Klarinet Archive - Posting 000114.txt from 2004/04

From: "Lars Kirmser" <musictrader@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Conn-Selmer (was Re: [kl] Baxter-Northrup C
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 21:14:56 -0400

Don Hatfield said:

> I think Conn veered off the right path in the late fifties with their
saxes,
> and the stuff made after the move to Nogales is nowhere near the quality
of
> their saxophones of the thirties to mid-fifties.

Just for the record, Conn didn't leave Elkhart until '68 and '69.

> As for the clarinets, the only ones I ever had chance to try were the old
Conn Directors. The only
> reason I ever owned one on high school was to have something to play
> outdoors in bad weather. The ones I have tried in the past were all
> stinkers. I know I've seen some mention here, but didn't Artie Shaw play a
> Conn, and if so what was it?

I'm not sure which model Artie Shaw played, but just prior the their
departure from Elkhart, Conn was still manufacturing the 16N (plastic) and
the 17N (wood) clarinets. There are those who believe that the quality of
the 17N rivaled ANY model being made by ANY manufacturer of that time. But,
for the fact that the keywork was made from the so-called "pot" metal, they
might have been a major player today. Anybody remember the 17N?

Best regards,
Lars Kirmser

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