Klarinet Archive - Posting 000372.txt from 2005/06

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] OT (sax) question
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 01:03:04 -0400

At 08:25 PM 6/20/2005 -0700, Diane Karius wrote:
>Hello all - I have a question regarding a saxophone I
>was given to play tonight:
>
>Is anyone familiar with the Martin "Committee" Tenor
>saxophone (stamped Elkhart)and what the general
>consensus on these instrument was (quality, preferred
>use, etc)? My impression of the instrument and what I
>was told by the owner (a trombone player) don't match.

I play a 1958 Martin Committee tenor myself. It has a wonderful, rich, and
(pardon the expression) "dark" sound. It was Martin's pro horn from the
late 40's into the mid 60's (the Indiana model was their intermediate, and
Imperial the student model, although the body tubes for all were nearly
identical). The "Magna" model superseded it late in the run, but the
differences were few and not very significant, except on the bari, which
gained a low A. Not as easy to get around on ergonomically as the Selmers,
but not bad at all when compared to Conns and Bueschers of the era. Just
the other day I had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison between
a 1936 Selmer Balanced Action tenor and my Martin. It was no contest. My
Martin blew the Selmer away.

Most Martin Commitees are not marked as such, simply saying "The Martin
------" (alto, tenor, baritone, etc.). I think some very late examples
actually SAY "Committee" on them. An earlier model, oddly called the
"Committee II" and so marked, was also a professional model, which shared
the famous soldered-on tone hole chimneys that were a Martin
trademark. They made Martins very heavy horns, and contribute, I think, to
their unique tone quality as a result. Most Committees and Committee IIs
had adjustable thumb hooks.

I also own a 1930 Martin Master Model alto, commonly called a "Typewriter"
because EVERY keytouch, including side keys, palm keys, table keys, etc.,
has a round pearl button on it. It was their top of the line at the time,
but was not well received and was only produced in alto, tenor, and bari
for about 3 years. It is not quite as awkward to play as it looks, but it
could be better. It too, is very heavy and sounds like it, but intonation
in the palm keys is a bit challenging.

Bill Hausmann

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org