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Recently one of my fellow Cincy area SOTW'ers told me about www.thisoldhorn.com. The company is run by a really nice retired couple in Florence, KY. They deal in mostly vintage saxophones and they are also dealers for Phil Barone and Firebird. I have been jonesing really bad to try a Phil Barone and last week decided to take the short drive to Florence because they had a new Barone Vintage in stock. They run the business out of their home and have a nice little studio in the basement as well as a repair shop in the garage. When he took me down to the basement I couldn't believe my eyes. I don't know as I've ever seen so many nice vintage horns in one room. Right there in the middle of the room was this Barone tenor: http://thisoldhorn.com/Horns/Barone/barone,vintage.goldlac.008.html
I had taken my Super 20 along mostly for comparison sake and had no intention of trading it. My plan was to play the Barone and, if I really liked it, buy it as a backup to the S 20. I spent quite a bit of time playing it and it is a fine horn. I actually liked the tone a little better than the King. I also spent a few hours playing the various Selmers, Conns and Bueschers that he had as well as a brand new Firebird tenor that played surprisingly well. He had a super nice SBA. I had never played one of those and was really impressed with it but did not like it as well as my King.
After I had played so many horns that my head was beginning to spin he handed me this horn: http://thisoldhorn.com/Horns/buescher.400.306.html
I was completely blown away! This is a tall statement to make but in 45 years of playing saxophone it was far and away the best horn I've ever played. I have never sounded that good in my whole life. It only took me a few notes to know I had found THE ONE. It is not the first TH&C I've ever played. There have been others and they were nice horns too but this thing just absolutely sings! I had to have it. After a little wheeling and dealing (Rob Dorsey is very easy to deal with) I walked out of there with what I consider to be the one horn that was made especially for me. Well, that might be a little melodramatic but, seriously, I couldn't be happier.
That was last Thursday and I still can't seem to put that horn down. I've never named a musical instrument before until now. I named her Linda. Seems like a beautiful name for a beautiful old girl.
If you're looking for a nice vintage horn I highly recommend you check these guys out. All their horns are in tip top shape (they do not deal in junk) and they'll treat you right.
Also, kudos to Jim Germann with Hollis Germann Music in Pittsburgh - http://hollisgermannmusic.com/
He did the overhaul on the horn and I could not be more impressed with the quality of his work. I doubt very seriously if that horn played any better when it was brand new. I also played several other horns that he had overhauled and they were the same way. Everything was just right. In the case of my horn, for example, the action is just as precise as any modern horn I've ever played. In fact, it's better than a lot of them.
I had taken my Super 20 along mostly for comparison sake and had no intention of trading it. My plan was to play the Barone and, if I really liked it, buy it as a backup to the S 20. I spent quite a bit of time playing it and it is a fine horn. I actually liked the tone a little better than the King. I also spent a few hours playing the various Selmers, Conns and Bueschers that he had as well as a brand new Firebird tenor that played surprisingly well. He had a super nice SBA. I had never played one of those and was really impressed with it but did not like it as well as my King.
After I had played so many horns that my head was beginning to spin he handed me this horn: http://thisoldhorn.com/Horns/buescher.400.306.html
I was completely blown away! This is a tall statement to make but in 45 years of playing saxophone it was far and away the best horn I've ever played. I have never sounded that good in my whole life. It only took me a few notes to know I had found THE ONE. It is not the first TH&C I've ever played. There have been others and they were nice horns too but this thing just absolutely sings! I had to have it. After a little wheeling and dealing (Rob Dorsey is very easy to deal with) I walked out of there with what I consider to be the one horn that was made especially for me. Well, that might be a little melodramatic but, seriously, I couldn't be happier.
That was last Thursday and I still can't seem to put that horn down. I've never named a musical instrument before until now. I named her Linda. Seems like a beautiful name for a beautiful old girl.
If you're looking for a nice vintage horn I highly recommend you check these guys out. All their horns are in tip top shape (they do not deal in junk) and they'll treat you right.
Also, kudos to Jim Germann with Hollis Germann Music in Pittsburgh - http://hollisgermannmusic.com/
He did the overhaul on the horn and I could not be more impressed with the quality of his work. I doubt very seriously if that horn played any better when it was brand new. I also played several other horns that he had overhauled and they were the same way. Everything was just right. In the case of my horn, for example, the action is just as precise as any modern horn I've ever played. In fact, it's better than a lot of them.
