Need info on C-Melody

[rsteuart]

Hi all,

I was gifted a 1921 Conn C-Melody. Its nickel finish is beautiful. This is a straight neck, like an alto (only longer), with the tuning ring deal.

I have tried to play it a couple of times, but I am just not into it. It plays fine, just not my sound.

Anyone know what this might be worth. I am thinking of throwing it out on ebay just to get rid of it, but I don't know what to expect from it.

Help appreciated.

[Roger Aldridge]

Rick,

It's been my experience that the c-melody is a different animal from an alto or tenor. These differences are one of the reasons why I'm so attracted to the c-melody. Playing a c-melody is not going to be for everyone. Never the less, if you spend some time experimenting with the horn and trying out some different mouthpiece set ups it's possible that you might find something that you like. The horn might grow on you. Depending upon the set up, it's possible to get as wide of a range of tonal qualities from a c-mel as it is with a tenor or an alto. Since we typically come to the c-melody with fewer preconceptions about its sound it's a great horn to experiment with.....to see where it takes you. I find that my tonal concepts of the instrument have changed and evolved quite a bit in the 3 or 4 years that I've had a c-melody. In fact, they continue to evolve. It's a really cool journey! :D

Good luck with it, Roger

[Gandalfe]

The Conn straight-necks seem to be really popular and tend to have better intonation than most 'average' C-melodies. I'd list mine in fair condition at a NLT bid of $150 and a buy it now for $375-ish. I think I paid $275 for it. It helps if the pads have been replaced as needed and the horn shows well in pictures.

[tbone]

The Conn straight-necks seem to be really popular and tend to have better intonation than most 'average' C-melodies. I'd list mine in fair condition at a NLT bid of $150 and a buy it now for $375-ish. I think I paid $275 for it. It helps if the pads have been replaced as needed and the horn shows well in pictures.

The $375-ish might be a little high being it's nickel plated. There's an unwarranted stigma that nickel plated means cheap. Most players want the silver plated or lacquered versions.

As far as intonation goes the straight necked Conns are, in fact, very good but the Buescher C-mel owners would tend to differ with you as to who's better! I will say this though, I have a Buescher stencil with a Conn straight neck that plays really hot! 8)

[mosplace]

The $375-ish might be a little high being it's nickel plated. There's an unwarranted stigma that nickel plated means cheap. Most players want the silver plated or lacquered versions.


No, that´s not correct. Most of the time you get better prices for the nickle plated ones. It is correct that they have been the "cheapest" version next to the bare brass ones. That´s the reason why not many of them have been sold. So these are pretty rare fellows.

If you have watched the C-Melody marked during the past years, you might have recognized that the prices are raising. More and more sax players want to complete their collection as long as there are still some around.

The quality of these horns is as good as on the comparebale tenor or alt model. Same material, same know how, same quality. It is not true, that these saxophones are garbage. For me they are one of the most beautiful instruments.

There are not that many of them. Ít´s true that they have been produced a lot of them during that period. But the hype only lasted for about 10 years, so if you try to figure out a number that have been produced it adds up to max. 170 000- 200 000. A lot of these are already in sax-heaven.

I´d keep it if it is in good shape. I would have replaced the pads by some realy good ones and enjoy this instrument. The straight neck models are one of the best ever made. Don´t sell it for a bargain price. Time will come and then you will achieve a good price for it, if you realy want to sell it.

The industry is weaking up, c melody mouthpieces are produced again, c melody cases are produced again and who knows maby one day they even produce this beauties again.

[cmelodysax]

Just to agree with Mo - the few 'good' nickel C-Mels that have come up on ebay have all fetched good prices, due mostly to their rarity, and in some part to the quality of listing. I'm lucky to have one amongst my small collection.

Two good things about them -
i) they have a different sound than the silver finish, not quite as pure and focussed, but very rich in harmonics when played with a modern edgy tenor mouthpiece. The micro-tuner does inhibit mouthpiece selection a little - mine has a substitute silver curved neck with just cork.
ii) and they are SO EASY to keep clean, as opposed to the ever-tarnishing silver models. A plus if ever there was one !

So, as has been said before, if you have to sell it - photograph it well, list it positively with lots of emphasis on 'rare' and 'collectable' - you may well be surprised. I'll even bid !!

Regards, Alan.

[smitty]

I owned a straight neck in Hichschool. the original mouthpiece had a weird sound and I tried my ARB metal alto mouthpiece. WOW what a sound I got out of it then The highs sounded like a rich yet edgy alto and the low end sounded like Coleman hawkins with his airy tenor sound. dont goveup on it yet, like the earlier reply, try some different mouthpieces. The ARB metal fit snugly over the cork on the Microtuner. The only odd thing was the awkward angle of being pushed away from the sax.