Martin tenors are some of the most affordable tenors.
I own several, Dick Stabile, Handcraft searchlight/skyline, The Martin, and Indiana.
Love 'em all... they all deliver.

Great sound all around.
Well set up, you can't really go wrong on any, imo

 

Yeah < i had 4 the martins and a couple of committees. the The Martin horns could blow away a Mk 6 literally. I did a jam session, there were 3 Mk 6s eating the mic and I was 4 ft off mik and you heard me. The action and alt is great on those horns K

 

+1
I have guitar bands telling me my 42 Handcraft is too loud.

 

You too? I thought it was just me. In combo where I play with 2 other tenors and 2 altos they always tell me I'm too loud. They used to joke that my low Bb sounded like a ship docking at the nearby port. At one jam session I go to the guy who runs it was on me at the beginning for being too loud. I was unmiked and contending with 2 guitar shredders, the rhythm section and a harp player. I can tell you that when I pump air into my Comm III it's awesome to me still, after 10 years. And the tone....well, anyone who has played one knows what I mean. You can get off just playing long tones on a Martin.

 

and i have a couple of committee3 "The Martin Tenor" here in australia.....
both original lacquer and one needing a full repad...

http://secondhandsaxes.com.au/Tenor.html

and here,

http://secondhandsaxes.com.au/New arrivals.html

cheers,philip

 

I have a searchlight tenor I can sell. Late 1930s horn with good pads and adjustment.

Great horn, but I can keep them all!

Message me if you like.

 

Cool info fellas. I'm eyeballing a Handcraft on Ebay. I don't wanna spend a ton so the committee horns are prolly out for me.

I have an old martin stencil alto, has theseen built-up toneholes. Love the sound I get with a Meyer 6 er 7 (don't remember.

I'm on a T991 now. Really dig it.

 

As one can deduce from my avatar, they are superlative in my estimation!

 

I know I'll love it when it finally happens. I had a VI for 30 years, finally let it go and I have to admit that I don't miss it for the continual adjustments it required, but there's ano element of tone that miss....can't put my finger on it. I hope this helps me scratch that itch

 

What is your budget for a Comm III? I can find them for under $1,500 ready to play.

 

Geez....there's the rub eh? I REALLY don't wanna go much over HALF that..... I guess I could, but damn....I just can justify that expense to certain other teammates in my life if ya know what I mean.... although her hydroponic garden birthday present turned into a BIG MUTHERF*KIN expense/chore. ..I digress....

So that's why I've been lookin Indiana/Handcraft rather than Committee. I gotta say, the un-identified stencil alto I have is just fine in (arguably not my principal horn as a 95% tenor player), and all the posts I've read seen to support the "all Martins have Martin-esque qualities" given some ergo variances.

 

From what I have read over the years a good Indiana tenor should have as much of the Martin sound and quality as the other horns in comparison to what is being produced today. And I believe, and Bruce and Jay can probably find you a good HC Comm tenor for around that amount. The altos go for around $400 so the tenors should be within your budget. Read the comments on HC Comm horns and people sing their praises.

 

JMO. You've CYA by purchasing the hydroponic garden. You should be able to purchase a Committee III , free of reprisal from your wife or gf.

 

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/msg/5582227691.html

no connection to the seller

 

Martin horns seem to be underpriced these days. I played a Committee III (aka The Martin) in high school. Sound was gorgeous, but I thought the right hand was clunky and slow.

I've owned several Selmers and many Conns, Bueschers, and Martins. The Martin has the lushest and most responsive low end of all of them - even the later Indiana models. But I find the pitch and action best on the old Committee I and II. Again, I'm not really a fan of the Committee III, although I love looking at them.

The action on the older horns is amazing. Hard to believe how light and fast the keys are. The Committee I has nickel silver keys, marketed as being light and fast. I don't know if the material is the reason, but I love the action on the old horns.

I'll agree with the others in that the Indiana model (or Imperial model) will give you most of what the Committee offers at an affordable price, but take care with respect to intonation. Some of the later horns, especially altos, play sharp. I have an Indiana alto that can peel paint but I have to practice it to keep it tune. I've even heard of players who add length to the neck.

Also look out for red rot. Fans of the Martin Committee trumpet will know what I'm talking about. Red rot can even cause pinhole leaks at the point where the tone hole is soldered to the body.

Good luck in your pursuit!

 

Right hand? I would think you'd mean the left hand pinky table, which is what many people don't like. Never had any problem with the right hand keys compared to any other sax. As to the fast light action on older horns, I had an old Handcraft Wurlitzer stencil that fit that to a T and my Buescher TT series 4 is even slicker. The pinky table is a breeze and the tone of this sax is the nicest alto sound I know of, even better than the Conn NW I I had, which does have a dreadful LH table.

I just bought a HC Committee (Skyline) alto and am excited to see how it compares to my TT. If it has the equivalent type of lushness of my Comm III I'll be in hog heaven. Unfortunately I won't be able to find out until I get to NY, which is where I had it sent. Eight weeks and counting down.

Regarding red rot, I have read about it for years on here but have yet to hear anything about it from someone who actually had the problem. It seems more like a cross between a cliche and an urban legend with only a bit of truth. Maybe I should check Snopes? :bluewink:

 

Regarding red rot, I have read about it for years on here but have yet to hear anything about it from someone who actually had the problem. It seems more like a cross between a cliche and an urban legend with only a bit of truth. Maybe I should check Snopes? :bluewink:

Red rot is galvanic corrosion, usually chemical separation of zinc from the brass, leaving the copper behind and sometimes causing structural warping depending on the reaction. Tends to come from moisture and sugar (from you) being left in the body. Take good care of your horn - keep it clean, don't play just after eating, use a swab, etc. - and it won't appear, or even spread if it is already there.
For red rot to actually get to any level of severity requires long-term negligence, a la school horns.

I learned tenor on a 1981 Selmer SA80 SI that had some red rot. It wasn't really very bad in this horn's case, but it was just bad enough to be a bit rough to the touch and it looked bad. I think my '36 Aristocrat alto also has some minor red rot on the bell, but it's still smooth to the touch and it hasn't gotten any worse since I bought it several years ago.

If it's bad enough its texture resembles rust on a car. If that reaches solder the physical alteration can result in separation at the joint. I saw a school horn that had this exact problem cause a post to eventually separate from the body and screw up the entire RH stack, but that was a severe case. I've heard of the soldered tone holes on Martins having occasional issues, but even if you find one it should be an easy fix unless the damage is really bad.

 

Jazz IsAll: I'm sure it'll be worth the wait for the Skyline alto.

I had a Wurlitzer too that was great. Seems we're going backwards in some ways with response, tone, and action.

 

Thanks Turnaround (3625), that's what I'm expecting and what you and others have said about these. It might even make me into more of an alto player because my Comm III tenor won me away from my TT alto when I got it. I played at a blues-rock jam last night and on one tune I was blowing Bb1 harmony notes below the guitars at one point and I swear that it sounded like a bari. It was ***'n intoxicating. It makes me want to try a Comm III bari to see what that's like

 

AFIK, red rot isn't the problem. It's galvanic corrosion which occurs when dissimilar metals are in contact (in a moist environment).

I've enjoyed reading the comments and support for 'us' Martin fans. I wanted to chime in again to the op with a few thoughts:

1. I, too, believe the early Indianas are close to the build quality of Handcrafts. If I were in the market, I'd hold out for a Handcraft or Committee. As mentioned, I'm particularly fond of my '42 which is one of the last.

2. While the asking prices have gone up recently, there are still buying opportunities if patient. One of our SOTW and Facebook Martin group members recently sold a nice looking C3 for under a grand. As with a lot of selling right now, it wasn't easy. You might want to join the Facebook group and ask if anyone has something for sale.

Good luck.

 

Thx fellas, great info/testimonials. I'm just "thinking" about it at this point. Much as I'd like to, it's JUST not necessary.

I can see this as an inevitability though....I get this wild hair , then I start to assemble a plan, and eventually I succeed. Went that way with my Yani T991.....all in due time.

 

I have owned HC, HC Imperial, Comm II and Comm III tenors and what I find good is strong low end, even response in all registers and the ability to push where the horn does not limit you. Other horns seem to get thin sounding at high levels. I have had about 5 Selmer tenors and the Martins still best them.

 

The more you see the hydroponic garden, the more you will want your Committee III. Ask yourself this question: was the hydroponic garden purchase NECESSARY? You should buy your Martin, or get the recipient of the hydroponic garden to buy it for you.

 

If you keep your eyes open you will eventually find one...ive seen some mint Indianas go for absurdly cheap. I waited about a year before the right Comm III came along. Every time my teacher plays it he asks if he can buy it ( he had a Mk6), seriously. Now i try ro think up readons why i need a CommII.

 

No reason needed other than that it's a Martin.

About 8 years ago I was negotiating with a guy on here to buy his Indiana tenor. It was one of the good ones and all he wanted was something like $375. But he lived in Alaska and the shipping involved having a plane fly the carton to the nearest town from where it could be shipped to me in Spain. The combined cost of that was enough to kill that "great" deal.

 

Yah. The hydroponic gardener and I are 'go-she-8-tin'.

Ha , funny stuff. ....I sure haven't run across any anti-martin reports. Gonna b great when it happens

 

Got this Indiana off Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301990646936

$265

Its dinged up pretty good at the u-bend,but nothin that affects function. Otherwise its just fine.

Plays like a dream from C1 up....I can get B and Bb out but its rough . Needs some corks but its REALLY quiet and without any bent stuff. Its been soldered around the Eb and the key guards are dented in a hair. The tone holes are unaffected .

I played it for about 3 hours today....sounds like warm caramel.

Intonation is SHOCKINGLY accurate . Altissimo and overtones pop.

Ergo is funky as hell My left pinky misses the G# key like your foot missing a bike pedal...pretty funny. Ill get used to it.

Adjustable thumbrest and heart-shaped octave thumb are dreamy.

Only complaint is the octave key travel distance is too far.....I think I can adjust that.

Ill drop a leak light in it and slap in a few pads, but most of the pads are still soft.

Its pretty much as I'd hoped tone wise....amazing really...65 year old horn.

GAS quenched......for now

 

What happened to the Committee III? I'm sure the hydroponic garden way was more than $265.00. Is she going to let you overhaul the horn? Me thinks you're in the custody of the Fun Police (Book him Danno!).

 

Cool pic.....
The commitee II just slipped away in the search for a better bargain.

Im pretty "jazzed" (see what I did there?)

Yah,an overhaul is in this ones future.

The hydroponics are cranking away,so all is well.

 

For sure! The garden could pay for itself quickly, depending on the crop. ;-) Enjoy your horn. You should give Bird's tenor playing a listen.

 

I have occasional gas for a the Martin bari.
But how many horns do i really need?

 

Pssssst! You need The Martin Bari.