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Saxophones your favorite vintage alto sax?

Yes!! I want to get an early Committee 3! I had two from the late 40's and one from 1954. All great horns! But the earlier ones were deeper/fatter. All had a lush sound with lots of tonal flexibility and dynamics. My '54 was a little bright and I eventually got tired of it and sold it.

Now I play a Conn 6M from 1941. Couldn't be happier! But if I wanted to get a second horn, I'd get an early Comm 3 because they are such beautiful, expressive horns.

For me the Conn is easier to play, with a slicker feel under the fingers. It's a more big open sound, never nasal, a bit more spread, and a little huskier/boomier.

Ultimately, the Conn lacks the finesse and the magical tone that the Martin can provide, a singing, voice-like quality, that packs a punch.

If I could only have one, the Conn does the job for me, but the Martin is amazing. It's on another level!
 
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Love my Martin Committee (Mars Attacks) :)
 
What can I say? My 1950 Selmer silver plated SBA alto. That should be vintage enough. It's 3 years younger than I am, and I am really vintage.
 
I have a 1939 Buescher Aristocrat. It does everything I want or need. A much undervalued horn IMO.
O.C.V.
 
for bebop and ballads - Martin Indiana, Conn 6M, Buescher Aristocrat - the Conn and Buescher have better intonation, but I prefer the tone and ergonomics of the Martin
Charlie Parker went through a whole load of different saxes for his bebop playing - http://www.ne.jp/asahi/jazz/jazz/horns.htm
 
I have a 1939 Buescher Aristocrat. It does everything I want or need. A much undervalued horn IMO.
O.C.V.

I'm pleased to hear that; I've just taken delivery of its slightly older brother.
 
I'm not playing that much alto sax but the Martin Comm II is a fun sax to play! Also a delicate piece of work.
 
I'd say my Conn Transitional.
Sounds great, better when someone else plays it than me.
Pretty quick to get around on also.
Plus it's silver plated, has Art Deco engraving, underslung microtuner neck, and left side bell keys.
So it looks great as well.
 
Love my Kohlert. Soft warm, but really blows/roars when I want to. I've a Beuscher 20A as well. That roars, but doesn't have the subtlety of the Kohlert. The only better (to me) sounding alto I've heard was a King Zephyr on a Brilhart Personaline.
 
Love my Kohlert. Soft warm, but really blows/roars when I want to. I've a Beuscher 20A as well. That roars, but doesn't have the subtlety of the Kohlert. The only better (to me) sounding alto I've heard was a King Zephyr on a Brilhart Personaline.

Interesting. My newly arrived Aristocrat came with a Brilhart Personaline. I look forward to getting to know it.
 
Love my Kohlert. Soft warm, but really blows/roars when I want to. I've a Beuscher 20A as well. That roars, but doesn't have the subtlety of the Kohlert. The only better (to me) sounding alto I've heard was a King Zephyr on a Brilhart Personaline.

Pm sent.
 
My king cleveland stencil is only a student horn but I think it sounds nice and few older more experienced players have said it sounds nice . My guy who serviced it said I did well for the price .
 
My 1932 Seller Cigar Cutter , my first Alto and the only one I would never sell.
I have used it for all kinds of gigs Jazz,rock,classical it has never let me down
 
Interesting. My newly arrived Aristocrat came with a Brilhart Personaline. I look forward to getting to know it.

Be careful with the brilhart. Assuming it's plastic, the shank splits easily, UK made one's were banded at the factory. Cracked shanks leak and make the sax difficult to play. However it's an easy fix
 
I like my 1924 Buescher True Tone in Silver. That's partly because it both looks and sounds nice, but also because it only cost a hundred quid, in good playing order. Ergonomics are poor, though, palm keys very difficult if you have full sized hands, which I do. My favourite, though, is a Yanagisawa A6, by far. Lovely to play and great sound. I think it was made in 1977. Not sure if that qualifies as vintage.
 
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