Conn "Finishes"
Over the years Conn offered many different "finishes" for their instruments. A "finish" is the way the instrument was plated, lacquered, etc. Conn had the habit of following the model number with a finish number, such as "22-B-4". Follows a table with some of the finishes available over the years. Not all finishes were available during the entire history of Conn, so I have included an approximate date indication.
| Conn Finishes | ||
| Finish Number | Year indication | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | 1920's-1930's | Quadruple gold plate, completely hand burnished, bell richly engraved, finger tips pearl inlaid, and on Saxophones, pearl rollers. |
| 00 | 1950's-1960's | Highly polished gold plate overall. Available on special order, only. |
| 0 | 1920's-1930's | Quadruple gold plate over all, sand blast finish; interior of bell, valve caps, keys, water keys, ferrules, etc., as well as engraving background are hand burnished. Finger tips pearl inlaid, and on Saxiphones, pearl rollers. |
| 1 | 1890's-1920's | Artistically engraved, quadruple silver plated and burnished or sand blast velvet finish. The finger pieces gold plated and inlaid with pearl, the engraving spot gilded, the valve caps, water key, and inside of bell heavily gold plated and burnished. |
| 1 | 1920's-1930's | (Saxophones, Flutes, Piccolos only)-Quadruple silver plating over all, sand blast finish; with gold plated and hand burnished interior of bell, ferrules, engraving water keys, knobs, etc. Finger tips pearl inlaid, and on Saxophones, pearl rollers. On wood winds this finish symbol represents heavily gold plated keys, posts and rods. |
| 2 | 1890's-1920's | Ornately engraved, triple silver plated and burnished or sand blast finish, inside of bell heavily gold plated and burnished, pearl inlaid finger pieces. |
| 2 | 1920's-1940's | Quadruple silver plated, sand blast finish; points burnished, with inside of bell gold plated and burnished. Finger tips pearl inlaid, and on Saxophones, pearl rollers. |
| 3 | 1890's-1920's | Neatly engraved on bell, highly polished brass finish, mother of pearl inlaid silver plated finger pieces, valve caps and water keys silver plated. |
| 3 | 1920's-1940's | Quadruple silver plated over all, sand blast finish; interior of bell and points hand burnished, finger tips pearl inlaid, and on Saxophones, pearl rollers. On wood winds this finish symbol represents heavily silver plated keys, posts and rods, hand burnished. |
| 4 | 1920's-1930's | Highly polished brass, with neat engraving design. |
| 5 | 1920's-1930's | Gold brass, highly polished, nickel-trimmed. |
| 6 | 1920's-1930's | Body heavily nickel-plated and highly polished. Pearl finger tips, and on Saxophones, pearl rollers. On woodwinds this finish symbol represents nickel-plated keys, posts and rods. Supplied only on saxophones. |
| 7 | 1920's | Silver plated, sand blast finish throughout. No burnishing. |
| 7 | 1930's | Highly polished chrome plated. Supplied only on bugles. |
| 8 | 1920's | Polished brass, with no engraving. |
| 9 | 1920's-1930's | Yellow brass, highly polished, with nickel trimmings. |
| 10 | 1955 through 1960's | Clear lacquered over highly polished brass. Modern engraving design on bell. |
| 11 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 9, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 11 | 1930's | Highly polished chrome plated, inside of bell gold burnished. Supplied only on bugles. |
| 12 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 5, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 13 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 2, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 14 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 0, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 15 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 00, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 16 | early 1920's | Regular Finish 000, with sterling silver bell, highly polished and engraved, inside of bell hand burnished. |
| 20 | 1930's-1940's | Highly polished brass, modern and improved engraving design on bell, heavily gold lacquered by new process. |
| 21 | 1930's-1940's | Highly polished brass, modern and improved engraving design on bell, heavily clear lacquered by new process. |
| 22 | 1930's-1940's | Highly polished brass, nickel trimmings, modern and improved engraving design on bell, heavily gold lacquered by new process. |
| 23 | 1930's-1940's | Highly polished brass, nickel trimmings, modern and improved engraving design on bell, heavily clear lacquered by new process. |
| 24 | 1955 through 1960's | Highly polished brass, nickel trim, clear lacquered over all. Modern engraving design on bell. |
| 25 | 1958 through 1960's | (Saxophones) Lacquer body with nickel plated keywork. |
| 26 | 1958 through 1960's | (??) Highly polished brass, nickel trim, clear lacquered over all. Modern engraving design on bell. |
| 28 | 1958 through 1960's | (??) Highly polished brass, nickel trim, clear lacquered over all. Modern engraving design on bell. |
| 31 | 1955 through 1960's | Satin finish silver plated, with interior of bell brilliant silver. Points and engraved pattern highlighted. On flutes and piccolos this finish represents heavily silver plated body with keys, posts and highe rods silver buffed. |
| 51 | 1955 through 1960's | Satin finish silver plated. Same as finish 31, but with interior of bell brilliant gold. |
| 56 | 1960's | (Saxophones) Silver body with nickel plated keywork |
| 60 | 1958 through 1960's | Highly polished hard nickel plate on flutes. |