Klarinet Archive - Posting 000173.txt from 2003/11

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] please excuse a saxophone question....
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 18:46:24 -0500

At 06:10 PM 11/11/2003 -0500, Lelia Loban wrote:
>...But, FWIW, I believe that all of the post-WWII Martins, including the pro
>models, have the soldered-on tone holes.

And all the PRE-WW II ones as well.

>Another characteristic of Martins
>is the striking, Art Deco design of the engraving, key guards and keys. An
>unusual, patented octave key (several different styles, all distinctive)
>gives away the identity of a Martin stencilled with a house brand --
>something to look for, because these stencil Martins can be first-rate
>saxes, for very little money. I own and love two Martins, both
>silver-plated: a 1951 Committee made for the US Navy (has both "The Martin"
>and Navy engraving) and an alto made for sale in the Weymann music store
>(Philadelphia) and stencilled Weymann (but not Martin), probably made in
>1928.

They are very good-looking horns, with those distinctive braces and
engraving. Silver-plated post-war Martins are rare! Martin made lots of
stencil instruments.

>The Committee tenor, $130 (!) at a flea market, was tarnished black when I
>bought it, and the case smelled like a cess pit. That sax cleaned up
>splendidly. It's a monster. Nothing surprising about that. The Navy
>didn't buy junk. The Navy of that era purchased these saxes directly from
>the manufacturers and offered them to Navy musicians at bargain prices, so
>that the performers in the band could afford to upgrade to high-quality
>instruments. Even in dirty, "as is" condition, this 1951 sax looked as if
>it hadn't been played to death, since it still had 1950s-era clutter in the
>case, so buying it was an easy decision.

Nice deal! I paid almost $500 for mine, but it was nearly playable,
lacquer 90%+, and the case is almost pristine, too!

>The Weymann probably isn't worth much more money than the $250 I spent on
>it, because no-names are always suspect. Sometimes manufacturers reserved
>their own brand names for the best instruments and put store brand names on
>the inferior goods. That stigma is why, when I intended to sell the
>Weymann-Martin after reconditioning, in 1997, I planned to ask $325, hope
>for $300 and take $275, at a time when restored Conn altos from the 1920s
>were retailing for around $800-900 --- I'd only make $25 or maybe $50 on
>the deal. The Weymann turned out to be such a honey of a player that I
>never did put it up for sale. Brand name or none, it's one of the best
>bargains I ever found, and it's a keeper. Dollar value doesn't always tell
>the whole story.

The Weymann should indeed be worth less, but that does not mean it can't be
a great player.
Most stencils by the major manufacturers share the BASIC design of the
regular horns, but, for example, the Conn stencils generally lacked rolled
tone holes and tuning necks. Your Weymann may be unusual, since most
Martin stencils of the time would probably basically be Indiana models
(same body, different keywork). If yours shares the octave key, etc.,
design of the pro models that would be special. It probably has a fixed
thumb rest, though.

>...Bonus: the keywork on these Martins is comfortable for my
>small hands. That's unusual in vintage saxophones, most of which seem to
>have been made for the Jolly Green Giant.

The Martin "Typewriter" models, like my old alto, have palm keys VERY close
in to the body, which my long fingers find very inconvenient, but the later
tenor feels fine.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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