The Bassic Sax Blog

Now here is something that one doesn’t see everyday: a vintage CG Conn Clar-O-Sax.

     Source: eBay.com

These were not built as toys, but rather as a musical instruments. Unfortunately this one is in need of some TLC, if it is ever to be used again.

Here is how the seller describes this unusual horn, that came from the Conn factory:

CG Conn Clar-O-Sax

CG Conn Elkhart IN

Vintage and from the 30’s

Impossible to find on the internet (I could only find one other example, and that was not for sale)

Measures 15″ long

Has small dents along bell and dents in the middle by key holes.

Also has chip in mouthpiece (see picture)

Stamped on bell Clar-O-Sax, CG Conn Elkhart IN Pat Pending and no serial number

I think this might be one of the dents that the seller refers to.

     Source: eBay.com

One could get the chip in the mouthpiece repaired, if one wanted to play this horn again.

     Source: eBay.com

I wonder what kind of reeds it would take?

     Source: eBay.com

The entire bell appears to be dented. The horn doesn’t seem to sit level, nor does the bell appear to be level.

     Source: eBay.com

It looks to me like the instrument is slightly bent. It appears to have a kink in it.

     Source: eBay.com

I’ve not been able to find any written information about this unusual instrument on the ‘Net. I have however, been able to find a link to a Clar-O-Sax gallery on Saxpics, that is not available through the current navigation. Since USA Horn bought Saxpics, they have not linked this gallery, but it is still available if you know the URL.

The horn in the Saxpics gallery appears to be nickel plated. It’s hard to tell what the finish on this current eBay example is.

In any event, it is an unusual vintage horn. It might make an interesting addition to someone’s saxophone collectibles display, if nothing else.

The auction for this Clar-O-Sax runs until March 7. At the time of writing there were 4 bids on the horn. The high bid was $23.50.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Last summer I had the chance to see first hand, the Conn-O-Sax that Matt, AKA quinntheeskimo Vintage Horns, has for sale. This absolutely beautiful sax is arguably the rarest of birds in the saxophone world. Conn only made about 200 Conn-O-Saxes, and of those, modern estimates are that only between 20 to 40 of them remain.

The Conn-O-Sax that Matt has for sale, is in beautiful condition. If you have the necessary cash, this lovely saxophone can be yours.

NB: all photos from eBay.com

The Conn-O-Sax F Alto, model 22M, is a close relative of the 24M, F Mezzo Soprano. Both saxes were born out of the sax-happy, roaring 20s, and both saxes suffered the same sad fate: lack of wide spread interest and sales, leading to a halt in production. (For a detailed description of the historical context of the times, you should check out Dr. Paul Cohen’s article, The Saga of the F Alto Saxophone.)

Both the 22M & the 24M were produced for approximately 2 years: from 1928 to 1930. In a 1990 article in the Saxophone Journal, Dr. Paul Cohen stated that of the few F Mezzos that were made, many were relegated to the Conn repair school, and used as practice repair instruments.

The Conn-O-Sax and the F Mezzo Soprano used the same mouthpiece, but while the F Mezzo had the range of a regular saxophone (from low Bb to high F), the Conn-O-Sax’s range went from low A to high G (AKA altissimo G, or G3). The Conn-O-Sax’s sound has been described as being close to that of an English Horn or Heckelphone.

The following is the ad that Conn used to introduce and promote its new product, in its own Musical Truth trade magazine in 1928.

Source: saxpics.com

For more information on the F pitched saxophones, make sure you check out saxpics’ New Wonder: F Horns page. There is a lot of information there, and also links to pictures, as well as some audio files.

© 2009, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.