The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DARBY
Date: 2001-04-26 22:39
Does anybody know about Conn clarinets? Are they any good?
What about the older models with wrap around register vents?
I found one that sounds good but I'm afraid I won't be able to get it serviced if it needs keywork or pads. What do you think?
Thank you. Darby
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-04-27 00:39
If you're in less than $200, all told, that's a pretty good value.
Just don't anticipate reselling the horn for that sort of money.
anji
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-27 00:55
DARBY wrote:
>
> Does anybody know about Conn clarinets? Are they any
> good?
Some were good and some were not. What models are you looking at? The Pan American model was awful when it came to tuning and was cheaply made.
> What about the older models with wrap around register vents?
This would indicate that the instrument is over 60 years old. Again the quality would vary but there's been enough advances, I'd really get a newer one for serious work. Especially check the tuning. Even at the time Conn clarinets were outclassed by Buffet, etc although the higher end models weren't bad.
> I found one that sounds good but I'm afraid I won't be able to
> get it serviced if it needs keywork or pads. What do you think?
> Thank you.
Any decent technician can work on it but some simply don't care to work on older horns. By the way, do have a technician look at it. At certain times, Conn used "pot metal" to make the keys on their student horns. If the keys ever break, they aren't considered to be repairable. So be sure that it does not have these keys.
When it comes to old Conns, I would not consider them to be a purchase for serious playing. Even the pro ones, although decent in their day, would not be as good as today's intermediate horns or some of today's better beginner horns.
If you want it for fun or a piece of American clarinet history, go ahead. If you are trying to step up to a better clarinet, look elsewhere. What brand and model do you play now?
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