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C Melody Saxophone Forum / Repairs and Refurbishing / any new projects?

jazzbug1 User ID: 0735934	Aug 9th 6:58 AM I was just given an American Selmer (Buescher) C melody. It has the typical small bore and bell of Bueschers of the 1920s. Needs a complete overhaul, but is the famous "closet horn" everyone talks about. (No- this is not a saxophone with sexual identity problems). It came from St. Louis, USA, and is by far the smelliest sax I ever opened, but it is pristine. Not even a tiny ding. It also contained numerous "Harwood" brand reeds for C melody and soprano, many of them new. I've seen Harwood saxophones (stencils). The reed packs advise against disease spread by germs and guarantee to the user that Harwood reeds are sterilised. So I don't have to worry about those reeds being full of germs after sitting in that case for 80 years.(Duh) The case has several stickers on it, advertising "National Music Month: May, 1925", which I might attempt to save. Unless I fall in love with this pea-shooter, it will probably go on Ebay after a re-build. Anyone else pick up a new project lately?
bruce bailey User ID: 9670323	Aug 10th 12:35 AM Gee I have gotten about 6 horns in the past month but they are ready to to, not a project. As far as C Melodies, I got a Buescher off of ebay that has only one small 2mm ding on the bow and all new pads. I have a closet one with the white pads that I picked up a while back waiting for cleaning and pads but now I guess it will go on ebay (or here). I thought it would get done this year but I am going to sell off all the ones waiting for pads as there are about 5 that I will never get to!
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Aug 10th 7:07 AM Bruce - reality has hit me too. I'm looking at all the altos, C-mels and clari's around here, and only putting aside the very best projects - the ones that really make my heart flutter. The rest will, hopefully, sell in the near future for at least what I paid for them.... No hurry, moving on over the next five years will do, I'd like them to be gone when I 'officially' retire at 65 - as they say "there's a buyer out there for everything, it's just a case of finding him/her !" I do however have a nice curved-neck portrait Conn C-Mel, and a few other favourites that I'd like to fix up to really try out. I'll probably show them on the somewhat neglected website in the meantime
Jim B User ID: 1913054	Aug 10th 7:36 AM I guess Alan (UK) if you sell the saxs for what you paid for them, you must make your profit by buying in volume.My wife determines when I sell my collection; when she needs more closet space.While C melodies are nice to look at and have few dings, I just don't get enough playing time with them. My next project is to convert my big band 3d alto book into a C melody book.Once I got to 4 C melodies I quit buying.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Aug 10th 8:57 AM Jim - not really 'by volume', more 'by whim', and not being able to resist a bargain.... I think I posted a topic somewhere here about how (last December) I sold a 'The Martin' tenor I never used, and converted the proceeds to (at least) half-a-dozen C-Mel's and alto's, only two or three of which I'd really consider keeping once I'd had the chance to see what I'd really bought. I couldn't face buying purely to resell, too much like work, although I'm sure loads of people do. You guys (in the US) seem to have a better chance of picking up vintage horns cheaply at yard sales and estate clearances - that seems to be a major source for ebay items I buy.
bruce bailey User ID: 5720113	Aug 11th 1:59 AM I am the opposite of Alan. I want to have all the horns by the time I retire (again) and not sell any of them. I don't think I have ever lost money on a sax or flute. I currently have about 30 saxes and over 30 flutes in the collection and another 30 or so in inventory (I am in the flute business for a living). Intersting idea is that the vintage stuff is going up a lot in value and probably better than cash, at least US cash. Have you all been watching that Supertone or Bandmaster C on ebay? Nice looking horn but it is almost to $900 US now. Pretty high for a second line brand.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Aug 11th 5:11 AM Bruce - I'll just mention it's item 290145563201 -for some reason my normal searches didn't obviously pull that one out. Think that may have something to do with different ebay categories (e.g. vintage, pre-1980 on ebay.com) in different countries ? Well, despite the pics showing anything from silver to light gold, and the statement "The neck has a different serial number than the body", it's just a nice Martin stencil. The seller obviously has winning ways, he's even played the 'God card' in his 'about me' page.... Presentation seems to be everything ! Maybe the buying hysteria is moving from Martin/stencil sops to Martin/stencil C-Mels ? I must add him to my 'favourite sellers', see if he has the Midas touch.
bruce bailey User ID: 5720113	Aug 11th 7:52 PM Today I missed a Martin typewriter bari (nice) on ebay that someone else asked for a BIN. $385 shipped with a nice case and good silver plating with gold wash. Grrrrr..
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Aug 12th 2:01 AM $385 ? Steal..... You can't win 'em all ! I'll bet the lucky buyer is still pinching himself...
bruce bailey User ID: 9670323	Aug 13th 12:02 AM I didn't post it at SOTW because it is probably "one of them"! Still kicking myself. On the upside, I just got back home and a Conn Alto was waiting for me that is a nice one for $237 US with a great case. You win some, you lose a few.
Cool Runnin' Man User ID: 9725373	Aug 13th 12:14 AM Yeah. My current new project is making a C melody Bong pipe out of some Jamaican bamboo. I'm sure that I'll find something to fill it with down here. As they all say down here. "Cool Runnin' Mon".