Klarinet Archive - Posting 000396.txt from 2005/06

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] OT (sax) question
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:26:01 -0400

At 09:42 AM 6/21/2005 -0400, Fred Jacobowitz wrote:
>Diane,
> The Martin Committee is a student line instrument.

Absolutely NOT true. As I noted before, the Committee was Martin's
professional line (trumped in the 1960's by the "Magna" which was the
identical design with a few mostly cosmetic details added). That does not
mean it was on a par with Selmer Paris saxes ergonomically (NO other sax
was), but it was certainly comparable to the Conn and Buescher pro saxes of
the period. Martin made the "Indiana" line as a lower-priced intermediate,
and the "Imperial" as a student line. Tex Beneke (of Glenn Miller fame)
played Martin tenors almost exclusively in his career. The head woodwind
tech in our shop used to work on his horn, since Tex lived in St. Louis
later in his life. Art Pepper played a Martin Committee alto.

>It is not a bad instrument but it is not a professional one. That means
>its tuning will be less than accurate (even for a sax! ;-) )

The outstanding intonation, particularly in the palm keys, was one of the
first things I noticed about mine. (This, as I said before, is
emphatically NOT the case with my "typewriter "alto, however.)

> and the sound might be a little thinner and more timid than a pro horn.

Actually, my Committee is incredibly rich and full-sounding. I fell in
love with the sound immediately, and that is why I play that one
exclusively, in spite of the far superior ergonomics of my Yamaha
tenor. The leader of our big band, Second Generation Swing, is a fan of my
Martin sound, too. (Catch us at the Casa Loma Ballroom in St. Louis this
Friday night -- where I will NOT be playing the lead clarinet part in the
Woody Herman arrangement of Faure's "Pavanne" like I have the last two
gigs, since it is not a suitable number for dancing, although it is very
pretty.)

> However, there should be no problems with the playability of the
> instrument. It is a well-made instrument, not a toy like those Chinese
> imports.

In fact, they are built like tanks, although they do have quirks, notably
the possibility of the soldered-on toneholes coming loose or leaking. But
they also have some advanced design features not present in their cheaper
lines, or ANY other sax. The patented octave mechanism is an elegant piece
of work, simple and efficient. There is also an additional helper spring
on the left pinkie G# key that helps boost the G# pad off the hole (it
commonly sticks because only light spring tension opens that pad, when
pressure to keep it closed is RELEASED by pressing the G# key -- a constant
annoyance on my Mark VI alto.).

Bill Hausmann

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

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