C Soprano information required......

5648 Views 25 Replies 10 Participants Last post by csax, Aug 19, 2008

csax

Discussion Starter · Jun 28, 2007 (Edited)

C-Soprano information required, anything you have, or know of, for a new C-Soprano section being added to my cmelodysax.co.uk website, to replace the single page currently there.

I desperately need pictures, sounds, links, and personal details if you play C-Sop and you'd like to be included in a list of current C-Sop users. Either contact me thro the website, or email me directly, or send me a private message thro' saxontheweb. Any contributions will be acknowledged on the website, unless of course you wish to remain anonymous.

I've had a great start already from USA Horn and Cybersax allowing me to use some of their pics of C-Sops, thanks guys ! I'm also considering including any Bb soprano 'unusuals'.....?

I really play C-Sop more than C-Mel these days, and would like to know more about them (and indeed pass all that info on...) - just hope it doesn't push the prices up !

Should be viewable by the end of July, obviously still then 'under construction', at which time any suggestions/changes will be happily considered. Thanks !

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

csax

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jun 29, 2007 (Edited)

Hmmm - almost 40 views and no replies, this is going to be a long haul, but then I didn't expect it to be easy....... Still, I've got enough to be going on with, for the moment.

Thanks to Gandalfe and ukebert for their replies thro' the Blog. I wasn't going to mention it, but, what the h.... - if you ever go to my website and click on the tiny 'c-sops II' in between the 'C Soprano' and 'Mail' links, you can watch it being built - few links to nice C-Sops already !

Hopefully the search engines will then find the new pages, so that it'll already be 'Googlable' (no, it's not in the dictionary, yet...) as it's being built.

saxtek

· #3 · Jun 29, 2007

I'll be putting a Buescher C soprano up on ebay this week or next. It looks very good, and I'll have lots of photos in the auction. It has the original case, mouthpiece, cap, and ligature - even the key for the lock!

Watch the marketplace section of this forum, and I'll post when the auction is up and running. You can use any photos you see.

csax

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 29, 2007

Thanks saxtek - you never know, I may even bid on it..... I don't seem to have a Buescher !

Do you ship out of the US, and accept Paypal ? Confirmed address - of course....

I'll certainly take up your offer on some of the pics, many thanks.

Alan.

bruce bailey

· #5 · Jun 30, 2007

Why not put it here BEFORE ebay? Who knows who may drive up the road....

saxtek

· #6 · Jun 30, 2007

Bruce,

PM sent

twocircles

· #7 · Jun 30, 2007

I keep trying to buy a C soprano on eBay, but they keep getting bid up out of my budget.

Fortunately, time should increase my budget, but I can't believe I'm going to have to spend nearly $1000 for a nearly 100 year old horn.

OK, enough whining, but some manufacturer should catch a clue that there is a market, if small, for these.

rj

saxtek

· #8 · Jul 1, 2007

twocircles,

I sympathize with your situation. It all boils down to, of course, supply and demand. C sopranos havent been manufactured for almost 80 years, so the supply is limited.

Also, most of the C-sops available haven't been repaired for 50+ years, so they need a complete overhaul. The old sopranos, whether Bb, C, Eb, straight or curved, are absolutely vicious to repair, especially after 80 years of previous repairs that were, uh, not so good.

A decent repairman gets more than the cost of a new Chinese soprano just for a repad of a 1920s soprano, and the number of people who can actually do a capable job is decreasing. You have to overhaul a lot of 1920s sopranos to learn to get them playing well - and they can play well.

I suggest searching repair shops, not ebay, for a good playing C soprano. On ebay, you really don't know what you're getting. Most C sopranos are a wreck at any price. The one I'm listing on ebay Sunday night isn't cheap at a starting price of $795, but it isn't much more than the complete repad that went into the horn.

China may yet produce a C soprano, but don't hold your breath. There is a very limited market. And the 1920s American C sopranos hold their value very well - a terrific speculative collector's item.

Check out my MYSPACE MUSIC page!

http://www.myspace.com/saxpsychosis

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Little Sax

· #9 · Jul 1, 2007

twocircles said:
I keep trying to buy a C soprano on eBay, but they keep getting bid up out of my budget. Fortunately, time should increase my budget, but I can't believe I'm going to have to spend nearly $1000 for a nearly 100 year old horn.

OK, enough whining, but some manufacturer should catch a clue that there is a market, if small, for these.

rj

...you write that as if a "nearly 100 year old horn" should decrease in value. Most of the sopranos from the 20s, especially the later 20s, are excellent horns (to play, not just look at). The Csops, when setup properly, are no exceptions.

I agree with saxtek completely on this issue. I've owned two Csops (Conn and L&H/Buescher stencil) and played a King. The Conn is awesome. The King was quite nice (but not for sale). I purchased the L&H/Buescher off of eBay cheap; it was advertised as "recently overhauled" and "ready to play". It was not. I sold it to my tech (for a profit) and he in-turn overhauled it well and sold it to a satisfied customer.

Even that L&H/Buescher, with the minor-overhaul, would not have meet your sub-$1000 criterion. The good news is that you are unlikely to loose money on a Csop even if you end up not liking it...

Good Luck!

bruce bailey

· #10 · Jul 1, 2007

Add to this that they can be good players or bad players. I had a Conn that no matter how much key opening/closing adjustments were made, it still didn't have a decent scale. When you take the ebay plunge, you may get a horn for a good price needing an overhaul, have the repairs made and THEN find out how it plays. If possible go with someone who knows these horns.

Seasax

· #11 · Jul 1, 2007

i can do repairs and would love to have a go at a c mel or a c sop, so if anyone has one for sale in need of repair, please let me know!

saxtek

· #12 · Jul 1, 2007

Try overhauling a C melody first. They're easier to find, much cheaper, and the larger keywork is more repair-friendly.

bruce bailey

· #13 · Jul 1, 2007

I get on ebay about 4 times a day and I look at every C soprano offered. I can't remember even a trashed one going for under $450 in the past 3 years. Let's see which one of us buys Randy's horn!

csax

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 2, 2007

I must just be 'ebay lucky' then, I bought my 'just overhauled' Conn PanAm C-Sop (someone did a good job, as well) for $500 in Dec 2004, and my Martin stencil (L&H) C-Sop for just $286 in Dec 2005.... Both from the US, no bargains this side of the pond...

Maybe buying in the run-up to Christmas helps, when most people have their cash committed, or don't have time for ebay ? Daft time to sell, really. Couldn't find one in Dec 2006 tho'

Remember - I'm still looking for that C-Sop info, even just names for the players list - guess I'm going to have to look at the equipment in peoples 'signatures' - I've seen a few C-Sops listed, where least expected :shock:

Cannonball & CmelGuy

· #15 · Jul 2, 2007

saxtek said:
Try overhauling a C melody first. They're easier to find, much cheaper, and the larger keywork is more repair-friendly.

I agree. I overhauled my CMel and I am quite pleased with my work. Now that I have the ropes I'm looking for a CSop to do a bit of minor work on too.

Little Sax

· #16 · Jul 2, 2007

bruce bailey said:
I get on ebay about 4 times a day and I look at every C soprano offered. I can't remember even a trashed one going for under $450 in the past 3 years. Let's see which one of us buys Randy's horn!

The "overhauled" L&H/Buescher stencil I mentioned was purchased off of eBay for $400 BIN 2 years ago.

saxtek

· #17 · Jul 2, 2007

My Buescher C soprano is finished

OK, the horn is done, and it's a killer! Check the SOTW marketplace section, or here's a link:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=62236

I'll be happy to answer any questions or supply additional photos. Thanks.

saxtek

· #18 · Jul 3, 2007 (Edited)

Cmelodysax,

Are the photos in my ebay auction what you need for your purposes?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MESE:IT&viewitem=&item=160133634842&rd=1&rd=1

csax

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 3, 2007

saxtek - yes, brilliant, thanks, it's a beautiful horn ! I'm watching with interest, although I note with sadness (or maybe relief !) that you neither ship internationally, nor 'Paypal'. Getting a US$ Money Order is difficult outside the US since the 'Old' Bidpay ceased.....

Your pics will be on the website within a few days.

Uwe Steinmetz

· #20 · Jul 6, 2007

Hello,

I have been watching your website quite a bit - wonderful, informative and detailed. I became a C-Mel Soprano-Fan half a year ago and will send you picutres next week of my Buescher.

Good luck and all the very best wishes,

Uwe.

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