Conn New Wonder II Alto "Chu Berry"

The Conn New Wonder II (often called the "Chu Berry" model, though the nickname originates from the tenor version) is a vintage alto saxophone from the late 1920s known for its big, dark, robust, and spread tone with excellent projection. It pairs best with mouthpieces featuring medium to large chambers to complement its design, enhance intonation (especially with the microtuner neck), and avoid stuffiness or sharpness issues that can arise with small-chamber or high-baffle modern pieces.

Key Recommendation

Prioritize large or medium-large chamber mouthpieces. Small chambers often require pulling out too far at the neck, disrupting the horn's scale

Popular Recommendations

Classic/Vintage-Style Options (Often Preferred for Authentic Tone)

Meyer hard rubber (5M or 6M tip opening) — Frequently called a "standard" setup for vintage Conns; versatile, warm, and affordable (new or used).

Otto Link hard rubber (Tone Edge or vintage Early Babbitt; medium-large chamber models) — Provides a fat, classic jazz sound that tunes well.

Brilhart Tonalin (vintage, around 3* or similar) — Comes stock on some Chus and delivers a big, effortless tone.

Modern Options That Work Well

Vandoren V16 (A5, A6, or A7 with medium or large chamber — avoid small) → Dark and flexible; many players modify or choose larger chambers for Conns.

Morgan Vintage or similar large-chamber hard rubber pieces → Praised for intonation and depth.

Custom/refaced options like Ron Coelho, Phil Barone Jazz, or even a refaced Soloist-style for round-chamber warmth. Many players report success with these, though some note that extreme high-baffle bright pieces can cause tuning quirks unless the horn is modified (e.g., bow baffle addition).

Tip openings around 5-7 (e.g., .070-.080") are common, paired with medium-strength reeds (2.5-3.5).

Ultimately, try several if possible — vintage horns like the Chu are mouthpiece-picky, but the right one unlocks that legendary big, smoky sound.