Saxophones 1920's martin stencil -2 days to go on Ebay.co.uk -opinions?

[Jane M L]

I'm researching alto's for the eventual purchase, but that won't be for some time. I found this today and wonder why there have been no bids. The seller unfortunately has only 7 purchases to his name and very often a low feedback count makes ebayers quite wary.
I've just looked at Stephen Howards review of Martin Handcraft saxes of this period and they sound gorgeous.
I noticed an old thread with a post from Mack who likes them very much too. What do some other cafe patrons think?
on the prowl...
Jane

 

[ProfJames]

I have two Martin Imperials and a Handcraft alto. I am wary of buying stencils. For a little more you can have the real thing! Someone has just contacted me from eBay who has a Mertin Indiana for sale and he wanted to know if I was still interested before he put it back up for auction. Although the Indiana was the student sax from Martin they still play very nicely! If you want the guys email address PM me. It is also cheaper than the Handcraft stencil (which I am not sure actually IS a Handcraft stencil).

Also look at www.themartinstory.net

 

[kevgermany]

I'd rather have a Martin than a MkVI. Love the sound.

 

[Jane M L]

I wish I could take you up on that! Too many bills and happy with the tones I get out of John Packer JP043 - beginners straight soprano. It will have to last on it's own for a few months.

 

[ProfJames]

No problem, take your time and save for one like this on eBay......

Vintage Martin Silver Plated Stencil Curved Soprano Saxophone Sax w/ case RG804

 

[Jane M L]

Beautiful! Lots of tweaking to do on it. And add a mouthpiece for the same price. But how can a mouthpiece cost hundreds of dollars the same as a whole saxophone? Machined out of solid gold? How many hours does it take to make a really top notch mpc?
If it is scarcity value then someone could just churn out lots of the very best for us all to have one.
Maybe that's a heading for a new thread - 'What is the most you have ever spent on a mouthpiece?'

 

[Saxdiva]

Some mpcs cost $1000s not $100s. Did you see the Guardalas the same seller has?

It's a common topic on the forum. Most of the expensive ones have been extensively researched and each is hand finished and tested. If they're made from solid bars of metal, the raw material is expensive and the equipment to do the work is highly sophisticated, hence the reason they can't be churned out. Of course, the cheaper ones can do the job for a lot of people. Some of them are terrible though and probably end many a promising career because people give up after trying on play them!

Enjoy the search for your perfect alto. Searching is almost as much fun as finding one. 😀

 

[DavidUK]

🙂

Fancy a Tenor instead....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MARTIN-MA...t=UK_Woodwind_Instruments&hash=item417367b84c


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[thomsax]

I think you pay less for a stencil sax compared to a Martin stamped with thier own name. Anothere thing to consider is the sound/timbre of the saxes from the 20's. They were designed and constructed to play the music from the 20's or eaerlier. Around the mid 30's most major manufactors came with new models because the music had changed. To play on a sax from the 20's can be hard if you're playing in a Rock & Roll or Blues band. I even think my "The Martin" saxes sounds a bit old fashioned compare to new saxes! To find a moutpiece to a sax from the 20's can also be a challenge. But if you're on your own or in small band with a low tuned and vary repertoire I think a sax sax from the 20's is fine. My oldest Martin is an Imperial from the -34.