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Just Reflecting an odd ownership spree.

Saxlicker

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This recall is only a single string of things I've done but in this, one step leads to the next so I thought I'd share it.

I'd owned 2 altos over my first 18 months playing and got the bug most are familiar with...So I went and bought a Tenor.
In those days the internet was none existent in fact Windows and a mouse hadn't even emerged as 'the thing' on a PC.
Exchange and Mart lead me to Don Mackrills in North Ealing. I wasn't well informed about what to look for nor did I have the best ear in the world so I insisted on a second hand Grassi. Don himself had tried to tell me that any pre 50's american horn he had in the shop would serve me better. The Grassi excited me and was reminiscent in appearance to a MKVI. If i'm honest that was half the reason :blush:
Ah well, never mind at least I have the comfort of knowing that I stayed happy with the sax's ability there after. So much so that even after part exchanged it for a rather ropey selmer SBA, I still held it in high regard. The SBA had been heavily re-lacquered and needed an overhaul. It had cost £800 which was more expensive than it sounds at the time and probably should have been less but again my impetuous youth took over. That had to go even after an overhaul (I think I could have made a decent profit by de lacquering that one if I still had it, buyers beware huh?) and I eventually got my first MKVI.
Years later I still remembered my time with the Grassi and when an alto of the same model came up on Ebay for a 'buy it now' that didn't reach £85, I'd hit the button before I knew it. It came from the USA and get this....
It cost about £10 shipping, no extra charges (duty) and it arrived in 3 days.
I was gob smacked and the general condition was fine. The worst thing was a re-soldered bottom c sharp key post. The metal around it was extremely soft and the post was in a position where it could be knocked very easily and clearly had been.
I lovingly sealed all the leaks I could find, made a dent almost invisible and it had a really nice sound. I played it solidly for a month or so.
Another year passed without it seeing day light and I just wondered why I had put myself through all the risk.
I decided to sell it on and set a 'buy it now' of £125. I declared the soft material around the c shrap post and uploaded detailed photo's of everything. The thing sold inside 48 hours and I got positive feed back. I guess this sax could have been worth up to another £100 but I was more than happy.
Now why oh why do we do things like that?:D
 
Nice tale, we all have our own version or similar I suspect. I'm thinking I must have made the trip to Don Mackrills about the same time as you, courtesy of Exchange and Mart.

It was about 1986 or so that I reckon I was there buying my first alto. And I didn't really know what I was looking for at the time, only that the cheapy I'd just hired for 3 months (and handed back) was not to my liking. I played a King, Conn and a Martin, and to my inexperienced touch they all felt similar. 'Twas only when the chap in the shop (probably Don?) played each one of them for me to hear the Martin sold itself on its tone. No contest.

I still have that Alto.

Phil
 
Hi Saxlicker, try to think that whoever bought it from you was desperate for a sax, that was the limit of their budget and they're absolutely over the moon with it. Now don't you feel good?


On the other hand......No, don't think about it ;}
 
when the chap in the shop (probably Don?) played each one of them for me to hear the Martin sold itself on its tone. No contest.

I still have that Alto.

Phil

It probably was Don.
and it sounds like you obviously made a wide choice!

Hi Saxlicker, try to think that whoever bought it from you was desperate for a sax, that was the limit of their budget and they're absolutely over the moon with it. Now don't you feel good?

On the other hand......No, don't think about it ;}
Yes that would be nice.

But actually an ebay name I'd seen that was fairly experienced in buying saxes, but we both got what we wanted, all's well that ends well.
 

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