That Martin Indiana

[jeremyjuicewah]

I have some phots of the ghastly state it was in, and can take some of the unlaquered state of it now, will see to it and get them posted. Thanks all.

 

[jeremyjuicewah]

Well to resurrect this crusty old thread I have today bought a two pack laquer from the car repair shop that hammers my Ford back into shape from time to time and in the next month I am going to strip the Martin and polish and laquer it. One litre of laquer plus the other bit of the pack, I assume it will make up 2 litres, cost me 77 blinking euros, but an ulaquered sax is a bit of a pain and when you recall how bright and beautiful it used to be, lacquering seems a good idea. I am also going to strip and laquer my Yami, but that comes after the first is reassembled, because I stupidly used to tape the wires from my bell mic up with electricians tape and its adhesive has damaged a big stripe around the bell. I think if the Martin comes up ok I will do a few more too. The laquer should be enough to cater for a whole brass band. I have found some pics of the old horn and will post when done with some notes on the lacquering process.
Watch this space, I will be back before you die. Most of you.
Mike

 

[kevgermany]

Good luck.

 

[Dbop62]

I got. me a Martin Tenor, Love the Sound! It Needs Some work Doing to it. I thought about getting a Backup sax while the Martin is away, but it won't be easy! I tried a moderner sax and thought " That Sounds terrible !!!" What compares to a Martin?

 

[DavidUK]

I got. me a Martin Tenor, Love the Sound! It Needs Some work Doing to it. I thought about getting a Backup sax while the Martin is away, but it won't be easy! I tried a moderner sax and thought " That Sounds terrible !!!" What compares to a Martin?

How about a backup Martin Tenor? See mine in the Yard Sale... http://cafesaxophone.com/threads/martin-tenor-medalist-1960-61.13660/

 

[ProfJames]

If I land the jobs that I am up for over the next week I shall buy that! They are a cracking horn.

 

[SaxterLoka]

Mmmmm.....having worked on all different school horns, and pro horns, and top of the line vintage horns, and done this 6 days a week for quite a while, servicing & overhauling etc, i sit hear reading all this and my heart sinks.

And the question comes to mind.....do we D I Y on our bodies when there's a problem....no way...off to the doc or hospital........instruments are the same. Respect for the body is paramount. Respect for the instrument is also paramount.

Let a good top notch tech do the work. Don't let a hack at a local music shop who has never been properly trained or yourself that is not a specialist in this field do the work. Hunt down/ ask around and find and use the services of a specialist tech that really knows his stuff inside out.

Watering down the music is a sin. Watering down the instrument maintenance/service is just as bad.

Especially on vintage horns.

Please don't speculate in regards to fixing instruments. They are not being fixed if you don't know what your doing.

They are being abused.

And if you have not been trained in this field you wont even know that what you are doing is more than likely permanent irreparable damage to the instrument.

It all needs to be done properly. learn on line. take skype lessons. have a holiday over at music medic. what ever it takes.

if you are keen to learn this trade. by all means do it properly. ;->

ps

no bad vibe intended in any way, peace!!!

 

[ProfJames]

Not sure if I understand this response?

 

[kevgermany]

Not sure if I understand this response?

Looks like he's objecting to Mike fixing his own sax.

 

[SaxterLoka]

Looks like he's objecting to Mike fixing his own sax.

is that what it looks like?

 

[ProfJames]

is that what it looks like?

Pretty much!

 

[SaxterLoka]

Pretty much!

lets all be happy that Mike is happy :->

 

[jeremyjuicewah]

I bought this around my 60th birthday, it is the same age as me. I was going to restore it. It was thick orange with corrosion. The Eb port was pushed in at an angle with a tear in the body that you could put your little finger through, and not a note would sound on it.

The idea was I would do it up. It very nearly did me up. The only thing I managed to do was clean it. John Coppen sorted everything else out, you would never know it had been injured. So I had a stripped tenor which looked very nice - for about four months. After that time it was dull, it had green spit spots all over it and it was not a joy to behold. So I dismantled it again and cleaned it. Then I really went for it and pulled all the springs out. They were the needle springs and there was blood everywhere whenever I started scour it up. Fortunately I mislaid the springs and had to get John to fit new ones, ones without murderous points on them. I bought some two pack laquer from a car body shop, it cost me70 euros. I used about two eggcups of it and gave the rest to John as I will never ever do this again. The spray gun and compressor cost me nearly a hundred euros to hire, could have bought one, literally, for that money. I have just sprayed another tenor with three coats from an aerosol from Amazon, 8 quid. Its not such a nice job, but its was easy, quick and cheap.

This thing was never about buying a cheap horn and making a profit, it was a project. I learned not to be so ambitious. I thik this thing has set me back at least 1000 pounds, but its a great sax, and it looks a million dollars, so thats quite a bit of equity from 1000 pounds.

I cant find my original thread from four years ago, but I thought I would post a pic of the finished article as it was at band practice yesterday.

Cheers all
Mike

 

[Jeanette]

I cant find my original thread from four years ago, but I thought I would post a pic of the finished article as it was at band practice yesterday.

Merged thread, is this the correct thread or do you have another?

Jx

 

[Jeanette]

It looks fantastic by the way

Jx

 

[jeremyjuicewah]

Merged thread, is this the correct thread or do you have another?

Yes, very kind. I dont know why I couldnt find it. I had not realised I had posted so much. The original pics of what it was like when I bought it were taken with a rubbish phone, they dont really show much. Suffice to say that knowing what I now know, I would not have touched this horn with a barge pole. But, I am very glad that I did.

It looks fantastic by the way

Thanks. I was sitting out a number that did not require me and I looked at the Martin and I thought my gosh, it does look good. So I took a pic and Bob´s you know who. I am so pleased with it. The PPT is good on it but its good on all the tenors. Took me about a year to master that too, but well worth it.

 

[thomsax]

I bought this around my 60th birthday, it is the same age as me. I was going to restore it. It was thick orange with corrosion. The Eb port was pushed in at an angle with a tear in the body that you could put your little finger through, and not a note would sound on it.

The idea was I would do it up. It very nearly did me up. The only thing I managed to do was clean it. John Coppen sorted everything else out, you would never know it had been injured. So I had a stripped tenor which looked very nice - for about four months. After that time it was dull, it had green spit spots all over it and it was not a joy to behold. So I dismantled it again and cleaned it. Then I really went for it and pulled all the springs out. They were the needle springs and there was blood everywhere whenever I started scour it up. Fortunately I mislaid the springs and had to get John to fit new ones, ones without murderous points on them. I bought some two pack laquer from a car body shop, it cost me70 euros. I used about two eggcups of it and gave the rest to John as I will never ever do this again. The spray gun and compressor cost me nearly a hundred euros to hire, could have bought one, literally, for that money. I have just sprayed another tenor with three coats from an aerosol from Amazon, 8 quid. Its not such a nice job, but its was easy, quick and cheap.

This thing was never about buying a cheap horn and making a profit, it was a project. I learned not to be so ambitious. I thik this thing has set me back at least 1000 pounds, but its a great sax, and it looks a million dollars, so thats quite a bit of equity from 1000 pounds.

I cant find my original thread from four years ago, but I thought I would post a pic of the finished article as it was at band practice yesterday.

Cheers all
Mike View attachment 8361

Nice!

 

[gladsaxisme]

Looks gorgeous well done

 

[jeremyjuicewah]

Looks gorgeous well done

Thanks. It has been a long journey. The only niggle I have with it now is that I have to take my pinky off the Ab. I have been using another good sax which will allow it to stay put when playing other notes. I will ask my magician if there is a fix for this, but I suspect not. When I used the Martin all the time I didnt notice a problem, mayben I am playing faster and more complex pieces now. Still, wouldnt be right if I had nothing at all to moan about.

Cheers
Mike