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Martin Committee Cornet



 
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Jaz2200
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Joined: 05 Jan 2011
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:45 am    Post subject: Martin Committee Cornet Reply with quote

I recently purchased a Martin Comittee Cornet. From the research that I have done places this horn to be made in 1957. The horn has some lacquer discoloration and some scratches on the lead pipe. There are no dents or ding. Everything moves and was recently cleaned. I was wondering if any one would know a price range for this instrument?
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mffan
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum. That seems to be a strange question, as you said you just bought one. You can check ebay completed listings, or a large used seller like Dillon's. The one's I have seen have been the range of $500 or so.
I started out with one, new in 1955 and played it until college.
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RandyTX
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's strange that a committee trumpet will sell for upwards of $3000 easily, yet the cornet from a similar time period only $500. Seems like a massive distortion in the marketplace. Possibly due to the usage of the trumpet by a few very famous players in history. I wonder if that could be the only reason, or the trumpet really does stand out that much from the cornet in quality and playing characteristics.
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Bill Ortiz
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've actually seen the Committee cornets sell for over $1000 most of the time.
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derby_mute
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's the cachet associated with the Committee trumpet that puts the price up. If Miles, Dizzy, Fats Navarro and Chris Botti played Olds Ambassador trumpets, just image what THEY would go for javascript:emoticon('')

I had in my possession for awhile, on loan, a 1940s Committee cornet that had been overhauled and relacquered. A total dud. I can't say whether the horn was always like that or the restoration made it that way. What I can say is that, at the time, I had several Martin Indiana cornets that played rings around the Committee. Go figure. I still have one of the Indiana cornets as a back-up to my regular horn. Great playing instrument, and I wouldn't sell it for $500.
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Last edited by derby_mute on Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:29 am; edited 1 time in total
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Robert Rowe
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have several of each (Martin Committee Cornets and Trumpets).

True -- there has always been a wide disparage in the prices. So what?

Take advantage of the lower Cornet prices ... always a great bargain.

The main reason (for me) that I favor the horns, is that the "blow" (both Cornet and Trumpet) is very, very similar. When I don't need to play for "projection" (as a larger venue, or to be heard above other instruments), I tend to use the Cornet. It is a fine choice when playing smaller, more intimate venues ... like clubs.

Take a good look at the later-era Martin Magna Cornets. I have rare large-bore (#3) Magna Cornet and the "normal" ML (med-large) bore version, as well. The Magna Cornet features a different bell than the Committee, and may be the rose-brass, also. Wider "wrap", as well. These horns have a 1st-slide trigger. Excellent instruments.


Robert
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plp
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, you've piqued my curiosity, how do the cornets compare in playing characteristics to the trumpet?

How do they compare to other similar American belled cornets?
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Robert Rowe
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

plp wrote:
OK, you've piqued my curiosity, how do the cornets compare in playing characteristics to the trumpet?

How do they compare to other similar American belled cornets?


Probably (for me, anyhow ...) the only major difference is the smoother, more subtle "feedback" I (the player) notice.

Obviously, the shorter distance from the front of the bell, back to my ears is part of this perception.

Of course, we have a greater selection of mouthpieces to choose from, with any Cornet.

I have an Al Cass 3x5 for the Trumpet, and an Al Cass 3x5 for the Cornet. However; I also use an Al Cass French Horn mouthpiece with an adapter for the Cornet. This provides a nice, soft, "velvety" tone, with almost no harshness, even in the upper-register. I can't get the extreme high-notes with the French-Horn mouthpiece, as I can with the "regular" 3x5 ... but, I this is no "big-deal", as I seldom need to go beyond high-C, anyhow. I can "nail" the high-C with the French-Horn mouthpiece, if I need to do so.


Another great Cornet mouthpiece is the Marcinkiewcz 5W or 5XW.

Also, I feel the best choice is the Magna large-bore Cornet with the wide-wrap, rose-brass bell, and the 1st-slide trigger. It's just a very, very special Cornet, with a very, very special tone. With the above-mentioned Al Cass French-Horn mouthpiece (with adapter), I easily achieve a very nice tone, somewhere between a Fleugelhorn and a French Horn. I should mention that it is not necessary to use only the Al Cass French-Horn mouthpiece. I have several French-Horn mouthpieces (was formally a "Hornist"), and a gold-plated Conn Connstellation French-Horn mouthpiece is my 2nd-choice ... however; the rim is narrower and thinner than the Al Cass.

In-any-case, the Martin Cornets are a delightful choice for any aspiring or established / dedicated Cornet player.

Also, do not overlook the earlier "Handcraft" Imperial Cornets. Somewhat different than the later-series (mid-1940s onward) production.


Robert
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tpsiebs
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice thread guys.

I have a '47 Martin Committee Cornet. It has magnificent response and a true cornet sound. Great compression and valve action. The sound is very dark, very deep and has excellent projection. Like the trumpets, the slots are loose, which is a bonus as the pitch can be a little squirrelly. The pitch is much like my '46 Committee trumpet.

I play on a Reeves 42M. It is great. Before I got my Reeves (to match my trumpet mouthpiece), I played on an Olds 7C (from my wife's horn), a modern Bach 3C and a Vincent Bach 7C. All good choices too.

The geometry is not like later Committee Cornets, rather, nearly identical to the modern Bach 181 (without the spit valve before the entry into the valve cluster). That water key is needed as I get a lot of water the collects there and it is the ONLY thing I would consider changing about this finely engineered and crafted instrument.

The Committee trumpet is hot now and is absolutely worth every dime that anyone who is foolish enough to part with one demands. If you've never played one, you won't understand. I can't tell you how incredibly blessed I am to play one every single day. Heaven on Earth.

Tom
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Zentrails
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RandyTX wrote:
It's strange that a committee trumpet will sell for upwards of $3000 easily, yet the cornet from a similar time period only $500. Seems like a massive distortion in the marketplace. Possibly due to the usage of the trumpet by a few very famous players in history. I wonder if that could be the only reason, or the trumpet really does stand out that much from the cornet in quality and playing characteristics.


I have two 1946 Committee trumpets (one all original with a clean as a whistle leadpipe), the other with a few replacement parts, an older "Handcraft" trumpet with the same exact main slide (fits my Committee perfectly), and a 1946 Committee cornet (someone describes the Committee cornet as "buttery" - I don't know about that but it is my favorite cornet and I have quite a few others).

I love them all, but the Handcraft is my favorite, oddly enough, and the best part is that I bought it off ebay just to replace the tuning slide in my second Committee trumpet for only $200, but 10 seconds after playing it I realized that there was no way I was going to tear that baby apart.

It also has "concert" written on the bell. I've never been able to find out what that meant. Handcrafts (except for the Handcraft Committee) go for even less on ebay than the Committee cornet for some reason.

Odder still, I keep an "American Beauty, made in Union City NJ" (probably 40's vintage) cornet in my car to play at stoplights or when I'm stuck in traffic. I can get that thing to sound pretty darn good (I think it's a King stencil) and I NEVER have trouble with tailgaters!


I bought the "Balanced Embouchure" book mentioned often here when I decided to be a comebacker and it worked great. I could never get above the staff when I was in HS, but didn't have any trouble on the F Horn getting way up there.

Just like the book says, my band director wanted me to switch to baritone, but he switched me from French Horn to trumpet as a freshman and my Dad said, no way was I going to switch again. I didn't like baritone anyway.

Now, I can consistently hit G above high C. Practicing high notes in my car for brief periods of time has turned out to be a great way for me to really extend my range. I'm actually starting to feel like a real trumpet player!

Nice high range is also what Committee's are all about, IMO, at least for me, along with the easy pitch bending.

Anyone know what vintage Committee Botti plays?
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jessetjazz
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello this an old topic BUT I must comment
MARTIN INDIANA CORNETS there is NO BETTER !!

I have 3 . one has stuck slides and still plays in tune ! I don't no nor do care the BORE ( boring get it ? ) .
These SLEEPERS play like no body's biz. $150 ? Oh yea buy them all day long !!
OOPS better shut up or they will be selling on E SCAM for thousands!

E Scam priority mail scam = MORE $ for them MORE TIME WAITING FOR YOUR PRIZE! and more Hassle for the buyer ..you pay xx amount for a used horn that MAY or may not play YET EBscam wants 50% more to ship and then lo and behold its JUNK been damaged by CUSTOMS that U pay to transcend that hassle AND now you have a xxxxx$$ usd WALL HANGER .
and Ebay does nothing ..I WILL ONLY DEAL HERE TH.COM
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jojocat
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zentrails wrote:


Anyone know what vintage Committee Botti plays?


1939 Martin Handcraft Committee.
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Zentrails
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jojocat wrote:
Zentrails wrote:


Anyone know what vintage Committee Botti plays?


1939 Martin Handcraft Committee.


Interesting. I play a 1938 Martin Handcraft that is nearly identical (except for the spit valves) to my 1946 Committee, that I actually like a little better, although both are great horns.

I got the '38 off Ebay for $200 just for parts, but no way am I doing anything but happily play it.
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GarryOwen2008
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love my 1946 Martin Committee cornet. I can't really even articulate why. In my opinion, it plays a lot like the Committee trumpets I've tried from the same era. In fact, it plays a lot more like a trumpet than a cornet, and that's how I play it. I usually use my New York Bach 7 (no letter) when I play it, even though it's a much smaller rim than I usually play (a Monette 2.5). With the 7 it has that classic Martin Committee sound (at least in my own ears!).
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Zentrails
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GarryOwen2008 wrote:
I love my 1946 Martin Committee cornet. I can't really even articulate why. In my opinion, it plays a lot like the Committee trumpets I've tried from the same era. In fact, it plays a lot more like a trumpet than a cornet, and that's how I play it. I usually use my New York Bach 7 (no letter) when I play it, even though it's a much smaller rim than I usually play (a Monette 2.5). With the 7 it has that classic Martin Committee sound (at least in my own ears!).


I like mine, too, although it has a lot of red rot. I'm sure it would sound a lot better without that.
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william_p
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've only ever played cornets. What does this statement mean:
"...In fact, it plays a lot more like a trumpet than a cornet, and that's how I play it."

Please reply in plain English if you do.
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