Jupiter Carnegie Hall model Tenor

[Believer45]

CORRECTED MODEL IN EDIT - it is a Carnegie XL not a Carnegie Hall.

We bought our son a Jupiter Carnegie XL model tenor sax Saturday (supposed to be an upgrade from the Artist series) for our son. When he showed his band director today the director said he did not think a lot of Jupiter horns but if our son liked it it should do fine (I am going to address THAT with the director directly - pun intended). I cannot locate any information on this horn, can anyone tell me if it is a new model or a "private label" for select retailers? Can anyone tell me anything about this horn at all?

Carnegie XL is engraved on the bell, elsewhere is CTS-80 and below it H 20376 with Taiwan below that. Our son will not say anything but I know the comment from his director has taken a lot of the wind out of his sails concerning this purchase.

Our son said it is by far the best playing sax he has ever tried. He started on a Yamaha YAS 23 then went to the tenor, using a Selmer Bundy school instrument for the last year. I have read reviews from several sources online that speak generally very well about the Artist series and would like something to take to the band director to see about changing his "tune" (again, pun intended).

Thanks in advance.

Dave / Believer45

[saxjazz42]

as far as that model goes, i haven't heard of it myself but it is on the Jupiter website so it isn't a private label horn. Must be a fairly new model, looks like there are 3 levels of it available (academic, concert, and conservatory...roughly translates to student, intermediate and professional). Looks like the cts-80 is the academic, or student line. There isn't much info on jupiter's website besides specs, but the nickel-plate keys are a giveaway...i don't know of any current production horns with nickel plate keys that aren't student level. (www.jupitermusic.com)

as for the band director...i wouldn't worry about it. Jupiter's don't have the best reputation, so that comment isn't a surprise. it wasn't until the past 5-10 years that jupiter started to put out what could be considered professional quality horns (as far as i know). I have heard good things about jupiter's newer professional models (artist and XO series). I don't think the carnegie model you have is an upgrade over the artist series...the other models of carnegie (conservatory or concert) may be at the same level as the artist or xo, i dunno. His second statement, ' if our son liked it it should do fine...' is basically correct. he/she might not have stated everything in the nicest way, but i don't think you can really fault what he said. If you wish, you could ask him/her to be careful how he phrases things...he/she might have been better to say something more like 'i've heard the jupiter's have gotten much better recently...i'm glad you like the horn', which would have gotten the same point across...

anyways...i wouldn't start a big argument or anything over it. if anything, just ask him to be careful, as his position in your son's musical life obviously carries some serious weight. Hope your son enjoys his new tenor- peace, mike

[Believer45]

Thanks for the reply, Mike. I did find the Carnegie XL on the Jupiter web site and looked again - as noted in my original post (in edit) it is a Carnegie XL not a Carnegie Hall.

I did send the director an email asking for his recollection of the conversation and noting that my son is now in the position of putting a brave face on what he thinks the director considers a second rate purchase. I also asked that he consider the impact his words can have on the students in his band.

I did find the sax my son now owns on the Jupiter web site and it is a Carnegie XL Academic series. We did get him a Meyer hard rubber mouthpiece that he seems to like very well so once he is beyond this deal with the director I think things will be fine.

The change in tone, attack, clarity, loss of the "air" in the sound was surprising from the Selmer he was playing. We did test a used Vito and Monique that were low end horns before we looked at this one. The difference was remarkable to both my son and to his mom and me. For more than four times the cost of the other two we feel it was well worth it.

Dave / Believer45

[oldbluesman]

For what its worth I play a Jupiter and find it to be a very good horn. I know a few other pro's using the horn with great results.

[saxjazz42]

dave- great. glad to hear you got him a good mouthpiece too, that can make worlds of difference. i've taught a number of younger students, probably the top two problems are poor mouthpieces and poor horns, and you've covered both of those bases. equipment isn't everything but it sure helps...

i'm glad to hear too that the jupiter is such an improvement over the bundy/selmer and yas-23...i've been asked many a time what good student horns are out there, i'll have to investigate these jupiters. Hope all goes well and enjoy your holiday- peace, mike

[Bossman]

FWIW, I used a jupiter 767 alto all throughout high school and halfway through cegep. I could have, without a doubt, graduated cegep on it- It IS a great horn. I moved to a Reference 54 because of the huge, fat sound I get out of it and the better intonation. Not saying that the jupiter was bad, but this Reference is just perfect with my meyer 6- I don't have to make any adjustments to correct pitch, and the sound just flows out of it like butter.

Dollar for dollar though, the Jupiter would win out. I'm young though- I can accept a little debt in return for the perfect horn for me :D

[Believer45]

Thanks all for the input. I appreciate the information.

[mlscnr]

Jupiter horns are among the best of the Taiwan-made horns. In fact, over the past 10 years or so, Jupiter was one of the companies that really pushed the Taiwan factories to make better and better horns.

This horn should be more than fine for your son, regardless of the band director's opinion. Is the band director a sax player? If so, have him play the horn.

[Believer45]

He is not a sax player and made clear to me in his reply to my email that it was a misunderstanding with my son, he apologized and will correct today. He thinks the horn is great and is pleased with the advances my son has made in the last year - and he has not heard the new horn yet. We were very impressed with the difference between the Selmer Bundy my son was playing and the Jupiter - it was amazing. As far as comparison to the Vito and Monique used horns we tried - not even in the same ball park was our experience.

The more I learn about this sax the more pleased I am with the purchase. We got a great deal and could not be happier.

All is well here, thanks for the support.

Dave / Believer45