Oleg Saxes

[Tama]

.

[colibri]

When I listen to the sound clips in Oleg's web site, I happened to like the Mark VI one.

[Andres]

I chose the Yamaha... :roll:

[Tama]

The most did choose the Oleg. I, personally, chose the Oleg. I didn't think, though, that the player was experienced on any of the horns. Anybody knew who played that?

[colibri]

The most did choose the Oleg.

The poll belongs to Oleg's web site. He could do whatever he wants with it. A while ago I tried one and it didn't impress me.

[mr00420]

Is this "Oleg" from Oleg's in L.A.?

[Tama]

Oleg's in L.A.? By the way, I know the guy. He doesn't seem to be the kind to lie. Besides, I know many pros who do use Oleg saxes. If not Oleg saxes, they use his ligatures or necks. Also, he comes highly recommended by other sax geniuses such as Steve Goodson, or Ernest Ferron.

[mr00420]

My question is: Is this person the man who owns Oleg's woodwinds in Los Angeles? I was thinking of buying a horn from him, and he mentioned he was starting to focus his business on making horns. Is this the same Oleg? If you "know the guy" then I suppose you would know where his shop is located, right?

I'm not sure how to interpret, "Oleg's in L.A.?"

[mr00420]

Anyone have an answer to the Oleg question? Is it the Los Angeles Oleg that produces these horns and ligatures?

[Tama]

Yes, here's his address:

Oleg Products, Inc.
12448 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604

And yes, he is the Oleg who makes the horns and ligatures. I only know of one other shop (in the U.S.) that sells his horns, and that's Gard Music. They get his horns directly from Oleg, as the sax tutor there is his friend.
Of course, you could always goto his site to get more info. olegproducts.com

[scale_master]

Tama,
do you know where the Oleg horns are made? Does yours have a "Made in ..." engraving anywhere? Just curious...

B.

[Tears June]

I don't think Oleg made horn by themselves. Shuld be made by a third party small factory (even not made in U.S.A).

:cry:

[Tama]

no, i got the horn from him himself. He makes them in his studio.

[Tama]

in fact, I know lots of people who got their horns straight from him.

[Jason DuMars]

I just did a little cruise around Oleg's site and examined his new horns. First, I picked the Mark VI from the sample test, but in fairness his sax would've been my second choice -- only because the tone on the second sax was completely anemic and thin (was that really a YAS-23??).

Second, I'd bet my hat Oleg isn't making those horns in his shop. They have all the characteristics of Chinese (Taiwanese) horns, including the finish types. I have nothing against Oleg, but if he is representing these as "made in his shop" and charging $4000 for them, I think it's criminal. The engraving alone is absolutely terrible -- you'd think if he was having them custom made that he'd use a decent domestic engraver.

Third the person writing above sounds an awful lot like a shill to me. Maybe they are really excited about these saxophones, but to me it sounds like they didn't even pay for the one they have.


I don't mean to be jaded about this, but the endless hype that goes on the minute anyone imports anything from China/Taiwan with their name on it is annoying. If there were improvements made to these instruments, such as Steve Goodson's model, I can understand a little hype, but just importing a generic horn and slapping your name and a huge price tag on it is not only unethical but dishonest, especially if you are representing them as made in the U.S.


So there's my take on all of this. I'd like to see some proof of where these are made.

[Tama]

He never represented that he made them in his shop. I know that he did, so I included that in my statement. Why would engraving matter? If a horn plays well, you would use it. I have found plenty of horns that look like crap, but played better than any other good looking horns (for example, a student came to a music store that I go to looking for an LA sax, because they looked good. He left with a selmer). Every horn that he creates is, in fact, unique. So I bet that even you would find one that you would like, someday.

[Tama]

Go see him yourself. That'll be your proof. I have seen it myself with my eyes, and i have felt it with my hands. i have nothing to prove to you.

[Tama]

And in response to accusations of my "being a shill", all I can say is that I only wish I was one. There are plenty of people who use his horns who love them as much as you love engraving. What horn do you prefer? Are you a shill of it? No? Then you are as much a shill then I am.

[Jerry K.]

Tama, I mean no disrespect but how do you "know" that the Oleg brand of saxes are made at Oleg Products Inc. in Studio City? Did you actually see bells, bodies, bows and necks being made from raw brass material? Were they actually building the horns from scratch?

I must say I also suspect that these horns are made in Taiwan and labeled with Oleg's name on them. The most I can imagine is going on in Studio City is perhaps padding, final assembly, adjustments and neck work. If Oleg would like to prove us wrong, please encourage him to post pictures showing horns being manufactured in his facility.

[Tama]

I never said that he made the parts. He mae the horn what it is. he gets his parts from selmer's manufacturer, so the parts of selmer's horns are also used by him. He assembles the horns himself. and yes, i have seen him do it. He won't try to prove anything, though. He doesn't care what other's think, because he knows that someone out there will prefer his products. The parts are made somewhere else, but the horns are entrely his.

[Hurling Frootmig]

Tama,

Selmer Paris and Selmer USA have their own factories. Bells, Bodies, etc. are forged from Brass on site. Selmer Paris doesn't make parts for anyone else and neither does Selmer USA.

Please take a moment and let us know if the horn says Made in R.O.C. on it somewhere or does it say Made in France or does it say Made in USA.

I took a quick look at Oleg's site to see if he had anymore information on his horns; however, he only has photos and pricing.

[mr00420]

BTW, who are all these other customers that constitute "a lot of people?" I know I didn't buy an Oleg... in fact after his "schpiel" about his horns, and his lack of interest in giving me info. about the other (overpriced) vintage horns in his shop I lost so much interest in his place that I didn't even go there after visiting Baxter-Northup and The Horn Connection in L.A.

Tama is also the only person I've seen waxing poetic about the Olegature, which in conjuction w/ this thread makes his opinion quite suspect. Well, there's all kinds on the SOTW, so I wouldn't be suprised to see some well-meaning sax student be duped into buying an overpriced horn on the advice of a self-serving fledgling mechanic-cum-sax-manufacturer. I'm wondering what other horns you passed up (if any) before you bought the Oleg.... you must have been able to find a Mark VI for that price, and atleast that would've had some re-sale value. But, to each his own...

[Pete]

I've been watching this with some interest.

If you happen to get all your parts from a different manufacturer and let that manufacturer design everything, you're not an inventor, you're an assembler (see Jason DuMars' <rant> tagged section. Please note we're also implementing the <sarcasm> tag :)).

Please do note that the modern Selmer-labelled Bueschers are actually Taiwanese, so if Oleg is getting his horns or parts from the same manufacturer as the folks that make the Bueschers, he's getting parts for an arguably good quality student horn (comment on quality based on posts I've seen here).

[Pete]

Tama, check your e-mail in about 15 minutes.

[Mike Ruhl]

You all do realize you're arguing with a teenage drummer, right? Check his website. This kid doesn't even shave yet.

[Pete]

OK, I can see this issue isn't gonna go away, and I just can't continue deleting post after post every five minutes.

Tama has been sent a couple of e-mails regarding both the content and nature of his posts from both Harri and me. Please allow us to handle the situation.

If there are further problems, please send me an e-mail and I'll address them as soon as I can.

Thanks, folks!

[Hurling Frootmig]

Somehow I'm not surprised.

[Pete]

Getting somewhat back on topic, I did take the audio test at Oleg's 'site (www.olegproducts.com) and found that I liked the VI the best (remember, it's a blind taste test). The other ones sounded like they were way too bright and/or were played to close to the mic.

(I actually thought all the horns were too bright and I've got pretty nice harman/kardon speakers on my PC, too, so it's not my setup.)

Anyhow, I looked over the pics of the Oleg horns and they do look sorta like the Antigua Winds horns. I'm not exactly the expert in modern horns, though, so you can decide for youselves or contact Oleg at http://www.olegproducts.com/contact-oleg-products.asp

[Hurling Frootmig]

Pete are those five digit speakers? :lol: You know the later ones just don't cut it.

[Pete]

No, it's a four-digit. Darn. It must be a Super Balanced. I was hoping for a Radio Improved.

[Hurling Frootmig]

Just saw my first Radio Improved in the flesh yesterday. Lyon's Music in Carol Stream Illinois has a 17k (I think) alto.

[tonyg]

I visited Oleg's shop last winter, and played a few saxes there, a markVI not sure of the serial # or condition, a Yamaha and Olegs Tenor. His horn was at the very least "good" IMO. I didn't purchase any saxes, but did get his ligature though which works well for me.

He did mention the parts for his Saxes were from Germany(his words) and put together there, although I could be wrong about that. .

[rogerb40uk]

With my uneducated ear I couldn't hear much diff (might be my cheap spkrs!), but I did pick the MKVI, too :D
If the poll results are genuine, I'd say it's more to do with the order in which you hear them than anything else.

[usda]

I have a guy (tech) trying to sell me an Oleg Alto for $3500...says there is a two year waiting list to get this guys (Oleg's horns). And the Oleg plays better than his Selmar balanced action that is worth $4000 at least.

I guess I have reached the age of looking dumb...don't any one dare comment!

Reseaching the web sites...shows a dealer selling a variety of products and saxs of Tiwan orgin.

[garyinla]

Ive played 2 of the Oleg altos. Technically they are perfect, I believe what Oleg says is true with that.

Tonally, they didnt move me. I like the vintage horns for tone.

[garyinla]

I took the sound test. I like the Oleg saxes on the soudn test. But when i played the Oleg horns, i wasnt too moved by the tone. On the sound tests, I think there may be some digital effects added on ALL the horns, so its hard to hear how well the saxes reverberate on their own, that is my thought.

What do you need a sound test for of somene else playing horns, recorded in some studio condition, when you can test out the horns yourself and see what you think live? I dont trust the test results. Id rather record myself on horns and see how I sound on them, i think that would be a better test.

[jimmitch]

I have a new oleg tenor that I love I also have a 82xxx mark VI tenor Both horns sound great I have a hard time picking one over the other As the oleg brakes in it keeps sounding better The VI always sounds great I would say the oleg Is the next best thing to my Mark VI If you buy an oleg You wont be sorry The mate gold finish is so nice I love it

[jimmitch]

photos.yahoo.com/jimmitch47

[garyinla]

Jim if you were going to record a major cd, which horn would you use?

[jimmitch]

Good question I love them both Hard to beat a 5 diget mark VI Let me say this I play guitar I have gibsons many differnt models each one sounds differnt I would record any one of them I have a yas 82z with an oleg neck that sounds great the same horn with the g1 one neck sounded to thin to me The oleg tenor I have recorded it sounds great I can't pick one over the other. It all depends how I feel that day. You said You tried two oleg horns I think the only way to get to love a new horn is to live with it for a long time. New guitars never sound as good until their at least 5 years old that said a great guitar sounds good from the start same with a horn So I guess I would record either one

[usda]

went to jimmitch photos...georgous looking horn. If it plays as good as it looks...you got a winner.

But looking over the web site...the horns are in the price range of the better Twanese horns.

Or did I miss something?

[jimmitch]

Yea that horn cost 4,500 He has at least a 6 month waiting list on them I thinking about getting a gold soprano from him I think all his pro horns cost over 4,000 That tenor sounds so sweet I just love it Thanks usda