. For £500 you could get a good used Yamaha student horn, but it depends what you're after...

;)
 
Yes always the problem with relatively obscure models....to many it doesn't much matter how many online accolades they may get, if the model is unfamiliar, they pass.

That would be an error in this case, however.
 
If I were not on the other side of the Atlantic, I would be sorely tempted.
 
During lockdown I will now ship within mainland UK at cost, circa £20.
 
I wish I was in the market for an alto, because I like the attention to detail on this horn
 
Now reduced during lockdown to £445 + courier.

:)
 
Now sold elsewhere to a Sequoia, Monarch, and 16M tenor player.
 
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