C melody is here

[AllenLowe]

in my continuing efforts to make my life easier (as in not having to transpose music) I bought myself a nice old C melody that, lo and behold, was exactly as described by the ebay seller. Put some new pads on it, a tenor mouthpiece (which gives it some volume) and I love the thing - and it weighs a LOT less than my tenor, which is good for my aging hands. Also just got my altos fixed up, my '60s Buescher sounds like my old Conn (I thought such a thing was impossible) and I got my mouthpieces worked on by the great Greg Wier of Florida. Been writing new music like a maniac. Been rehearsing my band.

So now I'm ready to go. Where's the gigs?

I repeat: where's the gigs?

you mean, I gotta go out and find them myself?

Edited March 31, 2010 by AllenLowe

[ghost of miles]

in my continuing efforts to make my life easier (as in not having to transpose music) I bought myself a nice old C melody that, lo and behold, was exactly as described by the ebay seller. Put some new pads on it, a tenor mouthpiece (which gives it some volume) and I love the thing - and it weighs a LOT less than my tenor, which is good for my aging hands. Also just got my altos fixed up, my '60s Buescher sounds like my old Conn (I thought such a thing was impossible) and I got my mouthpieces worked on by the great Greg Wier of Florida. Been writing new music like a maniac. Been rehearsing my band.

So now I'm ready to go. Where's the gigs?

I repeat: where's the gigs?

you mean, I gotta go out and find them myself?

There's this guy Bix, been playing a few frat dances here around town...I really think the two of you should hook up.

[AllenLowe]

sure, as long as he's not one a them heavy drinkers.

after all, Maine used to be a dry state.

[AllenLowe]

by the way, the name of the new band is 7/4

everything we play is in that time signature.

Edited March 31, 2010 by AllenLowe

[7/4]

by the way, the name of the new band is 7/4

everything we play is in that time signature.

You could wear make up and call yourself Incredibly Obnoxious.

[BeBop]

I've got a C "low pitch" Buescher myself, and another C Melody Conn.

Check the old pad "plates"; see if they've got a date on them. Mine do. I'll have to check that date again - can't recall. Or look below the thumb hook.

[Rooster_Ties]

Everything in 7/4??

I'm totally there!!

[B. Clugston]

in my continuing efforts to make my life easier (as in not having to transpose music) I bought myself a nice old C melody that, lo and behold, was exactly as described by the ebay seller. Put some new pads on it, a tenor mouthpiece (which gives it some volume) and I love the thing - and it weighs a LOT less than my tenor, which is good for my aging hands. Also just got my altos fixed up, my '60s Buescher sounds like my old Conn (I thought such a thing was impossible) and I got my mouthpieces worked on by the great Greg Wier of Florida. Been writing new music like a maniac. Been rehearsing my band.

So now I'm ready to go. Where's the gigs?

I repeat: where's the gigs?

you mean, I gotta go out and find them myself?

Time to call the MacArthur Foundation.

[AllenLowe]

I wish....

it is a Buescher, I think the serial number places it at around 1920 (?).

It's a great horn. These things tend to be stodgy with the original mouthpieces, but with a tenor mouthpiece I can get an Ayler-esque shriek.

Edited March 31, 2010 by AllenLowe

[BeBop]

My Conn's got problems that prevent me from getting anything other than an Ayler-esque shriek. But the Buescher is mellow.

[AllenLowe]

big problem in Maine has been to find a decent repair man, but I seem recently to have finally found a good guy. And if anybody needs mouthpiece work, Greg Wier (who's in Florida) is incredible.

[coreymwamba]

Wow, really interesting. So is the basic sound very much like a tenor, or totally different? What's the range of it?

[AllenLowe]

heard by itself, with a tenor mouthpiece, it SORTA sounds like a tenor - until I pick up my tenor.

with an alto mouthpiece I blow and blow and practically pass out, and the sound is little - and if I think Lester Young, I can get a semi-Trumbauer feeling, which is fun - (writing a song: For Some Reason in C)

but I prefer the tenor mouthpiece, because playing with a band is torture without the added volume. And I can overblow on it.

the neck is another thing, at a strange angle.

but I'm getting used to it.

Edited April 2, 2010 by AllenLowe

[BeBop]

I find the sound - as heard by the player - to be like a tenor, but without the "body". Kind of emaciated. It's not a BAD emaciated sound. Maybe more feminine?

[Shrdlu]

Good for you, Allen! I'd love to try one of those horns.

I've done a lot of online reading about the C melodies over the last few years.

Does it play in tune with a tenor mouthpiece? I've heard that alto and tenor mouthpieces can cause intonation problems.

There is an outfit in New Zealand that now makes brand new ones, including, of course, the proper mouthpiece.

The thing that makes me wary of getting a vintage horn is the keywork. I once had a 20s Beuscher alto on loan (originally played by the owner's grandfather in Jimmy Durante's band, lol). It had a nice sound, but the keywork was a bit awkward for faster work, and it felt very uncomfortable compared with the Selmer MK VI.

Gerry Mulligan played a fairly old Conn baritone, and I've often wondered what the keywork feels like on those. I'm not keen on the Selmer baritone with the low A, which affects the low Bb. Certainly, Gerry had no trouble flying around on it. And Bird often played on some awful-looking altos.

I find the sound - as heard by the player - to be like a tenor, but without the "body". Kind of emaciated. It's not a BAD emaciated sound. Maybe more feminine?

A sort of gay tenor?