Saxophones Pan american alto

[C_Claudemonster]

Wow, today I got what I would consider a bargain of 2012! A Pan American app. 1960 alto. It's horrendously beat up and ugly but it looks as if somebody has completely put the time and effort in to restore it. I do believe it has been dropped in the past as the bow appears crumpled but ironed out. It's so ugly but when I got it out of the case & played it, wow! It has a wonderful sound and it plays with absolute ease with that lovely Conn tone. It reminds me of my 1917 Conn alto that I owned about 8 yrs ago that was probably almost as ugly but I paid £400 for!! I will not be letting this one go, so no, it won't be in the yard sale hehe

 

[kevgermany]

Good luck. Enjoy!

 

[Zeus]

Good for you Saxgirl22, i am on my quest for a Conn of that decade, and i won't let it go either. No matter how shiny the Jupiter is, or how robust and grandiose is a Yamaha tenor, i think i was made for a vintage, a friend who told me get a vintage Conn first, was right, i didn't listen. Now i want to, since i am lost with all the new and expensive ones.

 

[What]

Great find congrats. Enjoy.

 

[rcharlier]

I bought a Conn Pan American Alto a few months ago. I'm having a hard time placing the date of manufacture. The serial stamp area of mine reads:


64 M
PAT.APP'D FOR
A
56669
L


(A for Alto, L for Low Pitch)


Is yours stamped in a similar manner?

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Hiya, I'll have a look for you. Mine is only stamped with a serial number. I think mine is late 1950's from what the owner mentioned but it's so duffed in it looks older. I bloody love it tho! Last night I played it and it plays wonderfully but bc it's been repaired quite extensively it's a bit like a watering can hahaha!

 

[Zeus]

It plays wonderfully, or plays like a watering can? Please do clear this for me))

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Plays wonderfully but leaks water like a watering can hahaha!

 

[Zeus]

Don't play it in the rain again then You do, don't you?
Respectfully,
Ted

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Hi Rcharlier, mine is only stamped with the S/N 557457 yours may be earlier than mine

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Don't play it in the rain again then You do, don't you?
Respectfully,
Ted

Haha, it has been known!

 

[gladsaxisme]

I think pics are in order here so we can all marvel at it's ugliness ...John

Ps think I've got a pan American,must dig it out and try to give it a blow,if the sound is as good as you say

 

[jonf]

I've got an American pan, I used to use it for making pancakes. It's not very good, though.

 

[C_Claudemonster]

haha! American pan for pancakes lol! well, I will get some pics uploaded soon. I need to ask my husband how to do that as he has a photobucket site or something that he uses for forums and he helped me post my tenor sax pics on the yard sale the other week. Be in touch soon with photos of the ugliness!

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Well here's one photo. I think it's uploaded correctly. It's not great quality but the bottom of the sax is all rippled where dents have been removed and there's some solder work on it too plus the usual amount of verdigris in places. So yes, it's probably more fugly than the photo suggests but for £50 I'm extremely pleased with it

 

[jonf]

Fifty quid? ******* **** (My asterisks, Kev, I know it's a family forum). I've had some real bargains over the years, but that ranks up with the best of them.

Incidentally, the verdigris will come off with vinegar, if you can be bothered.

 

[C_Claudemonster]

yes, but sometimes when I'm lucky with a bargain there's always a dud creeps in somewhere! ie: one bugger that can't be fixed or is so badly corroded on the tone holes it might as well be declared 'dead'
I have had a few £50 saxes, mainly from people who just want to get rid of them and think they can't be fixed when really the problem is something quite simple but the chap I got this one off knew alot about saxophones and wasn't too fussed about the money.
I hope to get as much enjoyment from this one as I can but I'm not sure of how long its playing life will be as it has been extensively repaired/salvaged and although everything seals and plays well it is slightly leaky in areas like a watering can so, we'll see. Saliva does terrible things to saxophones over the years!