Martin Commitee Cornet?

[FLgargoyle]

Lately I've seen a couple Martin Commitee cornets go pretty cheap on E-Bay (less than $300) Are they lousy instruments? Why do the Commitee trumpets command such a high dollar? I have my eye on one now.
_________________
Jay
'64 Olds Super Trumpet
'35 Conn 40B Vocabell
'55 King Master Cornet
'40 Conn Aida Trumpet
'21 Boston Alto Horn

[Robert Rowe]

I don't own a Martin Committe Cornet. I do have two 1940's med-bore Committee Trumpets. I have played the Cornet. It seems to be a good Cornet, but, I did not discern any appreciable attributes that would make the horn unique, unlike the Trumpet. From my experience, the early 20th Century shepard's crook Cornets, played with a proper deep "V"-cup mpc, epitomize what Cornets ought to sound and play like. I have a New York Strad Cornet, and about a dozen-or-so various and asundry "American" (long wrap) Cornets. They all pretty-much are unremarkable ... possibly sounding "too-Trumpety" (my opinion). I would challenge anyone to do a "blind sound test" and identify any one of them.
The Committee Trumpet, on the other hand, plays and sounds ... "different". After playing nearly every brand of horn on the planet, there is just something about the Committee Trumpet. I feel that one has to "arrive" at a Committee -- after blowing other horns for years. To begin your horn "career" on a Committee would not be the same. I consider the Martin Committee medium-bore Trumpet the reference trumpet, by which all others can compare. I certainly do not advocate the Committee Trumpet as a "must-have" for everyone. A certain technique of playing should be applied. Although you can get one to "light-up" when pushed, I don't feel that is it's forte. It "blooms" when you back-off and let the horn do it's thing.... Sorta hard to describe. Maybe some other Committee players can help out with their personal observations ...(?)

Robert Rowe -- above average Hominid

[FLgargoyle]

I figured the Martin would probably be too much like a trumpet, I just wondered if they had any thing special going on. My 1917 King has a pretty decent cornet sound, but only with the vintage mpc. that came with it. I think the problem is the mpc., a modern one doesn't fit in deeply enough, causing a very large receiver gap. I played a Blessing cornet for years, and it was just a soft mellow trumpet sound. From what I read, most modern cornets, even shepherd's crook models, are not much different from a trumpet, and I think you have to get a very early one, or the british band-type horns, such a Besson Sovereign, to get the real cornet sound. My Olds Super trumpet is very brassy, so I like to mess with cornet for quieter gigs/music.
_________________
Jay
'64 Olds Super Trumpet
'35 Conn 40B Vocabell
'55 King Master Cornet
'40 Conn Aida Trumpet
'21 Boston Alto Horn