C melody for returning player?

[sax rookie]

So here's the deal...
I am a returning player after a 20 year "vacation". My wife has picked up an acoustic guitar and asks me to play along with her. I have an alto which I get to play only when I can find the time, which here lately is rarely. My tone and sight reading are still fairly good, but where I really lack is in my transposing and theory. I have to confess that I sincerely doubt I will ever have the time to relearn all of this. Considering most of my playing will be for fun around the house with freinds on a guitar and piano, the fact that while the music book is open and there for all to read, I am unable to play along due to these shortcomings.

Now the questions...
What about a C melody?
What are a few names I should look for on Ebay?
Any 'honest' online retailers out there?
Could a decent tenor mouthpiece play on it?
Whats an average price for a C melody that is in good shape?
Do you own one that you need to unload at an incredibly low price because you need the money and are sympathic to my cause?

(I had to ask, it never hurts)

Is picking up a C melody like buying a Corvair car, a cool fun ride but good luck finding service or parts?

Any thoughts are welcome

[Doc Frazier]

Hi. Email me at docfraz AT juno DOT com I can help you with a horn and service

[OLDAIR]

A c-melody might wuit your purposes just find - you can read off your wifes sheet music without transposing. Improvising is Improvising.

Look for a Conn Straight neck with a serial number above 145,XXX
There are other good C-melodies but I don't think you can go wrong with this suggestion.

There are several honest on-line retailers. Expect to pay 2 to 3 times as much for a horn from them. The advantage is that all the work should already have been done.

Regarding mouthpieces - see the thread below with about 400 or so messages. The short answer to your question is Yes, but......

On Ebay you can find what you are looking for in the range of $250 to $500 if you are patient and lucky. I would advise you to be patient - and lucky!

Mine is not for sale. It is a nickle plated Conn Straight Neck that I play with a modified (shaft shortened by 1/4 inch) Rico Graftonite A5 Tenor mouthpiece and a Morgan Protone.

[OLDAIR]

I meant to type "suit your purposes just fine" !!!!

[cmelodysax]

Oldair, apologies for disrupting the thread, but how do you find your nickle/nickel horn sounds ? I have a Nickle Conn C-Mel ( came with the wrong 'curved' neck ) which has a totally different sound - much clearer and crisper, more 'workable' - than the other silver or lacquer Conns I have.
It'll be nice to play it again once I get the bell back on - don't ask !
--
And yes, returning to the topic, C-Mel is ideal for a 'returning sax player', I play them a lot and because I'm only 5'3" everyone thinks the curved-neck stencil I usually play is really a tenor !

Check out the C-Mel forum at
http://boards.eesite.com/board.cgi?boardset=cmelody
- often C-Mels are offered, may be safer than ebay, but not as pricey as a dealer. Plus you'll pick up gallons of info, and e-meet some really nice people.

Regards, Alan.

[OLDAIR]

When I started looking for a C-Mel, I bought two of them and swapped the pads out and adjusted them to the point where they both were playable. One was a nickle-plated Conn 'Chu' and the other was a Conn Pre-Chu, both with straight necks and micro-tuners. The main difference physically was the octave key. I then took them to a friends studio and played the same riffs on both of them. I then had him play the clips back to me while I kept my eyes closed. Every time I chose the Nickle-plated sax over the silver one. It was simply clearer, more articulate, and lyrical. The silver sax had more guts to it, a slightly rougher tone and more spread versus focused sound I think. The differences were not unpleasant, but the octave mechanism of the nickle sax was clearly superior. (Is it nickle or nickel?) I've been very happy with it and for my purposes, its sound suited me better. Your mileage may vary!

I have since acquired a silver Pan American, curved neck Conn that was in rough shape. I'm getting it dipped and putting on all new springs and pads. It was in pretty sorry shape and took forever to get all the rods and springs loose from years of corrosion and neglect. It will probably be a few more months before it is playable!

[OLDAIR]

Oh, yes. One was nickle and the OTHER one was silver plate with gold wash.

[Wade2]

Check out the c-melody site as well as the previously mention forum at http://home1.gte.net/wwalker/cmelody.htm

:D