Shopping for a vintage alto
I'm new to this forum so let me introduce myself. I'm an amateur player with lifelong clarinet experience and started playing sax a few years ago, mainly tenor, on which I perform in a community big band, sometimes in a pit orchestra, and occasionally in a small combo setting. I love vintage horns and play Selmer clarinets from the 40's to 80's. I have a mid-60s Mk VI tenor but mostly play my SBA. I'm feeling the need to get into playing alto to be a bit more versatile, and am hoping for some advice on which horn to shop for.
I'm sure I would like an alto SBA or Mk VI, but it's just not in my budget with two young men in college. After reading discussions about vintage altos, I'm thinking that a Conn 6M might be good for me - Seemingly plentiful and at 1/3 the price of an SBA - , but I'm concerned about the ergonomics. I haven't played the Conn, but a Buescher tenor I tried recently would take some real work to get used to. Unfortunately, there are no vintage dealers near me, so I'll likely have to take a chance on something through a dealer on trial to get a chance to try a Conn.
So, what do you think about switching between a Conn 6M and a Selmer tenor? What else should I be considering in affordable vintage altos? Or forget it and get a used Super 80?
Thanks very much for any help you can offer.
Ron
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