Played tested the Jupiter 2069 Alto

[Lairmon]

I had been looking for specific info on the site (SOTW) about the new Jupiter alto and the internet but have not found any reviews...thus I think this review might be useful to some people. I believe some people call the new Jupiter Pro line the "XO" model. I checked one out today at a local music store and found it labeled 2069 model. Jupiter states that the horn is partially hand made, the bell and some other parts being "hand Hammered" I think. This one is early in the run of these horns as it was marked 365....no XXX if you know what I mean. In the U.S. I noticed there're marketing them to sell just under $2,000.00, the price at the store I test ran one was asking about $400 more bucks than that.

I have a MKVII alto I'm pretty happy with, I actually traded a pretty good MKVI for it(!) but curiosity gets to me and I like to see whats out there. The Jupiter had just been taken out of the plastic and so had not been setup by a tech. I noticed it was missing a screw on the part (clamp?ring?) that holds the bow to the body of the horn. That bodes ill....

The Jupiter visually looks pretty good, though the engraving is a little light. The layout is pretty comfortable, ergo wise, but it did feel strange once I started playing in terms of my left hand. The palm keys are rather prominent so my left hand fingers felt further down to reach the main keys. The Eb/C also felt a little odd, though not bad, the left cluster was nice. As I'm coming from the ergos of a MKVII you have to put some of that down to just a difference in familiarity. I have had my VII altered a bit to play more like a MKVI though. I had my tech build up the low Bb so its not a stretch, and move the Eb/C combo up a little for my right hand pinky.

My initial reaction to the tone was favorable. It wasn't to bright or thin sounding, but instead was rather neutral in terms of bright/dark. I was using a Morgan 6M and Alexander DC strength 3 for my mpc set up. I did my usual warm up consisting of long tones and some overtones to warm myself up and get more time to get used to the horn.

Despite the full warm up I noticed the horn was fairly resistant. In its current condition (not set up) it was a little hard to blow. The springs action was very heavy as well. Some may not have minded that but I tend to like my horns with med-light tension.

As I continued playing some technical stuff the tension of the springs was increasingly uncomfortable. The tension of the springs can be lightened up by a tech to suit the players likes.

More disconcerting though was the intonation of the horn. I had brought my tuner along so I could get a second opinion on its intonation tendencies. It had all the usual week spots of a saxophone. Low D was flat, second E was sharp and the upper range was generally sharp. The best altos I've encountered for intonation was a Yamaha Custom (855 model) then my other Yamahas I used to own, a 62 and a Custom Z. My Selmer MkVI was pretty good with my current VII being just a little more challenging. Other vintage horns I've had we're actually pretty good too...a Conn 6M and Buescher Aristocrat.

To give the store credit when I mentioned these things to the Manager he called up the stores Sax tech to do some work on it. They packed the Jupiter up before I had even left the store to get the work done. I'll go back and try it out in a while and see if the horn improves in the various areas discussed.

I hope this basic review is helpful.

[BeyondSax]

Lairmon:

I am a bit surprised by your report on the intonation of this horn. I have purchased two 969s in the past three years and found the intonation to be spot on. Will you try it again after setup?

[Lairmon]

Hello Beyond Sax,

Yes, I will try it again to see what difference the tech might have made.

I had also recently played a 747 Jupiter Soprano at this same store that was pretty good. It didn't have the rich complex sound I'm looking for, but it was still a good soprano for the money. I'm on a bit of a Soprano hunt I think, due to recently trying my Tech's older Yamaha 62... I was pretty impressed with the horns response and sound quality.

[Lairmon]

Has anyone else tried the new Jupiter Pro Saxes? If so, what's your take on them?

[Lairmon]

I went in today and took a second try at the Jupiter XO model alto. They had it off to the tech and it was definitely playing better as a result. The resistance I had felt before was resolved; the horn had the right amount of resistance and had a full sound its whole range. It had that "tingly" feel that I like in a horn and the action was even a bit lighter. Having said that though...something didn't quite feel right in my left hand. That could have just been a pad or two sticking though. I'm pretty picky when it comes to the action on a horn.

There were still challenges a little bit with intonation. The culprits were the low D and second E. Low D being flat, the E being sharp. I guess raising up the bumper on the low C might help the low D, not sure if anything could be done with the E. It wasn't that bad though...one could relax the lip a bit and deal with it that way.

The tone leans towards the bright side but it is an exciting blow that doesn't sound to edgy with my Morgan 6M. I didn't notice it thin out at the top as I've noticed other altos do. I have only played the Jupiter alto in this one big room at the store though, so I would want to hear it in a different environment to be sure about tone.

I'm glad I went back to give it a second try. I don't know if I'll rush off to sell my Alto in order to buy the Jupiter, but it would be a definite horn to consider in its price range. I hope this review is helpful.

[saxpiece]

About this intonation thing that keeps popping up, I have a old Jupiter from 1991 and a old Yamaha YAS-21 and the intonation is just about the same on both horns. Manufacturers don't just guess where to put the tone holes for intonation, the toneholes are put in finely measured positions for the best overall intonation and any intonation or stuffiness issues regarding keyheight can be adjusted. http://www.cybersax.com/QA/Q&A_Intonation.html

Most intonation problems are players using their old horn intonation technique (or poor technique) on another horn and if that horn is Taiwanese or Chinese then it's the horn that's at fault but if the horn is a Selmer Mark VI then it's not the horn that's at fault.

http://www.petethomas.co.uk/saxophone-comparisons.html

[Lairmon]

I've just pointed out how the Jupiter alto was for me in regards to that particular horns intonation. To sum up on that; Yamahas have been the best for me in terms of easily achieving good intonation, though mileage did vary with what particular Yamaha horn I was using.
I've owned other vintage altos that actually were pretty good intonation wise but would pick the Selmer MKVI alto I had and my current MKVII in terms of tone and overall ergos. My MKVII takes a bit more work to play in tune than my VI but I really like the sound I get with it.

Now that I think back about it, my Yamaha YAS62 (alto) that I owned and played for some years had the same tendencies to be flat on the low D and sharp on E two. I figure this happens with a lot of altos, some more than others.

In terms of the Jupiter Alto sax, I've only played it twice in the music store, the first time it needed some setup help, then play tested it again after setup help. I'm reasonably confident that the intonation challenges would be over come in a short period, but wanted to point out that it didn't play perfectly in tune right away for me. Mileage may vary for other people with other set ups and background. I was curious about Jupiters latest model, the 2069 XO Alto and so went and play tested it.

I am a tenor sax player first, alto sax isn't my strongest horn, but I did do a Masters in Performance on the Alto about 14 years ago. I play professionally and teach private lessons from beginning to advanced level students. I wouldn't claim to be a "monster" player and have every aspect of the sax mastered (despite the Masters); but at the same time I'm a pretty experienced player.

I've owned a Phil Barone gold plated tenor that was made in Taiwan that had good intonation so I don't tend to dismiss a horn because of where its made.

[Kareeser]

I appreciate your review, Lairmon :)

I'd love to give that horn a try for myself, and see whether the keys would be a better fit for my hands, since I've been playing on a Jupiter for quite awhile...

[horsefarmfox]

I had a chance to play the XO alto yesterday during a break when I was adjudicating a jazz festival. Not too much time to play, and I didn't use a tuner. Just like the old days I had to use my ears. The horn was great. period. It blows easily, the 2 necks give you a choice of sounds--bright/dark--depending on the situation and your mood. The response is terrific. The low register will whisper if you want it to and the altissimo was the easiest and most in tune of any horn that I own or have ever owned. Now what to do? Sell my gold plated Mark VI? Sell the Yamaha Custom? Sell the 1937 Conn 6M viii?
Collect another saxophone? I really have to try the instrument over a period of time.

How do these instruments stand up over time? My Yamahas all have rusty springs, for example.

Hope this helps.

[asaxman]

Almost all altos tend flat on D1, and sharp on E2.

[Lairmon]

The 2069 Jupiter I tried up in Canada only had the one "hand Hammered" neck.

I played the horn briefly again, as a new student had bought that exact Alto I had play tested. I think it will be a very good horn for them. I wouldn't want it for myself, as I didn't like the tone as compared to my Selmer Altos. Again, I've only played the horn at the store which does not have good acoustics. My thoughts could change if I brought it home for a while.

[Lairmon]

Almost all altos tend flat on D1, and sharp on E2.

I hear you...my Selmer MKVII does !

[Brandon]

I recently purchased the new Jupiter 2069 XO. However, I grew up on a Yamaha YAS-62, a reliable horn. But it's also a beginner horn, and so I began looking for a professional model. I asked my instructor, Sam Skelton, what he recommended, and he said I should look into this horn. So I did. I test played it once at the music store and immediately knew this was the horn for me. Just to be safe, I poked around a few other horns, a Selmer, a higher-end Yamaha, and a Cannonball, but none could compare. This horn plays like a charm straight out of the box. At least, it did for me. It has an easily attainable, warm, rich tone in every register. The keys formed nicely with my fingers, however, I have rather lengthy fingers, so it might be a slight stretch for others. The horn plays very well in tune, except for second D (sharp, like most horns) and second B flat (flat). These were easily fixed. I recommend this horn to anyone looking for a professional-grade sax.

[Mal 2]

The YAS-62 is a beginner horn? :shock: Sure it's no 82Z, but it's not exactly a 23 either! If the Jupiter can outperform a 62, it's a pretty nice horn and I can understand why you bought it.

On that note are you selling the 62? ;)

[Lairmon]

Hmmm... I notice that the posters who have said the Jupiter XO is a great alto have posted just once or twice on SOTW.... ....

[Souportwenty]

I can vouch for the Jupiter 947 soprano. Intonation is great, the sound is full and rich and it feels great too. I would buy another if this were stolen.

[Mal 2]

Hmmm... I notice that the posters who have said the Jupiter XO is a great alto have posted just once or twice on SOTW.... ....

Got a strange feeling you're in an indoor stadium, huh?

I can only comment on my own experience with Jupiters, and that would be the selection process circa 1990, and the last 19 years experience with the horn I picked -- a JAS-767. I had to go through a pile of them to find a good one, but back then band instrument shops were reasonably plentiful. The good one of the bunch has been a solid enough horn (except for the lacquer which is awful), but it's kinda dialed into just the one bright-to-paint-peeler sound range. It also has a low B/Bb burble by nature, but I didn't notice back then because I didn't play a mouthpiece with anywhere near the tip opening I do now. (There's now a small empty Visine bottle glued into the bow curve to cure that.)

Comparing it to the Yamaha line, it plays like a YAS-23 with YAS-32 keywork (meaning a high F# and fully linked low C#). That's not terrible, but it's not something that's going to shake the world either.

However, if you extrapolate... Yamaha made/makes both the 23 and the 82Z. There is no reason Jupiter can't have done the equivalent, especially with the significant improvement in the quality of Taiwanese manufacturing and QC in the last two decades. (Japan pretty much had the engineering and QC thing down from the start.)

So I say the jury is still out on this one. The 2069 might be a killer horn, but it's hardly proven. It's fairly safe to say it doesn't suck though.

[Morry]

I recently purchased the new Jupiter 2069 XO. However, I grew up on a Yamaha YAS-62, a reliable horn. But it's also a beginner horn, and so I began looking for a professional model. I asked my instructor, Sam Skelton, what he recommended, and he said I should look into this horn. So I did. I test played it once at the music store and immediately knew this was the horn for me. Just to be safe, I poked around a few other horns, a Selmer, a higher-end Yamaha, and a Cannonball, but none could compare. This horn plays like a charm straight out of the box. At least, it did for me. It has an easily attainable, warm, rich tone in every register. The keys formed nicely with my fingers, however, I have rather lengthy fingers, so it might be a slight stretch for others. The horn plays very well in tune, except for second D (sharp, like most horns) and second B flat (flat). These were easily fixed. I recommend this horn to anyone looking for a professional-grade sax.

You're misinformed if you think the 62 is a beginner horn. Many a professional have gigged with both the 62 and its predecessor, the 61.

[superaction2]

I have said it before and will say it again. The Jupiter XO tenor is a great saxophone. Just as good as my old Selmer SA II and nearly as good as Mauriat 66RUL and System 54 SUperior Class-R.

Very warm sound and good feel. Tone qualite wise for me, it cannot keep up with the ones I mentioned above.

[Call Me Rockstar]

You're misinformed if you think the 62 is a beginner horn. Many a professional have gigged with both the 62 and its predecessor, the 61.

Hey look, I know (based on some of the above comments) that since I am new to SOTW, with a low post count, that my opinion may now fall upon more scrutinizing eyes.
However, I totally agree with this post.
I gigged exclusively with a 62 alto for 4 years. I can say with an absolute certainty that a beginner would have more horn than they needed if they had a 62 in their hands.

But as for this thread, I am still skeptical of the Jupiters. I have tried an XO, but the real test will take a more extensive trial period for me. I was not in any rush to make the switch.

[Lairmon]

I have an update regarding the XO model Jupiter Alto.

Today I took the time to play test a different Jupiter 2069 (XO) at the same store I tried out the first Jupiter Alto. I noticed the model number was in the mid 300s, the first Jupiter XO Alto I tried had been in the mid 100s.

I first played a Yamaha Custom Z alto, then A/Bed it with my MKVII. I liked the ergos of the Z better( I knew I would) but the richness/fullness of my MKVII better. I then tried the Jupiter XO alto. I liked this XO! The Jupiters core sound was full and rich and the horn was very responsive. Problems areas were the G# key which was mostly not working, and the Eb on the right pinky was very sticky. Quick fixes by a tech I would guess.

The XOs sound was superior to my ears than the Yamaha Custom Z. I have owned a Silver Plate Custom Z Alto and and a Custom Z tenor, so wasn't too surprised by this. Both the XO and the MKVII had a better sounding bottom end than the Yamaha and the upper end of the Jupiter was great! The other two altos were pretty good up in to the Altissimo as well. I would need to play test the Jupiter further in a less live sounding room to be absolutely sure which alto (XO or MKVII) I preferred tonally.

They have a Tenor XO in there as well that I should try out at some point. I didn't have my tenor mouthpiece with me on this particular trip...I was actually at the store to try to find a new Clarinet mpc (which I did) and try some Altos.

The Jupiter doesn't feel or seem as "Slick" as the Yamaha, but for the sound I prefered it. It's selling for around $2,250.00 Canadian whereas the Yamaha Custom Z was going for about $ 3,500.00 hmmmm....with these two horns at least, I've discovered that the Jupiter is the better bang for the buck.

[littlewailer]

Sold my CB.

I'm a Jupiter Convert.

The Tenor is sweet.

Really unreal sound, ergos and scale.

A new lease on playing for sure.

I need to get it set up though. A bit stiff out of the box.

(that's what she said)