 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-01 17:40
A good friend asked me to look at his new acquisition [ pre-Selmer-improvements] an FE Olds Ambassador alto sax, poor lacquer, mechanics look good. ser. # 98xxx. Not playable at this time [springs] . Looking at the mp, expecting junk with the ring on the socket end, BUT reading the "fine print" on it said , Ste Chaarles C Chedeville, Albert Lelandis & Co, Paris France !! GBK I prob. should put this info-c omments/request on the sax sites, but Ched, info is prob. better known here. All help cheerfully recieved and read, TKS, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-03 12:27
Don,
Quite a find! Good for you.
I suggest you contact Brian Powell -- do a google search on The Mouthpiece Guys and you'll find his and Erik's web site. The site has a link so you can email Brian directly. Brian Powell worked for many years with Ralph Morgan. Ralph had an extensive collection of saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces. Some of the pieces are quite rare. I specifically remember Ralph telling me about a Chedeville saxophone mouthpiece in his collection. I would expect Brian to know something about Chedeville saxophone mouthpieces.
I came across a Lelandis tenor saxophone mouthpiece around 6 years ago. Sadly, I did not find that particular one to be anything special.
It's too bad that Ralph is no longer with us. I have no doubt that he'd have lots of information about Chedeville saxophone pieces. When I told him about the Lelandis mouthpiece I found he mailed me a photocopy of a Lelandis catalog from the early 60's and described how Lelandis was working on a deal with the Conn company to sell his mouthpieces in the US but the deal fell through. Largely due to that, Lelandis mouthpieces were not widely known in the US among saxophonists. The mouthpieces shown in that catalog have some especially creative concepts and designs. Ralph held Lelandis in high regard.
Roger
Post Edited (2009-08-03 12:30)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-03 14:17
Many TKS, Roger, that's the info I was looking for. I'm not well acquainted with sax mps, tho I played a "Melliphone Special" in my early damce bamd years [and still have it !], tho the 2 old [60's] Selmers, a C** and a D, that came with my Mark 6, play much better on it, and my [Buck Rogers?] Leblanc 100 [I think]. Several years ago, a pro-sax player from NYC [am digging for his name] played [solos] with our Symphony and came to see my altos, offering good $'s, but not enough, for the Sel in partic. Wife wants me to sell, but I still play a bit. Will follow up on your lead. Regards, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-08-03 15:20
Don,
Your 60s C** and D, if they are the Soloist with that and the lay stamped on the table, may be worth some nice coins. I have a Soloist E for alto from the 1950s that is very coveted (but I still love it).
HRL
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-03 18:18
Many TKS also, Hank, I figured you would see this thread. Yes they both are "virgin" , I kept my refacing hands off since both played very well. The '50's is prob. right as my Selmer alto ser # 898xx [I dated it as 1956], all prob. original. I do appreciate your and Roger's comments since I'm now 90, and only one of our 4 kids has shown much inst. interest, he has "my" Sel tenor re: I commanded "dont sell cheaply" Regards, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2009-08-03 19:19
What a great find! Thanks for reminding us all that it's worthwhile to check the mouthpiece, no matter what the rest of the instrument looks like. Also, with saxophones at flea markets and yard sales, look inside the bell before deciding whether or not to buy the sax. Often people stored mouthpieces in the bell. The storage method of choice seems to have been an old sock. Maybe the outside of the sock did double duty for polishing the sax.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-03 21:51
TKS, Lelia, Yup, "sock it to us" as some old TV prgm. did?? I often even store more mps in the bells of cls, to get the case closed. Its a rare experience to have several old, highly-regarded mps to ponder the value of, will survive. I've got the old ?? alto sax quite playable now, some notes seem to be easier than on my Selmer 6 !!, can't really assess the in-tuness, but A S gives a lot of liberty. The bore of the Ched mp is cylindrical as viewed from the socket, not the slightly "A ed" of the Sels, but curved simarily on the ?truncated? top of the A, for you mp experts info. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-04 15:53
Don,
I recently acquired a collection of old horns that belonged to a friend's uncle who played perfessionally (mostly latin bands) in the 50's and 60's. I had visions of finding an original Kaspar or Chedeville in one of the cases. In fact, I did find several interesting mouthpieces but nothing to write home about. No Kaspar.
Most of the horns were in unplayable condition. However, one of them caught my eye -- a G. H. Huller alto. I had not heard about the Huller company before. So, I contacted several vintage sax buddies and I learned Huller was a German company that made high quality instruments and went out of business during WWII. One of the guys I contacted has a Huller alto and tenor. I've known him to be a Martin fanatic. But, he said he really loves his Huller horns. So, I had my repair tech give the alto a complete overhaul ($500). He did a superb job and the horn now looks totally mint and plays incredibly. Hands down, it's my favorite alto....and over the years I've had Mk VIs, Bueschers, Conn, etc. It has an especially full, dark sound and has a tonal quality that's distinctive. I can't think of another horn that's quite like it. Martin may be closest but it's not exactly Martin.
Even though I didn't find an original Kaspar or a Ched, the Huller alto more than made up for it....as well as for the times when I made some really dumb horn trades. ha ha ha
Roger
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-06 17:16
Keep looking, Roger, I found what I think-of as a golden oldie, so may I repeat my request [to all] for any info re: my Chedeville -Lelandis alto sax mp. It really plays quite well on my Mark 6, and ?best? on the old OLDS alto. TKS for any help. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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