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Forum » General Discussions » "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?


by cheezmunky
(3 posts)
19 years ago

"Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

I read once where somebody said they had a Bundy, one of the good ones that is. How do you know a good Bundy? I've got an older Bundy, and I like it pretty alright. I've gotten a few compliments on my sound when playing it, to my surprise.

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  2. by TANGO SIX ONE
    (255 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

    NO

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  3. by cheezmunky
    (3 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

    When I first got my Bundy back in the 6th grade, I hated it because it wasn't a shiny one. It's got that matte, goldish brown finish. I eventually only used it for marching band but I was blown away by how much the sound improved with a new professional, Otto Link mouthpiece, instead of stock beginner pieces. I'm primarily a bari player, but I still like to break out my good ol' Bundy once in a while. It's a player, and since I learned on it and have been playing it for about 10 years now, I can really make it wail. I can even get out harmonics and altissimo with relative ease.

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  4. by connsaxman_jim
    (2336 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

    The best Bundys were tbe earlier ones that were built by Conn for Selmer and sold under the Bundy name. After Selmer aquired Buescher, the first Bundys were essentially a Buescher 400 that had been cheapened up a little bit, but still a good horn. The later Bundys were not as good. The Bundy II's are somewhat better.

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    1. by kneejerk52
      (397 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

      hi jim does a 1970 bundy tenor qualify as a good bundy? it actually sounds pretty ok to me, and is in great shape. and more so i like it cause i cost me 200 bucks 35 years ago when jay cammeron, the bari player sold it to me. his sales pitch was this is almost like a mark without the engraving i know that's not true but how good do you think they are. thanks for any respose.

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      1. by connsaxman_jim
        (2336 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

        It's basically a Buescher 400. It's a good tenor.

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        1. by kneejerk52
          (397 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          one more question, these horns at least mine are padded without resonators, do you think they are that helpful? would you spend the money on changing it?

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        2. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          as long as the pads are in good shape, I wouldn't bother changing them just yet. The resonator pads will brighten it up considerably though. When you do replace the pads, I would recommend the plastic Selmer style resonator pads.

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        3. by johnsonfromwisconsin
          (767 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          The Bundy of the 70s and 80s was actually derived from the Buescher Aristocrat, not the 400. The Selmer Signets of the same era were based on the late 400's design. The Bundy name plate has been around for a long time and has been represented by many different horns. Those that are considered the best Bundys were Keilwerth made instruments with the plastic gaurds.

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        4. by johnsonfromwisconsin
          (767 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- his sales pitch was this is almost like a mark without the engraving i know that's not true but how good do you think they are. thanks for any respose. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeah, I'm glad you spotted that for the hyperbole that statement is. You can play a Bundy and a Mark anything for but five minutes, each a decade apart, and know they're not anywhere close to being the same horn long after old age and senility have set in.

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        5. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I shall end this discussion once and for all. The simple answer to your question:-NO

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        6. by argonne
          (24 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          My first horn was Bundy (not a Bundy II). The pads are turning to dust, and with gold paint and nickel keys it looks goofy as hell, but the thing rips from the lower reg all the way up. My first teacher used to joke that something was wrong with it because it sounded so good. At the time I couldn't fully appreciate that but now its fun to pick it up once in a while for a laugh. Glad to hear others enjoy theirs too! Is there a way to find out what vintage it is?

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        7. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Nothing wrong with a well set-up Bundy. They are great horns for the money and superior to the trash being imported by the boat load these days.

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        8. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I agree with Tango-six-one. The plain and simple answer to you original question is NNNNNNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

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        9. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          The earlier Bundys in particular were pretty good student horns. Like Maniac said, they are far superior to the junk they're bringing in from China and Taiwan these days! Respect these horns for what they are/were. No, they don't compare to a Mark VI, 10M, Super 20, Committee, or even the Aristocrat or 400 that they were based on, but for a basic beginner horn, they play easy, have good intonation, a decent sound, and they have proven to be very reliable and take a lot of abuse! What more can you ask for?

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        10. by johnsonfromwisconsin
          (767 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          ----------------------------------- What more can you ask for? --------------------------------- Lighter sprung mechanisms. But really, the Bundy isn't a great instrument, but it's far from a bad one. The 70s bundys were a bit better than the Bundy IIs, IIRC, but really you can't go too wrong with them second-hand as a first saxophone. Especially now they seem to be getting cheaper as school band programs shed themselves of them in favor of the yamahas and vitos. You want an alto saxophone for $400? Go bundy!

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        11. by definition
          (963 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          The older Bundy werent bad, but most of you don'r know that Geoge M. Bundy was a personal freind of Henri Selmer back in the day, and he honored his freind by having stencils bought from Buescher(origianly, but later on Conn would make some, ands Selmer too) These horns were very good stencils, and were made in a very small number actually. The 1930s Selmer Bundys had a very unique key mechanism, where the keys opened and closed vertically, and are DAMNED good horns. He also had mouthpieces stamped with George's name, the dill pickle style ones were selmer soloists blanks with the scroll taken off, and the chamber modified, and they played quite well. Later someone had some streamlined ones made(not sure what blank was used) but the bari one of these is one of my favorite mpcs. George(Geo) M. Bundys were not made after the 50s as far as I know, and were reintroduced later by Selmer as simply "The Bundy", which is the student horn most of this thread is thnkin about, and was a decent horn. The Current production ones, or "Bundy IIs, are not quite as good, but are far better horns than what are being imported from Tiawann. They are rock solid and basically impossible to destroy, makeing them great for beginners who may be rough on the horns a bit, or for marching band youngsters Sorry that was so long!

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        12. by argonne
          (24 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I'll temper my above comments by pointing out the obvious that this is all in the context of affordable student horns. Of course, this horn will never copmete with my 10M, nor should anyone expect it to. Jim has listed some of the reasons they are good, and I'm not the only one who has indicated they have gotten on that is above average, again in the affordable student horn context. So instead of yelling NO, give us some reasons they are not good student horns for their price. Especially when they hold up so well to heavy use.

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        13. by definition
          (963 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Lots of people dont like them cause they sound like a train, I had a professor once who put it best I think, saying sound best run over by a truck... But the intonation is good, they are built like tanks, and can be powerful players, but the tone quality lacks some... Though can the players these are targeted towards(very young beginners) really tell? Mostly they dont seem to care as long as they are shiny

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        14. by kneejerk52
          (397 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          well let me tell you a story i once had the good fortune to sit in a room alone with the late caesar diaz, ( the amp doctor) and Phil Woods. they played together for about 2 hours. guess what, he played my bundy and i would like to hear anyone who says they are not good sound that good on any horn. the player has a little to to with sounding good.

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        15. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          It's all set up too. A lot of the reason for the cheesy Bundy sound are the cheesy Selmer mouthpieces that are often used with them. Put a decent mouthpiece on a Bundy and they sound like an old Buescher.

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        16. by definition
          (963 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Well not quite an old Buescher, but they dont sound to bad. Even with a Selmer piece, a good player can smoke an audience with it

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        17. by bmcguire
          (45 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I started on a Bundy, low keys on left side of bell, it always played better than the Bundy II's. But consider that there are Super Action copies, (vito coming to mind) that for a little more than a Bundy play very well. We got into this on the Selmer forum but the bottom line is that there are too many alternatives nowdays that theres no reason a kid should have to play a bundy!

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        18. by kneejerk52
          (397 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          well the setup was a brillhart s5 and probablly rico royal 2-1/2, and let me tell you he was smokin. i still would love to have a better horn but, i would also like to be a better player. i can affect these things with choices i make as anyone can who wants anything bad enough.

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        19. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I am trying out a Jean Baptiste Alto sax that my cousin has. it's about 5 years old and in need of repair. n63756 All it says on the back is: N63756 That is what i think it says although it could have been scratched in. Can anyone tell me whether it is a student, pro, or intermediate?

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        20. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Jean Baptists are student level horns. They're comparable to Winston, Antigua Winds, etc. I believe they are made in Taiwan.....a little better than the Chinese junk, but still an inexpensive student horn.

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        21. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Wow. that surprises me. This sounds at least intermediate. it's about 5 yrs old and needs alot of work though. there is some key protector thingy that needs to be rewelded, the D( high and low) is messed up but i'm not sure what's doing it, and the octave key needs to twinked abit. Now i have a question about one of the pearl inlays. One of them seemed to have fallen out and been replaced by something that looks similar. Would that be expensive to get a new pearl piece in there?

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        22. by definition
          (963 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          They were just plastic on the Jean Baptiste horns to begin with

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        23. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Are you positive about all those horns? I've seen the difference between real and fake before and I can swear that these look real. If it is really plastic though then it should be really cheap to replace. If you read my description I wrote a couple spaces up, you'll find that it needs alot of work. I might also get the case fixed. Do you think that there is a chance that it could run close to a new beginner sax price( possibly 800)? I sort of doubt it but if it does, i'd probably get the new one.

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        24. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Jean Baptist saxophones usually run around $900 new

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        25. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Ugh! I would probably get the ABI brand. they are beginner/intermediate horn makers and they don't sound shabby. They also go for around $850

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        26. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          These are the prices I found at Sam Ash on Jean Baptiste saxophones. 180 AL student alto $429.99 481 AL alto $599.99 600 AS intermediate alto $699.99 900 AS (they call it a pro level) $1199.99 So actually, they're cheaper than $900 new except for the 900AS which is silver with a gold wash bell. Nice looking horn.

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        27. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I'm assuming my cousin's is the cheapest one then. They never really had the money for great horns. I am only buying my cousin's because i want an alto but my mom is not up to paying $1000 for even a student new horn and she won't even buy the cheapest because she thinks getting this one fixed up and paying my cousin is easier. Her poor old heart can't take the strain of another new instrument. Thanks for the prices.

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        28. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I checked Sam ash website and all i could find was the first one and the last one you listed.

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        29. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          www.scherf.com/saxophones.htm#JEAN%20BAPTISTE That's the link I found through a Yahoo search. Amazon, but it says prices are through Sam Ash

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        30. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Nevermind, i found them. Is it possible for me to tell what kind alto it is(480, 481, 600, 900, or 180) if i'm at home. is there a certain way i can do it?

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        31. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          I'm really not familiar with them enough to know West. I'm not sure if there is a model number stamped on the horn or not.

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        32. by west
          (242 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: "Good" Bundy's? Do they exist?

          Okay then. Thanks for the help.

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