WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY
2525 East Douglas Avenue
Wichita, KS 67211
Tel: (316) 684-0291; FAX (316) 684-6858
CLEAN, 100% MADE IN AMERICA, 1946 VINTAGE "LADY FACE" C.G. CONN 10M TENOR SAXOPHONE, 65% ORIGINAL DARK LACQUER, GOOD ENGRAVING, NO DENTS.
When I was a kid, back in the late fifties, I bought a Conn "Lady Face" 10M Tenor. Paid for it with paper-route money. Kept it for a decade, sold it and immediately regretted doing so.
In recent years, I've used Selmers, Buffets, a fine King Super 20 and eventually came back to a Conn 10M....1946 model, clean, big dark tone-color, easy to play the low notes. Gregory 4M-20 mouthpiece, #2 1/2 Rico reed. Old man stuff, perfect for me. I've played ONLY Conn tenors for the past two decades, just like I did when I was in high school.
The tenor I've listed this morning is dead-identical to the one I've reserved for my own use.
No, not quite as fine as the 1946 tenor I use, but very close.
Does not have forked Eb key, which is a plus, in my opinion.
Yes, rolled tone-holes and with new "Reso-pads" (designed to be fitted to Conn saxes with rolled tone-holes.
Very sharp engraving to the bell.
NOT a modern Selmer or Yanagisawa, but if you get accustomed to how a Conn tenor works, you'll be most rewarded by the sound your ears hear.
Our 10M came to us with maybe 35% lacquer wear. Minor dents to the end-bow have been burnished out in our shop, now invisible.
Neck has never been pulled down, two tiny dings easily balled out by us.
All new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita.
Lower post for the C# key has been resoldered.
Happy to send "on approval" and our 24 month service warranty (read below, please) DOES come with this beauty!
Saxophone questions? Email me! Quit taking phone calls when I reached 65, but I'm always happy to correspond with any and all sax-o-people!
Now go practice long-tones and Bach flute sonatas (they work well on tenor), then listen to Stan Getz and John Coltrane.
MORE INFO PLEASE!
Based on Email messages I've received, there seems to be some confusion about vintage 10M Conn tenors.
I've got copies of 1924 and 1926 Conn catalogs that refer to tenors as "10M" models.
But it's the 1934 to 1946 Conn "10M Lady Face" saxes that are, in our estimation, the best ones. Serial numbers from about 250,000 to about 320,000.
The tenors that were immediately before the 10M "Lady Face" are usually called "Chu Berry" models, after the sax player of the pre-war years. Some of these are good players, but beware of the middle and high C notes: they're sometimes "muddy", which means many players used the B key + the alternate C for that note....especially in the upper register. With "fingernail file" G-sharp touch, with rolled tone-holes. If they don't have both of these features, their ancient and of a totally different category.
The saxes I call "10M Lady Face" always have curved high E key-touch, wider octave spout (looks like a stove-pipe, larger diameter at the top than at the bottom), triangle-shape G# key-touch, rectangular bar for the chromatic F# touch and the little square box on the octave mechanism. If they don't have ALL of these features, they're not a "10M Lady Face".
Saxes made during the early 1940's had all of these features plus rolled tone-holes. Saxes made after 1947 until the mid fifties had all these features but did NOT have rolled tone-holes. Tone-quality is a little brighter, but they're not (in my opinion) as fine as the 1934 to 1946 saxes.
Now about the "forked Eb key". Virtually all of Conn's pre-1942 saxes had the little tone-hole at the back that's usually corked shut by today's players. If the keywork's set up correctly and in adjustment properly, you can play an Eb with right hand fingers one and three, second finger up. But that key gradually disappeared during the war years and by 1946 had disappeared entirely. Ironically, Selmer-France continued to offer this optional keywork well into the 1960's.
Got an Email this morning from a fellow asking about a 30M Conn. These are rare, but share exactly the same body with the 10M saxes. The differences are (1) solid-silver side, pinky and palm key touches and (2) set screws everywhere. Look at the one & one Bb adjustment and you'll actually see a set screw on the set screw. These are superb saxes, but I prefer the simpler mechanism of the standard "10M Lady Face", 1934 to 1946.
Bottom line: Super instruments, as fine as any tenor ever made. I've played (literally) thousands, believe they're the best of the best.
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Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in woodwind and sax restoration. Today we have 16 employees including seven of the finest repair technicians in the country. Virtually ALL the items we sell have been fully reconditioned in our own shop, although we do sell the occasional unrestored historical instruments each year.
Wichita Band’s service warranty is the same as it’s been for more than thirty years:
ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace, whichever in our estimation is the more advisable, pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.
Wichita Band’s service warranty does cover dents and dings to your sax. If your instrument sustains damage to the body, end bow, neck or bell, we’ll burnish out the dents and make it look “like new” again. The cost you is absolutely nothing except shipping and insurance charges.
Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially free for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953!
In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or Wichita Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer.
Anything we sell can be sent to you for a short approval period without obligation. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance and must pre-pay back to us any freight charges on returned equipment. International shipping is available. Returned items will be refunded within 2 weeks of receiving the item. We’re happy to send any instrument “on approval” for five days, but ask the prospective buyer to pay shipping both ways and to please reimburse us for clean-up and restocking charges (2.95%) on any returned instrument.
Ebay authorized payment methods:
PayPal or credit/debit card processed through our internet merchant account.
Buyers outside of the USA are responsible for all import duties and customs clearance charges in their respective countries. We may refuse paypal and/or credit card payments from some countries.
We’re happy to correspond with musicians, players, parents and enthusiasts of all types. Written appraisals are always available, but please don’t write or telephone and ask “what’s granny’s baritone sax worth?” Do an Ebay search and you’ll learn more than we could ever tell you.
Feel free to call or e-mail for any additional information.
Wichita Band Instrument Co.
800-835-3006 payment line (USA and Canada),
316-684-0291 outside the USA and Canada order line, and info line.