 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Black Throated Wind
Date: 2019-02-14 01:53
Okay - here is a mystery for the community. My Conn 424N is clearly labeled as that model, has the 3 marchers on the left joint and the same plus “Victor” on the bell, but is also clearly labeled “Made in Germany”! The serial number has only 5 instead of 6 digits, and does not match any Conn serial number charts. It also bears a solo “M” above the serial number on the right joint and by itself at the top of the left joint.
Poster Jnswickard in 2010 posted pics of one nearly identical to mine, except that: 1) mine does not have the straps or a bridge key protector on the ring; and 2) my speaker key does not have the (scalloped) bend. The lower joint bridge key on mine is beveled on the sides (the Jnswickard one is not), which appears to be a lighter, cheaper approach to avoiding bridge key bends than the strapped bridge key protector ring. Mine does have the headless screws and tiny post lock screws. His serial # was 22206, and mine is 22866.
There was a poster in 2003 (Ray) who had a Conn 280N Connstellation which was also labeled as Made in Germany and also had only five digits in the serial number.
The key work is clearly different than the Elkhart Conn 424s and 444s.
I read in one post (which I can no longer find) that some Conn clarinets were made in Germany in the early 1950s for a year or so during a labor dispute. I have not seen this anywhere else in any histories of Conn, and it does not show in the serial number list.
Further, my (cheap) calipers measure this as a 14.5 mm bore, and thus it is NOT a big bore Conn, as are the 424N and 444N. The calipers measure my Yamaha 24 (II) as 14.5 and my 1929 Boosey & Hawkes as 15.0 mm, so I am inclined to trust the reading.
I like the horn a lot, as the key work is much more playable than the Yamaha, and (not surprisingly) it has pretty good intonation (pulled .5 at middle and 1 at the barrel).
But I am really curious as to who may have made this horn for Conn. Any ideas?
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