Just picked up a silver plated with gold keys c melody engraved "King" by HN White under that is small cleveland under that is "o"...no "co" so I understand that should be pre 1918. The serial number is 39XXX wich seems to be earlier than the king horns starting with 50,000. I am guessing 1912/13 maybe???
Any ideas? Nice engraving on bell, nice finish and practically no dings...needs pads and some rods and springs...less than $100 in it now.I can do 95% of refurbish myself...neck is near perfect, no pull down nor damage...pretty much a polish and octave pad plus cork!
No mouthpiece but I have a collection of tenor mouthpieces to try. Should I look for a C mp? I guess it is worth restoring, any idea on finished value...though I know it will be a keeper so value is probably a moot point!!!
That info sounds about right but the "Co." didn't appear until about 1918 and the H N White site says that the c melody came out then. I think most of the serial lists are for brass horns and perhaps there was a different serial number list for woodwinds similar to Conn. Check things out here: http://www.hnwhite.com/Saxophone Page.htm
Yeah, most likely your horn is from the mid 1920s. You can experiment with your existing tenor pieces. It is not neccessary to buy a specific C-mel mouthpiece. I prefer an alto mouthpiece on the Holton C-melody.
I believe that's close. If I were to guess at something more specific, between 1919 and 1921. The H.N. White serial number chart is highly inaccurate in the early years.
I have a King C tenor from the same era. Both the original mouthpiece and the replacement mouthpiece I bought 30 years ago from Lyons mail order sound dull and lifeless.
You can push the C melody toward an alto sound with an alto mouthpiece, or toward a tenor sound with a tenor mouthpiece. You can get a decent modern sound with something from the Rico Royal line of mouthpieces: A5, A7, B5, or B7 in both alto and tenor mouthpieces for under $20 each! A models are darker (large chamber), and B models are a bit brighter (medium chamber). Smaller numbers have less open tips, and larger numbers have more open tips.
You might choose a mouthpiece that you normally use on the instrument you play more often, alto or tenor, and you will get accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of the C sax faster on a mouthpiece that you know well.
Some suggestions... your mileage may vary.
Sax Magic
Saxmagic has it correct! Fish around your mouthpiece box and you may find a winner. I have a Woodwind Co. NY K5* alto that works well and my S-80 D Selmer alto is good. I sold a Lelandais Streamline Tenor that was well suited. Try anything.
Resurrection, I have this horn sitting right next to me with a 34113 serial number, and estimating from all sources available, that number must be 1912-1913 as....all sources state that 0-50,000 was from 1898-1915.
My bell does say "H.N. White Co." clearly
As far as a mouthpiece, if you want modern sound, just buy a FAXX C-Mel mouthpiece from sources on Ebay or elsewhere (Google it) and if you want to really spice it up, use a Fibrereed Medium (3-3.5). Now, I say this not having played the King just yet as I just go this one in, but on my Buescher and Conn NWII, those mouthpiece configurations work great.
I prefer a vintage mouthpiece from the 20s with the Fibrereed, takes very little air to play and tons of control especially after you work on your embouchure. You have to take a large bite with a C-Mel mouthpiece, it's way different from a Tenor where you are seemingly playing on the tip.
I have a hard time believing King/White made a C melody in 1912-13. Perhaps they used a separate set of numbers for C-Melodys?
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