Sax Questions

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 19 Oct 2012 8:36 am

Showing my ignorance here, but looking online at the student level Allora, Giardinelli, Etude saxes and wondering if they are any good, worth the money, how soon one will outgrow, what other upgrades need to been done immediately...say, mouthpiece etc.?

Better off to buy a used one?

Probably same as guitars and steel guitars...you get what you pay for, but wondering if one can get by with one of these entry level instruments for a bit. Alto or tenor.

Incidentally, I have a cheap, beat up old Conn 'bone and can't play a note on it....looking to maybe trade it or make someone a really good deal on it.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 19 Oct 2012 1:37 pm

Although I do really love the tenor sound, altos are lighter to carry and play, so you might want to consider that! The same fingerings apply, just in a different key. Eb alto or Bb tenor.

I dont know about the brands you mentioned. Im sure many inexpensive options are out there for a decent beginner horn. I bought a near mint Yamaha YAS-23 in the mid 80's from a friend for $300. Its a nice sounding and playing alto and a common model for beginners and students.

Clete

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 19 Oct 2012 5:04 pm

A lot of the made in China saxes are not too wonderful, and parts are not available if you have to get one repaired. The keywork tends to be soft,
easy for students to bend and get out of adjustment.

If you can find a good used, Yamaha, or the Vito model that says Japan (made by Yamaha), these are good student horns. I also like the Jupiter saxes
which are made in Taiwan, and less expensive than some other student horns. It is best to buy from a reputable shop. Like anything else, the horns with some miles on them may need some pads replaced, and some adjustment and regulation in order to play well. Some of the used Selmer USA student saxes are pretty decent as well. The Prelude model is made in
China, and not the same quality as the USA models.

Edited to add - most students start with an alto sax.
They are smaller and easier to handle than the large tenor. Saxes also come in soprano, baritone and bass models (huge and very expensive...)

If you have a question on a particular horn, shoot me an e-mail.

Larry Jamieson
Walton Music

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 19 Oct 2012 7:25 pm

Larry Jamieson wrote: Saxes also come in soprano, baritone and bass models (huge and very expensive...)

And C melody (between alto & tenor; I have 2).
And sopranino (1 octave above alto)
And soprillo (2 octaves above tenor)
And E flat Tubax & contrabass (1 octave below baritone)
And B flat contrabass (2 octaves below tenor)
all on YouTube
for example
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-6NvhK0MAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtWqOyFcMwU

Frank Montmarquet · Post by **Frank Montmarquet** » 19 Oct 2012 7:44 pm

Anything student model new under $500 should be considered disposable, unless you can work on it yourself. Most places it will cost $300-$500 for an overhaul, new pads etc.

I would recommend a used one, in good condition.

You will need a good mouth piece, used ones are OK, you can get them refaced for under $100. Most of the tone comes from you, next is the mouth piece / reed, the horn itself is less important for tone, but does matter for intonation and playability, leaks are bad.

If the pads are good it will not cost much to have a horn regulated and made leak free by a good tech. Find out where the pros go near you, the shops that fix the high school band stuff are probably not the place.

Ask on "Sax on the Web" those folks are very helpful and will give you the latest info about the cheap Asian horns. Some are OK ans some are garbage. ditto for mouth pieces.

http://www.saxontheweb.net/

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Oct 2012 10:15 pm

I'd say go for a tenor. I think most of the popular sax stuff is done with a tenor. Who wants to do Shotgun on an alto?
And, personally speaking, I'd avoid a soprano, unless you want to channel Kenny G...

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 20 Oct 2012 6:41 am

If your're thinking of keeping the horn, and you don't mind taking an educated gamble, there are a lot of vintage saxes on Ebay that will sound better and when in good repair be a better instrument than a contemporary student grade horn. Or maybe you can find one locally, or buy from one of the vintage sax shops. You might be able to find an old Conn, King, Martin, etc., for cheap, invest a little in getting it tuned-up and re-padded, and have a very nice instrument. There are a lot of these horns that have been sitting in people's closets and attics for decades, and there is no comparison between the metal and craftsmanship of the old horns and the new student grade horns, unless you get to the better intermediate and pro-level stuff.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Oct 2012 8:06 am

My son, who is a professional sax player, has a vintage Conn alto ("Naked Lady" model, I believe) that is available for sale. Shoot me an email if interested.

As for alto vs tenor, well, it depends on what sound draws you the most. If ya wanna honk, probably tenor. If you like Charlie Parker, it's all alto.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 20 Oct 2012 1:15 pm

Thanks everyone for the great info and all the help. Larry, I may be taking you up on your offer. Does your store sell these instruments?

Earnest, besides those that Larry mentioned, I was aware of the C Melody, but didn't realize there were so many other styles and ranges.

Frank, thanks for that link. I'd found it before, but had forgotten about it.

Jimbeaux, I'm looking at budget buys, say around $300 and hopefully under, so A Naked Lady is probably out of my price range. [Probably the horn is too].

I saw a few of them online. Anyway, I'm thinking tenor model as per Skip's comment.

Cliff and Cleat, thanks for the knowledgeable replies as well.

The guys I play with do mostly classic rock and country. I'm not very good at it, but I like to play swing, big band and jazz a lot too. Yes, a more energetic driving style would probably be what I'm looking for.

An example that most here would relate to is Jim Horn's solo on Dan Seal's Bop.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 20 Oct 2012 4:45 pm

Just learn how to play John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and **CANNONBALL ADDERLEY** solos on your steel guitar! If Dave EASLEY can do it....

Here's a bunch of notes to get you started:

http://www.cannonball-adderley.com/part2.htm

http://www.cannonballjazz.com/Cannonball.htm

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 20 Oct 2012 5:03 pm

Thanks for the links David. I can do some of that....not like monster jazzer Dave Easley of course. I also run my steel through synths that have a nice sax sound, but I'm thinking of events where I might not need or want to take a steel plus I've always wanted to play the saxophone. Chick magnet, you know

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 20 Oct 2012 6:21 pm

Oh, sax

Glenn Uhler · Post by **Glenn Uhler** » 20 Oct 2012 6:29 pm

Forumite Doug Palmer plays sax. Maybe he will chime in!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 21 Oct 2012 7:29 am

Quick note about the Chinese horns. I don't play sax but I do play brass and there are a lot of people in the brass world who put chinese made instruments down but I found, at least when it came to brass instruments the quality of the Chinese instruments has gone up over the last 5 years and I found them not only inexpensive but quite nice instruments.

Don't necessarily dismiss chinese made instruments just because it is popular to denigrate them.

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