[tenorblondie]

It is time for me to upgrade my tenor. So I found a Conn 10M Naked circa 1940. It looks to be in beautiful condition, new pads, rolled tone holes, and surely is the instrument of my dreams. One problem. It has been relaquered. I've never played a relaquered horn. Both my other conns and mvi are orginial. I've heard nasty rumors about terrible relaquered horns. Is it all myth or contain some truth? Is the horn still a good find for its price, even if it isn't original?

 

[hakukani]

I have a relacquered MkVI. It plays beautifully. Had the seller not told me, I would not have known it was a relaq. Many horns before the 'vintage' craze were relacquered as a matter of course. Unless they buffed the tone holes, it makes little difference.

Have you played the horn?

 

[jacobeid]

I bought a conn 10m last week from 1935. It was a factory relacquer from back in the 70's. Even with pads needing replaced and action adjusted, the horn WAILS! My teacher loved it. I compared it to my friends Conn of around the same era with original lacquer and a new pad job. I preferred mine.

How much are you going to pay for it? Are you going to get to play it before you buy it?

I think relacquers are great ways for players to get super horns while not shedding out a ton of cash. For the collectors, they don't like them so much. Sure, some relacquers are awful, and mess with the tone holes and ruin the horn, but A LOT of them don't. And the ones that still play great are great deals. Just don't expect to make a lot of money if you sell them.

I got the horn $275 and I'm going to put about $150 into it. $425 vs. a $6000 Mark VI. Give me that Conn anyday! I don't think there's much shame in it either. It seems like some people think if it's not a VI, than it sucks. Well let them think that and bring the prices of the VI's up even more, while all the other horns like martins, conns, and bueschers can be had for good prices.

 

[tenorblondie]

I've played and it sounded great! I just didn't no if relaquer would be something that might bite me in the butt in the future. It has for the most part great, new pads. My father is a instrument repairman, and I'm sure he could get it to play like butter. It costs $1,500, and I'd probably have to put $150 into it to get it right. Sound fair?

 

[jacobeid]

Hm....is it just me or is that a bit high?

 

[bbbouklas]

I guess it is around the ebay rate for a good relaquered 10m..

 

[Grumps]

Play a soft low D, and notes around it when testing it again; if you didn't already.

 

[docformat]

I think that sounds a little high...

 

[TMadness1013]

$1,500 is pretty reasonable for a 10M that WAILS, IMO.

I bought my 1935 10M 6 years ago for $1,500 & it was worth every penny.

Jacobeid, sounds like you got the steal of the century on your horn, congrats!

Keep in mind that if $1,500 seems a bit high...the re-sale value on the 10M's should be quite decent. They're some of the most sought after vintage tenors out there.

 

[Budget Explosion]

Your Dad charges you to fix your horn?

 

[Little Sax]

Considering it's not original, $1500 is pretty high if you're buying it from a private party. If you're buying the horn from a dealer who is offering a trial period, then it might be a reasonable price.

 

[TMadness1013]

Well since you've already played it & it plays great...I think YAY is the word

Let us know the outcome when you make a decision.

 

[Pinnman]

The big problem with relacquering is that the original lacquer will have been removed first. If that has involved polishing, then it could have resulted in some metal loss as well as lacquer removal.

How much metal loss is the key question. The original sax will have been polished before lacquering anyway, so there is always a difference between every single sax ever made in this respect. But some poeple like to make a vey big deal of this. However, if the sax plays well with a good sound, then the polishing is unlikely to have been unduly damaging.

My own view is that if you have a good sax or a fairish price, go for it. What happens when you sell is another matter. All sorts of things could have happened by then. The fashion for vintage saxes - which is more prevalent in the USA than the UK, for example - may have run it course .... or rarity value may have pushed prices sky high. Why worry now?

 

[tenorblondie]

I ended up purchasing a 1940 Conn 1Om with a silver plate for $1800. It needs all new pads and corks and felts, but I adore the horn, plus the tarnish needs to be removed. I am going to get it worked on locally, and then send it down to Tenor Madness for a tune up.

 

[rleitch]

Which one had the WoodwindCo mouthpiece in it?
R.

 

[Bootman]

Relacquering doesn't affect a Conn tenor, all it does is stop the brass from pitting. Some of the best horns I have ever played have been relacquered. $1600 for a great playing tenor of the right vintage is a good price.

 

[rabbit]

I say "Yay."

So often I've heard buddies complain about not having
bought that guitar 'cause it was a "couple hundred overpriced."

I think the sax described here is right on the $.

These vintage sax's are only going to become more expensive.
Probably faster than you think.

 

[tenorblondie]

rleitch, the 1945 silver plated one had the mouthpiece jammed in the top part of the body.