SOLD Massive Clearance Sale...or something like that!

[Wade Cornell]

Price of Item

$550 - $4500

Shipping OK to countries where stuff doesn't regularly go missing.
Shipping at cost and materials to be negotiated according to buyer's instructions

Yes, it's time for a clean out. Too many years of collecting and I'm running out of room. Pictures and/or sound clips can be provided for any instrument you are keen on. No tire kickers please.

1. Yanaigsawa Curvy Soprano 99% lacquer, good pads, excellent condition made between 1990 and 91. Two necks. $2,000 USD ONO.
2. Yanagisawa Straight Elimona Soprano with high G. in excellent condition lacquer 95% $2,300 USD ONO
3. Martin stencil (Carl Fisher) curvy soprano sax with custom made flight case and Morgan Vintage mouthpiece. Lacquer 90%. No dings. Slight intonation issue with C2 to C#2. Very distinctive tone and vibe. Pads OK and plays top to bottom. Not a beginner's horn. $750 USD ONO.
4. Martin stencil (Abbott) straight soprano in sliver plate...well, it's oxidized black. It's the real thing no faux finish! New pads and very unique sound. Good thumb hook (no ring). A few small dents/pings and bell a bit skew if you stare at it. This has that Martin vintage sop sound and then some. Comes with Morgan Vintage mouthpiece! Not a horn for beginners. Steal this horn for $550 USD ONO.
5. International Woodwinds C soprano in near new condition with extensive engraving. Keyd to high F#. Good intonation and takes Bb sop mouthpieces. $1450 USD ONO.
6. Buescher Silver plate C sop with gold keys. A few pips in finish. Plays well with good pads and keyed to high Eb. A classy old horn, with original case and smell (I use peppermint oil in the case to combat the stink). Beautiful soft tone and good intonation. $1600 USD ONO.
7. Buescher Gold Bb Soprano in good playing condition. One repair to high E palm key (not very noticeable). Finish 90+ %. A beautiful looking and sounding horn. Original case and a wee bit of stink (we don't charge for the stink). $1800 USD ONO
8. Yanagisawa 880 Alto in excellent condition. Lacquer 98%. No dents or dings, and good pads. Like a new horn. If you want the sound of the 880 they don't get better than this. $2100 USD ONO.
9. Martin Com II Alto. Re-lacquered but not buffed deeply. Good pads and an excellent player. Many consider this the superior horn compared to the Com III. A good looking and playing horn with that Martin presence. $950 USD ONO.
10. Saxgourmet 6 Tenor in copper lacquered finish. Lacquer 98%+ good pads, excellent player with outstanding intonation and ergos. This horn is LOUD. I used it for unamplified outdoor gigs. Loudest horn I've ever played. In "as new" condition. $2300 USD ONO.
11. Early King Super 20 with full pearls and silver neck. Original lacquer at 80%. Extensive engraving. Good pads Lives up to its reputation and is definitely a player's or collector's horn. I bought it from Sarge's (saxquest) estate where it was part of his personal collection. $4500 USD ONO.

 

[Jazzaferri]

What's the S/N of the King tot he nearest thousand is fine

 

[Wade Cornell]

What's the S/N of the King tot he nearest thousand is fine

SN 278xxx. Probably 1946/47. Most of the lacquer wear is on the pant leg side. No dents or dings. Only adjustment I've made to the horn was to ease the Low B and Bb as Sarge liked those way too heavily sprung. All the notes speak well. especially the bottom end.

 

[Alphorn]

Impressive collection. I try to imagine what stays in the shack... Good luck.

Alphorn

 

[Wade Cornell]

Impressive collection. I try to imagine what stays in the shack... Good luck.

Alphorn

Thanks Alphorn for your kind good wishes.

Ah, what I'm keeping is the result of 30+ years of GAS! I've mostly lived in very remote areas where there were few horns available, so it's taken a long time to find the ones that suit my "different" sort of tone concept. This is the first I've got around to letting go of those other horns, that will hopefully find good homes.

Thanks again.

 

[garrobito]

The king is killing me! I tried a zephir few days ago and was hook up.. but another sax could be a divorce cause.. good luck with your sale!!

 

[Jeanette]

@Wade Cornell are these all still for sale?

Thanks

Jx

 

[Wade Cornell]

@Wade Cornell are these all still for sale?

Thanks

Jx

Hi Jeanette,

Yes I've still got these and have been too busy to do anything about it (like selling on E-bay). I'll be around most of May, but after that in Australia and Europe for the following four months so wouldn't be able to ship anything until the End of September. From now until the end of May is OK. To sell on E-bay I thought I'd need to do a video of each to show how they look and play. Some of these are older instruments, so anyone interested needs to know that they are good players and don't require a lot of work. For the Cafe I just listed and left it at that. If someone is interested I can do the pictures and video (if I remember how to do the youtube thing!)

Thanks Jeanette.

 

[Jeanette]

If anyone is interested is bringing one to Europe a possibility?

Jx

 

[Wade Cornell]

If anyone is interested is bringing one to Europe a possibility?

Jx

Yes, that is possible. I'll be in Germany in late August, Norway in Early September and England in 2nd week of September. I'd only bring them if sold. I don't fancy carrying a horn half way around the world and back. Would be easier and a lot faster for me to ship it. I make up cases for shipping artworks and also make flight cases for horns, so can definitely pack a horn so that it arrives in good condition. As it is I'm playing in Germany and Norway. Nothing is planned playing wise for England. Wife's relatives live there, so primarily a visit. I will have at least two horns with me and possibly three. I have a case I've made up for the three horns I use, but they are specific to those horns (foam is blown around them to only fit those horns). Any extra instrument cases I'd have to pay for as excess baggage, so nothing would be saved in that exercise, also more risk putting a "normal" horn case in with airplane baggage. So it's possible, but not going to happen quickly, has more risk of damage, and could be more expensive than regular shipping (depends on airline excess baggage costs).

It's a good relevant question. Thanks for asking.

 

[Wade Cornell]

These horns soon to be offered elsewhere. If there is any interest now is the time...

 

[altissimo]

just out of interest, does the Abbott soprano have a front F?

 

[Wade Cornell]

just out of interest, does the Abbott soprano have a front F?

If you're asking about the altissimo F?. This horn is from the 1920s-30s. The front F isn't on my Martin (Com III tenor) from 1958 but is on My Martin "Music Man" Alto from the early 1960s. So introduction for Martin is right around early 1960s.

 

[altissimo]

I meant one of these -

The Martin Story website indicates that some later Martin Handcrafts had this key, so wondered if your Abbott stencil sop was equipped with one... I get the feeling that Martin may not have updated their soprano sax designs after the Handcraft and may not have made many (or any?) sopranos post WWII

 

[Wade Cornell]

I have four pre WWII Martin sopranos. None had the front F. I doubt that Martin ever made sopranos with front F and I'm pretty sure they didn't make any sopranos of any kind post WWII. The soprano went "out of fashion" for a long while as a popular instrument although still made by a few companies in the late 1930s to 1965 period. In the 1920s to early 30s it was very popular with lots of C sops besides the Bb. I think that the clarinet kind of took it's place in mid 30s to early 50s with the popularity of Benny Goodman. The only sop player of note was Sidney Bechet, but he wasn't nearly as well known as Goodman.

 

[altissimo]

Thanks, it's what I suspected, that American soprano saxes ceased to be developed after the end of the 1920's due to lack of demand and by the time Coltrane and Steve Lacy brought it back from the brink of extinction, the US sax industry wasn't in any fit shape to be investing in modernising the old designs and so the demand was filled by Selmer.

Much as I'd love to have a Martin soprano, I'd also like that missing key... so at least this keeps me from straying from alto

 

[Wade Cornell]

I just sold a modern sopranino with the front F. I've got to admit to probably not wanting to hear anyone even attempt altissimo with a sopranino. Your chance of anyone playing altissimo on sopranino anywhere near in tune is ZERO. My (modern) R&C curvy soprano may be a candidate for using the front F, but so far I havn't played altissimo on it either. Just haven't found the need to go there. Different playing alto and tenor when you want to reach and extend. When playing soprano (or sopranino) I find myself wanting to reach lower, not higher.

 

[taiwanpaul]

These horns soon to be offered elsewhere. If there is any interest now is the time...

HI Wade, Could you record an mp3 of the Martin stencil (Carl Fisher) curvy soprano sax, to allow me to hear the tone? Short clips showing off high and lows, mellow and raucous etc! Some pictures would also be good. Could you also give a guesstimate for shipping to Taiwan? Ship is OK, no need for airmail. Many thanks, Paul.

 

[Wade Cornell]

HI Wade, Could you record an mp3 of the Martin stencil (Carl Fisher) curvy soprano sax, to allow me to hear the tone? Short clips showing off high and lows, mellow and raucous etc! Some pictures would also be good. Could you also give a guesstimate for shipping to Taiwan? Ship is OK, no need for airmail. Many thanks, Paul.

HI Taiwanpaul, Happy to send pictures and a clip of the sound. Just to make sure you understand this horn has an intonation quirk typical of curvy horns from that period where C to C# requires (lip) adjustment to keep in pitch. Otherwise very nice mellow tone. Not a horn recommended for beginners. Has custom made flight case and comes with an excellent Morgan "Vintage" mouthpiece.

There is no sea freight postage from New Zealand only air. Cost will be $35 USD or less including tracking. I will charge whatever the real cost is if it's less, and a maximum of $35. OK?

You will need to send me a Private Message with your E-mail details for posting a sound file. I don't know how to post a sound file here. If you do know how to, and would prefer them posted here, please give me details of how to do this. I can post the pictures here in a while or with the sound file if you prefer.

 

[thomsax]

I meant one of these -
View attachment 10748

The Martin Story website indicates that some later Martin Handcrafts had this key, so wondered if your Abbott stencil sop was equipped with one... I get the feeling that Martin may not have updated their soprano sax designs after the Handcraft and may not have made many (or any?) sopranos post WWII

I have the front F (pearl) key on all my Martin Committees saxes (1938-1962).