Kessler custom tenors

[dexter_fan]

Please post here your impressions about the new Kessler Custom tenors.

http://www.kesslermusic.com/KesslerCustomSax/kesslercustom.htm

It might be a bit early right now because they started selling only a week ago.
Even better if you can compare to other saxes in the same price range, such as Antigua Winds, Saxophone.com, Jupiter deluxe, Solist, and others I might not be aware of.
I am in search of a backup tenor and I am looking into this price-range.

Thanks everyone!

[SaxDave]

I would also like to hear from Kessler Custom tenor owners. I'm in the market for a new sax and I'm torn between the Antigua Winds 550BC and the Kessler Custom. I've heard great things about the Antigua, and I love the black finish, but the Kessler is more in my price range.



Dave

[DaveKessler]

Well no one has replied yet, but at the same time, I have not had any of the tenors returned.

Everyone that I have talked to that has purchased them have been completely satisfied.

We are now offering the alto and tenors on our Risk Free Trial that we used back when Antiguas new sopranos came out. Basically, I pay UPS Ground to the customer, should they not be completely satisfied, I pay the shipping costs back to me (UPS Ground) as well.

[dexter_fan]

Wow, that's really tempting!
Does this apply also to Canadian customers?

Another question about your Custom tenor, Dave: regarding its tone, granted this is quite subjective, which of the well-known tenors does it resemble the most? Does the finish clearly have an influence on the sound (other very debatable topic...) ?

Thank you!
You might hear from me pretty soon...

[SaxDave]

Dave,

My girlfriend bought one of your Custom tenors for me off of EBay last night. Can't wait to get my hands on it!







Dave

[Randall]

Dave, that's a good deal on the shipping if the customer is not satisfied.

You must have some real nice horns there!

[DaveKessler]

Dave, that's a good deal on the shipping if the customer is not satisfied.

You must have some real nice horns there!

You are very right. Thats how confident we are in the horns. Granted, if someone is expecting it to outplay a Yanagisawa, then they are going to be disappointed and I tell them so up front and just ask that the customer have realistic expectations. Now there have been 2 people so far that have compared them to Yanagisawa horns (one against an A991 and the other against his A9930 & T901) and they preferred my horn in some extent over the Yani... I personally prefer the Yani, 100%... but they are significantly more.

We advertise that this is in our opinion the Best horn until you hit the $2000 mark and go up against the Yani. However, if the customer doesnt 100% agree with us, then I will pay the UPS Ground return shipping.

As to the shipping, it is all UPS Ground in the Continental US. Sorry, free trial does not apply to Canada, but I will still contribute towards the total shipping cost with the same amount that UPS Ground would have cost me (approx $25).

As for the tone, it is not an overly bright or dark horn, though a little more on the brighter side (due in part to the post to body construction). It uses very hard brass. Very resonant and playing characteristics similar to the 901 Yanis. Its tone will of course be very influenced by mouthpiece hence the reason why we include the 50/50 version of our mouthpiece instead of just the plastic version. Overall, the tone is very rich.

As to the finish, all 3 finishes have the same clear lacquer coat over top. So no matter which point of view you share in how finish affects tone, the finishes on my horns are simply cosmetic and play identical to each other.

[Dave Dolson]

Below is an e-mail I sent to Dave Kessler this afternoon . . .

Hi Dave: The tenor (a lacquered brass version of your Kessler Custom) arrived early this afternoon. Everything was okay with it. Thanks!

I am totally out of my league with tenor, but the thing sounds really nice and warm. The scale is accurate by my ear and my tuned piano. I can't imagine that other tenors (at two to four times the price) could be much better than this one.

I'm having a bit of difficulty making it speak with authority in the extreme low register and have to really honk it out to make it speak. If I'm low on breath, there ain't gonna be a nice sound. But, I figure that is just a failure of breath support and a need to loosen my embouchure (after 49 years of soprano and alto).

The mouthpiece (Kessler's upgraded hard-rubber piece) seems to work well, although I have no frame of reference for tenor pieces, either. I tried two high-end tenors within the last year, with a high-end mouthpiece provided by the shop and I really struggled with the set-up and the horns, so I suppose I'd know it if this piece wasn't working for me - it is. This whole set-up (mouthpiece and horn) is much better than my previous attempts.

I shaved down the three reeds you threw in and they seemed to work better the more I shaved them. I had several tenor reeds previously prepped from my C-Melody and my number one reed for the C-Mel worked the best on the tenor (so far - a Java 2).

I think I'm going to like this horn, although taking it out in public is a long way off. Still, it looks nice and has a nice sound.

Thanks again for your service. DAVE

[SaxDave]

I received my Kessler Custom Tenor yesterday. I must say I am very impressed. The sax is well built, easy to play, and has a nice tone. I like the key layout (very comfortable), and the action is top notch. I highly recommend this sax to any one in the market for a great sax at a great price. Even the case is very nice! And it was shipped ready to play: mouthpiece, reed, neck strap, swab, cork grease, and polishing cloth were all included.

My only complaint: the high "A" is stuffy, almost muffled. "G" and "B" are fine, as is "A#" and "G#", but "A" is a little off somehow. It probably just needs a teak after traveling 2,000 miles. Otherwise the sax is great!


Well done, Kessler!





Dave

[SaxDave]

Dave Kessler,

I need to talk to you about returning my Custom Tenor due to the high "A" problem.






Dave

[DaveKessler]

Check your e-mail Dave. We will take care of you. Have been hectic around here and sorry for not getting to you sooner... pre-occupied with all the going's on with my 10 month old's upcoming surgery.

[SaxDave]

Check your e-mail Dave. We will take care of you. Have been hectic around here and sorry for not getting to you sooner... pre-occupied with all the going's on with my 10 month old's upcoming surgery.


No problem Dave. Didn't realize the situation. Hope all is well:)




Dave