Meet the reigning Queen of Conn lyric ladies. As for the 28m Constellation: Bring her on. What the Conqueror lacks (arguably) in action vs. the younger princess, Constellation, she more than makes up for in both durability and depth of sound. By the late 1940s, when the princess was born, there were few left at Conn who could build saxophones like these pre war marvel Conquerors. Before WWII changed and decimated the wonderful Conn organization, their benches were filled with some of the finest hands and minds that ever tensioned a pivot screw. The combined effect of superior craftsmanship and design that went into the 26M make it virtually impossible for other Conn altos to be considered serious rivals. Though he 6M viii, 28M and transitionals are all fabulous saxophones, this elegant lady has a degree of sophistication to which the others simply cannot ascend. Please note that we have two (2) of these delightful jewels available from which to make your selection. We will, however, be selling only one at this time. In other words, when either of these 26M listings is sold, the other will be withdrawn. The unsold instrument will remain in my saxophone collection. Both the horns play lights out, with small differences in sound due to the different metals. The silver 26M is extremely rare, and of course, more valuable than the brass horn.  Offered in a clean & sturdy non-original case, no mouthpiece (mouthpieces shown are for display purposes only).  Since I have personally set them both up to play perfectly I am more than happy to let our CS clients make the choice on which of these wonderful 26Ms I keep to play -- and which you will take as yours to cherish ... 

the Conqueror legend So, what makes this such a special instrument -- other than the finest craftsmanship, that is? Starting from the basic rugged design of the workhorse 6M, Conn sought to create a saxophone with even more refined key leverage and serviceability, while incorporating cosmetic features (like solid silver touches everywhere there is not a pearl, plus richly detailed engraving) that would set these saxophones apart from anything else then in production. First, Conn enlarged and tilted the left pinky spatula table forward in order to gain a better angle of fit and to facilitate additional leverage. Next, Conn added special motion stops engineered for a compact range of motion in the spatula keys, which helps to create a wonderful precision feel. To enable the added leverage Conn repositioned a number of posts in the low pad linkages and modified the G# actuating lever. Conn then added a multi part low Db mechanism to solve the problem of adequately springing the low Db pad closed without so hardening the key feel as to be difficult for the vast majority of players (those of us who don't possess WWF level hand strength). These spatula modifications combine to greatly increase ease of movement on the spatula, and to shorten key travel depths. The result is that few saxophones can match your 26M's crisp & effortless spatula key action.

The coup de gras though, are the special adjusting mechanisms added at every key-to-key or key-to-body juncture. These sophisticated, but simple, lock & screw adjustment mechanisms alleviate the tedium of sizing & sanding cork or felt bumpers in order to achieve the precise clearances required to make a saxophone function in its intended manner: as a mechanical device that manipulates the body tube's sound per commands initiated by the player's manual inputs. Ask any experienced tech & they will tell you, "The real artistry in making a saxophone play is this 'set up' work." Whether set up adjustments take place in cork & felt -- or in the infinitely easier-to-manipulate mechanical adjusters of the Conn Conqueror saxophone design -- your tech's set up adjustments distinguish a saxophone in top playing condition

An oft overlooked aspect of Conn engineering is that they constantly looked for small changes that would make a tech's job easier -- and in the process, their manufacturing & assembly job more streamlined. Whether Conn's main motivation in reducing saxophone assembly & set up time was cutting their own factory costs, or helping the tech in aftermarket service is debatable (Conn did run a fine repair school, however). But there is no doubt that the end result of Conn's incessant mechanical tinkering is our enduring blessing -- both for players and for those of us who maintain these fantastic saxophones in top playing condition for our clients. If there ever was a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its many, many parts, that time honored phrase applies here. The Conn Conqueror is a true saxophone legend, in any sense of the term ... 

Two different neck designs were offered on the Conqueror: (1)
a tuner neck like the 6M, and (2) the conventional neck (as shown in these
pix), patterned after the 30M tenor. Though I love the Conn tuner necks,
to my mind the conventional neck adds a flare of fluid beauty to these
marvelous alto saxophones. After the viii neck revision (c.1937) very few
of the conventional necks appear on the 26M, making these particular instruments
all the more unusual