Dilemma!

captorquewrench

captorquewrench

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Repad on my antique sax
OR
new gun?

New gun would likely be cheaper.

Sax repad is desperately overdue and the horn gets a LOT of use.

But I don't have a revolver and really, really want one.
 
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I do know the answer to this. Saxophones are the tools of my trade. I really can't afford not to do it.

Here are the pics of what it was right after I rescued this vintage piece from a dumpster. Inside is gold. Outside is silver. celluloid rollers are original. It's 70+ years old and good for big band gigs. My daughter uses this horn more than I do and calls it the "Ghetto Blaster 9000"

I just didn't expect to have to do all this right now. basically, it's being rebuilt like the Bionic Horn and it will be 8 week minimum until my tech is done with it. But I could have a new gun NOW.
 

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If a used revolver would suit you it might be possible to do both.
Police turn-ins are going for relatively cheap prices at J&G Sales and Bud's. They are mostly .38 Specials, either Model 10s or Model 64s.

If I didn't have a bunch of revolvers I'd be tempted.
 
A leaky sax is not much use to anyone. I don't think you have much choice. Better get it overhauled and come back to the revolver later. There should be plenty of guns for sale - they're not going to dry up and blow away. Prices are going down, from what I can tell.

Edit - Didn't see your 10:24 post when writing above. Is the horn worth repairing, or is the idea to fix it just a lark and perhaps it should be set aside and used for a conversation piece or something, not a working instrument? I have gotten into that with my daughter and her clarinets. Sometimes the overhaul cost just doesn't make good sense (especially if there is no sentimental value attached).
 
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If the sax gets a lot of use and is in dire of pads, then you have a soon to be useless horn. Personally, new pads and cork puts it back in new condition for more years of use. I'd do the re-pad, and put off the gun, but that's just my opinion.
 
Daresay you USE the sax more than a gun. (Sure hope so!)

So, get the sax fixed.

Be safe.
 
I know.

I graduate in december. If it goes like my birthday possibly the internet history will be searched to see what I've been looking for and drooling over, firearm wise, and said piece will show up giftwrapped. Yeah, I got a S&W in a Disney princess paper for my last birthday.

*note to self: Do not delete 1911 searches from browser history.
 
captorquewrench said:
I do know the answer to this. Saxophones are the tools of my trade. I really can't afford not to do it.
Click to expand...

As they say on Law & Order - Asked and answered.

Fix up the horn and then use the revenue you generate with it to buy a revolver.
Watch The Forum's GUNS - For sale or trade threads for something that you like.
This way you get a revolver that you *need* and a member gets some coin that he (or she) needs. Win/Win :)
 
:) I just like showing pictures of that Beast.

One of the reasons I love pawn shops...one stop shopping. Saxes and firearms. It does not get any better than that.
 
I agree, repad the horn.

But does it really cost that much? I was just counting, and it's been at least 20 years since I last played my horn, so at least 25 since it was re-padded. And it's a clarinet, so much smaller pads. But still, it seems like it was 25 or 30 bucks. "Buying a gun would be cheaper"? Wow.
 
Yes...the repad alone is $450, and that's not an inflated price.

I COULD buy a new horn, but it would be a used tank of a student model and would not have the same soul.

Also, do you still have the clarinet laying around, and is it a Buffet? I'm half in the clarinet market.
 
I've thought about this for a while this morning and conclude that you have to get that old sax fixed up.
I can't live without at least one acoustic and one electric guitar.I sold one about a month or so ago and it kinda sucked even though I never played it.I still have a half a dozen or so more.

As long as I have the basics covered the rest is just gravy.That goes for both Guitars and Guns.
 
Having once played trombone in a band (Plano High School) and knowing how some of these older musical instruments have a history, I'd re-pad the sax and get a revolver when the budgets funds are available. There's lots of used revolvers readily available on the market but only one captorque sax... Re-pad the sax and play to your heart's content!
 
captorquewrench said:
I do know the answer to this. Saxophones are the tools of my trade. I really can't afford not to do it.
Click to expand...


I think you already what you "need" to do and are just stuck on what you "want" to do. It's pretty common and sometimes i deviate from the right path but not too often. I bet if you shop and call around you might find deals on both.
 
$450.00?? That sounds more like a rebuild/adjust rather than just a pad job. If it's just pads and you are planning to be a long term gigger, you might try doing it yourself. It's really not that difficult. An alcohol lamp and a shellac stick is about all you need in addition to a pad set. (and a good memory as to how to put it back together after taking it apart.:eek:) You can also learn how to make adjustments at the same time........;).

In retrospect, it's been a long time since I did one, so maybe paying to get it rebuilt might be the better course..:o;) (I tended to forget just how frustrating it can be to get everything adjusted just right...)

Added: The sax can make you more money, a gun will just help drain your wallet........
 
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deadin said:
$450.00?? That sounds more like a rebuild/adjust rather than just a pad job. If it's just pads and you are planning to be a long term gigger, you might try doing it yourself. It's really not that difficult. An alcohol lamp and a shellac stick is about all you need in addition to a pad set. (and a good memory as to how to put it back together after taking it apart.:eek:) You can also learn how to make adjustments at the same time........;).

In retrospect, it's been a long time since I did one, so maybe paying to get it rebuilt might be the better course..:o;) (I tended to forget just how frustrating it can be to get everything adjusted just right...)
Click to expand...

I am a pro musician. there are certain repairs and fixes I will not do. A complete repad, playing condition, acid bath...on a vintage is NOT one of them. I can do minor adjustments on modern keyworks horns...but this is not modern keywork. The danger in doing repads on your own is knocking out of alignment and not getting the pads to seat right, which cause more problems.

This is NOT an inflated price. A repad on anything starts at about $350.
 
captorquewrench said:
I do know the answer to this. Saxophones are the tools of my trade.

If its a tool of your trade get it fixed do a couple of gigs to pay for a nice revolver! I don't play the sax but its my favorite sounding.

Pete
Click to expand...
 
Too bad ya don't have something like ... oh... I don't know... a Taurus... laying around you could trade. Then ya could do both! :evilgrin:

Seriously, I vote horn. If you get a S&W revolver first you'll just get hooked & somehow the $$$ for the horn will never be there.
 
I am a pro musician. there are certain repairs and fixes I will not do
Click to expand...

So was I. (20 years US Navy Musician) When you are on a ship in the Western Pacific and the salt air has rotted out your pads, there weren't any instrument repair shops around and the supply locker never seemed to have any extra horns in stock.:D
Of course we did have a repair kit that had most of the stuff needed for maintenance. (tools, pads, cork, springs, etc.)

Maybe I should brush up on my skills, sounds like instrument repair has gotten more lucrative since I was active in the 60's and 70's.
 
deadin said:
So was I. (20 years US Navy Musician) When you are on a ship in the Western Pacific and the salt air has rotted out your pads, there weren't any instrument repair shops around and the supply locker never seemed to have any extra horns in stock.:D
Of course we did have a repair kit that had most of the stuff needed for maintenance. (tools, pads, cork, springs, etc.)

Maybe I should brush up on my skills, sounds like instrument repair has gotten more lucrative since I was active in the 60's and 70's.
Click to expand...

My tech is in a 120 horn backlog. Most things he does for me while I wait, no charge, but this is too big a job.

Navy bands...I can't think of them without thinking of Randy Purcell from Maynard's band. I miss them both.
 
Ok no one else said it...BOTH...cause they both make sweet music :p...ok sophmoric comments aside...fix the horn then like another poster said pick up one of the trade-ins that are surfacing now-a-days....good luck to you.
 
My younger son's "pink lady" took him to and thru SMU, Europe a couple of times, and fed him when times got tough for him....fix the sax and use the proceeds from a lite gig or two for the pistol....
 
ol' geeser said:
My younger son's "pink lady" took him to and thru SMU, Europe a couple of times, and fed him when times got tough for him....fix the sax and use the proceeds from a lite gig or two for the pistol....
Click to expand...

Pink lady?

Do you mean Naked Lady? The one with the dirty etching?
 
deadin said:
Added: The sax can make you more money, a gun will just help drain your wallet........
Click to expand...

Yeah, but a gun can stop someone else from draining your wallet.:)

As usual, the Godfather has the answer to all things, " Leave the gun, take the canoli, err... sax".

Buck
 
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