Although my site is called Bassic Sax, I have not had the opportunity to write that much about bass saxophones lately. There is just not much new stuff happening in the world of bass saxophones. (Having said that, I do have one or the other articles up my sleeve, but those will be a surprise.) 😉
I make no secret or apologies for being a fan of vintage saxophones, and as such, keep a watchful eye open for sales of vintage bass saxophones.
Legitimate, vintage bass saxophone auctions don’t come around all that often. Furthermore, when these giants from the sax happy 20s do come up for sale, they are often not in playable condition, and/or require extensive work, or a total restoration, before they are fully playable again.
This is not at all the case with the Conn stencil bass that is currently for sale on eBay. This Wurlitzer once belonged to my SOTW friend Matt Otto. Matt and I have very similar tastes when it comes to saxophones, and bass saxes are no exception.
Source: thehorn*doctor
Matt’s former bass is being sold by thehorn*doctor, who describes this wonderful old horn like this:
Wurlitzer American Bass Saxophone ~ 1914 C.G. Conn Stencil ~
Amazing and Rare! A Real Player!!!
Description:
The unique horns keep coming into our shop! This is a Bass Saxophone made in 1914 by the C.G. Conn Company for the Wurlitzer American company. The second largest member of the Saxophone Family, the Bass Sax is pitched in Bb and has a range from Bb below the Bass Clef up to High Eb. Not being a frequently used instrument however it was a well known member of the Kenton “Mellophonium” bands of the early 1960’s when they were using some of their most unconventional (for most bands anyway) instrumentation.
This particular instrument was owned by saxophone virtuoso Matt Otto for some time before he decided to downsize his instrument arsenal. Our own Doc Farmer has spent some time on this instrument to give the keywork to have a more modern and ergonomic setup. He put key arms on the table keys to allow for an articulated G#, as well as custom fabricating a biss Bb key mechanism that this horn didn’t originally have. Also, Matt Otto installed a cork palm riser which can be easily removed or modified in accordance with the player’s particular needs.
This horn has been thoroughly oiled and lubricated and has had new neck cork installed which may need to be fitted to your needs. This horn is in pretty good condition for an instrument of its age and size. It does have some denting here and there as you’d expect, and we’ve documented this in the photos. Also note that it is a raw brass finish and has a beautiful patina.
Most importantly, as you can see in this YouTube Video the horn also plays great! Don’t miss out on your chance to own a rare and unique instrument! Please note shipping to most Continental U.S. areas will be approximately $250. If bidding Internationally PLEASE contact us before bidding for a shipping quote! Good luck and Happy Bidding!!!
I have seen other bis Bb keys added to vintage bass saxophones before, but never one that looked as good as this.
Source: thehorn*doctor
The rest of the photos show a lovely, vintage Conn stencil bass, which does not appear to have been abused—unlike so many others that have turned up for sale or auction.
Source: thehorn*doctor
So if you’re one of those people who has been in touch with me looking for a bass saxophone—you know who you are—this might just be the beastie you’ve been waiting for. The auction for this wonderful old horn runs until August 22. Bids are to start at $6,995.00. At the time of writing there were no bids yet on this Conn-stencilled Wurlitzer.
Update: Although this bass didn’t find a new home on its find time around on eBay, upon re-listing it did. eBay shows that it had exactly 1 bid of $5,995.00 on it, and that was enough to give this Conn bass saxophone a new home. And according to Matt, the previous owner, a new home continent. The bass is now residing in Europe.