[rleitch]

Can somebody tell me why this isn't being scooped up as a "project" horn? Aren't these a hotly sought after Martin type?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=280112041756&rd=1&rd=1

Every time I think I'm getting a grip on this whole vintage sax market thing, I quickly learn that I know nothing.

Rory

 

[milandro]

because perhaps, seen the condition it is in and the price they ask, it isn't much of a bargaign......a lot has to happen to this horn to give it some life again and it ain't something that you would do that easily if you aren't doing it yourself!

 

[Dave dix]

Still a good price for a handcraft committee and the seller is wrong about the keys, they are solid nickel not plated
Dave

 

[Hornlip]

eBay runs hot and cold on these. Just depends on the mood of the greater pool of bidders. I picked up an alto Committee I in very nice shape for under $250.00, including shipping, less than a year ago.

 

[milandro]

Still a good price for a handcraft committee and the seller is wrong about the keys, they are solid nickel not plated
Dave

definitely worth buying.......if you are capable enough to do all the work (oh boy..... there's lots of it) yourself or if you are madly in love with this horn and you don't mind separating yourself from a considerable amount of money to make it shine again.....besides, not everyone is crazy on two-tones Martins. I have one too and I have been told by a number of "experts " that my keys are a rechroming job (or re-nickeling) of otherwise brass ones because they would be (supposingly) wrong on Martins.

Perhaps, Dave, you were the person who told me that they were solid nickel and I am very inclined to think your story is the correct one. (I would wouldn't I ?:twisted: ), is there anywhere some reference (saxpics doesn't have clear pictures of a similar horn like mine) to two tone Martins. I wonder!

 

[rleitch]

Hey Milandro (et. al. )

If its not a pure bother, could you be more specific based on those crazy photos. My impression was that it doesn't look that bad, and I was thinking that for, say, 800$ worth of work, 1500 would not be bad for a rebuilt Handcraft tenor.

Is there something really bad there I can't see?

Rory.

ps. crazy out of left field question, but: The Martin tenor (186xxx) vs SML Standard?

 

[Bill Mecca]

other than some severe lacquer wear on the neck, and near that one post, looks to me like a good cleaning and repad and it would be a player.

my old Indiana was in far worse shape and is nearly rebuilt now, can't wait to hear her roar.

 

[milandro]

there's nothing dramatic about this horn, you are right, perhaps I was exagerating a little bit ( I have a sense for drama ) !, really, and you are right, the horn doesn't need all that much money in it to be looking ok , and very much depends on the level of perfection which you want to reach, but it needs some good work and a restoration is not just putting back together in order to play it .
Mostly in the region of the neck there is work to be done . Do you want to keep it as it is or do you want to re-lacquer and restore the horn to full beauty ?

I suspect that a good restoration will cost you more than what you are quoting, but again it depends upon the results you want to reach.

Bear in mind that Martin can be tricky business when it comet to soldered toneholes which are leaking because the soldering is coming undone.


Buy it and be happy!

 

[potiphar]

Dave is absolutely right about solid nickel keywork - it was a selling point, as my own father told me having bought his used in 1947.

 

[sbornemann]

I won a HC Comm I tenor from eBay at the beginning of the year for around $450 and another went soon after for around $400. Mine arrived in playable condition (along with a Broadus NY MP!), but does need some corks, the other one was supposedly playable "as is". I hope this one finds a happy home, I love my tenor, it has such a beautiful voice.

 

[Dave dix]

Not a great deal of work needed to get it playing and the neck wants a light polish to get rid of the oxidising and get its colour back then let it stand bare for a while to tone down the shiny brass then a light coat of laquer to seal it.
My H/C comm 1 is a fine playing tenor with solid nickel keys and potiphar's dad is correct
Dave

 

[Jonathan C.]

I agree with the ebay hot and cold thing. I spend right around $200 for my MArtin. (see sig.) and $90 to get it playable. I either got lucky, or the market was just band for the Martin.

 

[rleitch]

So can I safely infer that most of you folks think the horn might make a good project horn, but that if it came to 1500-1600, that would be a little high?

Also, and I know I should look this up, but what are the big decisive differences between the older Handcraft models and the later "The Martins"?

I'm particularly concerned (who isnt) with ergonomic peculiarities and intonation issues.

Rory

ps. thank for all the input so far. It didn't sell BTW.

 

[milandro]

I think that you could buy (at least I could) a Martin searchlight from a reliable source in a better state for 1500$, freshly re-haulled.
No strings attached.
But then again, perhaps, you can do all the necessary work yourself? .....and if anything tricky like soldered toneholes coming undone shows up?....this considerations must have been the reason why it went unsold. Value of vintage saxophones is coming down (IMHO) and only very few models are holding the high prices which were common a few years ago.
Martins are great horns! They tend to cost a lot less than other brands and perform a lot better than most. Don't be too concerned about ergonomics (you'll get used to it quickly) and intonation is better than most vintage horns.