The Martin story and Pete Thomas comparasion cover most of what there is to say about Martin saxes. Pete's conclusions about the best/most suitable R&B- and R&R saxophone is good reading. I do agree. On SOTW there are lots of players that use Martins saxes.
The Martin Tenor (Magna) model is the best model for R&B and Rock 'n' Roll. The Magna model is very exquisite (nickel-silver keys ...), but a good The Martin Tenor is also just fine. For Rock and Roll I think ResoTech resonators are fine. The sax plays louder and it also gets a slightly brighter tone. Reso Tech resonators are in brass or sterling silver but quite expensive. They are mounted with a screw on the back of the pad so they can be used over and over again. They spare the pads and no corrosion on the resonators. But plastic resonators are also good. Thin pads 0.160" (c 4.0 mm) or thinner and the key-height should be set low. I think it's easy to find mouthpieces to The Martins. I prefer medium chamber and with a baffle. Recently I bought a Rovner Deep-V and it works well. Bob Ackermann did a good moutpiece comparasion (CD) in Saxophone Journal on Martins a few years ago. I would stay out of buying on Ebay or similar sites. Try and inspect the sax before you buy. A straihgt body, no damage on the toneholes ... and try to look at the joint between the body and toneholes. Hard to do without taking some keys off. Stephen Howard www.shwoodwind.co.uk wrote about selective galvanic corrosion on Martins. Spooky reading!!
I bought my bari (212XXX) from Paul Cohen (Dr Paul Cohen, Vintage Saxophones Revisted in Saxophone Journal, www.totheforepublishers.com ....) in the mid 80's. A very good sax and it's still playing well after nearly 25 years. I think Paul Cohen use(d) Joe Sax (New Jersey) for the work on the bari. I bought six Martins or Martin-made saxes from Bob Ackerman. Nice horns and no problem with shipping. Me and my friend, who were a tech in those days, did the overhaul. I just bought one completely overhauled sax from Ackerman, Martin Handcraft Std tenor with ResoTechs. I think the rebuild was done in New Jersey. Bobs brother Randy has a good reputation as a saxophone technician. Tenor Madness is also a fine source when it comes to Martins. But there are lots of other fine shops/techs to buy a Martin sax. World Wide Sax (Sagre), Junk Dude ....
My Martin tenor saxes and serial number.
Martin Std Handcraft Committee tenor 128XXX -38, The Martin Tenor 190XXX -55, The Martin Tenor Magna 208XXX -59
There are lots of great players, known or less known, using Martin in R&B/R&R music. Here is a list of players that I can recall just now:
Lois Jordon (alto) early years. I have seen photos with JL and a Comm II)
Earl Bostic (alto)
J.T. Brown (Comm II tenor) (Elmore James)
Gene Ammons (Comm II tenor)
Buddy Tate (The Martin)
Big Jay McNeely (The Martin) early years
Don Wise (The Martin goldplated and silverplated) (Delbert McClinton Band)
Pete Thomas (The Martin)
Richard "Bootman" Booth (The Martin Magna)
John Fogerty (The Martin Committee -55) (Creedence Clearwater Rivaval)
Glenn Shambroom (Martin bari HC -30's, The Martin Baritone silverplated and The Martin Magna Baritone Low A) (The Love Dogs)
Jazz: Art Pepper, Dick Stabile, Tex Beneke, Zoot Sims ....... .
... as I told before there are lots fine players on Martins.
Rock On!!
Thomas
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