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C Melody Saxophone Forum / C-Tenor (C-Melody) Saxophones / "Lyon & Healy"

Back 20 Messages

DeanoTheSaxman@aol.c
User ID: 1265504 Nov 14th 7:50 AM
Has anybody ever seen a Lyon & Healy fitted with a Conn micro-tune neck? I have one in my possession at the mo and it has this, it is also definitely a Buescher stencil "Formed Tone Holes" and has the circular G# pinkie key, no Martin tone holes ????
Anybody got any ideas, the serial number is 119636
any ideas will be greatly appreciated :-)

bruce bailey
User ID: 9690803 Nov 2nd 1:37 AM
Here is my take on the stencils. L&H had Bueschers, a very few Kings and mostly Martinish ones made by Courturier. The Courturier ones were marked thus and after 1928 they were owned by L&H. These have a larger bore at least at the top end. Martin tone holes and they add an L shaped G#/C# pinky key that opens both cups. A bit ahead of their time. Another sometimes nice feature is that the palm keys are interlocking. When you press Eb, it opens D also and with F it opens all three making high F easier as only one key needs to be depressed. The downside is that when attempting high F#, you cannot finger A2 and add the F as it opens the set.
Many other stencils are wrongly called Martins. These were built by the Indiana Band Inst. Co. which was bought by Martin in 1928. I suspect that they are more Martin than the above L&H ones. Often they have the body rings made up with stipes. For the most part these are identical to standard Martin HCs. All of the Wurlitzers I have owned are like these. I own 2 Wurlitzer curved sopranos and one is pure Martin and the other is a Buescher TT series 2. I saw one on ebay from the early teens that was a Conn New Invention or Wonder model. These stencils are as good as the branded ones and are bargains at about half the price. My L&H straight Bb soprano is one of the best horns I own. If anyone is interested, I am selling some of these in alto and soprano form as I just have gotten out of control and bought too many. Some are ready to go and others need everything.
Sorry to ramble on here.....

alan (uk)
User ID: 0651814 Nov 2nd 7:10 AM
Bruce - I can go with that...

Lucky enough to have picked up a King L&H stencil C-Mel (my Big Ugly on the website) which is one of only two I've seen.

And I have a few (ten/alt)Indiana Band Inst. Co 'Martin's' with those striped body rings - where the parts aren't quite interchangeable with standard Martins and Martin stencils.

I've had a fascination with L&H over the years, my second C-Mel was a Buescher L&H, always good quality.

I might just have to see what you have for sale in the soprano area, after my/our unpleasant experience with Mr Benjamin Lee - musicmakernc - an ebay seller to avoid at all costs ! Definitely a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records, 'Rudest Man' category ?

bruce bailey
User ID: 9690803 Nov 3rd 1:29 AM
I tried to help Alan with that deal and the guy was as rude as a human can be....hung up the phone on me before I could explain anything!!!

alan (uk)
User ID: 0651814 Nov 3rd 5:01 AM
Yes, sincerest thanks for that, Bruce. Obviously that guy buys the bits that he's selling - I'd hate to haggle with him for a good price, if I was a seller !

Onwards and upwards, as they say - thank goodness that he's not typical, of either ebay sellers, or Americans...

8-))

Back 20 Messages

DeanoTheSaxman@aol.c User ID: 1265504	Nov 14th 7:50 AM Has anybody ever seen a Lyon & Healy fitted with a Conn micro-tune neck? I have one in my possession at the mo and it has this, it is also definitely a Buescher stencil "Formed Tone Holes" and has the circular G# pinkie key, no Martin tone holes ???? Anybody got any ideas, the serial number is 119636 any ideas will be greatly appreciated :-)
bruce bailey User ID: 9690803	Nov 2nd 1:37 AM Here is my take on the stencils. L&H had Bueschers, a very few Kings and mostly Martinish ones made by Courturier. The Courturier ones were marked thus and after 1928 they were owned by L&H. These have a larger bore at least at the top end. Martin tone holes and they add an L shaped G#/C# pinky key that opens both cups. A bit ahead of their time. Another sometimes nice feature is that the palm keys are interlocking. When you press Eb, it opens D also and with F it opens all three making high F easier as only one key needs to be depressed. The downside is that when attempting high F#, you cannot finger A2 and add the F as it opens the set. Many other stencils are wrongly called Martins. These were built by the Indiana Band Inst. Co. which was bought by Martin in 1928. I suspect that they are more Martin than the above L&H ones. Often they have the body rings made up with stipes. For the most part these are identical to standard Martin HCs. All of the Wurlitzers I have owned are like these. I own 2 Wurlitzer curved sopranos and one is pure Martin and the other is a Buescher TT series 2. I saw one on ebay from the early teens that was a Conn New Invention or Wonder model. These stencils are as good as the branded ones and are bargains at about half the price. My L&H straight Bb soprano is one of the best horns I own. If anyone is interested, I am selling some of these in alto and soprano form as I just have gotten out of control and bought too many. Some are ready to go and others need everything. Sorry to ramble on here.....
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 2nd 7:10 AM Bruce - I can go with that... Lucky enough to have picked up a King L&H stencil C-Mel (my Big Ugly on the website) which is one of only two I've seen. And I have a few (ten/alt)Indiana Band Inst. Co 'Martin's' with those striped body rings - where the parts aren't quite interchangeable with standard Martins and Martin stencils. I've had a fascination with L&H over the years, my second C-Mel was a Buescher L&H, always good quality. I might just have to see what you have for sale in the soprano area, after my/our unpleasant experience with Mr Benjamin Lee - musicmakernc - an ebay seller to avoid at all costs ! Definitely a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records, 'Rudest Man' category ?
bruce bailey User ID: 9690803	Nov 3rd 1:29 AM I tried to help Alan with that deal and the guy was as rude as a human can be....hung up the phone on me before I could explain anything!!!
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 3rd 5:01 AM Yes, sincerest thanks for that, Bruce. Obviously that guy buys the bits that he's selling - I'd hate to haggle with him for a good price, if I was a seller ! Onwards and upwards, as they say - thank goodness that he's not typical, of either ebay sellers, or Americans... 8-))