Untitled Document
     
Advertisement Click to advertise with us!
     

C-Melody: are YOU worth it?

So while rummaging through my house I came upon a vintage C-Melody Sax (Buescher True Tone aprox. 1968). The horn is desperate need of a overhaul (repad, mending of some bent rods, etc.), and I was wondering is it even worth it?
I googled/ebayed the model, and the horn in nearly perfect condition isn't selling for much more than $500. Should I send the funds fixing it up, only to sit on it for some indeterminate amount of time? Ot fix for my own "use" (dusty instrument collection)? Or should I just leave it in the present condition, and maybe even sell it as an antique? Maybe I could make a lamp or something really cool with it.
I've never had a use for a C-Melody, but the thought of having one for it's own sake has crossed my mind a few times. Thoughts?
 
I've pondered that question many years back.
The end result was that I was proficient at sight reading transposing from C to Bb (tenor sax or clarinet).
So a C-mel was just another horn that supposedly didn't have gone tonal qualities.

Truthfully learning to transpose will go further in all regards than a C-Mel.
I'd sell it as is, or make an interesting lamp, urinal or bidet out of it. :)
 
So while rummaging through my house I came upon a vintage C-Melody Sax (Buescher True Tone aprox. 1968).
Ummm. You're about 40 years off on that date.

My opinion on vintage C melodies is that they do have a different tonal quality than a Bb tenor, but only if you play in such a way to emphasize that quality and have a mouthpiece that also emphasizes that.

Restoring a C melody isn't a great idea. As you mention, a vintage horn in good shape is generally less expensive than a full overhaul. Additionally, a C melody will not increase in value unless it ...

* Has one of the "deluxe" finishes, like Conn's Virtuoso Deluxe: triple gold plate, additional pearl keytouches and custom engraving
* Has the Selmer name on it (and not "Selmer New York")
* Was produced by Adolphe Sax
* Was owned by someone famous and you can document that

You might also be able to get more cash for one of the rare Vito C melodies and/or one of the Conn or Buescher enameled ones.

You can always go down to your local dealer and see if you could trade it in for something. I've done that.
 
Sorry about the date, I got my Tenor and C Melody date mixed up! Sorry! It's really hard for me to find a date on it. A few websites are telling me that there was a huge fire at their factory, and a ton of records were lost. I'm pretty sure the horn is from aprox. 1916, mid-run of the series.
I feel like they would want it to be in playable shape for a trade, which it's not. But I'll ask around and see if anyone wants to trade a basically useless vintage C Melody for a useFUL vintage curved soprano that's actually playable.
 
I feel like they would want it to be in playable shape for a trade, which it's not. But I'll ask around and see if anyone wants to trade a basically useless vintage C Melody for a useFUL vintage curved soprano that's actually playable.

Might as well try taking a non running pinto to a vintage sport car shop and asking to trade it for a running British roadster. Something of no value for something with a specific desirability probably wont happen, but be sure to post the response you get.:emoji_rolling_eyes:
 
I cut my teeth learning to work on, up to fully restore, saxophones using C-Melodies obtained cheaply (and free in some instances). You might consider this route if you are interested in learning the tech side of things.
 
My first attempt at overhauling a saxophone was when I repadded a Martin C melody in high school. When I was finished, the sax played WORSE than when I started. 30 years later I tried again on the same horn, and one of the best jazz players I ever heard bought it from me. If at first you don't succeed, try again!
 
My high school band director gave me a Conn C-melody that was on a shelf gathering dust. Not knowing what I didn't know I attempted to repad it with a "set" of Micro brand pads that I ordered from Chesbro Music. Of course many of the pads were the wrong sizes and they were far too thick for that horn. I ended up sending it away to be professionally repadded at a cost of $100. That was in 1964 which would be the equivalent of $750 in today's dollars. I was unsuccessful, but the experience gave me the resolve to learn more about saxophone repair.
 
I thanked this thread as a "me too," but I'll add some more stuff:

First, I think you've now got Conn, Buescher and Buffet mixed up: Conn did have a fire in the early 19-teens and they may have lost some records at the time, but Buffet is famous for having a fire that destroyed most of their records and then re-started their serial numbers a couple of times because of that. I don't remember Buescher having any fires, but Gus Buescher did work for Conn. Anyhow, my chart of serial number charts is at http://thesax.info/serials/index.htm, if you're interested in a semi-accurate date. It probably won't be 1916. Yes, I know it (probably) has a 1914 patent date. That's not for the horn; that's for how the toneholes were made.

Second, I posted here before seeing your other post about going to college for Music Performance. In some of the music schools that are out there, you have (or "have available") a couple classes on instrument repair. The Buescher horns, provided your horn is from post 1921ish, should have something called "Snap-On pads" (old article I wrote + old manual here). If you're wanting to fool around with repair and the horns has the Snap-On "nubs" still intact, you have a horn that is easier to practice your repadding techniques on.

While we're on the subject, I also should mention that your horn will have something called "needle springs." You will get poked by at least one, so make sure you're up-to-date on that tetanus booster shot. I'm not kidding.

However, I still point to the trade-in suggestion if you want to upgrade any of your current instruments before you start doing the performance thing.
 
Well I might as well add my 2 cents to the mix as well, FWIW. While I wouldn't go the route of Steve's suggestion of turning the horn into a bidet or urinal--creative as those are :emoji_rage:--does the world really need another saxophone lamp? Do you? If you do, then by all means make yourself one.

By now I'm sure you've got the general message conveyed by everyone here: 1. Don't spend money getting it fixed, you'll never recoup it. 2. If you're going to sell it, sell it as is, or trade it, but don't expect much for it. It ain't worth much. 3. If you want to learn to fix things, this is a good project you can experiment on, and you won't ruin anything of value if it doesn't turn out.

BTW, if you'd post a couple of pics of this mystery horn, and include a partial serial #, with the last few digits of the serial # X'd out, we can tell you more about it.

Since 2000, I've had a straight neck, New Wonder Series II Conn that's in dead mint condition. I got it from the original owner. My main genres of music are rock and blues. Needless to say I haven't used it in those. The voicing is just flat-out wrong. Although I also fronted my own jazz band for a while, I never used the C mel in that. The style of jazz we did--lounge type standards--didn't suit the horn either. Nor did the Latin jazz and even big bands I worked in.

The only 2 times I've ever used the horn outside of the privacy of my own home, were when I took it to a seniors home, and played over the shoulder of the piano player. I took it there on purpose, just in case there were some residents who still remembered that sound from their youth. The only other time was when I took it to a friend's and played Happy B-Day for her.

Yes, there are lots of people who will say that they use their C mels all the time in this band or that, and that they use an alto or tenor m/p. However, I use a Runyon C mel m/p and get a C mel sound. That traditional sound, doesn't fit in with today's music. I've tried both alto and tenor m/p's on my Conn, but I don't like the sound. An alto or tenor sax sounds much better.

An argument I frequently encounter online is that people like to play C mel just for the sake of not having to transpose, or for being able to play in "easier" keys. But that just doesn't make sense either. If you're a musician, you're expected play in all 12 keys, not just in the "easy" ones. The only way all 12 become easy, is by practicing them. At first even G or D were difficult for us, but eventually we learned them. So too will F# and C# be, once we get the fingerings patterns so ingrained in us that they become second nature.

So what does that mean for your C mel? Only you can say. Lamp? Trade in? Fixer upper? One thing is for sure, there are lots of pristine examples of C mels out there. Sadly, very few of them have an opportunity to get out of the closet very often. Mine included.
 
Back
Top Bottom