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I regret to inform you that on April 30, 2012, this site will cease to exist. Microsoft has decided to discontinue their produce Microsoft Office Live--Small Business, which is the platform used for this site. I do not have the time, energy or money needed to transfer to their replacement product.


This is the
CONN ELECTRIC GUITARS
Unofficial Web Site 2007--2012
I DO NOT PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF VALUE FOR GUITARS. PLEASE READ WHY (CLICK HERE). 


ABOUT THIS SITE
Information on this site is constructed primarily from published information or input from third parties.  The site owner has built several resources, such as spreadsheets, etc.  THE SITE IS UPDATED ANY TIME THAT NEW VERIFIABLE INFORMATION IS DISCOVERED.  All information is presented free of charge.

HERE YOU WILL FIND:
- PHOTOS
- HISTORY & FACTS
- KNOWN MODELS
- STATISTICS
- LINKS TO CONNS FOR SALE (Located on Conn Acoustic Guitars Page)
 
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. NO FEES ARE CHARGED AND NO DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.


PHOTOS
PHOTO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The below listed individuals have submitted photos or links to photos of their Conn electric guitars.  Below, you can view the entire photo library or you can click on the underlined individuals' name links to see individual owners' photos.
 
 
INDIVIDUAL OWNER'S PHOTOS:
 
CSB-1 (Bass)
Steve H - Conn CSB-1 Bass 
 
CSB-7 (Bass)
Randy Santiman - Conn CSB-7 Bass
 
CSE-2
William Zweitzig -- USA - Conn CSE-2V
eBay Listing 250574769916 - Bountiful, UT - Conn CSE-2
(YOUR NAME HERE)
 
CSE-35
Bob Peart -- South Lake Tahoe, CA - Conn CSE-35
(YOUR NAME HERE)
 
CSE-4
eBay Listing 170509004787 - Conn CSE-4B
eBay Listing 140393117237 - Conn CSE-4B
Aaron Foland -- Northeast USA - Conn CSE-4B
Aaron Foland -- Northeast USA - Conn CSE-4V
Rick Hurlburt -- Connecticut USA - Conn CSE-4V
Richard Wheeler -- Western Missouri - Conn CSE-4V
(YOUR NAME HERE)
 
CSE-5 
James Daubney -- USA - Conn CSE-5
Walt Johnson -- Valdosta, GA - Conn CSE-5
Jay Johnson - South-Central Wisconsin - Conn CSE-5
(YOUR NAME HERE)
 
CSE-7
Larrry Biller -- Portland, OR - Conn CSE-7 (pictures are forthcoming)
(YOUR NAME HERE)
 
CSE-???

HISTORY AND FACTS

CONN ELECTRIC GUITARS BRIEF HISTORY
Conn electric guitars may have only been made in 1980.  This short run of electrics followed Conn's departure from making acoustic guitars from 1969 through 1978.  It is thought that the attempt to enter the booming electric guitar market was a "last hurrah" attempt to capture some the market in the burgeoning electric guitar sales of the 70's and 80's.  However, it was probably too little too late since many other manufacturers, who had seen the opportunity much earlier on, had already captured the loyalty of followers for their brands (examples, "big brands" Fender, Gibson, Washburn, etc).  The quality of the electric guitars in the Conn line was rather good.  Both quality and price were competitive with that of the big brands, but sales were too low for this essentially "introductory" line of guitars, so the project was scrapped.
 
This is all of the historical information that is currently known about G.C. Conn company's line of electric guitars. However, as new information is discovered, it will be included here.
 
G.C.Conn also had spinoff electric guitar brands which may have even continued on after the actual CONN brand was dropped.  These spinoff brands--which may have actually become independent--are not not the subject of this web site (spinoffs include the brands "Continental" and "Drifter" and possibly others). No information will be included on this site about any of Conn's other brands.


 
< CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A FULL-SIZED COPY OF THIS AD
      (COURTESY OF JIM DAUBNEY)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

STATISTICS/MODEL INFORMATION

KNOWN MODELS OF CONN ELECTRIC GUITARS
Several models were produced.  These are the only I have been able to find out about to date, and may actually be all there is.   All were known as the "C" Series.
 
CSE-2V - 6-String Electric (Violin Color)
Styled with some similarity to Fender's Stratocaster model,
but features a through-body neck design:
Mfr's Catalog Pictures:  Front, Back
 
 
CSE-2W - 6-String Electric (Wine Color)
(Your Name Here)
 
CSE-2 - 6-String Electric (Natural)
(Your Name Here)
 
CSE-35
Styled with similarities to Gibson's ES-335 model
(Your Name Here)
 
 
CSE-4E, CSE-4M, CSE-4V
Styled with similarities to Gibson's Les Paul models:
(Your Name Here)
 
 
CSE-5
Uniquely designed double cutaway with through-body neck design
(Your Name Here)
 
 
CSE-7M, CSE-7N
Styled with similarities to Fender's Telecaster Model
(except the CSE-7 features a double-cutaway): 
(Your Name Here)
 
Bass:
CSB-7 - 4-String Bass
(Your Name Here)
 
 
CSB-1 - 4-String Bass
(Your Name Here)
 
 

MODEL-SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND STATS SHEET
 
Information in the viewable or downloadable stats sheet is taken from an actual 1980 catalog and from owners.
 
Feel free to download this file to your computer by clicking on the picture below.  Doing so however carries with it a promise to not use or copy the data into any other web site or publication, and to not modify the data in any way without written permission from the webmaster of this site ("Contact Me").
 

MODEL NAMING
MODEL NAMES WERE NOT ALWAYS CONSISTENT AS SEEN BELOW...
 
FIRST SET OF THREE LETTERS IS THE GUITAR TYPE (EXAMPLE - CSE, CSB = CONN STANDARD ELECTRIC, OR CONN STANDARD BASS)
 
SECOND SET OF NUMBERS/LETTERS = NUMBER DESCRIBES THE BODY STYLE,
LETTER DESCRIBES THE BODY COLOR (EXAMPLE):
 
-2V = BODY STYLE #2, "VIOLIN" COLOR
-4M = BODY STYLE #4, M=METALLIC PAINT;
-7M = BODY STYLE #7, M=MAHOGANY
ETC...

SAMPLE MUSIC PLAYED ON CONN
Attached here are two original tracks written by and played on a Conn CSE-5 by David Loring. David has made these tracks available for download.  They are GREAT LISTENING, and they demonstrate the great quality of the CSE-5:
"The sound goes from chimey Strat to almost a Les Paul fat. I have an mp3 of an original tune called Winter Dance I could send you if you like. The guitar is played using the neck p.u. single coil tap through a Digitech GSP 21 Legend to A Mackie Onyx to disc. Another tune I did called Mr. Kelley's is for an old jazz venue in Chicago. Never played there, but I used to play in the area (Rush St.) at the Earl of Olde Towne. On that tune I used the neck p.u. in humbucking double coil mode going through a Digitech 2120 then the rest of the previous chain. Sounds a lot like an old Les Paul Jr. that way." - David Loring
WINTER DANCE <<CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
MR. KELLEY'S <<CLICK TO DOWNOLAD

CONN GUITARS FOR SALE

CONTENT CONTRIBUTIONS
INFORMATION NEEDED
IF YOU ARE VIEWING THIS PAGE AND HAVE INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF CONN GUITAR OWNERS (verifiable history of Conn Guitars, pictures, model information, etc), PLEASE USE THE CONTACT ME LINK TO SEND YOUR INFORMATION.  I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE SOURCES UNLESS ANONYMITY IS REQUESTED.
 
ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY YOU WILL BECOME PUBLIC DOMAIN.

ATTENTION:
FORMER CONN GUITAR RESELLERS/EMPLOYEES
and
CURRENT OWNERS:
 
ARE YOU A FORMER CONN GUITAR DIVISION EMPLOYEE WHO WORKED IN OAKBROOK, ILLINOIS, OR ARE YOU A FORMER CONN GUITAR RESELLER IN THE TIME PERIOD FROM 1969 THROUGH 1981?  OR ARE YOU A CURRENT OWNER WITH INFORMATION NOT DISCUSSED ON THIS SITE?  IF YOU ARE, WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU!!!
 
YOU MAY HAVE IMPORTANT FACTUAL HISTORY THAT ALL CURRENT CONN OWNERS CAN BENEFIT FROM.  FACTUAL DATA IS NEEDED ABOUT SUCH THINGS AS
(EXAMPLES):
 
1) WHAT FACTORIES ACTUALLY BUILT CONN ELECTRIC GUITARS?
 
2) ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY HISTORY THAT IS NOT STATED HEREIN?
  
ANY OTHER INFO...PLEASE CLICK ON THE CONTACT LINK. THANK YOU!!!

LAST UPDATED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2012