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How do your C-melody sound?

9K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  Dave Pollack 
#1 ·
I just bought a 1923 Buescher C-melody. :)
There remains some work before I have removed all leaks, but it is playable and actually quite fun to play. The keywork works almost perfectly. It is a little strange, but not that bad - actually much alike my Buescher bass clarinet.

The mouthpiece is probably not ideal, yet. I have purchased a plastic C-melody that I will reface. But I have a Riffault tenor that I had refaced to a .118" tip opening some time ago. Matched with a ZZ 2.5 it actually made it possible to do my first test playing a C-melody.

But what it the perfect sound of a C-melody? Whom shall I listen to to find my sound ideal? What is your sound ideal? Could you all SOTW-ers that own a C-melody post a recording/video of you playing your C-melody?

 
#2 ·
I've always wanted a C-melody. They seem like cool conversation pieces.
 
#3 ·
Yours sounds surprisingly like a C-Melody!

I have a '25 Buescher TT C-Mel and it sounds about like that. I have yet to settle on a good mouthpiece for it. I have a few real C-Mel mouthpieces but a Kessler tenor piece works best for me.

I find the Buescher C-Mel a bit uncomfortable to hold, though. It probably has to do with the tenor-style curved neck. I have yet to try a straight-neck Conn but I doubt that I will because I'm not THAT interested in C-Mels to chase down a Conn or a decent mouthpiece for it.

For examples of how a C-Mel should sound, I'll recommend Frank "Tram" Trumbauer, who played with Bix Beiderbecke and others in the 1920's. Given the recording you posted, I'm guessing that style of music will fit with your style. DAVE
 
#9 ·
Another vote for the Morgan! There are a few other modern cmel mpc from babbit, beechler, and runyon, but the Morgans are the best. If you have to use a tenor mpc, I've had some luck with the metal Selmer jazz long shank models.
 
#10 ·
All you that own a C-melody: Post a video, - I would like to hear how yours sounds!

Now I'm experimenting with mouthpieces:
I bought a FAXX C-melody and refaced it to the same measurements as a Morgan C5 I refaced for a customer some weeks ago. Tip opening .85" facing length 43.
My Riffault tenor mpc has the same length as the Morgan, the FAXX is a little shorter. I made the Riffault chamber a litte smaller, like the FAXX and I raised the floor so that it become more like the Morgan. I also sanded the beak a little. Then I reduced the tip opening to .109" and made the facing length to 45. According to Morgan's numbering this is a 10. I want to use #2.5 reeds on the C-melody to get the control and flexibility a sax from 1923 needs.

The FAXX:

The Riffault:

(Both recorded with a iPhone, sorry..)
 
#11 ·
Based on those two recordings, I liked the Riffault better. It seemed to have more punch - a fuller sound. Usually, these types of comparison videos leave me shaking my head trying to discern one from another. This time, at least to me, the differences were easy to hear. I have a C-mel but don't play it. DAVE
 
#12 · (Edited)
I have a couple of Martin C-mels. Playing C-melody sax blows my mind because it responds so differently than alto or tenor. The best two mouthpieces for me are:
  1. a modified vintage (no-name - probably Buescher) C-mel mouthpiece that has been opened up to 0.095" and has a significant rollover baffle
  2. a modified Rico Graftonite B7 for alto sax with an enlarged chamber and an enlarged bore so it fits on the C-mel neck cork
For me, the large chambers of these mouthpieces offer the best for intonation and the bit of baffle up front keep the C-mel from sounding like a 200-pound goose with a sinus infection. I have recordings of me playing the C-mel but I'll refrain from posting them because I don't want anyone to have to clean vomit from their computer keyboards. Seriously, I don't sound that bad on C-mel, but why post my own playing when there are some really excellent recordings of the C-mel floating around out there.

My favorite C-melody recordings that have been posted a number of times but here they are again.

Here's a nice rendition of The Very Thought of You from Mike Smith:



Dan Higgins is a master saxophonist that could make any horn sound gorgeous. In these videos he really channels the style where the C-melody sax is most at home.





 
#14 ·
For me, the large chambers of these mouthpieces offer the best for intonation and the bit of baffle up front keep the C-mel from sounding like a 200-pound goose with a sinus infection. I have recordings of me playing the C-mel but I'll refrain from posting them because I don't want anyone to have to clean vomit from their computer keyboards. Seriously, I don't sound that bad on C-mel, but why post my own playing when there are some really excellent recordings of the C-mel floating around out there.
Not vomit on keyboards, but coffee on phone screen! That was hilarious Jorn, I was enjoying a cup of coffee on the train commute to work when I started reading this thread, and there were people giving me strange looks after I read your post.

BTW, I love Dan Higgins, these clips are always worth watching again.

All the best,
Kenneth
 
#15 ·
Thank you Jorns! I had not heard Dan Higgins on C-melody before, - this is great! He sounds very, very good. Now I have a sound ideal to work towards.
After some testeing and modifying I agree about the effect of the lagre chamber mouthpieces. I also think that the higher floor (that Morgan has) works fine to avoid the sound geting to stuffy and dull, adding punch and projection.

- and thanks for the vomit warning- that just made my day :lol:
 
#16 ·
used to have a tenor that is a HN White (King) Tenor that matched C-Mel serials and looked just like your horn Weird.....I played it senior year and it matched the other tenor (either a mis-matched serial or somehwere on the horn is extended...but I didnt see anything and its the same size as a tenor)
 
#22 ·
Except with Fibracell. First, their bass clarinet reeds are exactly the same width as their tenor reeds (making the attempt pointless), but worse, the heart is left much thicker so the actual amount of reed vibrating is greatly decreased. If you're going to use Fibracell on an old C-mel piece, just go with a tenor reed.
 
#26 ·
I am continually amazed at how some people can make the C Mel sound good! Whenever I've played them, (and I have owned a few), I sound like a sick duck.
 
#27 ·
I will make the recommendation to look for a Seller Goldentone 3. I own a vintage one and found a NOS one on eBay for $25! It locked in the intonation for me, as good or better than my Morgan 6!
 
#28 ·
Also, I have just sold my Elhart C-Melody to another community band member. It is a 1925 Martin stencil, with no shortcuts. I enjoy the Martin Home Model I have more, even though it has a limited scale and limited keyword. (I added the palm D key to it, I missed it too much).

The Elkhart sax started its life in Edmonton, Alberta and now continues its ownership in Edmonton, with someone 25 years my junior, which I consider pretty neat!
 
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