Conn 12M Transitional Baritone 1932 “First Lacquer” or Old Relacquer Excellent Cond. 253372

This is about as clean as you will ever find a vintage Conn Transitional 12M Baritone. At this serial, we are just before Conn started lacquering its own instruments at the factory, and there’s no engraving besides the Conn logo, so it’s hard to say whether this is a very old relacquer done with vintage nitrocellulose lacquer, or whether it was sold unlacquered, and then lacquered with this finish when it was first sold (a ‘first lacquer’, as we call it). Either way, it was extremely well cared for over its entire first 90 years of life, and it deserves to get the best possible care in its next 90 years of existence. I don’t see any evidence of major damage. Maybe some minor dent work on the back of the body tube that was done well, and the neck receiver was resoldered, which I have to have done on 100% of these Conn baritones that come through the shop anyway, so it’s convenient that it’s done already. The pads are older Selmer style leather ones with brown plastic resonators, and the horn still makes saxophone noises on them, but it’s time for an overhaul. I suspect that it will be on the easier side of jobs for a vintage baritone, because this horn was so well cared for and has virtually no damage – just a couple of tiny dings. The original neck is still in great shape as well.

The reason people love these horns is the tone. The 12M and 12M transitional (which in this case is just a 12M, since there are no real changes to the design that happen after this serial besides the front F that appears around 298k, and everything post 260k or so is called a 12M officially and is identical to this horn– anyway, the 12M’s like this are the most desirable low Bb baritones ever made. It’s wild that you can still buy one for less than an intermediate modern horn. This horn feels like a tenor to hold and play, and the tone is warm and round and velvety. Think Gerry Mulligan or Harry Carney, who both played this model (Mulligan also played a late NWII which plays like this but warmer and more spread, with less comfortable keywork). It’s hard to beat the sound you get one one of these, and the weight difference versus a modern low A is nothing to sniff at. This feels like a horn you could play for hours. A YBS-62 does not, no matter how fancy of a strap you get.

If you want to play baritone, and to own the best baritone ever, and you’re ok getting this overhauled by a vintage saxophone repair shop that loves to work on Conns (I can refer you to one in your area), then this is absolutely the horn for you. Like I said, it’s wild that you can get one for so little money relative to other baritones on the market. The original case is even still in great shape.

Only one available!