Kessler Sax Survey

[rdmsgl]

I am interested in the combined experience of Kessler Sax players. I've heard "you get what you pay for" and "never heard of Kessler, must be a cheap Chinese brand".

I have read a few threads and much of Dave's own posts, so I see that his horns are made in Taiwan, and not in China, and across the board Kessler gets great ratings for customer service.

However, I'd like to see you post your experiences in this survey. If you have played or repaired a Kessler, please answer these questions:

Self rating: (student, intermediate, professional)
Years of playing experience:
Years of tech/repair experience:
Years of playing a Kessler sax:
Model of Kessler sax:
Pros of your Kessler sax:
Cons of your Kessler sax:
What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?)
Other comments:

THANKS... I hope this will be helpful to many prospective buyers.

[Xulld]

Read my comments within the quote!

Self rating: (student AND intermediate) Every sax player worth his salt is a student.
Years of playing experience: 7
Years of tech/repair experience: Basic Knowledge wouldn't call myself a repair guy
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 3 weeks
Model of Kessler sax: Kessler Deluxe Black Nickel Silver keys
Pros of your Kessler sax: Beautiful looking sax with a rich sound. Solidly built . . . very much worth the price!
Cons of your Kessler sax: Couple spots where not perfectly finished (lill spot around neck strap wasn't ground off before lacquer), nothing noticeable from more then a few inches away lol. It really is Gorgeous!!! really. Better then it looks on the web.
What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?) Have not thought about it, just bought it, so what I have in it I guess . . .
Other comments: Really digging the OL7 MP I bought also, with a Fibracell it really rips, with Java 3&1/2 its smooth as butter.

THANKS... I hope this will be helpful to many prospective buyers.
Your welcome!

[DixieSax]

Self rating: Always learning - You never finish being a student
Years of playing experience: 32
Years of tech/repair experience: Not a tech - Do basic repairs only
Years of playing a Kessler sax: couple months now
Model of Kessler sax: Custom Tenor and Custom Alto Both brushed finish
Pros of your Kessler sax: Solid build, very good intonation, excellent sound and value
Cons of your Kessler sax: Some minor finish imperfections, some case issues
What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?) Not for trade at the moment
Other comments: Very good horns, especially for the money. Would highly recommend for beginner through high intermediate use, and would have no issue playing these horns professionally. Both the Kessler alto and tenor are my second horns, but they have both gone on gigs, and have given me time flexibility to get the #1 horns (MK VII alto, SML tenor) some needed and long delayed shop work.

Will be in the market for a sop in the next few months, and a Kessler is at the top of my list.

[saxagenarian]

Self-rating ... : always and forever a student
Years playing... : seven
Years tech....: zero, zip, nada, zilch (NO mechanical aptitude whatsoever)
Kessler Model : Kessler Custom Saxello (tipped bell soprano)
Pros ... : solid construction; nice keywork and ergonomics; good sound and intonation
Cons ... : no real negatives with the horn, but the case has a few problems (as noted by others)
Worth ... : no plans to sell or trade either in the near or distant future
Comments : I am a soprano nut :geek:[own a curvy Yanagisawa and straight Yanagisawa and Keilwerths as well as 2 vintage C sopranos) but I especially like the Kessler saxello for its consistency throughout the range and for its projection.

I don't think you'll go wrong with a Kessler soprano!

[ratracer]

Self rating: student/intermediate (Eh, born optimist)

Years of playing experience: Played alto 5-11th grade then bari sax in 12th grade. Since then, played very sporadically, until the tenor arrived, that is. Now I practice whenever family obligations allow and get to play weekends about 2/3 times per month for 45 minutes to an hour.

Years of tech/repair experience: N/A, zero, however I'll take just about anything else apart. It's the putting it back together that is the tricky part. Never know what to do with the left over parts. Don't want to encounter that with this horn, yet. I've been told I wouldn't be long for this world if I did.

Years of playing a Kessler sax: Been playing "at" this sax for 1 year, 7 months.

Model of Kessler sax: Custom Deluxe tenor, lacquer finish with 50 OL7 mouthpiece.

Pros of your Kessler sax: Mine! It's all mine! Solid construction, very good worksmanship. Played great right out of the box. Very good intonation and sound. Sound can be quite flexible. Excellent value. Dealing with the Kessler's was a nice experience. I get some nice complements on it, even when I play it too!

Cons of your Kessler sax: Makes me want a soprano and an alto. Must constantly resist the onset of a GAS episode, especially mouthpieces.

What is worth to you? Well, is is just a sax. I'd consider trading it for a 2008/9 Porsche Cayman! Really haven't thought about it too much. I've got a whole lot of growing to do on this one before I can consider anything else.

Other comments: Dittos on the Fibracell reeds. A good batch of Rico Royales are pretty "smooth" as well. I would highly recommend this horn to anyone. I would highly recommend purchasing through the Kessler's even if you end up not buying the house brand. Good, honest, sincere, folk with excellent service.

Cheers! Hope this helps.

[saxymanzach]

Kessler is my other horn now, but I spent 2 years playing the hell out of it.


Self rating: I'm an advanced (college) student
Years of playing experience: 10
Years of tech/repair experience: 0
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 3
Model of Kessler sax: Original
Pros of your Kessler sax: very nice sound, good intonation for the most part, solidly built, free check-ups at Kessler's shop
Cons of your Kessler sax: shaky intonation in upper register, neck angle not my preference.
What is worth to you? I don't know what I would trade it for, it would have to be something nice.
Other comments: It's a lot of value for the money. I bought mine before the "deluxe" model came out. If I had to do it over now, I would probably buy a Phil Barone because even in the 2 years since the "deluxe" model came out, Taiwanese saxophones have come a long way. Dave Kessler and the rest of the guys at his place are very easy to deal with.

[SeanMD80]

Self rating: Student but intermediate
Years of playing experience: Sax for just one year, but clarinet for 7
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 1
Model of Kessler sax: KC2 Soprano Sax, Kessler Deluxe Alto
Pros of your Kessler sax: Great intonation, free blowing, durable, very nice looking, plays right out of the box. Excellent value and spectacular customer service.
Cons of your Kessler sax: Uh, that I waited too long to get them? Also, the actual body of the instrument is not as hard as a true pro instrument like Selmer.
What is worth to you? Nothing short of my own private island.
Other comments: Get one.

[AA3NK]

I am interested in the combined experience of Kessler Sax players. I've heard "you get what you pay for" and "never heard of Kessler, must be a cheap Chinese brand".

I have read a few threads and much of Dave's own posts, so I see that his horns are made in Taiwan, and not in China, and across the board Kessler gets great ratings for customer service.

However, I'd like to see you post your experiences in this survey. If you have played or repaired a Kessler, please answer these questions:

Self rating: Depends on the instrument--I've been doing music for a long tiime but sax is kind of new to me--any wind instrument is new to me in the last year.
Years of tech/repair experience:None. I have mechanical aptitude and ability but don't work on folks musical instruments. Nor computers--eeeh, the road to perdition is that way.

Years of playing a Kessler sax:Less than one year.
Model of Kessler sax:Kessler Custom Soprano
Pros of your Kessler sax:It is a real saxophone and about one fifth the cost of a Selmer instrument or one third the cost of a Yamaha pro sax.

Cons of your Kessler sax:Too early for me to know about the downside, if there is one.

What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?) Well, I paid about 75% of the cost of a new instrument and purchased it from a real sax player on a real sax website. Not sure how much I would have paid under different circumstances--not much more than I paid. I bought my sop to learn on. It sounds really good, better than I should--I'll keep it even if I upgrade somewhere along the line. I can always farm it out to someone who is where I was when I was there.

Other comments:It is not up to me to know things but I am certainly satisfied iwth my soprano sax from Kessler's. They have a "red" alto for a pretty good price--I migjht get one and see where it goes. I have a nice Yamaha alto, it is everything I can use in alto and there is no reason to upgrade so I'll keep it. But, you know, it gets that way and we start thinking of new stuff or different stuff.

To this very hour, it is not easy for me to walk into a church social hall and see a piano and do NOTHING about it. I mean, sheesh... keys to be touched, a dog to be petted... the notes are there. Oh, never mind. I am like that with a stove and a refrigerator

THANKS... I hope this will be helpful to many prospective buyers.

You are welcome. If all I had was personal experince to rely upon, I'd only be playing Yamaha instruments--across a large spectrum.

I play a lot of instruments, stings, percussion, keys, now some wind stuff--organ. If I live long enough, God so desires, things are Ok, I am getting a euphonium or a tuba and will play play polkas, marches, anything just to be playing--I do not know how to play brass instruments, yet. I am 56, there may be tme left to learn?

[njmac]

Self rating: Student
Years of playing experience:16
Years of tech/repair experience:None. I leave this to the pros
Years of playing a Kessler sax:6 months
Model of Kessler sax:Red Brass Deluxe Alto
Pros of your Kessler sax:Beautiful engraving, nice warm tone, solid key action. Price Price Price.
Cons of your Kessler sax:G# key sticks a little, not a big deal and is easily fixed
What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?) A nice selmer, yani or keilwerth. But then again I would have bought one of them if I could have afforded it.
Other comments:Customer Service is top notch, I spent a good hour on the phone with Dave talking about his horn and he was very honest on where it was made and about his visit to the factory. All of his horns are play tested before they are sent out from his shop. Did I mention that this horn is a fraction of the price of some nice intermediate horns out there.

[dirty]

I've already talked a fair bit about my new soprano in another thread, so I'll try not to get too long-winded here.

Self rating: college student studying clarinet primarily, sax for fun, mostly, but I do want to become a professional woodwind player.
Years of playing experience: Going on 9 years on the clarinet, 4 on sax.
Years of tech/repair experience: I can perform simple adjustments, but am not a tech.
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 0 (just got it!)
Model of Kessler sax: KCS2 soprano. Double neck, high F#.
Pros of your Kessler sax: Cheap, in tune, nice keywork, good tone (in the right hands, i.e. not mine!), nice amount of resistance.
Cons of your Kessler sax: Loose neck tenon.
What is worth to you? It's not for sale/trade, but if somebody wanted to pay $700 plus shipping, I could be convinced...:twisted:
Other comments: Hell of a lot of horn for the money. This horn will almost definitely get me through college and hopefully last me for years afterward until I can afford whatever "dream horn" appeals to me at the time. May be a while! It's OK, though, because hearing my sax teacher play this horn has proven to me that it is indeed a gig-worthy horn. I just have to step up my game.

[Tubz O Fun]

where can you get a Kessler Bari Sax

[ratracer]

Tubz:

I'm 98.85% sure Kesslers does not have their own bari. I know they don't list one on their web site. So, I can't help any at all there. Sorry 'bout that.

On the 0.15% chance that they do have one, give them a call. Perhaps they can steer you in some direction. They do list Yani, Selmer, and Keilwerth, IIRC. Perhaps they have something used?

Otherwise check out Craig's list and eBay on the outside chance you can find something on one of those sites.

You could also post a request in the Market Place/Horns and Equipment Wanted or For Sale thread with your desires and see if you get any hits. Good luck!

[skippy]

Self rating: advanced intermediate
Years of playing experience: 40
Years of tech/repair experience: n/a
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 1.5
Model of Kessler sax: red brass Custom Deluxe alto
Pros of your Kessler sax: fat, flexible sound, even sound timbre, great keywork, mouthpiece friendly
Cons of your Kessler sax: none come to mind
What is worth to you? (what would you be willing to trade it for?) I'd trade it for a good King Super 20 alto, or maybe a nice Mark VI alto
Other comments: the Kesslers are great people

[mrbillh]

Self rating: advanced intermediate
Years of playing experience: 8
Years of tech/repair experience: n/a
Years of playing a Kessler sax: 5
Model of Kessler sax: Custom alto
Pros of your Kessler sax: rich toone, mouthpiece friendly, other kids in band like the sound more than (1) yani and (10) yamahas. Play easier and sounds better than my dad's 60's Conn.
Cons of your Kessler sax: none (other than case issues)
What is worth to you? its my baby and I will never never get rid of this horn!
Other comments: From the time my folks bought the sax for me it has been returned twice a year for tune-ups (pad check and align and general health). Dave is easy to deal with and other than one bent rod from competition the sax comes back in like new condition. As a side note, the yani got dropped and bent as a result of the fall (bleacher seat to floor ~2 feet) sad to say this Kessler has been dropped more times tthan I care to admit and has not had an incident! The bent rod was from concert season not marching season. I plan on taking this sax to college and on to the rest of my life.

[Pete Thomas]

I've heard "you get what you pay for" and "never heard of Kessler, must be a cheap Chinese brand".

Ignore all of that, listen to the people who have played them. Don't listen to people who think all Chinese are bad.

[ratracer]

where can you get a Kessler Bari Sax

Hey Tubz! You haven't been around for a while but if you do happen to check this thread and don't know yet, Kessler now advertises their own low A bari sax.