consaxman_jim, Can you provide any details on the Eb alto 50M Director (years of production and distinguishing characteristics)? According to one website (The Conn Loyalist), the 50M was produced at roughly the same time as my sax. Thanks, again.

The 50M is actually a Pan American made by Conn, not a Conn. The Conn Loyalist is a little confusing there. The Pan Americans and the Directors models are very similar.

I read that the Conn Director models were intended to be student/intermediate horns and therefore were based upon existing Pan American models. Is the Conn 14M derived from the Pan American 50M? Do you know, or can you speculate about the differences between the 14M and 50M? I saw a Pan American alto on ebay that looked like the twin of an early Conn 14M -- it must have been a 50M.

That is correct, the Conn Director models are based on the Pan American models and were created for the student/intermediate market. The Pan American design had proven itself to be a very good and dependable design, with good intonation and good tone. The first Director's models were basically the same horn as their earlier 50M counterparts. In 1963, Conn went to sheet metal key guards instead of the wire guards. There were a few other changes made throughout the years, but nothing significant. The quality started a downward slide after 1968 when Conn purchased the Best company in Nogales, AZ and started moving production to Nogales. After Conn was sold to MacMillan, the quality continued to dwindle, and production moved across the border into Mexico. Of the Director's models, the best horns are those made from 1955-1962. Those made from 1963-1968 are also pretty good. Horns made from 1969-1980 are only slightly better than some of the Chinese junk being sold today. After Daniel Henkin bought the company back from MacMillan in 1980, quality did improve, and even a few pro saxophones (actually made by Keilwerth) were sold under the Conn name. Daniel Henkin tried to save Conn, but unfortunately he was a little too late. My first alto was a Conn 14M Director model made in 1963. I played it for several years and finally sold it about 2 years ago after I bought my 6M. It was a nice horn and played very well. I wish I would have kept it actually.

My 14M was my first sax and I'm glad I saved it -- a lot of sentimental value. Plus, my 11-year son just started playing alto and he thinks Dad's 14M is pro stock. It definitely produces a fuller sound than the Blessing rental he played for a month, and it's easier to play. Just to trace the roots of the 14M back a bit further, can you tell me anything more about the Pan American 50M, such as when it debuted as a model, and whether it was a fresh design or it was based upon a previous model?