Stolen Top Hat And Cane Tenor

5439 Views 25 Replies 18 Participants Last post by Yellowhorn, Aug 10, 2007

lamar reeves

Discussion Starter · Jul 28, 2007

I sold my 1949 tenor 400 two weeks ago on our Marketplace Forum to
Jake the Sax.He lives in London.The horn cleared customs with no problems
and was sent to Central British Postal where it disappeared.
This poor man had his original T.H.&.C. stolen also and this was to be his replacement.Fortunately I bought enough insurance to cover the loss
but this was an especially fine example and since he is a regularly
working musician who needs to compete with a lot of electronic
instruments,he wants his saxophone.For you folks in England please keep an eye out at clubs since according to Jake,not many 400's are in use.
He is an extremely nice person,an excellent musician and deserves better.
If there is an afterlife perhaps there is a special spot in hell where
instrument thieves have to spend all eternity listening to the Guy Lombardo
Saxophone section.
Please write a P.M.to either Jake or myself with any information.
Thank You

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

silvin

· #2 · Jul 28, 2007

Good luck ...!

JimD

· #3 · Jul 28, 2007

A bit more information might be helpful, such as serial number or any obvious visible identifying marks. If this has only been in the country for about 10 days at the most and supposedly with the Post Office for about a week then it could still turn up. There has been strike action in the PO, still continuing, so that won't have helped. Hopefully Jake is still giving them hell. If it's really lost then the main retailers of used horns need to be told pronto. There aren't that many. I'd love one of those, and they are pretty scarce over here, but I don't want a stolen one.

gary

· #4 · Jul 28, 2007

JimD said:
If this has only been in the country for about 10 days at the most and supposedly with the Post Office for about a week then it could still turn up. There has been strike action in the PO, still continuing, so that won't have helped. Hopefully Jake is still giving them hell.

That's the first thing that struck me. If the last place it was seen was within the Postal Service network, what points to its being stolen?

International shipping can sometimes be squirrely although I've never had problems to/from Germany, there have been plenty of delays reported over time on SOTW with international shipping. Hopefully it's just floating around in the postal never world and will show up. I wouldn't give up just yet unless there's more to the story. What did the Postal Service have to say?

Or...maybe it just got diverted by some "foreign" workers who were hoping it was a box filled with crack' seed.

rs1sensen

· #5 · Jul 28, 2007

gary said:
Or...maybe it just got diverted by some "foreign" workers who were hoping it was a box filled with crack' seed.

well... it is a saxophone... there might just be some logic in that one!

I'm sorry to hear about you and your customer's loss. I hope, like the others above me, that it is simply "lost in the mail" or delivered incorrectly. (maybe one of his neighbors has it!) If you post the serial number and other identifying info here (have any pictures of it?) it could turn up.

lamar reeves

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 28, 2007

The stolen opinion came from a postal worker that had been investigating
the case.Serial # is 324xxx.The saxophone is clean except for a shallow
ripple in the metal on the bow which can't be seen except in certain light and (I can't remember)perhaps a tiny ding next to it.It left Hawaii on July 16th and cleared customs a few days later.Four postal workers have been looking for it for a week.I will tell Jake to check out your excellent suggestions.

coolsax2k7

· #7 · Jul 28, 2007

lamar reeves said:
If there is an afterlife perhaps there is a special spot in hell where
instrument thieves have to spend all eternity listening to the Guy Lombardo
Saxophone section.

Thank You

(all seriousness aside

) Don't you think that punishment is a little harsh?

lamar reeves

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 28, 2007

I forgot one of the palm keys is built up with resin.Unfortunately ,my picture files of the sax are too big to upload.

coolsax2k7

· #9 · Jul 28, 2007

My first sax, a near mint early 70's or 80's Yanigisawa tenor, looked like a Mark Vi copy, very nice sound and ergos (although rather soft metal.) It got stolen from my apartment while I was walking my dog. So I also hope saxophone thieves have to spend all eternity listening to the Guy Lombardo saxophone section! :twisted: I also had insurance but never got another tenor that was like that Yani. I played it next to my teachers "Sonny Rollins" vintage Mark Vi and it was very similar. Sorry to brag about my long-lost saxophone in your thread - I do wish you the best luck in tracking down the sax and/or thief. One time I had most of a flute fall out of the packaging on its way to me... but that was the sellers fault I think. Also, one time a package was stolen from my doorstep, fortunately it was just some hats, but now the postal worker always knocks on my door or leaves a note.

Maybe you'll luck out and find another TH&C that you can get with the insurance money?

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whaler

· #10 · Jul 29, 2007

I don't quite get it. It was stolen from the post office? I would think that you would ship it "signature required" or else the post office is responsible.

lamar reeves

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 29, 2007

Whaler,I did ship it signature required and the British post office IS responsible.The saxophone disappeared after clearing customs and after
delivery to a central postal location in Coventry,which I think is just north of London.Jake never had a chance to sign for anything because the sax was never delivered to his residence.With insurance,he will get his money back but the 400 tenor is what he wants and needs.Plus,these low life vermin
need to be stopped.Stealing from the U.S.Postal Service is a serious felony
with ten years in the Federal pen.I imagine the same is true in England.
I believe a postal employee may be involved.

Stretch

· #12 · Jul 29, 2007

Lamar-
If you would like, I can reduce the pictures to web friendly file sizes with Photoshop and send them back to you. email or PM me.
Greg

lamar reeves

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 30, 2007

Stretch ,and folks like him are reasons I use and enjoy this site so much.
There are always good people ready and able to help.
Living out here in the Pacific with very limited saxophone resources
It is a big part of my musical life. Thanks again.

potiphar

· #14 · Jul 30, 2007

For the record, Coventry's about 100 miles northwest of London. In a country this small that's about a third of the way to the top!

Doesn't stop people being thieving toe-rags, of course, whether they're in the midlands or the south.

Pinnman

· #15 · Jul 30, 2007

My experience of bringing saxes in is that the customs clearance is in Coventry. The Post Office is not involved; it is ParcelForce Worldwide that is the carrier. (I am assuming USPS here because any other carrier would collect and deliver.)

I once waited 17 weeks for an alto to arrive from USA. It was date stamped twice in customs in Coventry. Maybe your's Lamar, is still there and will emerge, as mine did, in due course.

jakethesax

· #16 · Jul 31, 2007

It Still aint here guys!

I'm feeling low about this one, spoken to so many people in parcelforce, useless evasive, and generally unhelpfull..

from what I know parcelforce didnt go on strike, only normal post office... (parent company)

the coup is this, sax came all the way from hawaii in 2 days to london, then got taken to coventry, went through the international hub, customs, and then was sent back to London NW depot, where they have managed to loose it!
How does a large cardboard box, of some weight (and value) get lost??
My only feeling is that some f***** knows about horns and stole it...

If anyone has any ideas on ways to infiltrate the post office/parcelforce and find out for sure let me or Lamar know..

Incidentally, Lamar has been one of the friendliest and funniest people I've ever had to do business with, I would whoheartedly reccomend.. (but if you buy a horn, dont use parcelforce!)

I'm still hoping, fingers xed eh!

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spartacus

· #17 · Jul 31, 2007

I use DHL and UPS when I send expensive things to my daughters in London and Chester.

Your serial #324xxx doesn't say much. I have a THC with a 324 serial number.

Stretch

· #18 · Jul 31, 2007

Lamar has had some difficulty getting his pics posted on this forum so I have put them up on the web.
bell
right side
left hand stack
neck and palm keys
left side

milandro

· #19 · Jul 31, 2007

are you doing this on purpose?:twisted:

:twisted: This links, don't work.......as well as the others!

Stretch said:
Lamar has had some difficulty getting his pics posted on this forum so I have put them up on the web.
bell
right side
left hand stack
neck and palm keys
left side

Reedsplinter

· #20 · Jul 31, 2007

Hmm. These links work fine for me; the others didn't.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

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