Sax on the Web Forum

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / The Martin Baritone

Back 20 Messages

Ben
User ID: 8952923 Apr 6th 5:37 PM
Just picked up a Martin Baritone, any comments good or bad would be appreciatted. Suggestions for what type of pads to use would also be helpful.

Alan G.
User ID: 1348824 May 7th 12:19 PM
mark m. - try a Selmer C*. Very smooth, works well on my Martin - just a bit toooo smooth (like ice cream!).

birdman - a 202xxx is typical "The Martin Baritone". You will like it! BUT - be aware that these horns DO NOT have the righthand side F# key. Not a big problem - but it'd be a surprise the first time you play it! Don't pay too much - and check the engraving really close to make sure that it hasn't been over-buffed.

Also - as the comments in this thread indicate - you have to find the right MP to go with the horn. The modern MP's (small chambered) seem to have intonation problems - especially the higher notes...

mark m
User ID: 8708523 May 9th 12:40 PM
Ah, I checked back too late, just ordered a Runyon 88 in a #7 to cover that end of things. Well, if that doesn't do it I'll check out the Selmer - thanks.

Other end of the spectrum I'm also ordering up a JJ "Custom" in a #10. If nothing else, I know these two will get me up and running. Thanks all for the suggestions!

soreliprick
User ID: 0366544 May 9th 11:08 PM
I've got a Runyon 88 #5 that came with my '37 searchlight and it seems to hold tune ok, not very loud. I picked up a silver Guy Hawkins #8 for that. It took some getting use to but now its holding tune as well, and loud as $#&%%$# even with old rivet pads that came with it. Noyuk, Noyuk, my birthday's coming up..

mark m.
User ID: 1195644 May 10th 2:26 PM
Yeah I'm hoping the 88's not loud, don't anticipate needing it to be loud as I will be playing this piece mostly in the privacy of my home:)

MPL
User ID: 0032624 Jul 22nd 2:57 PM
I just bought a relacquered, much younger The Martin baritone, #305XXX. It's got nickel silver keywork but seems to bark as well as any I've heard.

I'm thinking about hot-rodding it with stainless steel springs, Noyeks, etc. Is this vintage of Martin baritone worth tricking out like this, or would I be trying to teach the proverbial pig to sing?

MBushaw
User ID: 1871394 Jul 22nd 4:14 PM
Played a Martin bari last week. Very happy horn that really wanted to sing. But I found that my left hand was wrapped way around. I only played for an hour, but my wrist was very sore afterwards. Played in a sitting position with horn on side. Is this left wrist angle normal on Martins or was something out of adjustment?

Bari Martin
User ID: 1850204 Jul 24th 8:56 PM
MBushaw: This is normal on all 'The Martin' (#150,000 and up) saxes. You just have to push your wrist joint forward and arch your fingers. You'll find the palm keys really fall under your hand nicely then.
MPL; Does your bari have 'Magna' on the bell with a silver cross-shaped decoration?

MPL
User ID: 0471064 Jul 25th 12:00 AM
Nope...not the Holy Grail of Martins at all, just a very late-model Committee - 1967ish if you believe the serial number chart.

Hence my question. Comparing it to some of the older, 200XXX vintage Martin baritones I've seen, it looks more like a step down with those nickel-plated keys - rather like an intermediate model than a pro level horn. But it does sound good!

Bari Martin
User ID: 7141623 Jul 25th 5:33 PM
MPL; Does it have 'Elkhart' on the bell or 'Kenosha'? If Elkhart, it's one of the last 'The Martin' baris from Elkhart. If Kenosha, it was still made with the same tooling, but after LeBlanc took over. Either way, it's the same horn, nickel keys or not.

MPL
User ID: 0471064 Jul 25th 7:53 PM
This one's from Elkhart. It also has the entire name, "The Martin Baritone" and "Committee" underneath, just above the Elkhart, Indiana engraving.

So how does this one compare to the older, 200XXX horns?

The Martin
User ID: 0143424 Jul 26th 1:24 AM
It was allways my understanding that there is little or none difference between early and late the Martins. (Be it alto, tenor or Bari)

All hear say ofcourse. Haven't got the pleasure of being able to A-B them.

Nickel plated keys don't allways mean cheap. In fact a lot of martin pro-models feature these.

MPL
User ID: 0032624 Jul 26th 10:15 AM
There are a few seemingly minor differences in the keywork that I can see, and I'm comparing this 305XXX to a borrowed 200XXX. For example, on the 200XXX the side Bb and C key cups have circular openings for the rocker arm lever. On the 305XXX those openings are much narrower and elliptical in shape.

On the 200XXX, the end of the rocker arm that moves those key cups is covered by plastic tubing, and on the 305XXX it's a thin layer of cork. Mechanically, the cork is not only thinner than the tubing, but looks like it would be more subject to wear from the upper and lower edges of the key arm opening than the relatively durable plastic tubing would be.

It's a little thing, I know, but add up a bunch of little things like that and you get a horn that needs adjustment more frequently. Either way, it's not a big deal to me.

Back 20 Messages

Ben User ID: 8952923	Apr 6th 5:37 PM Just picked up a Martin Baritone, any comments good or bad would be appreciatted. Suggestions for what type of pads to use would also be helpful.
Alan G. User ID: 1348824	May 7th 12:19 PM mark m. - try a Selmer C*. Very smooth, works well on my Martin - just a bit toooo smooth (like ice cream!). birdman - a 202xxx is typical "The Martin Baritone". You will like it! BUT - be aware that these horns DO NOT have the righthand side F# key. Not a big problem - but it'd be a surprise the first time you play it! Don't pay too much - and check the engraving really close to make sure that it hasn't been over-buffed. Also - as the comments in this thread indicate - you have to find the right MP to go with the horn. The modern MP's (small chambered) seem to have intonation problems - especially the higher notes...
mark m User ID: 8708523	May 9th 12:40 PM Ah, I checked back too late, just ordered a Runyon 88 in a #7 to cover that end of things. Well, if that doesn't do it I'll check out the Selmer - thanks. Other end of the spectrum I'm also ordering up a JJ "Custom" in a #10. If nothing else, I know these two will get me up and running. Thanks all for the suggestions!
soreliprick User ID: 0366544	May 9th 11:08 PM I've got a Runyon 88 #5 that came with my '37 searchlight and it seems to hold tune ok, not very loud. I picked up a silver Guy Hawkins #8 for that. It took some getting use to but now its holding tune as well, and loud as $#&%%$# even with old rivet pads that came with it. Noyuk, Noyuk, my birthday's coming up..
mark m. User ID: 1195644	May 10th 2:26 PM Yeah I'm hoping the 88's not loud, don't anticipate needing it to be loud as I will be playing this piece mostly in the privacy of my home:)
MPL User ID: 0032624	Jul 22nd 2:57 PM I just bought a relacquered, much younger The Martin baritone, #305XXX. It's got nickel silver keywork but seems to bark as well as any I've heard. I'm thinking about hot-rodding it with stainless steel springs, Noyeks, etc. Is this vintage of Martin baritone worth tricking out like this, or would I be trying to teach the proverbial pig to sing?
MBushaw User ID: 1871394	Jul 22nd 4:14 PM Played a Martin bari last week. Very happy horn that really wanted to sing. But I found that my left hand was wrapped way around. I only played for an hour, but my wrist was very sore afterwards. Played in a sitting position with horn on side. Is this left wrist angle normal on Martins or was something out of adjustment?
Bari Martin User ID: 1850204	Jul 24th 8:56 PM MBushaw: This is normal on all 'The Martin' (#150,000 and up) saxes. You just have to push your wrist joint forward and arch your fingers. You'll find the palm keys really fall under your hand nicely then. MPL; Does your bari have 'Magna' on the bell with a silver cross-shaped decoration?
MPL User ID: 0471064	Jul 25th 12:00 AM Nope...not the Holy Grail of Martins at all, just a very late-model Committee - 1967ish if you believe the serial number chart. Hence my question. Comparing it to some of the older, 200XXX vintage Martin baritones I've seen, it looks more like a step down with those nickel-plated keys - rather like an intermediate model than a pro level horn. But it does sound good!
Bari Martin User ID: 7141623	Jul 25th 5:33 PM MPL; Does it have 'Elkhart' on the bell or 'Kenosha'? If Elkhart, it's one of the last 'The Martin' baris from Elkhart. If Kenosha, it was still made with the same tooling, but after LeBlanc took over. Either way, it's the same horn, nickel keys or not.
MPL User ID: 0471064	Jul 25th 7:53 PM This one's from Elkhart. It also has the entire name, "The Martin Baritone" and "Committee" underneath, just above the Elkhart, Indiana engraving. So how does this one compare to the older, 200XXX horns?
The Martin User ID: 0143424	Jul 26th 1:24 AM It was allways my understanding that there is little or none difference between early and late the Martins. (Be it alto, tenor or Bari) All hear say ofcourse. Haven't got the pleasure of being able to A-B them. Nickel plated keys don't allways mean cheap. In fact a lot of martin pro-models feature these.
MPL User ID: 0032624	Jul 26th 10:15 AM There are a few seemingly minor differences in the keywork that I can see, and I'm comparing this 305XXX to a borrowed 200XXX. For example, on the 200XXX the side Bb and C key cups have circular openings for the rocker arm lever. On the 305XXX those openings are much narrower and elliptical in shape. On the 200XXX, the end of the rocker arm that moves those key cups is covered by plastic tubing, and on the 305XXX it's a thin layer of cork. Mechanically, the cork is not only thinner than the tubing, but looks like it would be more subject to wear from the upper and lower edges of the key arm opening than the relatively durable plastic tubing would be. It's a little thing, I know, but add up a bunch of little things like that and you get a horn that needs adjustment more frequently. Either way, it's not a big deal to me.