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by Freaky McPants
(12 posts)
20 years ago

C-Mellody

I'm curious, What is a C-Mellody Sax. I think I heard somewhere that they arent being made anymore. Any information would be much appreciated.

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  2. by mojocoggo
    (97 posts)
    20 years ago

    Re: C-Mellody

    The C-Melody sax is in between the Bb tenor and the Eb alto. I know they were made in the 20's. Go here for more information: www.jayeaston.com/galleries/sax_family/sax_p_tenors.html

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    1. by connsaxman_jim
      (2336 posts)
      20 years ago

      Re: C-Mellody

      The c Meldoy saxophone was designed in the early 1900's to play along with a piano and to be able to read piano music. They were popular in the early-mid 1920's before the time of the Great Depression. They were pitched in the key of "C". There were several different brands of C Melody saxophones built. The most highly sought after today are the Conn C Melody saxophones manufactured after 1922 with the straight microtuner necks. They were known for having acceptional intonation. There are a few mouthpieces still being made for C Melody saxophones, but they are somewhay harder to find. Many people use tenor pieces, which can cause problems with intonation. If you have an original C Melody mouthpiece, or you are lucky enough to find one of the modern C Melody pieces, bass clarinet reeds work very well. I have a 1922 Conn New Wonder C Melody, that I repadded with metal resonator pads. I use a LeBlanc C Melody mouthpiece with a Rovner ligature, and a #3 bass clarinet reed and it plays very well, and has a very unique sound. It's great for blues.

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      1. by Spike
        (248 posts)
        20 years ago

        Re: C-Mellody

        haha, i would have just said " a sax in the key of C"

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      2. by spifster
        (67 posts)
        20 years ago

        Re: C-Mellody

        I think Runyon makes a c-melody mouthpiece also. I have an old conn also, not sure what kind, and use it on our arrangement on Jimi Hendrix's Red House. To me it has the tone quality of a really low soprano.

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        1. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: C-Mellody

          "To me it has the tone quality of a really low soprano." What exactly do you mean? As far as the intonation you mean? They're completely different animals. The intonation on most C Melodies wasn't any worse than most of the other saxophones of the time, but C Melodies got a bad reputation for 2 reasons: The inexperienced garage and backyard musicians that played them, and because reeds and mouthpieces have been somewhat hard to come by, and many people have substituted tenor and alto mouthpieces and reeds, which effect the intonation. If set up properly, with the right mouthpiece and reed, a C melody will play in tune just as well as any other vintage horn.....in fact, the intonation on my 1922 New Wonder is excellent!

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        2. by Candyboy
          (77 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: C-Mellody

          I love my tenor saxes, but I have to admit that the straightneck Conn C-mel is my favorite horn. My band also does a version of " Red House" I have a Runyon 6 C-mel mouthpiece with the spoiler, but it plays so sharp that I can't screw the microtuner back far enough. So I use a berg tenor mouthpiece. The only problem I have is that it worbles on low B and only on low B. I own 5 Conn C-mels all with differt finishes and all 5 do the same thing. I blame it on the fact that the horns were designed to play with a mouthpiece with very little tip opening." Wait a minute my key won't unlock this door"
          Doug Coffman

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        3. by spifster
          (67 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: C-Mellody

          "Cuz if my baby don't love me no more, I know her sister will." Jimi hendrix is my hero. In my opinion the best guitar player ever. Period. And in response to Jim: When I said tone quality, I meant the actual sound quality (edge, depth, fatness, etc.), not the intonation. With my setup, I'm saying, it has the reediness i get on a soprano, but goes balls-to-the-wall when pushed.

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