I bought a C Mel a few years back. Another local piper has one too and actually practices, I'm told..."Oleorezinator" on this forum doubles on both as well, has played both instruments for decades. We're one of those "close-knit fraternities" you've heard about. That, and the pipers who take to the piano accordion - Leon Rowsome, Seamus Meehan, Dave Page, my own self again.geoff wooff wrote:CHasR wrote:Case in point:Anyone ever play a C melody sax? ew.
Yes I've played a C Melody Sax and often wished it had continued past the change of (and unification of) Pitch standard in 1939.
From what I've read the reason the C-Melody fell out of favor was both its unusual pitch - in the era of swing you had all those Eb/Bb clarinets - and also its mellow tone/volume, which didn't make it in the big bands. I've always thought a sax would be just the thing for Irish music, but then the one time I took my sax to a session I was politely asked to knock it off after a few tunes...
There's some company in NZ that still makes C Mels too, with acoustics more akin to the tenor/bari saxes.