 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Llewsrac
Date: 2003-11-19 02:09
Can someone tell me if the round silver inlay on the bell of the Conn 444N was also standard on the bell of the Conn 424N?
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Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-11-19 05:06
My 424N does not have the inlay.
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
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Author: jack
Date: 2003-11-19 07:16
The 444N was the top of the line horn at that time and the only one with the inlay. Great horns to this day!
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Author: Aad Overeem
Date: 2003-11-19 11:54
Have some 424's and 444's Only the 444 Bell's have the silver inlay.
Both types are great Jazz horns, love them!
Aad
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-11-20 06:52
A 424N was my FIRST EVER clarinet! I still have it too! My gandpa gave it to me!
I still don't know much about it, does anyone??
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Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-11-20 07:21
I've read that Artie Shaw played the 444N and that the 424N is nearly identical. Does anybody know how they differ other than the inlay?
Like Aad said, both seem to have a reputation as great Jazz instruments.
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-11-20 09:21
Are they worth a bit of money, or worthless but still nice to have?
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Author: Aad Overeem
Date: 2003-11-20 12:52
Ken and 'LeWhite'
I'm not very knowlegeable about the Conn's, Just 'discovered' them and like them as 'Jazz' horns especially for their sound.
IMHO they are not really good 'legit' clarinets. The intonation could be better, but what I like as a Jazz player, is what I can do with the sound.
Very important is to find the 'right' mouthpiece for this horns.
I have good results with old Brilhart mpc's like the 'Tonalin', and a Vandoren 5JB
Examined my 424 and 444 Conn's, they are from the 40's and seem to be almost identical, but there are small differences.
Both have the same (big) bore and tone hole location, the keywork also looks identical, both models have the 'bridge alignment system' tenon ring.(don't know if that's the right description, I'm Dutch and have to translate!)
On one of the 424's the tiny 'locking screws' (to lock the pivot screws) are missing. The wood on the 444 looks more 'dense' as on the 424.
They sound almost identical.
What are they worth? Certainly not worthless if you have an 'older' 444 or 424 Conn. I paid ca. $300.00 for the 444 and less for the 424. You have to look around on eBay.
It seems there is a big difference in older C.G. Conn's from the 30's an 40's and the newer Conn's (without the C.G.!)
The following I learned from Lelia Loban on te Klarinet mailing list:
"By 1958, Conn was no longer C. G. Conn. Respect for the old brand name hadn't died yet, but in fact the company had stopped making pro-quality clarinets by then (and the clarinets had never been as generally accepted as the superb C. G. Conn saxophones from the 1920s and
1930s). To tell the difference between the era of higher-quality Conns and
the later era, look for the presence or absence of the initials, "C.G." To
preserve C. G. Conn's reputation and protect his memory from the taint of
any future association with inferior instruments, his widow refused to sell
the entire logo when she sold the company. She sold the "Conn" part of the name but not the "C. G." that always went with it on the original company's logo. I don't think that today's professional clarinet players accept any of the Conns without the "C. G." as pro quality instruments."
Also got some of my Conn information, especially concerning the metal Conn's like my 524, from Jim Lande. Thanks again Jim!
Hope this is of interest for the BB members.
Aad
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-11-20 13:44
Thanks a lot Aad! Very helpful! Now I have some idea where this Clarinet fits in to the 'bigger picture'!
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