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So. what happened to the Medusa Mania?

30K views 97 replies 33 participants last post by  mephipps 
#1 ·
At one time the B&S Medusa was hot stuff here. Many were curious, many just had to have one, some bought them. I'm curious about who actually went out and bought one, tested one and/or still has one. Are you content? :D
 
#66 ·
#67 ·
Guess the finish is a preference issue. Because I have a Yani A990B, I clearly fall into the black & gold camp. Never cared for the two tone gold and silver though and I saw what that seller was asking for it, no way anybody goes for it as is because a no reserve auction at least keeps the bidding competitive and I doubt that horn would ever fetch such a high price.
I think a visit to a good repair shop could yield a a key guard screw that you need.
 
#68 ·
Well, the goldbrass alloy with the three necks was the tipity top of the range so the price premium wasnt totally unexpected. What was surprising is that one doesnt have the adjustable keilwerth type palm keys. $2500 or whatever is a bit optimistic though. What I dont get is people paying that sort of money for the Guardalla ones... am I missing something there?

That goldbrass one was offered with a super session too by the look of it... thats what I play on my Alto now... works for me:)

$650 for the 2001 with the missing thumbrest is a steal, $35 for a fancy music medic thumbrest and its all good. Finding a screw to match a laquered guard shouldnt be too hard, its not like its an earthtone one...
 
#69 ·
Yeah, I thought what he was asking was a little much, but the last limited edition I saw for sale sold at around $2200. I didn't have the cash at the time and missed the opportunity. I was able to talk this one down a little further and I didn't buy the mouthpiece (I'm more than happy with my current pieces).

I didn't even notice that horn didn't have the adjustable palm keys. Very interesting. I wonder when they added that feature as my gold laq medusa alto has them.

I'm not a huge fan of the silver keys/ brass body either, that plating combo reminds me too much of the yas-23 I had growing up! So I'm hoping the silver bell and rose brass help off-set it a little! But it's 100% personal preference. I certainly wouldn't have a problem playing a horn with a gold keys/black body (espicially a yani)!
 
#72 ·
Yeah, I thought what he was asking was a little much, but the last limited edition I saw for sale sold at around $2200. I didn't have the cash at the time and missed the opportunity. I was able to talk this one down a little further and I didn't buy the mouthpiece (I'm more than happy with my current pieces).

I'm not a huge fan of the silver keys/ brass body either, that plating combo reminds me too much of the yas-23 I had growing up! So I'm hoping the silver bell and rose brass help off-set it a little! But it's 100% personal preference. I certainly wouldn't have a problem playing a horn with a gold keys/black body (espicially a yani)!
I have the tenor version of this 'Limited Edition' Goldbrass w/3 necks. from what I've heard there were only 200 made. Lucky you, you got one! I paid $2200 in 2004. I owned a YAS 23 and believe me they look nothing alike so you needen't worry. If anything the colors of my tenor more resemble a King Super20 Silversonic. I own four other good tenors(Buescher Aristocrat, Martin Handcraft Imperial, '51 The Martin & Antigua BC550) and the Medusa is the last one I would part with. I hope you enjoy yours as much.
 
#74 ·
Yours truly was responsible for jacking up the price from the $600. I think I could've cleared the hurdle at $1200 but then my reserve for saving for a good baritone would have dried up and I just missed out on a very nice Keilwerth low Eb at about $3K a couple of weeks ago.
Having mixed feelings about letting it go though, man...
 
#78 ·
My B&S model 2001 series IV has the adjustable palm keys, so they were available on the 2001. I'm thinking it was only the later model 2001 and the early Medusa that had them. My Medusa tenor does not and another Medusa alto did not. (0162xx and 0155xx). If I had to guess, I would say that B&S ordered a batch of the keys and did not re-order them when their stock ran out. They would have had to order a large number, say 100, and they were struggling at that point.

I'm a fan of the adjustable keys but don't really miss them if they're not there. fyi; the adjustable palm keys on the B&S and Keilwerth altos are not interchangeable.
 
#84 ·
Not all kids are rough on their gear. The Corton /Amati alto that I got new when I was 12 and played all through school is still in minty condition nearly 30 years on... I lent it to one of the children of a community band member, and three years later he sits next to me playing 2nd sax.
 
#85 ·
True, not ALL kids. Maybe I'm a little biased after being a middle schooler who was rough on their gear and as a tech repairing middle school band instruments. And then the seller didn't post pictures.... But more probably, I'm just jealous that I didn't have a medusa in middle school.
 
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