I'm not into musical intruments at all. I can barely manage to play the stereo. I have a tube amp from a CONN organ and found this site while trying to find information on it. Thought some here may find it of interest. http://www.organservice.com/index.htm You'll have to fumble around a bit but the history section is there and a pretty interesting read.

More C.G.Conn history may be found at:

http://www.usd.edu/smm/connarch.html

http://www.usd.edu/~mbanks/CONTENT.html

http://www.saxgourmet.com/conn__saxophones.htm

The National Music Museum is on the campus of University of South Dakota.

http://www.usd.edu/smm/index.html

Now here's a funny story about the musical instrument business. This was told to me by an old departed friend who was a well known musician (heard coast to coast on NBC radio) that was on the design team for one of the Conn saxophones, the Conn Constellation.

He was going into the Conn factory and saw saxophone bodies being loaded into a truck while French horns were being unloaded. The saxophone bodies were marked Buescher (another large musical instrument company). At that time Conn and Buescher* were each owned by the two Greenleaf brothers.

So, he goes in and askes, what is that all about, the Buescher saxophones, etc.? Turns out the Buescher sax bodies were made on Buescher tooling in the Conn factory, while the Conn French Horns were really made by Buescher in their factory, and simply stenciled Conn. And at that time everyone KNEW Conn made the best French Horn.

So, Mr. Greenleaf explained, "Suppose you and I were brothers, and we both owned machine shops. And I owned a lathe, and you owned a drill press. Would you buy a lathe or would you send your lathe work over to me? And I would send my drill press work to you. That way we both get maximum use from expensive machines. Same with the instruments, we both do the work we do best."

ETA

*Gus Buescher that started the Buescher Band Instrument Company was a former Conn employee.

Thats a good story Paul. I see it happen like that everyday.

I live in Elkhart, its known as the " band instrument capital of the world,"

I live in Elkhart, its known as the " band instrument capital of the world," as well as the "R.V. capital of the world."

San Antonio is really trying to take that title away. But yes, Elkhart was the place.

There was also an Elkhart Band Instrument Company. The instruments were really Buescher or Martin instruments engraved with an Elk's head inside a heart shaped engraving. Elk + heart.

They were really the same as the top line Bueschers or Martins, not 'second tier" by any means. Elkhart Band Inst Co was eventually bought out and absorbed by Buescher.

Buescher was purchased in 1963 by Selmer and became known as "Selmer USA". For many years before that Buescher made Selmer's "Bundy" student line instruments on old Buescher tooling. The Bueschers from the 1920's-30's could be repaired with Bundy parts from the 60's-80's. The Buescher labeled instruments gradually dropped in quality to become the same as the Bundy student line.

Conn fell from the top pro instrument they made from the beginning into the 50's (Conns were played by Charlie Parker and many other pros) to a student line instrument. They made a brief comeback with some pro instruments in 2002, but were purchased by Selmer in 2005.

They are now Conn-Selmer, a division of Steinway.

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese are really coming along with some fine instruments that rivel quality and playing characteristics of the top pro lines. They have a continual, daily product improvement program and take quality very seriously. "Made in Taiwan" used to have the same bad connotation that "Made in Japan" did in the 1960's. No more. They Japanese are pace setters in both electronics and musicial instruments. They don't have to play second fiddle to anyone. And the Taiwanese are right there taking over that spot.

Selmer is also a union shop here in Elkhart and been here for a long while. Nice paying place. I think they are having problems with the union as scabs are walking over the line. I also believe that the Japanese are fine instrument makers as well. I have a very early 70's Epiphone by Gibson with the blue Kalamazoo sticker with a fixed neck that plays and sound great. Model PR-765.

Actually, United Musical Instruments (Conn/King/Armstrong/Benge and others) purchased Selmer - and UMI is owned by Steinway - as far as I know, anway. :) Conn trombones have enjoyed a tremendous resurgence in the last few years. I've played a number of new 88H trombones in the last few years, and many of them play just as well as my Elkhart-era 88H. I saw a bran-new Conn C tuba in a local music store and was floored. It's truly a beautiful design, although I can't speak for the playing characteristics.

It is all fuzzy, who actually owns who, but the Selmer people are running things.

Just before the buyout, Conn had introduced a new alto sax, the 25M, bore copied from the old 6M (such as played by Charlie Parker, Marshall Royal, and many other jazz greats) but with modern keywork. It was very well received. They were about to release an updated version of the 10M tenor but this has been put on a back burner.

Right now the Taiwanese and Chinese are really kicking some... well, doing very well against the older companies. And rightfully so. They are making very good quality instruments at dirt cheap prices. The top manufacturers are turning to the Asian manufacturers to build their instruments to spec.

I think I have a 12 string guitar made by them.

From MMR (Musical Merchandise Review) Aug 11, 2006 update:

Vincent Bach Strike Update (note by Paul, Bach trumpets are part of the Selmer USA line)

After nearly a month of negotiations, Conn-Selmer and representatives of UAW Local 364 reached an agreement on Aug. 9. The 230 union workers at the Vincent Bach plant in Elkhart are scheduled to vote Aug. 14 on the offer.

According to reports in the online edition of the Elkhart Truth newspaper, approval of the contact is anything but assured. Workers are being asked to take wage cuts and many of them were reportedly irked by recent comments by parent company Steinway CEO Dana Messina praising the superior work ethic of replacement workers at the Bach plant.

From MMR (Musical Merchandise Review) Aug 21, 2006 update:


Union Nixes Conn-Selmer Offer

On Aug. 14, striking United Auto Workers union members at Conn-Selmer's Vincent Bach plant in Elkhart rejected a new contract offer from the company. The vote was 153 - 52 to reject the offer that capped wages at $21an hour, higher health insurance contribution by the workers, and mandatory overtime.

The workers have been on strike since Apr. 1. The August vote was the third contract offer they have voted down.

Bach is not known for uniform quality. I say let 'em go and hire the replacement workers permanently! Conn-Selmer has to deal with the auto workers' union? Oh gawd help them...

Speaking of "re-issue" saxes, it's an interesting parallel with vintage audio stuff, eh? I played a Shires trombone last week and found it more 'accurate' than my vintage Conn, but the old horn has a warmth and friendly aspect to the sound that the new Shires lacks, forty years of development in metalurgy, acoustics, manufacturing, etc. notwithstanding. The grapevine tells me Steve Shires used the bell of the old Conn as his archetype... New decent quality Pioneers I hear lack the listenability of my SX-650.

I've toured the UMI plant in Eastlake a few times and it was not what I expected. To put it one way, it makes sense that the UAW represents the workers there. I expected a sort of artisan/factory but saw a strictly utilitarian machine shop. The trombone slide adjusters practiced good art, however. :) Amazing to watch their speed and skill especially with the bit of backround I have in repair.

And people wonder why instrument manufacturing is going to Taiwan, and now China.

Good day everyone,
I have lived in Elkhart my entire 43 years and both my deceased father and grandfather worked lifelong careers at CG Conn's. My grandfather starting working there at 14 years of ago in the early 1900's and my father worked there during WWII and then went to Korea for that war, then worked back at CG Conn's until retirement in 1982 After Danny Henkins bought it. Just some local knowledge. D

I have an old Conn acoustic guitar that I rescued from a dumpster. Its from the era when the publisher MacMillan owned the company, and was made in Japan. Its a very nice guitar. Great woodwork and sound.