Welcome to the RU-vid channel for Horned Toad music, home of Marin Spivack saxophone and mouthpiece restoration and facing, specializing in sales, purchase and restoration of interesting vintage musical instruments and equipment. This small shop is the product of a long time professional musician and musical instrument hunter’s obsession. Here you will find many vintage saxophones and vintage and custom saxophone mouthpieces. Services include mouthpiece refacing, customization, saxophone evaluation, repair, and consignment, trade & finder service as well. Please visit the site and thanks for watching!
Wicked freaking baffle-ding baffles buddy Dude Ay! Now you’re talking but seriously could you demonstrate how you set you reed with the ligature correct and exactly what that should be and why? I’d be much obliged ;-)
Yo bro I’m so glad I found you! Thanks for this. I got a super tone master #9 2 ring for my new (1937?) Martin Alto (trying to conspire with my keilwerth tenor to fill the void left by my old Martin Tenor which the god of hellfire finally claimed last January 😢) anyway something ain’t right with this mouthpiece or more probably the ligature which is real difficult to adjust feel free to advise… btw in my humble opinion the wise one I see here has so far outpaced the “idiot” of our fond memories I hope you won’t be offended if I remember the genius of the idiocy in the creative process (I know you were referring specifically to your film lighting skills but I keep waiting for you to say something hilariously off, but never mind me it’s 5 in the morning and I’m sitting at a bus station with my bike loaded with Vinyl,CDs,Cassette tapes, a little multi band and radio, this mouthpiece, my baby Taylor and this little stretch canvas frame drum bass diva art piece I’m working on/with, waiting for the rain to stop so I can go rehearse in my friends circus tent with a full sound system for possible shenanigans this Amsterdam Dance Event/ Samhainoweeny time so Hey! Yowza yowza yowza and yes I will be smoking a big one for you right about now! Carry on brother cuz I do believe you’re on to something tres savvy here and I look forward to catching up with your content. Speaking of which I hope to maybe be spending some of the winter over that away and hope we can find some time to make some noise together. Big up. Cat!
If it sounds good to my ears...its good enough..brand names more for commercial purposes regards workmanship, materials..etc...sound quality that in the ear of the player is what counts most...its the "beauty" in the eye or ear of the beholder or listener..just my opinion...❤
its so cool to hear, as your sound is in all the mpc very clearly your sound, I think that the whole thing, it all in the players mind what works, in the end you will always get back to the sound you have, if you are are good player:)
I’m so glad to find this series of videos. I’m also a collector of mouthpieces. I have most of these Links, ligatures, and boxes in my collection. Not being a wealthy person, I’m not willing to pay for the “holy grail “ models though. It seems that every year was a transitional year. There are so many variations. Great tutorial on these pieces.
I play sax, and I also sold a lot of saxophones, and so I had the opportunity to play literally hundreds of vintage saxophones, including more than a few dozen Mark VI's. Of course, when it came to ergonomics, the Balanced Action, SBA, and Mark VI were improvements. However, when it came to sound, I have always found them rather inconsistent, and I learned directly from Jerome Selmer himself that the people who built Mark VI's did not work from blueprints and also had freedom to make changes in bore sizes and neck dimensions, etc., from one sax to another. They were experienced builders that knew what they were doing. Like anyone, when you make changes, some work, others don't. He also joked that if the craftsmen made love to his wife or girlfriend the night before, he may have done a better job than if he didn't. He said that serial numbers were only good to determine when they were made, but not whether a certain serial number was better than another. The best sounding alto I have ever played and still do is my 1939 Conn 6M. I do have a 64 Mark VI, a great horn, but the Conn has a more powerful, vocal like tone. BTW, even though its mechanism is more "primitive", it is actually more stable over a longer period of use than the Mark VI. I have longer playing times between servicing the keys, and the rolled tone holes allow the pads to last longer. Anyway, Jerome Selmer also said that while he appreciated that Mark VI's are valued, he disputed that they were better than newer horns, as technically, there have been even more improvements in mechanisms, tone hole placement, intonation, etc. Of course, any horn sounds better when it's played often, building the instrument's resonance. However, what's the best saxophone? The one that resonates with you and gives you the sound you want.
I did not overhaul that horn, Besides that not all horns are built/designed to have these two pads at exactly the same height. SBA tenor for example, B is necessarily lower than Bb due to the mechanical regulation. They improved that on MK VI, but the soprano's vary as well.
Wow…U are spot on🎉 I have a Mk 6 that my dad bought for me on my 16th birthday . My horn is a 95,000 . Ok I am old.. I have been a week end player since 1962. Play section work, RnB and small group jazz. Had some great teachers. I love this horn for a lot of reasons. You are one of the few players that get it. Thanks..
Marin - I play a ‘56 The Martin tenor, which I love. I’m using an Otto Link 7* HR mouthpiece. Playing small combo in smaller venues, would there be another mp I should consider? Metal mp’s seem weird to me. On reeds - boy, a struggle. I use Boston Sax, Vandoren, and Rigotti. Also, Legere.
This is an interesting look at a WT DR Link, the discoveries here accord well with my own experience on STMs, DRs and others: small tipped STMs' brightness and tone doesn't carry over well to bigger tip openings. Many want the same sound but with more meat and volume from a bigger tip, but it hardly ever works like that, whatever, this one sounds good.
You nailed all of the things, lol. So many Mark IVs have been ruined by horrible repair work and damage from 50-70 years of wear and abuse, not to mention neck pull-down. Selmer didn't fart without having a plan. Each model of Selmer back to the late 20s was far ahead of their time. I prefer the mid-run of the SBA myself, but mileage varies. I've only played about 100 or so Mark VIs and all of them were good. Some were very good, and a small handful were lights-out. I also believe that a great repairman can turn an average horn into a great horn if the damage and past hack repairs are corrected. I've seen you restore some horns that fit that description. The way you describe these horns is like a wine connoisseur and you're right, fine wine indeed. I'll leave the haters with this. If Selmer saxophones aren't the best, why do all modern manufacturers of saxophones use right-side bell keys and incorporate pivot screws?
Vintage saxophones have a particular sound all their own. however some manufacturers like Ishimori and Nexus get closer to the vintage sound while being modern and less expensive
I wouldn’t say it’s a bad horn. It’s just vintage. Ya a vintage Camaro can still haul ass…. Compared to cars of it’s day. Way easier to just get a custom new that hits the same if not better
I have a Mark VI, 1954 model, S/N 56xxx ( I don't why we don't give the full serial #). It was bought used for me in 1958. We paid $450 for it-my father could not believe a saxophone would cost that much. In 1958, that amount was about one month's salary. I recently had it overhauled, new pads, springs, fixed the leaks & it plays so good-like new. I am not the market to sell, but just curious as to how much it is worth. No dents, never been dropped, it just shows its age to finish but most important plays great! Oh by the way it is also a tenor.
@JS-dt1tn I get that you are posting here to have conflict and assert your relevance. I suggest you make your own important channel to satisfy those needs.
Great offering from Marin, gee those EB STMs on the mkvi sound good. The differences in the machining of the tables, from denim to straight lines caught my eye. One of the best playing STMs I have is a small font 5* Florida, with nickle plating and denim machining on the table, so perhaps a transitional Florida finished by Babbitt, or did Ben Harrod have a machine for the tables, the table was machined and then nickel plated beneath the gold? It is an odd detail, because I also have an EB 8, large font with silver plating underneath, and it looks like the table has been hand finished with sand paper, just like a usa Florida...whatever an EB on a vi is a very nice tenor sound to my ear.
As someone who is very interested in saxophones but who has very little experience with playing on vintage ones in particular, I want to ask you a quesiton as you seem to be very knowledgeable on this subject. I'm attracted to mid range and late model mark vi's because they seem way more affordable and like a feasible purchase option for me. But, being aware of the mythos of the mark vi, I'm wondering if you honestly believe that there is a sonic difference between the earlier ones (costing 8-9k) and the later ones (ones priced 5-6k on the low side)?? Perhaps even more importantly - in your opinion, is a late mark vi still a "good horn" as far as playing characteristics go?? I appreciate your videos and your response :) - A sax fan
I would be happt to chat with you about this, but best to contact me via the contact page at my site rather than extend message conversation here. Thanks.
Normally I don't bother to thank people, but In this case I really want to thank you, deeply, for taking the time out of your meaningful and busy life to share your heartfelt feelings about my 'sound'. I know it was a great sacrifice to make the effort to write that significant comment because your own time is so valuable and you are such an important individual, so I feel exceptionally grateful that me and my sound are occupying so much space in your mind and are so important to you. We all know, now, that both your 'sound' and your character are to be admired and emulated and we will all strive to do so to the best of our (small) abilities. Again, thank you so much for your generosity and spirit of making the world a better place!
Shalom Marin, I just read your response 12/31/23 to user-cq6fl2yx2r. It was humorous in a deceptively dignified way, and served up in a deliciously and deservedly sardonic and sarcastic manner. I only hope he read it and understood it the way you meant it to be understood. I think your "sound" particularly in the lower register is very lush and rich, and your technique ain't bad either. Playing something extemporaneously, not having written or rehearsed it previously is not something everyone can do, but you make it look easy.
I've got a 10* USA I bought new iin the 90s. I play a 3.5 or 4 on it. It does everything you want it to. Ppp subtones to fff altissimo. I don't know why players bother with smaller tip openings. Once your reed is broken in or you use a plasticover (Yeah, yeah) your embouchure will adapt before you know it and the decible volume on a gig with shit foldback and lots of amplified instuments and drums around you, is a huge advantage. I often hear players with a 'softer' set up, start playing flat because they've run out of purchase and resistence when they blow harder. I also use a fantastic but much brighter hard rubber Vandoren Jumbo Java T97 with a baffle, the biggest opening they made and sadly no longer in production. GO BIG, GANG!
The reason I love this saxophone is because of Kenny G the first time I heard Kenny G play I was mesmerized by the sound and I called is the sexy sax because the sound is just sexy like I’m gonna keep it 100% the sound is sexy
Yes, agreed agreeing agreed………your outlook is fact-based and important! It’s most unfortunate however, that when a member of the public pays-out and has a trial of one of your mouthpieces but returns it because it didn’t work for them, and you keep $100 for your “troubles”! This contradicts and earlier claim here that a main motivation of yours isn’t “being in business.”
I am not sure what you are referring to, but for clarity I do not (yet) make mouthpieces, so any mouthpieces I do sell are usualy vintage, not "mine". Secondly, I do not offer mouthpiece trials for the general public nor do I have a set fee of $100 for "troubles". Perhaps you are confusing me with someone else, but if you DO have some specific issue to discuss or complain about I suggest you contact the shop which would be a more appropriate venue for that topic. Besides that, pretty much everyone has a business or some kind of livelihood which does not disqualify them from weighing in on related topics. There is no logical basis to claim that someone being in the vintage horn business means commenting positively on vintage horns directly beneifts them therefore they are biased. If I comment positive only vintage Selmers its plenty likely no one cares or if they do they can buy them from someone else or worse, they could buy a CONN!!! OH no!!!!!
