Vintage Martin tenor saxophone SN 118228

Description

This is a vintage Martin tenor sax. The serial number is 118228. It comes with a usable but not special mouthpiece and a Gator formed case. I don't have a neck strap.  It's in completely working condition, but it needs a new neck cork. I've been temporizing with plumber's teflon tape for a while, but you will really need to just have a mechanic put a new cork on the neck.
I bought it four years ago or so. I just recently acquired a Yamaha YTS-61, so I need to sell this one. I think it's from the early 1930s. It was overhauled just before I got it from the online shop 2ndending.com, where I bought it, and which I recommend highly. It's been a pretty good horn for me, but it's time for a change. I used it in a big band class at our local Community College, and in a jazz standards jam band I play with.
It's no prom queen, but it blows pretty well. It's a Martin, so it has the bitter and the sweet which you expect from a vintage horn. The left hand pinkie keys are the usual early 20th century disaster, as you can see in the photos. This is a design flaw.   It has a tendency to play sharp, but that may just be my embouchure. A longer shank mouthpiece would be best for this horn. But for the cork, the neck is in pretty good shape, though it's clearly been bashed a bit and repaired. The pads are all tight. My technician here in Santa Cruz has checked it out and says he can't find any leaks. It seems as if the bell has been squashed and repaired. The Low Bb and B pads don't sit exactly right on the tone holes. But they do seal, and the low Bb is playable.
The bell pads are on the left side, unlike modern instruments, so a standard case will not fit it well. I am including a Gator formed case, as you can see in the pictures. It's not a ProTec, but it's serviceable, and it fits this horn. I wouldn't take it on a plane, but other than that it's pretty good. It needs a strap.