Conn New Wonder II Tenor "Chu Berry"

The Conn New Wonder II (often nicknamed "Chu Berry," though not officially) is a vintage tenor saxophone from the 1920s-early 1930s known for its big, dark, complex tone and large bore. It pairs best with large-chamber mouthpieces to enhance its natural spread and power while maintaining good intonation—smaller chambers or high-baffle pieces can cause tuning issues or make the horn sound stuffy/thin.

Top Recommendations

Otto Link hard rubber (vintage or modern large-chamber models, e.g., 6*-8* tip opening) — A classic match for vintage Conns, delivering a fat, warm jazz tone with excellent response.

Meyer hard rubber (5M-7M) — Affordable, versatile, and brings out the horn's depth without brightness overload.

Morgan large-chamber hard rubber — Praised for huge sound and quality rubber; vintage-inspired models work exceptionally well.

Vandoren V16 large-chamber (e.g., T6-T8 with M or L chamber) — Modern option that tames intonation while keeping the dark core.

Pillinger "Chu" model (custom by Ed Pillinger) — Highly regarded as one of the best modern replicas for NWII/Chu horns, if you can find one (rare/expensive).

Jody Jazz Giant or similar large-chamber pieces — For a slightly more contemporary edge while respecting the vintage character.

Vintage hard rubber pieces (e.g., old Brilhart, Buescher, or Conn's own Steelay/Eagle) also suit beautifully if you're going for an authentic 1920s-30s sound.

Tips

Start with a medium-large tip opening (6*-8*) and medium-strength reeds to balance ease of playing with projection.

The horn can be mouthpiece-picky, so trying several in person (or from retailers with return policies) is ideal.

For brighter tones (e.g., bebop/modern jazz), some players use pieces like SYOS signatures or refaced Dukoff-style, but stick closer to large-chamber designs to avoid intonation problems.

Professional players strongly associated with playing Conn New Wonder (or closely related "Chu Berry"-era) tenors include:

• Chu Berry himself (though on a Transitional Conn, his name became synonymous with the style of these vintage Conns).

  
  

• Coleman Hawkins (the pioneering "father of the tenor sax" is often linked to early Conns before switching primarily to Selmer in the mid-1930s onward; he played Conn models during parts of his career).

  
  

• Modern players who have used or featured them include Joe Lovano (known for a video playing one with an incredible sound), Troy Roberts (who has played a New Wonder II tenor in performances), and others like Michael Blake, Trygve Seim, and Walter Blanding (who have been noted as Conn players.