Need help to identified old C mel

[Cliff Ryan]

Hi all, first time in this chat.
After more than 40 years on this planet I decided to start playing the sax about 7 months ago.
I have ended up with a family treasure which is a C melody. My father tells me it belonged to his uncle who died in 1940 and my father can recall his uncle playing it accompanied by a piano in about 1930 and onwards (till 1940). All this fits in with the families general feeling the instrument is somewhere over 80 years old. I dont believe it was new when my fathers uncle first owned it.
It has the following characterisitcs -
* made by V Kohlert's & Sons, Graslitz, Czechoslovakia
* silver in colour
* NO serial number on it anywhere (a bit odd ?)
* I would describe it (in my limited experience) as having a curved neck.
I am looking at moving onto a more modern Alto in the near future but am very interested in the history of the C mel and with most of its pads replaced 7 months ago performs reasonably even with an Alto mouthpiece.

[mosplace]

Kohlert was a very traditional good saxophone company. They started building saxophones in the beginning of 1900.the qualitiy of these horns was very good.
From 1909-ca.1925 Kohlert kicked out Evette Schaeffer and started to build saxophones for H.N.White King until King started producing saxophones by themself.
So you got a good horn. Hang on to it. There are not a lot of c-melodys around anymore compared to other vintage horns. They have their own very special charm. I would never sell it.
That is has no serial number is not that odd. It could have belonged to a Kohlert employee who has left Graslitze during the WWII and emigrated to the USA or in the past the companys sometimes sold these horns "under the table". The didn´t occure in any books so they didn´t have to declare them. You know what i mean?

[spiderjames]

A kohlert C-melody is in my mind a reasonably rare horn as the C-melody craze was I believe mostly an American phenomenon. Most of the C-melodies seen are american companies with the Conns probably being the most common. I've personally never seen a Kohlert C-mel. Definitely keep it. the relative rarity and the family history make it a real family treasure for sure. Saxpics.com has info that can help you place an opprox. date of manufacture based on the fact that it is a Kohlert and Sons. late 20's-30's is probably right on the mark. Some Kohlert and Son horns were Keilwerth stencils and have the "Best in the World" logo on them. now a Keilwerth C-melody stencil would be something very unusual.

[Cliff Ryan]

All

Thanks very much for all your replies re my C mel.
As I understand it, in Australia in the pre television days and around the war years, it was very popular to have family gaterings on a Sunday around the piano and have group "sing songs".
Again as I understand it, is where the C Mel was popular as it is in the same key as the piano(someone correct me if I am wrong)
This is where at least in my family my C Mel was used. To suplement the piano in the family sing song.
One other thing that came with the sax was 2 of its original mouth pieces. One has no markings but the other is marked with-
Besson & Co, 198 Euston Road London, England.
Unfortunately, someone in my family thought they knew a lot about mouthpiece modification as both mouthpieces have been modified to the extreme (filed, machined, you name it) and not even a tenor reed is wide enough to fit it.
Thanks again for your help and as I am firing off e mails to all sorts of web sites seeking info if I come across any more interesting information I will pass it on to you all.

[bruce bailey]

My father was 45 years old before he ever played an Alto or Tenor as the C Melody was all that was popular in rural america in the 20s. Back then every home had a piano and thus the ability to play along with your family was the big selling point for the C. Although I find them to be rather stuffy, they are a nice change. Try finding a proper C mouthpiece or at least a Tenor for the Alto piece is just too small. The "Woodwind and Brasswind" here in the states has several brands listed and even some of the high end makers like Morgan are offering mouthpieces now.

[Cliff Ryan]

Bruce

Thanks for the reply to my message.
I have to date found it rather difficult to find someone to speak to in person re sax's in general and especially the C mel.
I now believe I have found someone located about 2 hours away from us who has guided me to others. And it goes on.
Anyway, to cut a long story short I have also been told to go for the tenor mpc as this is the closest I will get to an original C mel mpc.
This will be the way I go eventually and I agree the Alto mpc is not right. I would describe it as to "tinny" or high pitched.
Of couse I find I need to make the mpc swap just after I go out and buy a heap of different Alto reeds.
Always the way.