 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-19 11:58
I'm working on an old wooden Conn bass clarinet (simple register keys, to low E) and just wondering which part of the number is the serial number - the entire number is:
4xxN B29xxxxL
It's not too bad shape, though I have converted the top LH fingerplate from a solid plate into a half-hole plate with an extension plate soldered on the lower side for the altissimo (I put a 2.2mm hole through it and an extention tube on the pad side) and the bell key needed sorting out - I think the bell key is from a Bundy or similar as the pad cup is a smooth dome rather than the traditional oointed shape, though the bell still says:
C.G.CONN LTD.
ELKHART-IND.
- U.S.A. -
... so at least the bell section is still Conn (and a good fit on the tenon), even if the key may not be. The top joint logo is in an oval.
Have basses ever been built with semi-automatic register keys as on oboes?
They're either simple action (two independant keys that can't be opened together) or fully auto with the one touch, being switched over with RH 3 - but surely a semi-automatic version should have been considered whereby while still keeping the lower key held down, opening the upper one will close the lower vent so the thumb can switch between them much smoother instead of having to release one in order to actuate the other.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-07-19 13:21
Congrats, Chris, you have a good Golden Oldie, I had 2 of these and, after some tweaking-tinkering, partic. on the DRK mechs [quite good for the ?1940's] gave-traded one with Dave Spieg, and the other to my Tulsa Band, where our ass't. conductor plays it [or my 30's series Sel-Paris, so as to play the few low Ebs, when I'm on Alto] . He likes it, and running The Music Store in Tulsa, has a good repairman readily available. Dave S can give you much info re: the Conn's "revival", and may have "half-holed" the Left L F pad-cup also. Re: the bell, if it says Conn, prob. is original, on their fine saxes [10s and 16s in that period] they pioneered "rolled" tone holes, largely successful ! Re: SEMI-auto RKeying [as on good oboes] I gave an early Pedler bass cl with different RKeying from the above horns to the MM [ USD] and an alto also with it, to my Band. Al Rice gave a paper at Edinburgh on the early B Cls, I'll reread my copy looking for refs. and when I can "play" the pics [CD] will look for such. You might ask him, as he "covered" the BC development from A Sax etc to about 1900, about the same period that the "oboe pioneer" [can't call his name now !] developed the Loree etc oboe/EH fingering systemS. Have fun and good luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2007-07-19 13:37
Chris,
The 4XXN is the model number, the serial number begins with the letter. The L at the end designates pitch. Conn kept distinguishing low or high pitch a lot longer than other makers.
John
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-07-19 18:03
TKS, J B, I forgot to report my Conn info, you "done good". The oboe "modernizer" was Tribert, and I believe his Systemes, 1 2 3 4 are displayed [or should be] at the Bate Museum in Oxford [Chris !], sure would like to visit again !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-19 18:30
I did offer the owner the option of converting the speaker keys to semi-auto, but they don't feel it's economical considering the price they bought it for (off e**y).
But it has a very full tone for a 'short model' bass and good response in the upper register (though the lower altissimo is way out of tune due to not having the preforated fingerplate, which I've just converted). The only other Conn bass of this type I've seen (to low E) had an automatic DRK mechanism - and could possibly have been ebonite-bodied if my memory serves me - it was a fair while back and there were two low E basses in a job lot - one was definitely a Conn but I can't remember the make of the other one.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-07-21 03:51
The later Conn bass clarinets (marked as 'made in France') were actually made by Robert Malerne, in both hard rubber (one-piece body) and wood (two-piece body) versions. Somewhat off-topic, I realize.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-21 12:02
Not really - I assumed when the owner first mentioned she had an old Conn bass it may be a Malerne-built one.
But this one is definitely a US built one and has the classic Conn-style built for their purpose key shapes looking like they've been sculpted from a single piece of metal.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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