Rediscovery of the C-Melody?

[Stacey]

Wow - suddenly I'm seeing a few C-melody saxes going for much higher prices than usual. Is this an indicator that we are finally being heard, and the world is flocking to buy our favorite saxes? Or have I just gone delusional again? :roll:


This one's at $500:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10184&item=2527674 063&rd=1

This one's at $475 and hasn't yet met reserve!:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=37977&item=2528214 372&rd=1

Finally, this one is at $383:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10184&item=2526954 114&rd=1

All three are straight-neck Conns. The first and third are nickelplated, so they of course look nice and shiny, and the second one is silverplated. They all imply that the pads are in good shape, but at least 2 of the three appear to have the original white pads, which probably need replaced.

I am obviously not in any way affiliated with any of the sellers, or I wouldn't be asking "Wow! Why are these going so high?" But - is the tide turning? Will there be a Selmer Serie III C-melody soon, or perhaps a Steve Goodson model C-melody? Maybe a bronze Yani C-melody?

[cmelodysax]

Stacey - seems like it's an affliction mostly related to the straight-necked Conns. In reality I think a few opportunists are seeing other C-Mels at high prices and going for it with great pictures etc.
Makes me glad I bought my little colony of C-Mels at the right time - but I have to say that what you finallly pay bears little resemblance to what you get....
The best C-Mel on ebay is where the single picture is dark/fuzzy. the description is 'Buescher Alto', and there is no reserve. I got my best one for peanuts, and paid good money for a 'dog'. Such is ebay :wink:

[paulwl]

2 of the 3 high bidders are from Japan. One of these (the first auction link) won at $560 since this was posted.

It could be that the Japanese collector market is turning to C-melodies since a lot of their other favorites (BA-thru-VI Selmers and domestic rarities) are now so high. Without input from some of our friends in the East, it's hard to tell.

On 2 of the auctions I noticed low-feedback bidders (3 or fewer feedbacks) jostling with each other, happily driving up the prices as newbies do.

[Stencilman]

BTW, I'd prefer that folks not bring notice to Ebay auctions here in the forum until they are over. Its a real drag when you're about to snag a great deal that is a sleeper and someone on the forum draws attention to it. And then... poof, its gone to someone with faster reflexes or a fatter wallet than I :-)

[OLDAIR]

They used to teach us about supply and demand in school. While it is true that thousands and thousands of C-Mels were built during the 20's. They did stop making them. During that time I'll bet thousands met their doom due to neglect, abuse, lamps, parts, and the owners being told for years that they were worthless - terrible insruments with no value, that sounded like a duck, and out of tune to boot. So, even though there is probably a large supply of C-Mels still out there - the supply is finite and shrinking. Unlike tenor and alto and soprano, of which there are many, many makers of instruments, both vintage and contemporary, the Conn straight neck is almost the only game in town, followed closely by the Conn curved neck. The Bueschers, Martins, Yorks and Holtons seem to have fewer proponents and you hardly ever hear of a Selmer C-Mel up for sale.

[Stacey]

Stencilman,

Sorry - I hope I didn't affect anything you were watching. In this age of $6000 Mark VI tenors, I certainly don't want to get in the way of someone getting a decent deal on something - we poor sax players deserve a financial break or two! As a rule, I wouldn't dream of calling attention to something that looks like it's going to be a real steal - because I'd want to buy it myself! I only mentioned these three horns because they seemed to be going a little unexplainably high.

OLDAIR, your comments about supply and demand are certainly true. The supply of C-mels constantly decreases - I'm sure one or two meet their doom every day. However, it has seemed that the demand for these horns was/is almost nonexistent, even when you consider that the supply of them has been shrinking constantly for about 75 years now. That has kept the price of these old beasts ABSURDLY low, IMHO.

Certainly the Conn straight necks seem to do best dollar-wise, although the Bueschers seem to do reasonably well. But $560? For a horn that seems to have its original 1920s pads, that seems about $200 higher than I can explain, unless the awesome-looking shiny nickel finish helped drive it up. (It really WAS a beauty.)

Anyway, I remain hopeful about the future production of C-mels. If the modern world has a place for a straight tenor, an Orsi contrabass, and any number of ill-conceived models of sopranino (not that I have anything against any of these instruments), then surely a market will someday exist for a new C-melody model. Maybe?

[Stencilman]

Sorry - I hope I didn't affect anything you were watching.Stacey, didn't mean to snap at you at all. Sorry if it seemed that way. I wasn't bidding on these in particular but was looking for a C-mel. I've been a little sensitive to this issue after loosing a couple of important horns that way.

I'm really thinking a C-tenor would make sense for a couple of regular gigs I have: a duo with a guitarist doing soft dinner music that requires sight reading from a large book he has compiled. I already have the C soprano and a C melody would make for an easy gig.

[Stacey]

No problem, Stencilman. I'm just glad to hear I didn't step on your toes. Truly.

One big factor seems to be the nickelplating. I saw one close at $560, then another just sold for $460, and yet another has been bid up to $535, and still hasn't met reserve! :roll:

There do seem to be others selling for more normal prices.

I'm inclined to think the momentary spike is just a fluke (buyers converging at once), rather than a long term trend, no matter how much I'd like to see a C-melody resurgence! :cry:

The truth is, I bought my C-melody for $350 using "Buy It Now", which probably means I overpaid, but I saw the horn I wanted and just didn't feel like screwing around and losing it by $0.50 in the last 3 seconds of an auction. Anyway, it was a 55xxx Conn curved neck, and I'm slowly but surely restoring it (with a little free help from people who SHOULD be charging me!). It's getting better, and will be an awesome-sounding horn.

Good luck with your hunt. So, can I assume you're not willing to wait for a Selmer Serie III C-melody? :wink:

[saxtek]

I bought my first C melody in the 1960s for $35. Since most saxes seem to cost about 10 times as much as they did then, the prices quoted in this thread don't seem too exorbitant.

That first C melody was my first big repair project, and when I finished it didn't play much better due to my inexperience. It was a Martin, and over time I got it to play very well. I sold it for $300 and later regretted the sale. A few years ago I got a good ($100) deal on another Martin and I like this one too.

[Wade2]

I've been watching these C-Melody prices on eBay for a couple of years. I saw one Buescher with Satin Gold Plate finish go for over US$800. I thought that was crazy at the time. However, I haven't seen another Gold-Plated Buescher since then and now realize that that was a reasonable price.

Most seem to go in the US$250 to US$350 range. Having a really nice finish and pretty pictures drives the price up. Lousy pictures or an "ugly" finish keeps the prices down.

The price is usually set in the last minutes of the auction with the knowledgable buyers waiting until then to bid.

I picked up a parts horn (ugly finish, broken side D key, trashed case) for US$175. It actually is a bare brass finish and could be overhauled and made playable. But, this is a parts donor for my silver-plated Buescher.

I have also seen the prices jump in July and August when un-informed buyers are trying to get cheap instruments for their kids who are starting in band. how many have bought alto or tenor saxophones only to find that they were duped and bought a c-melody?

Of course, my dream line up is a C-Soprano, C-Melody (C-Tenor) and a C-Bass saxophone. I have the first two and may someday find the third!

http://home1.gte.net/wwalker/cmelody.htm

[paulwl]

how many have bought alto or tenor saxophones only to find that they were duped and bought a c-melody?
Me. But I duped myself! I eBayed a sensational looking mint silver Buescher "sax" numbered 256xxx. Pictures showing the little "sugar spoon" fork F# key made me sure it was a tenor (most Buescher Cs have a rod key with a big pad around the back of the horn). Imagine my surprise to find a very late C melody (1930) in absolutely pristine condition, right down to shiny black original mouthpiece and eminently playable Snap-In pads! I call it my "Serendipity C." :D

[paulwl]

Another thing to keep in mind is the tremendous rise in popularity of churches with praise teams instead of just organ and choir. C melodies are a natural for these groups. As a secular (jazz) player, I can assure you it's not jazz people flocking to these horns in such numbers. Pro users are still few. Always have been.

$175 for a PARTS horn. Yeesh.

[Wade2]

All I needed was a neck. But, custom necks start at over US$400, so the parts horn seemed cheap. Besides, I now have parts for my two other Buescher C-Melody saxes, and one interesting lamp! :D