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Begin drooling, c melody afficionados!
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I picked up the exact horn on ebay a few years ago with the original white pads and looked to be unused. Really nice but I paid about $950 for mine. THEN I got a full pearl Virtuoso in burnished gold here on SOTW that is REALLY purty. If the one on ebay can be bought for under about $750, should be a deal. Downside is that I don't see mention of the case which can be a deal breaker. That mouthpiece is much later and may be for an alto or tenor.
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Good to know that we are not alone in our appreciation for C tenors....someone in the 1920s was also so enamoured as to specify such a beautiful and expensive instrument....sheer jewellery.
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Whaler...its getting expensive to throw gas on a fire 
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Correct....delightful as they are to play, this example is almost too good to place in the sweaty paws of the average sax player. :bluewink:
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Neither am I (kind of) serious.
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Bruce, with shipping to the UK quoted as "$66.45 USPS Priority Mail International", you are almost certainly right. $90-$100 is the norm including case weight for a C to the UK by Priority mail, assuming sensible packing.
Hmmm, I have a lovely empty Conn C-Mel case - I'll just keep an eye on it ! Aaahhh - just read the listing thoroughly, quote "Although there is no case...."
Grumps - I had an earlier Conn Portrait C, the previous model, straight toneholes and tenor style (no microtuner) neck. Exactly same engraving, but a bit more worn. Re-homed to another C enthusiast in the UK, yes there is more than one of us :bluewink:, it scrubbed up nicely though !
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1,323 Posts
I need to sell my Conn NWII C tenor, sadly. It is a near-perfect 203k in silver plate with the best overhaul you can get from Charles Gray, the sax whisperer. I am not sure how much to ask for it. I was thinking $550? That one is gorgeous, but I vastly prefer the later horns, although they are super rare.
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I find that the older ones with the non-rolled tone holes can be a real bugger to repad. It seems that Conn faced the always open tone holes, like the stacks, but didn't file the palm and side key (always closed) holes as well. I think their assumption was that the soft white pillow pads would squish down enough to seat. I end up having to reface these holes each time.
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686 Posts
$550 is a great price for someone in the market for a Conn c-mel, especially one that is set up. If you are a patient type my guess is you could get $750 for it on ebay if you put it up there with say, a $750 buyitnow price and lots of pictures and good description and then patiently wait for the buyer to come along. There will be a buyer...
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Does not sound unreasonable....especially if you have fully engraved it.
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Those Conns (especially with the portrait nudes) were the most beautiful looking horns of the 20s. I sold a girlie alto a while back, but I hate to be critical (opinion time) but the Conn altos, tenors, sopranos, baritones, and basses were great, BUT the C melodys sound tubby vs. the tenor-like Martins or the alto-like Holtons. I'm sure this will start an argument, but as previously discussed here, many players agree with this point. I have re-built all the American C melodys and find the Conn to be somewhat dull sounding, even with a decent mouthpiece. However, the plating, build quality, and engraving put them at the top with a few others. Let Conn Hell break loose on Jazzbug!
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Have no fears JB; most of us here who have experience of C tenors will agree wholeheartedly with you.
There ARE differences in tonal response between ostensibly "same size" horns from the various manufacturers....probably more so in the case of the C tenors.
I have three Bb tenors from different manufacturers & of various vintages. Whilst there are perceivably differences between them, they are all unmistakably Bb tenors.
This is not the case with C tenors however.....I have owned & played Buescher, King, Conn & Martin examples. The Buescher & Kings are clearly different from their Bb & Eb siblings....a different voice, but can be coaxed to imitate either a tenor or alto dependent upon the player's preference.
The Martin C tenor however has the timbre of a Bb tenor which can be persuaded (reluctantly) to sound like a C tenor.
The Conn C tenor, by contrast, is an extended alto.
I do not know (or care) why this is so....I do not wish to get into the minutiae of bore tapers or tenon diameters....all I want is to play them.
Although I own horns in most sizes I choose to play the C tenor.....but, with a strong personal bias to the tenor style, the most tenor like C tenor......ie. the Martin....no question.
Some years ago, before I had played a Martin, I decided to make MY C tenor &, because of the good ergonomics (& despite the rolled tone holes!) I chose the Conn....although I had never played one.
Over a period of months I put a considerable amount of work into modifying the horn that I would play for the rest of my life....MY horn.
Within a matter of months it was on eBay...it was, as you say JB, an alto with some low notes....not at all what I wanted.
I understand that the Holton is even more alto-like.
I repeat....comparing the manufacturers, there are greater differences between their C tenor offerings than their tenors or altos. At least....that's my experience.
There ARE differences in tonal response between ostensibly "same size" horns from the various manufacturers....probably more so in the case of the C tenors.
I have three Bb tenors from different manufacturers & of various vintages. Whilst there are perceivably differences between them, they are all unmistakably Bb tenors.
This is not the case with C tenors however.....I have owned & played Buescher, King, Conn & Martin examples. The Buescher & Kings are clearly different from their Bb & Eb siblings....a different voice, but can be coaxed to imitate either a tenor or alto dependent upon the player's preference.
The Martin C tenor however has the timbre of a Bb tenor which can be persuaded (reluctantly) to sound like a C tenor.
The Conn C tenor, by contrast, is an extended alto.
I do not know (or care) why this is so....I do not wish to get into the minutiae of bore tapers or tenon diameters....all I want is to play them.
Although I own horns in most sizes I choose to play the C tenor.....but, with a strong personal bias to the tenor style, the most tenor like C tenor......ie. the Martin....no question.
Some years ago, before I had played a Martin, I decided to make MY C tenor &, because of the good ergonomics (& despite the rolled tone holes!) I chose the Conn....although I had never played one.
Over a period of months I put a considerable amount of work into modifying the horn that I would play for the rest of my life....MY horn.
Within a matter of months it was on eBay...it was, as you say JB, an alto with some low notes....not at all what I wanted.
I understand that the Holton is even more alto-like.
I repeat....comparing the manufacturers, there are greater differences between their C tenor offerings than their tenors or altos. At least....that's my experience.
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Forgot to say JB1 that I agree with you that the ornately engraved & gold plated Conns of the 1920s were the most beautiful horns ever produced....especially the C tenor because of it's lovely proportions.... apart from the alto neck; if only it had a "proper" swan neck crook it would be aesthetically perfect.
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