Review of TK Melody altos

[gary]

I had a chance to spend some time with two TK Melody alto saxes, the basic Ipanema and the unlacquered Yardbird. I know there is always discussion on what saxes are the best bang-for-the-buck, as well as general discussion on Taiwanese saxes, so I though I would add to that discussion. I tested them on several different mpcs. Disclaimer, I am not an endorser nor am I in the market for a new alto and I "calls em the way I sees em".

Tone - the unlacquered Yardbird is the most textured sound of the two, just like I experienced when I was testing the TK sopranos; nice, rich sound. Ipanema, more of an open, freer sound, which had a little more immediacy to it and a bit of a clearer sound than the Yardbird. I did not have a chance to play these in an ensemble so I really can't say how well they would carry. I got the feeling that they were quieter horns than my Selmer but maybe any TK owners could comment.

Tone throughout the entire range of both TKs was generally very even with no significant jump to shrillness in the upper register. I got a slightly flat and lifeless response from A2 to C3 which was frustrating and C3 was particularly problematic, being both flat and a bit muffled. I put my Selmer and Ponzol necks on these horns and both the muffling and pitch problems disappeared, so my guess is that it is a characteristic of these necks. Funny thing is, at times it was disconcerting and at other times, except for the C, I blew right through the problem, so it might be one of those quirks that someone regularly playing one of these would overcome, or something a little tweaking on the neck that a tech could resolve.

Taiwanese horns are sometimes mentioned as having a Yanagisawa vibe to them or are Selmer copies, but I felt neither. These seem to have a sound of their own. Actually, the sound of the unlacquered sax was closer to a Yamaha Z as I remember it (from two years ago). One thing is certain, these horns do not play thinly, nor are they particularly bright, as some expect Taiwanese horns to be.

Horn's response to different mouthpieces - on the NC4 (classical) the pitch was generally low. Very frustrating, so I grabbed my Selmer S80 C* and the horn played in pitch, as it did with the stock mpc. I was playing mostly Ibert and improvising in that style. Either sax would work in that genre, although for those going for a somewhat nasal, older French sound, neither came as close to that as (duh) my Selmer. With my Selmer mpc, the sound was brighter than I would want if I were playing purely classical literature in a serious setting. But generally, I think either sax would work just fine for the generalist player who plays in wind ensemble or band.

On the Ponzol HR (jazz, general playing) both saxes put out. I think that in, say a big band, you would have to put more air through the sax, or use another mpc. When I used my Ponzol SS, which is inherently louder and brighter than your typical Meyer-type mpc, there was no problem. At any rate, it would be more a matter of mouthpiece/reed than horn in the long run. For combo playing these would be just fine. Ponzol SS alto mpc (pop) - played some blues and funk. One thing I did notice, is that when I played the Ponzol SS mpc, I got more of an upper partial ring on all notes out of the Yardbird than on the Ipanema. Both saxes would do just fine in a pop environment.

Intonation - not bad but I just felt a little unstable at first; not overall but on some notes. Aside from using my ear and a tuner, I played it with some recorded backings on tunes I knew would expose intonation problems and just didn't feel as confident as on my Selmer. After a couple of days (except for C3) the intonation settled in somewhat, but I'm not sure just how much compensating - blowing through the problems - I had to do to get it there. BTW, on C3, I opened the RH side Bb key as a work-around, and the sound was pure and clear. Ironically, I have this same problem on my Selmer but on C2, while there is no C2 problem on the TKs. D2 is really sharp, overall.

Altissimo was, in a word . . . simple. That is, in relation to other saxes I have played. I am not an accomplished altissimo player - I can play the individual altissimo notes, I'm just not fluid up there - but I can tell what pops out easier or with more difficulty on various horns.

Ergos - RH side F# a little higher and closer to the RH F and E than I'm used to. LH side keys appear to be placed a little differently but I found no significant differences when playing. LH D key was recessed more than on my Selmers. Key pearls are bigger and more concave than on some altos.

Build - everything appears well made, solid and sound. This is the area where I am probably the weakest, because I'm not a tech and I don't really worry about these things until they don't work, but this does not seem to me to be an area of concern on these saxes. They appear carefully made with high-quality materials.

Accessories - are really good. The Ipanema's case is similar to a Yamaha stock rectangle case that is good and gets the job done, with plenty of interior room. The Yardbird's is an exact copy of the Selmer/BAM flight case. Each horn had its own mpc, the Ipanema had a generic mpc that I would not use. The Yardbird's mpc looked like a Selmer S80 copy and was perfectly adequate. It was pretty closed and bright but it actually wasn't bad. The neck strap has a foam strip where it contacts one's neck and is actually more comfortable than my BG neck strap. Also included is a cleaning rag, cork grease, a carrying strap and keys to lock the cases.

Finishes and engraving - you can go to the web page and check them out. The finishes are impressive, so whatever finish you prefer, I think you'll be very pleased with the appearance. I'm a minimalist so I would dig the white MOPs and the unlacquered sax and minimum engraving. OTOH, the saxes I tested have engraving practically from bell to mouthpiece which would no doubt make some folks drool. Also available are blue abalone MOPs. The finishes are very attractive and you have a good selection.

In summary, these are attractive, decent, easily blowing saxes with a good sound, ergonomics, acceptable intonation and excellent response. In their price range I believe they would be hard to beat if someone is buying new. There is now a wide range of choices available for a variety of tastes and these saxes definitely offer a qualitative alternative. I could recommend these as step-up instruments and also recommend that advanced hobbyists and professional level weekend warriors include these on their to-play list when looking for another horn.

As someone pointed out on another thread, (paraphrase) "why are we comparing these Chinese/Taiwanese saxes, which cost half to a third, to the top professional saxes?” So I have tried to avoid doing that. As a stand-alone recommendation within their price class, the strong points are appearance and a wide variety of choice in finishes and engraving, good workmanship, very good accessories, and a reliable and decent sounding instrument. I think this is one of those cases where you will be getting more for your money if your criteria is purchasing an entire package as opposed to specifically the best playing horn in its category, all other factors being a non-issue. I think they are competitive with any new saxes in the same price bracket and would recommend not to overlook them if you are in this market.

[Buck Laughlin]

Excellent review. I'm not in the market, but I always appreciate getting quality information and opinions about what is out there. Thank you for taking the time to write this.

Buck

p.s. I imagine Modman will be by soon . . .

[terjeo]

Thanks Gary for another very thorough and honest review. I just want to reiterate what Gary said; he did this review without any compensation or strings attached from my side (...not that anybody here would ever question his integrity!).

Gary gave me the option to read the review before he posted it, but apart from a small syntax issue I didn't ask him to change anything. I wanted a brutally honest review and that's what I got. I will feed his comments back to the factory for their review and see if they need to make any changes to the production and quality control process.

If you're still in doubt if the T.K. Melody alto is right for you, please remember that all our horns are backed by our 100% satisfaction money back guarantee; if you don't like it you can return it for a full refund, no questions asked; all you pay is for the shipping.

Terje.

[jmoen3]

Excellent review. I'm not in the market, but I always appreciate getting quality information and opinions about what is out there. Thank you for taking the time to write this.

Buck

p.s. I imagine Modman will be by soon . . .

Doubtful, I don't reckon you will see him around much.

Anyways, What another great review from gary! I'm still in love with the way these horns look and the reviews keep on making me want them! Is he going to be testing the tenor for us next?! Thats what I really want to hear! lol.

[MoodyBlues]

^^^
Modman...M.I.A???

Nice review Gary...Now that Walter is no longer here, Are you now the official Sax vs Sax, Mpc vs Mpc guy? if so, good, always appreciate a straight shooter.

[BigHunk]

Thanks gary for another well organized & well written review

[modman]

[gary]

Nice review Gary...Now that Walter is no longer here, are you now the official Sax vs Sax, Mpc vs Mpc guy? if so, good, always appreciate a straight shooter.

No, LOL. I had an opportunity to try out some altos and tenors (tenor review to come). Terje wanted an honest opinion of these saxes and sent them to me. I am posting the results. One thing to his credit is that, when I said I wouldn't sugar coat anything, Terje said that's what he was looking for; a truthful and candid evaltuation.

[CraigH]

Excellent review! This is an informed, thoughtful and honest review. Very much appreciated. I look forward to the tenor review.

Although I am not in the market for any new horns, I'm always looking for quality step-up and professional instruments to recommend to my students. Reviews like this one are very helpful in that regard.

[MoodyBlues]

Mahalo Gary, looking forward to your Tenor review...Think Modman has in the past raved about his TK Yarbird Tenor.

[brasscane]

Great altos - great dealer.

[modman]

Gary I received this alto today, and all of the "quirks" were worked out by Terje's tech.

The Yardbird alto is darker sounding than I thought it would be, when comparing it to the Maxtone Gold plate alto I have been playing. Maybe because the Maxtone is a big bell version?

The tone pallet reminds me of the Couf Superba I alto that I owned a couple of years ago when listening to old recordings of that horn and comparing to the T.K. alto.

However, now that the set-up was done the horn plays effortlessly, and the key movement is even quieter than my Tenor.

For me having already been playing the same model Tenor, this alto seems like "home" to me.

Thank you for your candid review it helped to get this alto in my hands "ready to go".

B

I had a chance to spend some time with two TK Melody alto saxes, the basic Ipanema and the unlacquered Yardbird. I know there is always discussion on what saxes are the best bang-for-the-buck, as well as general discussion on Taiwanese saxes, so I though I would add to that discussion. I tested them on several different mpcs. Disclaimer, I am not an endorser nor am I in the market for a new alto and I "calls em the way I sees em".

Tone - the unlacquered Yardbird is the most textured sound of the two, just like I experienced when I was testing the TK sopranos; nice, rich sound. Ipanema, more of an open, freer sound, which had a little more immediacy to it and a bit of a clearer sound than the Yardbird. I did not have a chance to play these in an ensemble so I really can't say how well they would carry. I got the feeling that they were quieter horns than my Selmer but maybe any TK owners could comment.

Tone throughout the entire range of both TKs was generally very even with no significant jump to shrillness in the upper register. I got a slightly flat and lifeless response from A2 to C3 which was frustrating and C3 was particularly problematic, being both flat and a bit muffled. I put my Selmer and Ponzol necks on these horns and both the muffling and pitch problems disappeared, so my guess is that it is a characteristic of these necks. Funny thing is, at times it was disconcerting and at other times, except for the C, I blew right through the problem, so it might be one of those quirks that someone regularly playing one of these would overcome, or something a little tweaking on the neck that a tech could resolve.

Taiwanese horns are sometimes mentioned as having a Yanagisawa vibe to them or are Selmer copies, but I felt neither. These seem to have a sound of their own. Actually, the sound of the unlacquered sax was closer to a Yamaha Z as I remember it (from two years ago). One thing is certain, these horns do not play thinly, nor are they particularly bright, as some expect Taiwanese horns to be.

Horn's response to different mouthpieces - on the NC4 (classical) the pitch was generally low. Very frustrating, so I grabbed my Selmer S80 C* and the horn played in pitch, as it did with the stock mpc. I was playing mostly Ibert and improvising in that style. Either sax would work in that genre, although for those going for a somewhat nasal, older French sound, neither came as close to that as (duh) my Selmer. With my Selmer mpc, the sound was brighter than I would want if I were playing purely classical literature in a serious setting. But generally, I think either sax would work just fine for the generalist player who plays in wind ensemble or band.

On the Ponzol HR (jazz, general playing) both saxes put out. I think that in, say a big band, you would have to put more air through the sax, or use another mpc. When I used my Ponzol SS, which is inherently louder and brighter than your typical Meyer-type mpc, there was no problem. At any rate, it would be more a matter of mouthpiece/reed than horn in the long run. For combo playing these would be just fine. Ponzol SS alto mpc (pop) - played some blues and funk. One thing I did notice, is that when I played the Ponzol SS mpc, I got more of an upper partial ring on all notes out of the Yardbird than on the Ipanema. Both saxes would do just fine in a pop environment.

Intonation - not bad but I just felt a little unstable at first; not overall but on some notes. Aside from using my ear and a tuner, I played it with some recorded backings on tunes I knew would expose intonation problems and just didn't feel as confident as on my Selmer. After a couple of days (except for C3) the intonation settled in somewhat, but I'm not sure just how much compensating - blowing through the problems - I had to do to get it there. BTW, on C3, I opened the RH side Bb key as a work-around, and the sound was pure and clear. Ironically, I have this same problem on my Selmer but on C2, while there is no C2 problem on the TKs. D2 is really sharp, overall.

Altissimo was, in a word . . . simple. That is, in relation to other saxes I have played. I am not an accomplished altissimo player - I can play the individual altissimo notes, I'm just not fluid up there - but I can tell what pops out easier or with more difficulty on various horns.

Ergos - RH side F# a little higher and closer to the RH F and E than I'm used to. LH side keys appear to be placed a little differently but I found no significant differences when playing. LH D key was recessed more than on my Selmers. Key pearls are bigger and more concave than on some altos.

Build - everything appears well made, solid and sound. This is the area where I am probably the weakest, because I'm not a tech and I don't really worry about these things until they don't work, but this does not seem to me to be an area of concern on these saxes. They appear carefully made with high-quality materials.

Accessories - are really good. The Ipanema's case is similar to a Yamaha stock rectangle case that is good and gets the job done, with plenty of interior room. The Yardbird's is an exact copy of the Selmer/BAM flight case. Each horn had its own mpc, the Ipanema had a generic mpc that I would not use. The Yardbird's mpc looked like a Selmer S80 copy and was perfectly adequate. It was pretty closed and bright but it actually wasn't bad. The neck strap has a foam strip where it contacts one's neck and is actually more comfortable than my BG neck strap. Also included is a cleaning rag, cork grease, a carrying strap and keys to lock the cases.

Finishes and engraving - you can go to the web page and check them out. The finishes are impressive, so whatever finish you prefer, I think you'll be very pleased with the appearance. I'm a minimalist so I would dig the white MOPs and the unlacquered sax and minimum engraving. OTOH, the saxes I tested have engraving practically from bell to mouthpiece which would no doubt make some folks drool. Also available are blue abalone MOPs. The finishes are very attractive and you have a good selection.

In summary, these are attractive, decent, easily blowing saxes with a good sound, ergonomics, acceptable intonation and excellent response. In their price range I believe they would be hard to beat if someone is buying new. There is now a wide range of choices available for a variety of tastes and these saxes definitely offer a qualitative alternative. I could recommend these as step-up instruments and also recommend that advanced hobbyists and professional level weekend warriors include these on their to-play list when looking for another horn.

As someone pointed out on another thread, (paraphrase) "why are we comparing these Chinese/Taiwanese saxes, which cost half to a third, to the top professional saxes?” So I have tried to avoid doing that. As a stand-alone recommendation within their price class, the strong points are appearance and a wide variety of choice in finishes and engraving, good workmanship, very good accessories, and a reliable and decent sounding instrument. I think this is one of those cases where you will be getting more for your money if your criteria is purchasing an entire package as opposed to specifically the best playing horn in its category, all other factors being a non-issue. I think they are competitive with any new saxes in the same price bracket and would recommend not to overlook them if you are in this market.

[jmoen3]

Glad you got another great horn modman!

[gary]

Gary I received this alto today, and all of the "quirks" were worked out by Terje's tech.

The Yardbird alto is darker sounding than I thought it would be, when comparing it to the Maxtone Gold plate alto I have been playing. Maybe because the Maxtone is a big bell version?

The tone pallet reminds me of the Couf Superba I alto that I owned a couple of years ago when listening to old recordings of that horn and comparing to the T.K. alto.

However, now that the set-up was done the horn plays effortlessly, and the key movement is even quieter than my Tenor.

For me having already been playing the same model Tenor, this alto seems like "home" to me.

Thank you for your candid review it helped to get this alto in my hands "ready to go".

B

Excellent! So you have a pair of bare-brass saxes? That's interesting that the sound is simiilar to a Couf Superba. "It could be woise."

And for potential buyers, I'm sure the importer, Terje, will use this experience as feedback to the home company to put forth an even better product for the buyer.

Cheers "B" and enjoy!

[modman]

Glad you got another great horn modman!

Jared. Thanks. The maxtone is a great horn but nothing compared to this alto.

That said the Maxtone really needs a pro set-up and my usual tech basically told me to play it for a couple of months and then he would adjust it so that the springs, and corks are worked in.

The T.K. came ready to play and incredibly responsive so I can play it out right away.

If you know anybody who is looking to upgrade to a nice intermediate alto that is in mint near new condition let them know about the Max SX-63rth gold plate.

I will probably post it for sale here soon.

Take care. B

[wogeax]

Glad you got another great horn modman!

Jared. Thanks. The maxtone is a great horn but nothing compared to this alto.

That said the Maxtone really needs a pro set-up and my usual tech basically told me to play it for a couple of months and then he would adjust it so that the springs, and corks are worked in.

The T.K. came ready to play and incredibly responsive so I can play it out right away.


Take care. B

My Maxtone did need a set-up when I first got it. If you get them direct from factory, then by all means get a pro set-up/adjusting. The horns are a bit tight and need to be adjusted. I had 2 very minor leaks on low end. But once I had that done, I sold my yas-62 the following week.
I also have the tk ipanema model. Both the maxtone and tk melody are awesome horns.

[modman]

Gary I received this alto today, and all of the "quirks" were worked out by Terje's tech.

The Yardbird alto is darker sounding than I thought it would be, when comparing it to the Maxtone Gold plate alto I have been playing. Maybe because the Maxtone is a big bell version?

The tone pallet reminds me of the Couf Superba I alto that I owned a couple of years ago when listening to old recordings of that horn and comparing to the T.K. alto.

However, now that the set-up was done the horn plays effortlessly, and the key movement is even quieter than my Tenor.

For me having already been playing the same model Tenor, this alto seems like "home" to me.

Thank you for your candid review it helped to get this alto in my hands "ready to go".

B

Excellent! So you have a pair of bare-brass saxes? That's interesting that the sound is simiilar to a Couf Superba. "It could be woise."

And for potential buyers, I'm sure the importer, Terje, will use this experience as feedback to the home company to put forth an even better product for the buyer.

Cheers "B" and enjoy!

I have been playing the horn Gary reviewed earlier (Yardbird T.K. alto) for a week. I purchased it with my own funds.

This is the third purchase from Terje Odden in 4 months, and found all of our transactions extremely pleasant. Besides the 1st class treatment I was also offered a money back guarantee with all the horns.

In Gary's review the horns had not been set-up and were straight from the Taiwan factory to Gary.

However after Gary returned the alto to Terje, and his tech carefully adjusted the horn; it was carefully packed and shipped to me for trial.

I already knew what I was going to receive since I own the Yardbird Tenor, and Ipanema Soprano and did not expect anything other than a fine playing horn.

Not only was I suprised by this alto, but I have to disagree with Gary's assessment that the Tenor is the "gee-whiz" horn of T.K. Melody line of horns.

Although the Tenor I bought is the best I have ever played (i have played alot tenors), and is my main axe, this alto is easily at the same level as the tenor and I think the tech set-up is slightly better and it (alto) burns through Parker, and Stitt charts like butter.

My band members have already mentioned the difference in sound compared to the previous alto I had been playing (Maxtone Taiwan SX-63rth), and that they said it sounded warmer and more fluid.

It has been at least three years since I have owned an alto that performs the way this one does, and even though I never thought (2 1/2 years ago)another alto especially Taiwanese could take the place of my beloved Couf Superba I; this T.K. Melody Yardbird alto is THE uncompromising replacement for me.

Terje you have done it again. Kudos on another great transaction.

Regards.