when buying your own instrument, does the brand make a difference?? well i just wanna know some good brands for pro alto saxes, and if the brand gives the sax a different sound or what, or is it just looks....i know everyone usually knows and goes for the selmer or yamaha, but ive seen some other good looking ones out there....so im just asking which brands or models should i look into to, and which one would you get
If you know of any other model besides the one bellow, plz post up and just trynna see what choices are out there and which are best,(keep in mind that i prefer a proffesional horn rather than a begginer or intermediate horn)
Replies
Nicolas...there is more to the tone of a saxophone than just its brand, you got to include the material used to make the horn, the laquer(whether it be sandblasted, nickel-plated, silver plated, gold and etc...) of course its brand, and the year of the horn. Then of course you got your mouthpieces and reeds.
I have personally played on King, Bundy, Selmer, Yamaha, Beausher, Jupiter and Conn
But in order to find a professional horn that fits you, it must fit the way you play...You will not buy a Selmer Mark IV as a beginner player or a Yamaha YAS(alto) 23 for a professional jazz musician. But personally, for most jazz, i would go old school into Selmer, Conn and Beausher because of how they were made. All three resemble eachother which is somewhat a good thing. I currently own a 1963 Conn Shooting Star alto which at that time, it was a intermediate horn. To today's standards it is a professional horn ( or at least I think so) my '55 Beausher Aristrocrat tenor is a sandblasted horn which with the correct mouthpiece that fits you, you make that baby sing!! the Sandblast tends to either hold the note inside the horn and really project it. Talk to your director or a specialist about what horn would fit you because you could probably go through many horns before you find one that fits your hands, the tone you want and the range ability(i.e. a low A extra key and the altissimo F# key which helps past that note)
As far as mouthpieces go. Selmer makes the best current mouthpieces. I own 2 C*'s from them for Alto n Barii. and the stock inside the MP lets the air flow freely though the neck and through the horn to create a deep dark sound like you would want from a Mark IV.
For classical i recommend Selmer or Beausher or a good Yamaha horn for Soprano, Tenor n Alto..King if it were for Barii
Jazz..Selmer, Conn, Beausher, King(once again Barii)
I dislike the Jupiters because of the key structure and the pads used when they are first released. Too many easy leaks and poor stucutre.
Hope I was some help!
Oh yeah...i almost forgot my dream horn..Cannonball Raven...I have never played on a Cannonball before even though i resemble the tone and style of Cannonball Alderlly. But they make a good horn for any style
Also for an expencive horn like the Raven, Aristocrat, Mark VI, Yamaha 52(and above plus customs) and the old school Conns. Please do not march with these horns because they will lose their value and their true tone that the horn can provide...i messed up by marching a Selmer Signet and my Aristrocrat..broke the Signet completly totaling it and the Beausher has lost alot of interier sandblast and i have two nasty dents in the rear of the horn. These horns are used for stage. For marching band use a simple horn like a Yamaha YAS 23 or Selmer SA600
yeah thanx man, just one more question...do you have any suggestion for one i could use that would be good for marching, concert and jazz band (like a certain model i can use for all 3 and will be fitt for the styles) since im a student and plan to continue playing in college, i want some thing that could last but not that expensive ( a price no higher than 4grand)
SG862 said:
Nicolas Santiago said:
SG862 said: