Soarlips

DCStep:
The important part of that address is where it ends "out of state". As a general rule, Denver is tough; try places like Limon, out in the mysterious east.
KP

PerunaPete

This story isn't mine but that of a friend of mine from my college days. She was able to snag a virtually new Bach 43 with a reverse leadpipe from the parents of a guy that she went to HS with that had quit playing for the sum of $150 bucks. Apparently, they were pretty affluent and seemed more concerned about getting rid of the horn more than anything. The funny thing is, her dad tried to haggle until she told him to stop and just buy the horn.

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Kanstul 1600WB
Kanstul 1525 Flugelhorn
GR3M
http://www.myspace.com/trumpetblues74

KMT

I also have a story that is not mine. My friend was antiquing with his wife up in Maine and happened to see a dusty trumpet case under a table. He opened it up and found a New York Bach ML Bb for $40. It was (and still is) in terrible shape and will probably cost him upwards $1000 to restore it, that is still far less than he would spend on one previously restored.

Robert Rowe

Recently picked-up a neat, old Cornet ....

Even before I looked at the brand-name engraving on the bell, I knew what it was, from a short distance.

A Blessing Super-Artist "stencil", branded "Silvertone".

Aside from the underslung 3rd-valve slide throw-ring, the biggest tip-off was the "micro-adjust" ferrule on the tuning slide, along with the gorgeous dodecahedral (12-sided, for the uninformed) ballusters, caps and valve-buttons.

The valves and caps interchanged perfectly on my real Blessing Super Artist. In fact, the valves are in finer condition.

The cost? Seventy-five (75) American Dollars !

Is this a great country, or what? !

Robert Rowe

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" ... Ya cain't polish a turd ...!" (old Southern expression)

~~ Love animals ... don't eat them. ~~

scream machine

I bought a yamaha ytr-232 in great condition for 20 bucks at a yard sale. Then i bought a renose melist cornet that look's new for 40 bucks. A 50's getzen 2 valve g bugle for.......5 bucks!

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"I'm not a fighting man, but I really wasted that cat."- Maynard ferguson

wise3028

When I was a kid I went to a lot of yard sales and bought old brass instruments to hang on my wall. The best deal I got was the "The Olds" serial number 34xx for ten bucks. The lacquer is worn in some areas but no dents or anything. I also have a Conn New Wonder Cornet (in bad shape) and a Holton Clark Model (in fair shape) that I got for less than $5 each.

I'm ashamed to say my best profit was on a clarinet. I only bought it because I knew I could resell it -- HONEST!!. It was an old wooden clarinet (don't remember the brand). When I asked "how much is the clarinet" they responded "what's that?". I knew there was some negotiating room at that point. Got them down from $15 to $5 and ended up selling for $100 when I got to college.

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Scott Wise
St. Paul's Brass
www.stpaulsbrass.com

tom turner

H Scotti,

Welcome to the vintage forum! I hope you'll become a regular "lurker" and poster!

In case you don't know it, your Olds cornet, called "The Olds" is a very early Olds cornet and that model, simply called "The Olds" fetches really big money on the collector's market.

I've seen 'em go on eBay for well over $ 1,000 on several occasions in good shape like it sounds like yours is!

So . . . beware if someone offers to "take that old horn off your hands" for a few hundred bucks!!! Heck it might be worth enough to get some of the new "pro" horns on the market today, in the shape it's in.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

PS: VERY NICE WEBSITE TOO! You guys (and gal) stay BUSY!

Robert Rowe

Bingo! Another one!

A vintage, 1940s-era, medium-bore Martin Committee. Original (missing 3rd slide ring & screw, lyre) with original Martin #7 mpc and Martin case (rough, but serviceable).

Two-Hundred-and-Fifty (250) American dollars!

Is this a great country, ... or, what?

Robt Rowe

__________________
" ... Ya cain't polish a turd ...!" (old Southern expression)

~~ Love animals ... don't eat them. ~~

mike ansberry

One of my beginners a few years back walked in to my start of the year meeting for beginners and their parents. He had a beat up, rotted case. He told me he got it for $25 at a yard sale, and was it any good. It was a Selmer series 6 alto. His parents put a couple of hundred in an overhaul and a case. What a deal.

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"Music is a fire in your belly that has to come out of your mouth, so you'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt" (paraphrase of Bleeding Gums Murphy)

Robert Rowe

I took "a chance" a little while ago, and I didn't log-in on this (my own) post-topic, to comment about the horn ... until now.

This was a "project horn", that a self-taught repair guy I know, finally "gave up" on it and sold it to me for around $100. I say around, because it was a "multiple items" deal, and I'd have to arrive at about $100 value for the horn.

It's a mid-1950s Conn Connstellation 28A (the Cornet version), with lacquer removed. I have had several Connstellations (still have a few), and in my opinion, the mid-to-late 1950s production was the best. They have the Coprion (copper) bell, under the nickel-plating, the "open" valves (no sleeves around the springs), no 3rd-valve stop-rod ("hanging-in-the-breeze", ready to snag on just about anything, and not really necessary).

This horn was intended to eventually be a "C"-pitched horn; ... nice idea. The bell-tail was cut, as were a few (but not all) slides (required to attain "C"-pitch). Along with "the deal", an extra Connstellation bell was included -- stock -- not cut-down, and in fine shape (better than the intended "C"-bell).

The original slide-crooks were badly dented (still repairable), but I had an idea. I tried to interchange slides with a fine silver Conn 22B I have; ... they work. I obtained a couple sets of silver 22B slides, in great shape, from another repair-tech friend ... (I did not want to "rob" the slides from my nice 22B).

The replacement 22B 3rd-valve slide has an affixed (soldered) "throw-ring", which seems (to me) to be in an ideal position (rather than the original adjustable slide-ring on the Connstellations). Plus, it's a "cleaner look".

At present, the 1st-valve silver slide from a 22B, is devoid of the "stock" 1st-valve Connstellation trigger assembly. I think I'll leave it this way, for the time being (can always put the original back, since the mounting pivot is still on the 1st-valve casing).

Sooo ....
I now have a really great-playing semi-modified Connstellation. Plays better than my others (one "mint", one "near-mint"). As I couldn't care less about cosmetic issues (no lacquer, a few "dinglets"), the horn sets around, wherever I put it -- usually on a bookcase, or sticking out of the trash-can here by the computer -- ready to be played at a moment's notice (which is often).

I've got about $125 in it, and a couple hours "messing-around" with the mechanicals / fitment.

This "Connie" plays and sounds "to die for".

Robt

__________________
" ... Ya cain't polish a turd ...!" (old Southern expression)

~~ Love animals ... don't eat them. ~~