noelpaz
09-17-2004, 07:20 AM
I just got a 74 B&S alto today. Been wanting to have an alto for a while now but also not wanting to spend much also. I have a B&S sop of the same vintage so I figured the alto's might be alright as well. When I first got my sop it had leaks but it played anyway. Same with this alto it plays even though my tech says it has 2-3 leaks.
I also don't have a good piece -- it came with a plastic Conn Precision and I just got reeds from Hastings (can you believe a bookstore sells reeds) 3 blue vandoren. I was curios at first so I just wet the reed for about 10 seconds slap it on the old uneven piece -- G to Bb -- this horn plays. The horn has been in a closet for a while and was a school horn (got 3 shallow dents) but was still in good intonation.
At the techs' shop I was able to try it with a Yana 5 metal, Cannonball 3 and Selmer C* -- the horn held it's tuning through the mouthpiece changes and adapted to the change as well. The core tone is semi-dark, focused and a lot of power to spare. I would say in between a Yan's bright tone and a Keilwerth's spread with a Selmer BA or Buescher focus. Like I said intonation was good and oevrtone series came easily. B&S horns are resonant. I've never used teeth patches before I got my sop and I will definitely need one on my pieces for this horn. There is definitely more vibration felt on the teeth.
Granted it is my horn, but the tech was urpirsed how better it sounded than the Yana 901 and Canonball big bell on consignment in the shop that I tried.
Contruction is excellent -- very german. They did not use corks but some sort of rubber or neoprene for the key bumpers. Ribbed contruction ala 901 but not like 991 (which kinda floats). This one has a high F# key. Lower stack is a bit offset not as radical as the Yana but not straight. Left pinky spatula not as nice but functional and likely to survived a fall. No screw and clasp for the bow to body -- welded. Neck tenon is substantial.
Neck octave key uses a coil spring (odd) and Eb Guard is too close too the hole (not good -- drop the horn and th blow to the guard could whack the tonehole rim easily - but the Germans must have some logical explanation). I think there are a couple of adjusting screws for the keys -- maybe more. Very plain bell --- no engraving. Pads have metal resos and all appear original. Bell not as angled as other modern horns.
Tech advised to let it sit in New Mexico dry climate for 3 weeks before doing the leak repair since it came from humid Oklahoma.
Not bad for 299. A good ebay deal. Even if I had to do a 400$ overhaul -- it still is a bargain.
I played it for almost 4 hours tonight. Even with my not so good setup and leaks -- it sounded just like what I'd like in an alto.=. Not as free blwing but I like that in a horn.
Anybody can advise what mouthpiece works well wit this kind of horn?
These are defintely underdog horns. I've never seen them too much in ebay. Cybersax says these old B&S are the way to go. I agree!
I also don't have a good piece -- it came with a plastic Conn Precision and I just got reeds from Hastings (can you believe a bookstore sells reeds) 3 blue vandoren. I was curios at first so I just wet the reed for about 10 seconds slap it on the old uneven piece -- G to Bb -- this horn plays. The horn has been in a closet for a while and was a school horn (got 3 shallow dents) but was still in good intonation.
At the techs' shop I was able to try it with a Yana 5 metal, Cannonball 3 and Selmer C* -- the horn held it's tuning through the mouthpiece changes and adapted to the change as well. The core tone is semi-dark, focused and a lot of power to spare. I would say in between a Yan's bright tone and a Keilwerth's spread with a Selmer BA or Buescher focus. Like I said intonation was good and oevrtone series came easily. B&S horns are resonant. I've never used teeth patches before I got my sop and I will definitely need one on my pieces for this horn. There is definitely more vibration felt on the teeth.
Granted it is my horn, but the tech was urpirsed how better it sounded than the Yana 901 and Canonball big bell on consignment in the shop that I tried.
Contruction is excellent -- very german. They did not use corks but some sort of rubber or neoprene for the key bumpers. Ribbed contruction ala 901 but not like 991 (which kinda floats). This one has a high F# key. Lower stack is a bit offset not as radical as the Yana but not straight. Left pinky spatula not as nice but functional and likely to survived a fall. No screw and clasp for the bow to body -- welded. Neck tenon is substantial.
Neck octave key uses a coil spring (odd) and Eb Guard is too close too the hole (not good -- drop the horn and th blow to the guard could whack the tonehole rim easily - but the Germans must have some logical explanation). I think there are a couple of adjusting screws for the keys -- maybe more. Very plain bell --- no engraving. Pads have metal resos and all appear original. Bell not as angled as other modern horns.
Tech advised to let it sit in New Mexico dry climate for 3 weeks before doing the leak repair since it came from humid Oklahoma.
Not bad for 299. A good ebay deal. Even if I had to do a 400$ overhaul -- it still is a bargain.
I played it for almost 4 hours tonight. Even with my not so good setup and leaks -- it sounded just like what I'd like in an alto.=. Not as free blwing but I like that in a horn.
Anybody can advise what mouthpiece works well wit this kind of horn?
These are defintely underdog horns. I've never seen them too much in ebay. Cybersax says these old B&S are the way to go. I agree!