Expert: Kenton Scott - 1/14/2007

Question
I recently found an old,possibly student-grade saxophone in the garbage after a family moved from from a their 4-generation home.I was curious if there is any way for me to acquire any history on it,and if it is worth repairing for me to use to learn with.It has some cosmetic dents,and seems to have some oxidization,so I'm also curious as to how this may effect the playability. Here is some information i have:

serial#37143

A cardboard sleeve for a Selmer Goldentone plastic reed seems to indicate it is a EbAlto Saxophone.

Thanks for any help!

Answer
Keep the horn, throw out the plastic reed!

In 1938, Martin established the Indiana Band Instrument Company, but allowed the company to continue to operate independently until 1942.  In 1942, they converted the name into a student line for Martin.

The oxidation is not a big deal. I would recommend taking it to a repair shop before making your final decision, but I'm betting that it will be cheaper for you to get it fixed than buying another one.