The 6M alto, 10M tenor, and 12M baritone were incredibly popular through the late ‘40s until the introduction of the Selmer Mark VI, which proved to be the downfall of Conn and the rise of Selmer as the dominant manufacturer. The Conn M horns were played by the likes of alto saxophonists Charlie Parker and Benny Carter, tenor saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Lester Young, and baritone saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Harry Carney. These horns commonly are referred to as the ‘naked lady models’ because of the engraving of a woman on the bell. These horns featured rolled tone holes, low-B and Bb keys on the inside of the bell, previously they were split on different sides, an enlarged pinky spatula for better facility and the underslung octave key. In the early ‘30s, Conn began transitioning to the now-famous M series. The Conn New Wonder, introduced in the 1920s, was the brand’s first model of note and was unofficially dubbed “the Chu Berry” after tenor saxophonist Leon ‘Chu’ Berry.
Conn is one of the oldest instrument manufacturers in the United States and first tried its hand at saxophone production in 1888 in Elkhart, Indiana.
