C Melody Saxophone Forum

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C Melody Saxophone Forum / C-Tenor (C-Melody) Saxophones / What's with Chu Berry?

jazzbug1 2008
User ID: 0735934 Jan 24th 7:04 AM
The Conn C melodys from the 1920s are nice enough, but some others have a bigger sound, and that giraffe neck can be difficult. I don't understand the "Chu Berry" models being worth so much. These are Conn New Wonder Twos, which arrived around 1926. The great Hawkins style tenor man, Chu Berry played a Wonder Two tenor and they came to be named after him. Perhaps I'm ignorant of Conns, but the only difference between a wonder one and two is a tiny bore change and the so-called nailfile G# key. I just saw a C melody Chu model go for $1026 vs. The usual wonder one models price of $350-500. I sold a Chu model last spring for $610 and though that was crazy. I challenge someone to tell the difference in sound between the two models. Let's start calling the New Wonder One models "Lester Young Models" (after all, had he started on a Conn, it would have been of that vintage) and watch the prices go up on those. Next time I list a mudane horn, I'll call it a "Jimmy Dorsey Wurlitzer" and see the price go up. I did notice a fantastic Wonder one in gold with an exotic full naked lady just sell for over $2000. One of a kind and well worth it for the wealthy collector. I know-- I'll paint the inside of the Wurlitzer mouthpiece purple and call the "The He Chewed Berries Model".

bruce bailey 2008
User ID: 9690803 Jan 25th 12:01 AM
I agree. I don't have that much experience with the C Melodies but I use a NW I alto as my main horn. I do see a slight bit of more center on the II and more flex in the sound on the I. Another difference is the octave key lever on the I is teardrop shaped and on the II it is more modern. I just pick the horn that is nicer and I don't worry that it has a nailfile. Actually I like the plain G# better.
I have seen them listed as Chew Berry, Chuck Berry, Chubby Berry, and others.

Captain Beeflat 2008
User ID: 1738604 Jan 25th 4:46 AM
I always have trouble with that G# key.
My finger slips off the smooth NW1, and on the serrated key of the NW2, it sticks, not allowing rapid movement to adjacent keys.

Mal-2
User ID: 9335603 Jan 26th 1:19 AM
A quick and dirty fix for the "nail file" key being too grabby is heat shrink tubing. If you don't like it, it's no big deal to remove it.

jazzbug1 2008 User ID: 0735934	Jan 24th 7:04 AM The Conn C melodys from the 1920s are nice enough, but some others have a bigger sound, and that giraffe neck can be difficult. I don't understand the "Chu Berry" models being worth so much. These are Conn New Wonder Twos, which arrived around 1926. The great Hawkins style tenor man, Chu Berry played a Wonder Two tenor and they came to be named after him. Perhaps I'm ignorant of Conns, but the only difference between a wonder one and two is a tiny bore change and the so-called nailfile G# key. I just saw a C melody Chu model go for $1026 vs. The usual wonder one models price of $350-500. I sold a Chu model last spring for $610 and though that was crazy. I challenge someone to tell the difference in sound between the two models. Let's start calling the New Wonder One models "Lester Young Models" (after all, had he started on a Conn, it would have been of that vintage) and watch the prices go up on those. Next time I list a mudane horn, I'll call it a "Jimmy Dorsey Wurlitzer" and see the price go up. I did notice a fantastic Wonder one in gold with an exotic full naked lady just sell for over $2000. One of a kind and well worth it for the wealthy collector. I know-- I'll paint the inside of the Wurlitzer mouthpiece purple and call the "The He Chewed Berries Model".
bruce bailey 2008 User ID: 9690803	Jan 25th 12:01 AM I agree. I don't have that much experience with the C Melodies but I use a NW I alto as my main horn. I do see a slight bit of more center on the II and more flex in the sound on the I. Another difference is the octave key lever on the I is teardrop shaped and on the II it is more modern. I just pick the horn that is nicer and I don't worry that it has a nailfile. Actually I like the plain G# better. I have seen them listed as Chew Berry, Chuck Berry, Chubby Berry, and others.
Captain Beeflat 2008 User ID: 1738604	Jan 25th 4:46 AM I always have trouble with that G# key. My finger slips off the smooth NW1, and on the serrated key of the NW2, it sticks, not allowing rapid movement to adjacent keys.
Mal-2 User ID: 9335603	Jan 26th 1:19 AM A quick and dirty fix for the "nail file" key being too grabby is heat shrink tubing. If you don't like it, it's no big deal to remove it.