The Conn Microtuner
Between 1922 and the 1940s, Conn manufactured saxophones with a unique tuning device on the neck (adjacent to the mouthpiece) known as the "Conn Microtuner". Instead of adjusting the tuning of the instrument by in the traditional way (moving the mouthpiece up and down the cork), Conn introduced a fixed mouthpipe, controlled by a threaded barrel which increased or decreased the length of the neck internally. To lower the pitch, the microtuner was rotated to the left. To raise the pitch the microtuner was rotated to the right. Microtuners were never particularly popular among musicians because the internal mechanism was unnecessarily complex, requiring extra cleaning and maintenance. Eventually, Conn stopped making microtuners. Since the 1950s, all new saxophones use the traditional tuning method i.e. pulling out or pushing in the mouthpiece on the cork until the pitch is correct.
In 1985 their Strobotuner division was bought by Peterson Electro-Musical Products, who continue to service their line of products.
Read more about this topic: C.G. Conn