[EsbSpecial]

I started playing with a punk band a few months back and they have been getting really into having a horn in their sound. As they are a punk band, most of their venues are rather...sketchy to say the least. I went to one party and was afraid to take my horn out of the truck in fear that it would be destroyed, have beer spilt on it, stolen...you know, the sort of things that happen at punk shows. I needed something that I didn't give a damn about.

Enter a $100 Selman tenor bought off a coworker. Standard crappy Ebay horn. Horrid, horrid ergos. Add a high baffle mouthpiece and it will cut through anything. Intonation has its rough spots, tone leaves a bunch to be desired, but it still sounds like a saxophone. Perfect for sketchy punk gigs. Save the real horn for the studio/gigs that don't involve somebody's basement.

I played my first party with it on the 4th, and damned if it didn't work out perfectly. She was screaming through the set, plus the fact that it is really shiny helped. Actually caught a guy trying to walk out of the gig with it after our set. I approached him, laughed for a bit, got the horn back no problem. If it had been my 10m on the other hand....

Just goes to show that every POS horn, no matter what it may be, does have it's uses.

 

[Grumps]

Actually caught a guy trying to walk out of the gig with it after our set. I approached him, laughed for a bit, got the horn back no problem.

For only a hundred bucks, it would have been worth it to beat him over the head with the horn. Would have fit the venue, as well as deter future attempts of theft.

 

[EsbSpecial]

I would have looked the badass, too. Good point. Damn my hipster sensibilities!

 

[whaler]

Actually caught a guy trying to walk out of the gig with it after our set.

He was trying to do you a favor.

 

[maddenma]

Even eBay has a warning on these....

http://reviews.ebay.com/Buying-a-Sax_W0QQugidZ10000000001698711

A club can be a venue, but a sax can also be a club.

 

[bruce bailey]

Was his name Henri Selman?

 

[Randall]

Why not craft a speculum out of it and send it to Dominic?

 

[EsbSpecial]

Was his name Henri Selman?

It was Harry, actually, now that you mention it....

 

[saxmusicguy]

Actually caught a guy trying to walk out of the gig with it after our set.

Wow. I wonder how often this actually happens (i.e. horn stolen during a gig).

 

[whaler]

Wow. I wonder how often this actually happens (i.e. horn stolen during a gig).

After a civilian walked up to me at a restaurant gig and asked me the serial number of my horn, it started staying home more. I kid you not, I had a guy sweeping up at an outdoor gig the other day ask me if my horn was a Selmer. My old Yanagisawa gets a lot more playing time than it used to. I don't know if I could stoop to a Selman. I have to have something that plays in tune or it would drive me nuts and probably wear me out trying to adjust to it.

 

[EsbSpecial]

Wow. I wonder how often this actually happens (i.e. horn stolen during a gig).

LOTS.

I have the Selman until I can justify (mostly to my wife) spending the loot on an old Yamaha, early Bundy or other horn if I can get it on the cheap. I can't practice with the Selman mostly because it is a complete POS and drives me nuts; nessessity says to take it to sketchy gigs. I had a beautiful Martin Committe I used to play out all of the time until it disappeared after a party with another band. It was eventually found, but had been abused so much that the tube was twisted and all of the tone holes were leaking. I wound up selling it to my repair guy so he had something to teach soldered tone holes to his new apprentice. Such a pity, as a huge Martin sound would be PERFECT with the band I am playing with now.

Great. Now I have Martin fever again.

 

[whaler]

I guess the apprentice didn't do a good enough job to buy it back.

 

[Grumps]

...a huge Martin sound would be PERFECT with the band I am playing with now.

If you've got an eye for stencil horns, you might find a Handcraft stencil tenor on Ebay for less than four bills. They'll have all that great Martin sound, and maybe even a bit more gritty as well.

 

[Dr G]

I kid you not, I had a guy sweeping up at an outdoor gig the other day ask me if my horn was a Selmer.

Not all aspiring jazz musicians can get jobs waiting tables.

 

[EsbSpecial]

I guess the apprentice didn't do a good enough job to buy it back.

The poor horn was relegated to wall hanging status about 4 years ago thanks to the extent of damage dealt to it when it went AWOL on me.

I have never had luck with Handcrafts. I'll have to have a look-see...

 

[bruce bailey]

I have a cure for your lack of a Martin. PM me.