Oh Boy... What happened to this MK VI?

[cymru97]

Viewers beware this is not a pretty sight. All I can do is ask why?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Selmer-Alto-Saxaphone-Brass-Old-Brass-Peal-N-Y-Elkhart_W0QQitemZ160013083280QQihZ006QQcategoryZ64 455QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or item #160013083280

Sad...

[DD]

Looks like terminal GBS (gig bag syndrome) to me.

[BarrySachs]

Horn vs. auto

[fballatore]

Yes, but I heard that it doesn't affect the playability of the horn whatsoever.

:D

[BayviewSax]

Uh-oh... I think the owner dated my ex-

:shock:

[cymru97]

Yeah and it's not a relaq!

Anybody want to speculate what it goes for?

I might toss out $800, but I fear it may go higher. Thoughts?

[saxtek]

I suspect it plays a little "flat"

[jimmehMarkVI]

I suspect it plays a little "flat"

haha! That just made my day.

[makemyday]

Remember who is the highest bidder and watch out for a restaured MVI #10xxx!

My tech restaured a soprano (not mine luckily) that came under a pivoted monitor speaker, and the owner, a national saxophone hero is still playing it; only if you know how & where to look you still can see traces of the damage.

From what I see, it it still very well possible to get this horn in working condition again, really. I just takes a guy who knows what he is doing (more a restaurer than a repairman).

[bruce bailey]

It may be flat but it can really bend the notes, great jazz horn. Neck is not too bad.

[whaler]

Really flat!! It started out as an alto and now look at it.

[gary]

Uh-oh... I think the owner dated my ex- :shock:
LOL. Close to my first impression:
"Must've pi**ed his wife off really good!"

[tbone]

LOL. Close to my first impression:
"Must've pi**ed his wife off really good!"

I was having the same thought Gary! :shock:

[legato]

Looks like my ex sat on it. The neck looks good. Some claim the Mark VI tone comes from the neck. If someone wants a spare neck.

Brian

[whaler]

It's almost as bad as one I saw that was in the firestorm they had in the Oakland Hills in California. The owner has it sitting in a glass case in his office. Amazing what 1000 egrees can do to brass. It looked like the guy from the movie "The English Patient".

[barisaxbeast]

Didn't know my ex was out in the community again......

[Grumpie]

He: "Hello dear, how was your da.....(sees the flattened sax).....Oh my God, what happened, that was your birthday present.

She: "Well, I checked the serial and I was glad it was also on the neck, however you know I wanted a 5 digit and this one is 100.084 so I got it Hummered.

[Ari]

Funny how many ex-wife (?girlfriend) comments this picture brought out.:D

[Razzy]

If somebody has a tech good enough to bring damage like this back to life (mine!), they could get a real nice deal on a good-playing horn!! I've seen worse: a BA that was bent over itself and flattened in a bad car accident... and now it's being used full time by a pro... happens to be my current private teacher... ask if you want more details! It only cost him around 1000 to get it back in near-perfect shape.

[Grumps]

You'd figure someone who could do their own work could better profit from this sort of investment... or they might know better.

[cymru97]

From the couple comments that have been made about reviving this horn, it sounds possible. That said, would it ever really play like it did once did? Maybe it played like crap to begin with and what we see is the culmination of the owner's frustration... I assume since your teacher is using one that's been resurrected I suppose it must play well, but it seems that that much distortion to the brass would alter it. Then again I know nothing about bending metal into purdy things like saxophones!

Maybe one of our esteemed techs here can buy it and revive it before our eyes. I for one would LOVE to see that!

[Grumpie]

From the couple comments that have been made about reviving this horn, it sounds possible. That said, would it ever really play like it did once did? Maybe it played like crap to begin with and what we see is the culmination of the owner's frustration... I assume since your teacher is using one that's been resurrected I suppose it must play well, but it seems that that much distortion to the brass would alter it. Then again I know nothing about bending metal into purdy things like saxophones!

Maybe one of our esteemed techs here can buy it and revive it before our eyes. I for one would LOVE to see that!

Isn't the quality of sound of vintage saxes often related to the production process and lots of old fashioned manual labour, better to be called true craftsmanship. When this one is back into shape it will have lots and lots of hand hammering and annealing, who knows what it will sound like.:) Restoring this would indeed make a nice photoshoot.

[saxfreak]

Really flat!! It started out as an alto and now look at it.

Just what I was thinking.
The seller could have listed this with no pictures, and based on the serial number he might get $5,000+.

[Grumps]

And describe it as a slight ding to the bell...

[Grumpie]

And describe it as a slight ding to the bell...

Better to describe as, some dents and slight dings and some scratches on the normal places,.....now the product is 'as described' and e-bay won't help you with your claim :D

[Razzy]

Well he did say the horn plays differently now, but it's "still great", so that counts for something. I played it a few times, it is a very nice horn indeed. Never would've known it had seen such a horrific accident, and makes me wonder how it played BEFORE the damage...

[bruce bailey]

I have a flute that spent 3 days in I-95 downtown. It fits into a ziplock bag with room to rattle (a pro left it on top of her car). I keep it in a drawer and when someone balks at the price of a flute and wants a "fixer upper" I pull it out.....

[cornific]

Remember who is the highest bidder and watch out for a restaured MVI #10xxx!

sold to quinntheeskimo for 1382 USD ... well ... i always wondered where he gets all those horns from.

i'm hoping the series II that i just purchased which is now enroute from seattle arrives in better shape than the flatty.

[awholley]

Excellent. Looks like the bubble has finally burst on Mk VI prices.... <grin>

[Lenny]

I once played a very nice Yani soprano that the owner said had been literally flattened by a car. This was great sounding horn, so who knows.

[Ari]

sold to quinntheeskimo for 1382 USD ... well ... i always wondered where he gets all those horns from.

i'm hoping the series II that i just purchased which is now enroute from seattle arrives in better shape than the flatty.

that seller has some primo restored horns on offer from time to time (at primo prices of course:)) I wonder if he really can bring this one back to life?

[tensopbass]

Maybe you should watch out for someone with a Bb indentation in their head

[saxymanzach]

If I had the money, I'd definately but this horn. I have a great tech that could put this thing back into nearly-new shape. But, alas, money on't grow on trees no more...

[rgone]

POSTED BY MAKEMYDAY:
(more a restaurer than a repairman).
_________________


WHAT THE HECK IS A RESTAURER??:dontknow: :dontknow: :dontknow: !!!!!!!!!!

[Grumps]

You fix up run down restaurants...

[E_di_e]

Maybe with it I finally can play IN TUNE! ( :D )

[Hurling Frootmig]

If he can't get it back into shape the neck would easily bring $800 to a $1000 these days. I've seen worse horns brought back to life.

[CashSax]

I knew the guy that did that stomp deal on the the VI..he was a drummer.:?

[ssleb]

I don't get why someone would buy this and fix this, it would be like making a new horn from scratch.

[barisaxbeast]

I knew the guy that did that stomp deal on the the VI..he was a drummer.:?

Not a musician then!!!!!???

[Grumps]

I don't get why someone would buy this and fix this, it would be like making a new horn from scratch.
If they only straighten it out and fix the dents, they could then probably flip it for three times what they paid. Possibly more.

[calisax]

There's no way this horn can be put back to one hundred percent. After all the work and stress of pounding out an ugly horn, is it really worth it? Will the logo even be legible? I mean, we're only talking a couple grand profit here. This has obviously never been properly cared for, it should just be displayed as a joke... "Why we don't mess with our ex's"...

[Grumps]

There's no way this horn can be put back to one hundred percent.
Irrelevant for potential profit. This horn will be sold again... and probably again, and again. I'd keep track of the serial number, in case you're ever in the market.

[JL]

Irrelevant for potential profit. This horn will be sold again... and probably again, and again. I'd keep track of the serial number, in case you're ever in the market.

Probably true. Add to that the fact that this totally demolished horn sold in that condition for over $1000 and you really see how ridiculous the market is for 5-digit MKVIs, or any other MKVI for that matter.

[ssleb]

There is still no reason to buy this. It's like buying raw material. The whole thing will be built from scratch adding new keys and springs and everything else, relaquer (or not), and reengrave. I mean, anybody can do that with any horn and get away with selling a chinese sax as a MKVI, ripping off the poor guy who fell for it.

[Grumps]

I mean, anybody can do that with any horn and get away with selling a chinese sax as a MKVI, ripping off the poor guy who fell for it.
Big difference. This actually is a Mark VI, and it will be restored. In your example it would truly take an ignorant buyer to make such a purchase. Once the dents are pounded out, this VI may fool even the most educated of buyers; especially if sold through Ebay where it cannot be more closely examined.

[Sax Hut]

That horn is readily restorable. Those bell creases and flattened body will pop right back into shape with a good set of dent balls, mandrels, dent rollers, and so forth. Little or no pounding needed. Rebuilding keywork is simply labor intensive, not rocket science. The metalwork will take a good day at the shop and some sweat, past that it's just another overhaul. I bet the horn will end up a good player as well.

[quinntheeskimo]

By none other than the great Brad Wherry, who does the best work of anyone I've ever seen. And I will resell it, and intend to fully disclose the history, though having seen other examples of Brad's work it will probably look like its never been damaged. It will likely play like its never been damaged either, but we shall see. It should be done in a month or two. Watch my auctions!

[jvsax]

Cool, I'm glad to see this one will be restored. Experienced sax techs can do amazing things (and probably enjoy the challenge), and I bet it ends up being a great horn. Who knows, maybe people will start debating the merits of "smash-o-genics"!