 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: NicZum
Date: 2014-01-12 22:47
I haven't played the clarinet in over 20 years but I am interested in playing again. I was given a Conn by a friend that needs a little tlc. It was found scattered in the grass in her yard. It is all there and no cracks or other damage. It has a funky smell and needs repadded and recorked.
My question is how good of a horn is this. I looked up the seriel number and it was made in the 60's. It is plastic. I have not gotten to play it yet and I am getting anxious.
What can I expect from it?
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2014-01-13 11:20
First make sure it can be disassembled. Screws and rods may be rusted in place.
Steve Ocone
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2014-01-13 16:33
There were several Conn models made, and some were better than others. When I started playing in the 60s, plastic Conn clarinets were very popular with beginning students.
I still remember what an elderly repairman told me in the 60s. He was one of a kind, always with a good story. He had experience with the old wooden Conns from the 20s, and in his opinion, they were the best clarinets made at the time. I seem to remember hearing (although I could be wrong) that the clarinet players in Sousa's band had used them. He felt the quality of Conn clarinets had declined over the years.
A few years ago, I came across a plastic Conn from the 60s. Unfortunately, it was very resistant, even after it had been repaired. After doing some inquiring, I learned that Conn clarinets from that era just don't seem to have the best reputation today. Having said that, it's possible yours is fine. Take it to a repair shop and get an opinion. If this clarinet doesn't work out, look for a used Vito or an old Bundy; both are nice student clarinets that you can probably find for very reasonable prices.
I happened to find this article about the history of the company:
http://sax.mymusictalk.com/forums/topic/407/c-g-conn-history
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-13 12:06
Some plastic Conns had the overlever connecting the thumb ring to the LH1 ring run over the top of the trill keys so it means you can take the LH1 ring key off without having to take the side/trill keys off first.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-01-14 07:24
My advice is to get rid of it. If you want to go back to playing the clarinet, you need something half-way decent. The Conn is not certainly not that. If the instrument is no good, it will make for a frustrating experience. These days you can get a pretty good clarinet for a song.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-01-14 19:37
If your Conn was found scattered in a yard, I would think long and hard before investing any money into repairing it. Certainly this was not somebody's treasured instrument. You could spend $150, $200, or more on repairs only to find that the clarinet is awful even when in tip-top condition.
If you're looking into returning to the clarinet, a used, playable clarinet can be had for far less than what it would cost to fix up this Conn. I recently scooped up a well-maintained Bundy 1400 at a pawn shop for under $40 and an excellent Vito V-40 at a St. Vincent de Paul store for $100. Seek and ye shall find.
Post Edited (2014-01-14 19:38)
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