Martin

Henry Martin was born in Dresda Germany in 1835, maybe he learnt just there to make musical instruments, but after he went to United States around in 1855 at New York where opened a laboratory for repair musical instruments parts.
It seems he founded in 1865 his own firm “The MARTIN Company” in Chicago where he moved.
In 1871 his factory was destroyed by a fire, so he moved again in 1876 at Elkhart-Indiana where he began the 6th employee of C.G.CONN Co. and worked till health problems in 1902 forced him to retire. He died in 1920.
A 2nd Company was in the meanwhile established in 1904-’06, by his five sons: “The MARTIN Band Instrument Company”, since 1910 these brothers made their instruments at home.
In 1910 they moved to Elkhart , where opened their factory in Baldwin st.
In 1928 Martin Co. purchased “The Indiana Band Instrument Co.” which was a separate firm with own production since 1942, making always a popular musical instruments line.
Just at the end of 30’s was produced the most famous trumpet made by Martin, the “Committee”.
In this project, about “Committee” design had a basic rule just Renold Schilke; it was for many years the trumpet of many jazzmen as Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie and others.
Really Martin had always a limited production relating to other brand like Selmer, Conn, King, but with a high quality standard.
In spite of production almost clandestine during WWII and Korea-War it survived just for his reputation.
Many people as Chet Baker told quality production decreased from second half of 50’s, maybe after any fusion, union with other companies like “Reynolds” and “Richard Music Corp”; only during 70’s under property of French LEBLANC, Martin instruments conquered again popularity and high quality.
Sax MODELS:

“HANDCRAFT”_ Similar to Conn “ChuBerry” this sax is heavier of Conn for Neck,it has the characteristics “Bevelled Tone Holes”: raised side of holes where go to lean pads, they are not part of sax but soldered and then not obtained for extrusion.
Sound is definitely of dark timbre, with very good tone.
“COMMITTEE”_ the first Committee saxophones were made in 1938-’39, made with collaboration of any professional players or technicians, particularly for collaboration of Steve Broadus a reeds-mouthpiece maker, well known player and Acoustic technician too. They were similar to “Handcraft” models but with tone and mechanics certainly improved.
Bell-Keys are both to left side regard previous model not one on right and one on left.
Sound has always a dark timbre but definitely stronger and centred.
It was the preferred from many professional players as Art Pepper; by second half of 40’s were made also a “COMMITTEE II” Model.

“The MARTIN” Model created at the end of 40’s with a more actual and fluid mechanic, it had still Bell-Keys on left side but Neck had an under inclination giving this sax higher than previous.
A particular big clamping screw was on front side of neck; frequently these models had very rich engravings.
Sound is typically dark with perfect intonation.
Another remarkable model was
“The MARTIN MAGNA” produced during 50’s-60’s, it had generally same tone-colour characteristics, a sonority really nearest to Committee.