1937 Martin Handcraft Committee I Tenor Saxophone. Also known as the "Martin Searchlight", or the "Martin Skyline"
Martins are terribly underappreciated in my opinion. Many people, not everyone mind you, but many people dismiss Martins unless they are Committee III's. The Committee III is indeed a horn deserving of its lore, but the Committee II and the Handcraft Committee I are equally deserving of such legend. This horn plays with all the effortlessness that the Martin name is known for. And it has that Martin sound, I think of it as "that round sound."
When this horn came in it was an absolute wreck. The bell was not only damaged from serious abuse, but it was worse still from an unspeakably inadequate repair. The dents in the bell were pushed so far out they were expanded, stretched, and work hardened. I actually didn't think I'd be able to get the horn to look as it does in these pictures. (You'll see the before shots at the end of the slide show.)
You get a lot for your money with this horn. This one got all new blued needle springs and it feels as smooth and responsive as can be. Wow.
Martins are terribly underappreciated in my opinion. Many people, not everyone mind you, but many people dismiss Martins unless they are Committee III's. The Committee III is indeed a horn deserving of its lore, but the Committee II and the Handcraft Committee I are equally deserving of such legend. This horn plays with all the effortlessness that the Martin name is known for. And it has that Martin sound, I think of it as "that round sound."
When this horn came in it was an absolute wreck. The bell was not only damaged from serious abuse, but it was worse still from an unspeakably inadequate repair. The dents in the bell were pushed so far out they were expanded, stretched, and work hardened. I actually didn't think I'd be able to get the horn to look as it does in these pictures. (You'll see the before shots at the end of the slide show.)
You get a lot for your money with this horn. This one got all new blued needle springs and it feels as smooth and responsive as can be. Wow.