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Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by OldRetiredExTrombonist on 2/4/2026, 8:18 am

https://youtube.com/shorts/vJtZN-JuMl8?si=rrlO0h_p6ePt1kZR

Are we great yet?

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by Mithrandir on 2/5/2026, 11:10 am, in reply to "Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

I get that you were making a political jab, but I too have been burned with some lemons of instruments from Conn. I have some of the same issues already mentioned.
Unless someone (probably several someones) can vouch for Conn I will not be buying another product from them. Which is a lot of sub-brands too.
So while it's terrible that there are people losing jobs, I'm not purchasing a product that isn't quality. Just like I won't buy a GM vehicle for the same reasons.
So Conn moving to China isn't much of an issue for me. They might as well have shut-down completely for all I'm concerned since I won't be buying from them.
But that wasn't really OP's point was it?

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by Got conned on 2/4/2026, 1:16 pm, in reply to "Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

I've not been happy with anything out of Conn-Selmer for the last several years. Ask your repair shop people their opinions, I think you will hear the same. Their student line stuff has been trash for a while.

Last year I asked around several people about what sousaphones to buy. Conn was the general consensus, that's what I went with and I regret it. Several had cosmetic blemishes direct from the factory. It wasn't worth waiting another 6 months for new ones so we took them anyway. One had silver plating start peeling off halfway through marching season. Several had solder joints pop apart. Somehow (I don't understand the physics) concert F is never in tune even when concert Bb is.

Selmer pro saxes are still made in France by Selmer Paris. If I was in the market for a pro saxophone I would consider it, but at this point I think the pro Yamaha instruments are as good or better for a much lower price. For anything else I would not consider a C-S instrument. Yamaha seems to be the go-to unless you have Miraphone money.

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by uhh on 2/6/2026, 7:53 am, in reply to "Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

Somebody better informed than me please correct me if I'm wrong, but Concert F and Bb will never BOTH be perfectly in tune without adjustments. That 5th partial will always be slightly sharp due to the physics of the instrument.

Some instruments are no doubt closer than others, but if you expect both to be perfect you're chasing your tail.

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by Tuba player on 2/6/2026, 5:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

I'm not a physicist, but...
Bb 2nd line or below the staff, and F below the staff, should all be very close to in tune (within a few cents). 5th partial would be 4th line F and tends sharp, but I don't see that note often in marching band tuba parts.

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by DA on 2/6/2026, 1:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

Third partial also, but not as bad as 6th partial. 5th partial tends to be a bit flat.

Here they are though not related to Conn-Selmer. Just a side thread.

1st partial - generally flat, hard to center
2nd partial - in tune
3rd partial - slightly sharp
4th partial - in tune
5th partial - slightly flat
6th partial - Sharp
7th partial - extremely flat
8th partial - in tune
9th partial - sharp
10th partial - flat
11th partial - VERY flat
12th partial - Sharp

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by Mithrandir on 2/6/2026, 9:32 am, in reply to "Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

I have the same issue. Bb will be in tune and F is like -30. I can't remember exactly the numbers but it's not a natural decrepancy. If I didn't see it myself I wouldn't believe it.

Re: Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China.

Posted by Me on 2/4/2026, 9:54 am, in reply to "Conn Selmer moving manufacturing to China."

They've been moving stuff over there for at least a decade. There's a reason I haven't recommended Conn-Selmer for at least that long, too.

All their beginner line stuff has been Chinese since the mid-teens if not earlier.

You've been paying for the name, not the quality.

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