Oops, done it again, just bought a Conn C Melody

[jonf]

Oh dear, I've gone and bought yet another sax. Conn C Melody, excellent condition, new pads, fully functioning microtuner.

Haven't told the Mrs F yet. I think she may well deserve a rather lovely Christmas pressie to keep her sweet

 

[Jules]

Is there any room left in your abode?

 

[pauloalto]

That's cost you twice then!

 

[jools]

Another? - hahaha. How many is that now?
You know, I worked out that in the last 15 years I've had at least 18 of the beggers!! An understanding Missus is indeed a joy to behold.

(Sopranos: Earlham, LA Sax. Altos: Grafton (1), Selmer 23, Conn, Selmer Super 80, Earlham, Selmer MK6, Pierret, Grafton (2), Martin Committee, Blessing, Yamaha. Tenors: Paul Cavore, King Super 20, Beuscher, Arbiter. Baritone: Beuscher. Don't even get me started on mouthpieces!!)

 

[jonf]

Jools wrote:
Another? - hahaha. How many is that now?
You know, I worked out that in the last 15 years I've had at least 18 of the beggers!! An understanding Missus is indeed a joy to behold.

(Sopranos: Earlham, LA Sax. Altos: Grafton (1), Selmer 23, Conn, Selmer Super 80, Earlham, Selmer MK6, Pierret, Grafton (2), Martin Committee, Blessing, Yamaha. Tenors: Paul Cavore, King Super 20, Beuscher, Arbiter. Baritone: Beuscher. Don't even get me started on mouthpieces!!)

I currently have eight saxes! A sop, three altos, two tenors, one bari and now one C Mel!

For sop, alto and bari I only have one or two mouthpieces, but I have a bizarre fetish for tenor pieces, and I must have about twenty.

 

[jools]

20 mouthpieces!? - which ones really shine out for you?

 

[rhysonsax]

Congratulations on your new C Mel. My Conn C Mel is really nice, when it's played with the right mouthpiece. With the wrong mouthpiece it's either really stuffy or the tuning is badly out of whack at different points in the horn.

The best mouthpiece I found is a Morgan C Melody which uses tenor reeds, sounds really nice (fairly modern and not stuffy) and tunes well. Some tenor mouthpieces sound nice, but the tuning requires hard work. The original C Melody mouthpieces are pretty horrible.

Don't know how easy it is to get Morgan mouthpieces now that Ralph Morgan has died. They are still available for Junk Dude in the US, but quite pricey: https://www.junkdude.com/ProductGroup.aspx?group=mouthpieces&id_prodcat=37

Is your Conn the straight neck (alto style but longer) or the curved neck (tenor style) ?

All the best

Rhys

PS I've also got a Buescher C Mel and a Vito from the 1960s http://www.simplysax.de/Vito.htm

 

[jools]

Surely some enterprising far eastern company has thought of doing the 'lost-wax' treatment on some vintage C-mel MPCs. I've always wanted one, and have watched them come and go on ebay for years. Do they sound like a 'bass-y alto'? (never even seen one in person)

 

[Bobby G]

So, Jools, of those 18 saxes do you still own all of them? I have a mere 4 (check the signature).

And JonF, you obviously needed that C mel as you didn't have one before. How is it?

 

[jools]

hahahahhahaha - hmmm. No. A bit like Bird, when I'm rich i buy horns. When the rent needs paying I sell them. I currently have a modest 2 altos, 2 tenors and a bari. Ahhh, it's all good fun. There's no better thrill than getting a new one tho!. Like you said in the 'giving a sax a name' thread - you open the case and go "Ooh, how YOU doin'?" 😉

 

[Bobby G]

I am rubbish at selling anything - I've swapped a few guitars and saxes over the years but never actually sold anything..... still, I might have to, someone has been kind enough to point me at a possibly interesting bari, so one of the altos and the soprano (not used much) may have to go. Eventually. Maybe.

 

[RedBottom]

Think yourselves lucky. I have a bloke who collects drums in this way. We currently have five (or is it six?) kits in the house, one on loan to my concert band and one on permanent loan to Premier's museum. Fortunately most of them are kept stacked in the utility room and garage.

I also have to contend with several boxes of toys and paraphernalia, and numerous jambes and oodoos dotted around the house. Oh, and the didgeridoo, which stands in a corner and falls on my head whenever I need to retrieve stuff from the box next to it.

And the gong stand? Don't even mention that. When it's not being used as such, it becomes a coat stand for several sets of motorbike leathers, which then get dumped on the front room floor whenever he needs to use the gong for a gig.

And when we're buying a car, it can't just be any old car. Oh no! We have to have an estate or something so that he can get all the gear in the back. I don't mind. I'll drive most things. It's just that we're in no financial position to be choosy about cars.

My three-and-a-half saxes, on the other hand, just sit quietly in a corner between plays, minding their own business and getting in no-one's way. So, JonF, if your wife complains, just tell her to be thankful you're not a drummer.

 

[jonf]

Well, update on the C mel. It plays really well, using of all things a Yani metal. Well in tune, and a really puchy sound - the pads are metal reflector ones which must help. The long b flat is stuffy, but that's no problem as the side and bis ones are both fine.

Looking at it carefully it's been completely overhauled recently, with new pads, corks, microtuner greased, all new touch pieces. No dings and only one neat solder. And for this I paid a hundred quid. Unbelievable really. Came from a sale where the seller wasnt a player and knew nothing about it. A bit of a gamble as I bought it sight unseen, so a ton was all I'd offer, but it worked out brilliantly.

Thanks for the recommendation on mouthpieces Rhys, I might order one from the States while the pound is strong against the dollar.The Conn is a straight neck by the way.

About the vast collection of Tenor mouthpieces, Jools, the one I tend to come back to time after time is a battered old Otto Link STM 10 with a massive added baffle. It's a monster. I'm also really fond of my Berg Duckbill, Otto STM NY and Lawton.

Oh, and when I told the wife, her only comment was "where are we going to keep all these things". Bless her. The answer? In the saxophone room.

Jon

 

[Bobby G]

You've got off lightly I reckon Redbottom, there was a bloke on tv recently who's whole house and garage etc is literally stuffed full with hundreds of drums.

Jon, it sounds like you've got a goodun there.... whether I mean C mel or wife is for you to decide.