Conn New Wonder I Alto

The Conn New Wonder I (also known as the early "Chu Berry" or pre-Series II model from the 1920s) is a vintage alto saxophone famous for its big, dark, spread tone with plenty of power and complexity. These horns tend to respond best to mouthpieces with medium to large chambers, as smaller or high-baffled modern pieces can cause intonation issues (e.g., sharp midrange or stuffy notes) or make the low end warble/gurgle.

Recommended Mouthpieces

Meyer hard rubber (5M or 6M tip opening) → A classic, affordable choice that brings out a warm, focused vintage sound without fighting the horn's acoustics. Many players call it a reliable all-rounder for Conns.

Otto Link Tone Edge (hard rubber, vintage or modern "Early Babbitt" reissues, 6-7 tip) → Provides a large round chamber for that fat, dark Conn tone; vintage Links pair especially well.

Vandoren V16 (A5, A6, or A7 with medium or large chamber) → Offers flexibility and good intonation; the medium/large chamber versions tame sharpness in the midrange.

Selmer Soloist (vintage or refaced modern, C** or D facing) → A vintage-style large chamber piece that enhances warmth and projection.

Brilhart Tonalin or Personaline (vintage hard rubber) → Period-correct options that deliver a classic 1920s-30s spread sound.

Other strong contenders: Jody Jazz HR or Giant (for more flexibility), or custom large-chamber pieces

Professional saxophonist known to have played the Conn New Wonder I alto saxophones

Coleman Hawkins, who used both Series I and Series II models of the New Wonder alto during his career. Although Hawkins is primarily celebrated for his groundbreaking work on tenor saxophone, he began his musical journey on alto, and specific mouthpiece details for his early alto period are scarce. However, he is associated with a signature Otto Link Hawkins Special Master Link alto mouthpiece featuring unique facings marked "HAWKINS SPECIAL" on the side and "FACING NO H S" on the table, though exact tip opening or lay measurements from his New Wonder I era are not well-documented.

Other professionals played closely related Conn New Wonder models, often Series II altos,

Johnny Hodges performed on a Conn New Wonder II alto in the 1930s using a metal Master Link mouthpiece, later transitioning to a Brilhart mouthpiece that he modified to accommodate a tenor reed, which allowed him to achieve dramatic note smears up to a minor third.

Charlie Parker also played a Conn New Wonder Series II alto with a Brilhart Tonalin "Streamline" mouthpiece, which was described as brighter-toned compared to the standard Tonalin model.

In modern times, saxophonist Chuck Hancock is known for using a Conn New Wonder alto, opting for larger-chambered mouthpieces to complement the instrument's vintage temperament and improve intonation, though specific facing details for his setup are not specified.

Tips for Best Results

Avoid very small-chamber or high-baffle pieces (e.g., some modern Dukoffs or bright jazz models) unless you want to push the horn brighter—they can exacerbate tuning quirks.

Tip openings around 5-7 work well for most players, paired with medium-strength reeds (e.g., Vandoren Java/ZZ 2.5-3 or Rico 3).

Use the microtuner neck (common on these) to fine-tune intonation—pull out slightly with larger-chamber pieces. Testing in person is ideal, as vintage horns are mouthpiece-picky.