Saxophone Forum


by chemist1979
(7 posts)
12 years ago

Conn Saxophones

I have two Conn saxophones: A Conn 16M Tenor sax Serial numnber 953### with Conn USA Shooting Star logo and a Conn Alto Sax Serial number E299## with Conn USA Shooting Star logo.The Alto has no model number but I assume that it was made in Elkhart, IN. Is there a way to find out the year that they were manufactured and anything else about them?

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  1. by GFC
    (842 posts)

    11 years ago

    Re: Conn Saxophones

    http://www.saxpics.com/?v=ser&manID=3

    Your tenor is from around 1963 and your alto is from 1965.  The Conn student models from that era were made in Nogales, Arizona.  Quality-wise, they were not to the same standard as the ones made in Elkhart, but better than the ones made in Mexico from 1969 to 1980.  Their value is a few hundred dollars in good condition.  If a Conn has "USA" but not "Elkhart, Indiana" engraved on the bell, it was made at the Nogales plant. 

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    1. by chemist1979
      (7 posts)

      11 years ago

      Re: Conn Saxophones

      Thanks for the information. A couple of additional questions: What is the model number for the alto sax? I can not find any number present on the sax. One other item is that the F# key is a pearl key and not a paddle key. I think that is the way to describe it. Is the E at the beginning of the serial number mean that it was built in Elkhart even though Elkhart is not written on the bell?

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      1. by GFC
        (842 posts)

        11 years ago

        Re: Conn Saxophones

        The model number of your alto is 14M.  The official name of the "shooting star" student horns is Director.  The E letter designates the year , not the location, of production.  Correction to previous post:  The tenor was produced in 1962, not 1963.  The letters were introduced to the serial number system in 1963. 


        That's certainly an odd bit about the pearl F# key. 

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        1. by alishalouise
          (1 post)

          11 years ago

          Re: Conn Saxophones

          Interesting about the year and place produced. I also have a Shooting Star USA alto with a pearly F# key. 

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