[Mope]

From when I was a little kid I wanted to play sax but it wasn't until I was in my fifties that I bought my first tenor, joined this forum and started teaching myself on an beat up saxophone from a pawn shop. After about 3 years I still wasn't much of a player but had a ROOM FULL of saxophones. Frustrated, I gave it up and went back to being the bass player in several bands until covid when all the gigs stopped. So a few weeks ago I traded a bass amp for a Mexi-Conn shooting star tenor and a flute. I got the Conn playing pretty good. It's all I need now cause I'm just staying home playing around in my little music room and I'm probably not gonna get much better but I am ok with that, just having fun. I only don't like where the neck hook is on the Conn and it really likes to be bright brassy loud.

Then I came back to this forum. I'm reading about saxes and mouthpieces and now this is all starting again?
I am buying a Elkhart by Buescher 30a tomorrow for $450 from a Jazz flute player who has owned it since the 70's. He says it plays good and sounds beautiful.
I was sure I was done with this G.A.S. and it is all because of SOTW. I read all about these now on the forum and always loved the sound of the Bueschers. Can someone talk me down or is it hopeless?

 

[Mope]

NO! Don't do it Mope. There is nothing wrong with that sax you just bought. You have been through this before. Just work on making a good tone.

 

[Mope]

Ok you are right. I'm not so serious a player anyway and then will probably be looking for a mouthpiece soon.

 

[pontius]

I have to agree with Mope on this one

 

[JayeLID]

So, wait....a 30A is an Alto.

A 31A is a Tenor.

If you mean a 31A, so you will now have 2 tenors....I am not certain if you felt the 16M has a 'bright, brassy' sound (lord, don't try a Yamaha 23, then !) that you will find a 31A is significantly different. The 16M is loud, for sure. Balls-out. But the 31A (essentially an early Bundy 1) is sort of the same tonal paradigm, IMHO.

IF you mean you are buying a 30A to give Alto a whirl..then sure, go for it, why not ?

FWIW, I would not use 'bright and brassy' as a descriptor of a 16M tone.....they are one of the darker horns out there (same bodies as a 10M).

What kinda mouthpiece do you have on it ?

 

[Hassles]

Those Conn's, if set up well, can be more than great. I have a Director (aka Shooting Stars) and I wouldn't be without mine. Light, free blowing, with lots of punch and Conn tone

 

[Reet McVouty]

I only don't like where the neck hook is on the Conn and it really likes to be bright brassy loud.

The neck loop on your horn shouldn't be a big issue as long as you have a quality neck strap with plenty of adjustment. As far as the bright brassy sound goes, that is you plus your mouthpiece, not the horn. Try some inexpensive mouthpieces with different baffles and chambers. Then develop your embouchure to achieve the sound you like.

 

[Mope]

So, wait....a 30A is an Alto.

A 31A is a Tenor.

If you mean a 31A, so you will now have 2 tenors....I am not certain if you felt the 16M has a 'bright, brassy' sound (lord, don't try a Yamaha 23, then !) that you will find a 31A is significantly different. The 16M is loud, for sure. Balls-out. But the 31A (essentially an early Bundy 1) is sort of the same tonal paradigm, IMHO.

IF you mean you are buying a 30A to give Alto a whirl..then sure, go for it, why not ?

FWIW, I would not use 'bright and brassy' as a descriptor of a 16M tone.....they are one of the darker horns out there (same bodies as a 10M).

What kinda mouthpiece do you have on it ?

It was a tenor with the goofy cartoon Elk logo engraved and I am sure it was a fine horn. Fortunately it sold and now forgotten. Back to Conn. After getting the mouthpiece tight, fixing missing and worn corks and a nasty leak on the back Bb ( just sealed it since I don't even use that Bb lever) it plays in tune now and I am starting to gain some tone control again able do more than blast or whimper. Duh, I haven't played in years. The plastic mpc seems not a problem with scooped baffle and decent chamber. Could be my issue with the neckstrap ring is that this mouthpiece is extra long and the tip swings in my face even with the straps all the way open lol. I probably should wait but now am on a mouthpiece hunt. I don't want volume and I like a dark tone. I once had an old Holton without resonators and loved the tone. Meyer large Chamber are hard to find now. Thinking Conn Steelay or Caravan. I really want a Morgan C but $300

 

[JayeLID]

A regular ol' Meyer medium will do a 16M quite well, FWIW. You don't have to spend 3 bill$ on a Tenor mouthpiece.

A nice Link rubber will also do a 16M very well.

A Fobes Debut or George Bundy Signature are also options if you wanna stay in the
$50-ish range of things. They tend to blow significantly darker than other budget mouthpieces, IMHO.

I'd grab any of those 4 before I'd go towards Caravan. They make a horn lose too much articulation, IMHO.

~ I was asking about the mpc more because of the 'brassy sound' you were mentioning. Could be the no-name plastic one is robbing the 16M of its natural low harmonics.

The 31A...yeah, well, good ! LOL. I mean they are pretty decent horns, really....as I said they became the Bundy 1's.
But too close to the same pedigree as the 16M (which has slicker keywork) to have invested in it given you already have the Conn.

You wanna grab a $500-ish Tenor which is significantly different than a 16M, there are some out there for sure. But not sure you can get a better Tenor than a 16M for that dollar.

Admittedly, I too am on the 16M bandwagon...longtime rider..... I have refurbed over 100 of 'em, early USA, late USA, Mexico, UMI-'reissue'....they are just plain good Tenors.

 

[Mope]

Thanks for the great advice. There was just one Meyer Large chamber on ebay. I just bought it. 7m

 

[Rumbabajabba]

I have one of those Elkhart tenors. It was my project in repair school. Pretty good horn! Needs some things now probably...

 

[hnthere]

Great choice in tenor!

I bought an earlier (1955-56) Conn Shooting Star tenor last month and took it right to the tech for an overhaul. The sax had original pads, I think, the ones without resonators, but two were sitting in the case when I bought it and more were ready to join them, while the keywork was kind of clackety. The tech isn't a fan of the modern equivalent of the original Conn pads and recommended flat stainless resonators for the sound I'm after.

I picked up the sax from the tech on Friday and am loving it. I started on alto four years ago and consider myself an advanced beginner. My first day on the tenor was like my first day on alto, but I'm advancing quickly with each additional day. It sounds great at times and I just need to gain more control over it so it can sound great all the time.

 

[musekatcher]

So, wait....a 30A is an Alto.

I'm pretty sure I owned a 30A tenor, and a 20A alto. I also recall 31A and 21A that were later models? I'm sure the Elkhart experts will help.

 

[Mope]

I'm pretty sure I owned a 30A tenor, and a 20A alto. I also recall 31A and 21A that were later models? I'm sure the Elkhart experts will help.

Yes, that's what I read researching it here someone said the 31 was thinner brass, Apparently Buescher Conn and Elkhart were almost neighbors and someone else said Ralph Morgan said the Elkhart was the model for the Selmer Bundy.

 

[geauxsax]

I'd get it lol. I remember you had a killer Holton back in the day too.

 

[Mope]

I very much regret that I let it go. The silver Collegiate played great even with ancient musty pads. The mechanisms were all plain and simple and always worked.

 

[Reet McVouty]

How did you make out with the Meyer? Which by the way if it's a 7(m) is a medium chamber.

 

[Mope]

Large Chamber medium table length. I'm using a Legere Classic 1.75. The Meyer is fine. Stiffer reed will be the berries.

 

[Rocky Point]

From when I was a little kid I wanted to play sax but it wasn't until I was in my fifties that I bought my first tenor, joined this forum and started teaching myself on an beat up saxophone from a pawn shop. After about 3 years I still wasn't much of a player but had a ROOM FULL of saxophones. Frustrated, I gave it up and went back to being the bass player in several bands until covid when all the gigs stopped. So a few weeks ago I traded a bass amp for a Mexi-Conn shooting star tenor and a flute. I got the Conn playing pretty good. It's all I need now cause I'm just staying home playing around in my little music room and I'm probably not gonna get much better but I am ok with that, just having fun. I only don't like where the neck hook is on the Conn and it really likes to be bright brassy loud.

Then I came back to this forum. I'm reading about saxes and mouthpieces and now this is all starting again?
I am buying a Elkhart by Buescher 30a tomorrow for $450 from a Jazz flute player who has owned it since the 70's. He says it plays good and sounds beautiful.
I was sure I was done with this G.A.S. and it is all because of SOTW. I read all about these now on the forum and always loved the sound of the Bueschers. Can someone talk me down or is it hopeless?
[/QUOT

I'm pretty sure I owned a 30A tenor, and a 20A alto. I also recall 31A and 21A that were later models? I'm sure the Elkhart experts will help.

Correct..I have an Elkhart by Buescher tenor which is stamped 72381 30A

 

[Rocky Point]

I'm pretty sure I owned a 30A tenor, and a 20A alto. I also recall 31A and 21A that were later models? I'm sure the Elkhart experts will help.