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What is your Keilwerth Setup?

95K views 199 replies 158 participants last post by  jthole 
#1 ·
Please let us know what you play and your musical aims:
Answer the following:

Model(s):
SATB:
Finish(s):
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them:
Reed(s):
Sound Concept(s):
Music Played/Bands:
Comments:
Age:
Experience:

Model(s): Current SX90r (Less than 1 yr. old)
SATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Black Gold
Mouthpiece(s)and why you play them: Morgan Excaliber 8EL; This mouthpiece had the fullest sound on the horn. It has turned out to be extremely reed friendly!
Reed(s): Vandoren ZZ, No. 3
Sound Concept: Dark & Mellow; Trying to blend with many saxophones!
Music Played/Bands: Concert Band (New Horizons Adult Band) & Sax Ensemble
Comments: Keilwerth is my first Pro horn. Love the bottom notes!
Age: 58
Experience: Less than 2 yrs. on woodwinds
 
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#155 ·
Okay, I'll try to do this according to the OP's request (I never could stay inside the lines).
Model(s): Shadow
SATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Black Nickel
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: HR Berg 130/3, the mouthpiece I was meant for. Great tone & altissimo, wide dynamic envelope, lets me do whatever I want. Proof that the seemingly endless mouthpiece search is not always in vain.
Reed(s): Old box Rico 4
Sound Concept(s): Texas tenor
Music Played/Bands: all types
Comments: this Shadow has a big, ballsy sound that I find perfect for R&B, R&R, blues, funk, contemporary. I will probably stick with my Selmers for straight ahead jazz, and recording.
Age: 58
Experience: started at 13 with one year of lessons, thereafter self-taught
 
#156 ·
Soprano: Conn DJH modified 90,xxx / Gaia 9 (for now - still looking...) / Java 3
Alto: Comm DJH modified 87,xxx / 1970s Otto Link .085 / Rico Jazz Select unfixed 3M
Tenor: New King 52,xxx & Bundy Special 39,xxx / Otto Link Reso Chamber .110 & Lamberson small font 9X .133 / Rigotti Gold 3.5 Light
Baritone: Couf Superba 1 87,xxx / Lamberson small font .125 / Rico Jazz Select 4S
 
#158 ·
Model(s):
SATB: sx 90 baritone to low Bb, the previous owner delaquered it and soldered the high F# hole
Finish(s): no lacquer
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: vandoren B9, I'm trying some brands, but the vandoren seems to me the most versatile one.
Reed(s): vandoren blue box 2,5
Sound Concept(s):I know that it could be strange, but I don't listen bari players so much (I'm a tenor/bari player).I'm a huge fan of Dexter Gordon, Zoot Sims, Steve Grossman, about modern players I would say my favorite are Seamus Blake and Joshua Redman. I also listen to trumpet players a lot...
I think that my sound on bari is spread and medium dark, I prefer a spread sound over a focused one.
Music Played/Bands: I'm a pro, I play my music and I've receorded two albums (original tunes composed by me) as a leader, I play in different bands and for who hire me to play, anyway my work is essentially as a jazz musician, I also play in some r'n'b and pop gigs, but less often.I love playing in big bands, but it's very difficult to find a decent number of gigs...
Comments:
Age:34
Experience:I can't remember exactly when I started, but lots of years ago...I graduated at the Conservatory, then I won a scholarship for Berklee, then I studied with very good players privately.
I started music at 13 with classical guitar, then i switched to saxophone, but I'm happy I've studied the guitar, it's a great tool for studying harmony and composing.
I you want you can check my website www.fabriziodalisera.com

You can listen to my bari setup here:

 
#159 ·
Model: EX 90 II
SATB: Tenor
Finish: Black Nickle
Mouthpiece: Yamaha 4C
Reed: Rico Jazz Select 3S
Sound: 7th Grade Jazz (Well, my son is in 7th Grade and plays the tenor in the Jazz Band)
Age: 12
Experience: Eric has been playing since 4th grade. He started with the alto (also a Keilwerth EX 90) which he continues to play in regular band. He also plays the alto in our church "orchestra" with me. He auditioned to get in and surprised the conductor (who let him audition more to humor me than because he thought Eric was ready.) Eric handles the Alto 2 part by himself and has become a veteran of our orchestra. He started the tenor this year and is really enjoing it!
 
#160 ·
Model(s): Couf Superba I
SATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Lacquer
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them:
Otto Link NVS Tone Edge 7 refaced by Matthew Voss, CE Winds Legend II .110
The Link is warmer and more spread, can brighten up when I really push it. The Legend II is louder, more focused and brighter.
Reeds: Vandoren ZZ Red 3, Hemke 3
Sound Concept(s): Overall, dark with a hint of edge. Pre-vandoren Kirk Whalum comes to mind.
Music Played/Bands: Jazz fusion, smooth jazz, gospel, funk, straight ahead. I do solo work, play at several churches, and play with a local contemporary christian band.
Age: 27
Experience: Had basic piano and guitar when I was very young. Started on Clarinet in elementary school before switching to saxophone starting in middle school.
 
#161 ·
Model(s): The New King Series IV
ATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Lacquer / Nickle
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them:
Otto Link Tone Edge 7 refaced by Phil-tone / Otto Link STM 7* / Meyer HR no. 10 / Riffault 6 HR(very old!)
The tone-edge is warmer and more spread; the STM is louder, clearer; Meyer is easy to play and the riffault too, but not easy to play in tune. still testing them, for which is the best suitable for playing in bigband.
Reeds: Vandoren Java green 2,5
Sound Concept(s): Overall, dark with a little bit edge.
Music Played/Bands: bigband and bluesband.
Age: 56
Experience: Had basic guitar when I was young. Started on accordion in elementary school before switching to guitar and later saxophone .
 
#163 ·
Model(s): JKS90R
ATB: Tenor, bought new by me about 12 or 13 years ago
Finish(s): Gold lacquer
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Phil-Tone Sapphire 6* HR and Lebayle LR2 metal. Chosen because I love them both for their sound and ease of playing. Tuning is good too, which always helps.
Reeds: Alexander NY 2 or La Voz medium soft, both on either mouthpiece. The NY is my preference.
Sound Concept(s): Mine.
Music Played/Bands: I play at home and at a monthly jam session.
Age: 47
Experience: clarinet and bass clarinet all the way through school and in various school bands and orchestras. Lapsed in my 20s then started again with sax in my 30s.
 
#167 ·
Model: SX90
SATB: Alto
Finish: Regular Lacquer
Mouthpiece: Stock, high baffle MP that came with the horn. Actually not a bad piece because I can play it in both acoustic and electric settings, but some of it's limitations are beginning to bother me. I play much more tenor than alto nowadays, so not sure if I'll spend the $$$ on a new piece any time soon.
Reed: Vandoren ZZ 3

Model: SX90
SATB: Tenor
Finish: Regular Lacquer
Mouthpiece: Theo Wanne (Metal) Shiva 7*. I *LOVE* this piece on my SX90. My sound concept is Brecker+a little more "width" to the sound, and the Shiva gives me all the brightness that I want but it still has the guts of the JK tenor sound. I won't pretend it's a "miracle-do-everything" mouthpiece, because it is bright (and the sound is HUGE - I've had to learn to dial it back more than a notch to avoid overpowering the group on acoustic gigs), but you can still sub-tone this thing and generate a really pleasing dark-ish sound if you need it.
Reed: Vandoren ZZ 3
Reeds: Vandoren ZZ 3
 
#168 ·
SAT:
All Couf Superba 1's
All Selmer two Screw Ligs

Sop.: Soprano PLanet Open Sky 2 - Marca Superieure 3
Alto: (Classical Only) Morgan 6C - Rico Reserve 3+/3.5
Tenor: Classical-Morgan 3C- Rico Reserve 4.5
Jazz - Thomas Woodwinds - Gonzalez 3/3.5
Age: Old enough old to know better, almost young enough not to care :)
 
#172 ·
Model(s): SX90
SATB: Alto
Finish(s): Regular
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Jody Jazz DV 6. Offers great versatility.
Reed(s): Mostly Vandoren ZZ 3's. I also really like Java Reds.
Sound Concept(s): I'm not too focused here, but I keep drifting back to Bobby Militello(in my dreams)
Experience: ~19 years
 
#173 ·
Well, this surprises me. Somehow, I missed this. That is so unlike me. :mrgreen:

Model(s): . . SX90R
SATB: . . . . Tenor
Finish(s): . . Black lacquer (not nickel)
Mouthpiece: Ponzol M1, .105, brass
- why: . . . . .presence, projection, versatile (e.g. jazz and pop), full bodied tone, dark-ish.
Reed(s): . . .Rico Royal 2.5
Sound Concept(s):
. . . . . . . . . my own (kind of a mix of Stan's and Dex's
Music Played/Bands:
. . . . . . . . . .on tenor, that is: solo tenor, big band; pop cover bands, mainly classic soul and disco; horn band stuff.
 
#174 · (Edited)
Model(s): EX90 III
SATB: Alto
Finish(s): Gold Lacquer
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Stock KW #6, louder and brighter than the Yamaha 4C and blows just as easy. Liked it so much I contacted the KW corporation to see if I could buy a second as a backup. Owned a Dukoff D8 at the time which it was a little similar to in brightness and was just all around more rewarding to play than the Dukoff. I have a 7* Jazz model from an SX90R that I just received but haven't played yet. The only difference I see between the two is the stepped shank and wider tip opening otherwise all else is the same. It's amazing that such a slight change in the tip opening (.080 to .087) can make that much difference but I'm eager to find out.

Reed(s): LaVoz #3 at the moment but Vandoren Java is my preference.
Sound Concept(s): David Sanborn (Took a pic next to him last yr), Gerald Albright, Najee and a number of the old Jazz greats; P. Desmond, Stan Getz and the like.

Music Played/Bands: R&B/Quartet for a little while, best experience yet.

Comments: I've owned four Altos and a Tenor. I really like the solid feel of this horn compared to the Yamaha YAS23 which I played for 20 yrs. It's a little on the dark side to me and that's fine for the range of music I like.

Experience: On and off for more than 25 yrs but about to make it regularly.
 
#175 ·
Model(s): SX90R
SATB: Baritone
Finish(s): black nickle
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Drake VCCB1 .120- snap and power
Reed(s):Rigotti Gold 2.5 Medium
Sound Concept(s): Doc Kupka to Ronnie Cuber
Music Played/Bands: Funk / horn section JC Brooks and Souled Out
Comments: Bari FTW
Age: 37
Experience:25+ years
 
#177 ·
Model: Selmer Bundy Special alto (the New King Series IV)
Mouthpiece: Selmer Jazz D (metal) with Selmer two-screw lig
Reed: Vandoren JAVA red 2.5
Sound:
 
#178 ·
Model(s): Couf Superba I (1996)
SATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Lacquer
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Lamberson J7, plays good on all my horns
Reed(s): Rico Royal 3
Sound Concept(s): Not too bright, not too dark, just right.
Music Played/Bands: Jazz Big Band, Dectet, Quartet
Comments: Horn is in great condition. Has a big dark vintage sound plus some bright edge of a modern sound. Modern action.
Experience: 30 years
 
#179 ·
Model(s): Keilwerth SX90R
SATB: Tenor
Finish(s): Nickel Silver
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Vandoren T7, plays good and allows me great flexibility. But still looking for a better piece, possibly a Drake Bergonzi EB of 10MFan Robusto Metal
Reed(s): Vandoren ZZ or Red/Green JAVA 3 or 3.5 (depending on what I fancy and whats available of course)
Sound Concept(s): Lush, Fat and Warm, but still be able to project and blend in on any situation.
Music Played/Bands: Jazz Big Band, Jazz Quartet, Latin Jazz Quintet and Septet, Reggae Fusion Band, Concert Band, Orchestra.
Comments: Horn plays absolutely perfect, I have no bad thing to say about it. Very HUGE sound, just what I look for. American fatness with the European complexity and colors.
Age: 20
Experience: 14 years

I'm definitely buying another one of these as a second horn, maybe the Shadow or the Black Nickel. And I have also made it my goal in life to own the same horn on soprano, alto and bari, I'm now living the Keilwerth lifestyle baby, and I'm not going back :headbang: :lol:
 
#182 ·
Model(s): SX90R Alto
SATB: Alto
Finish(s): Gold? I dunno, it's falling apart
Mouthpiece(s) and why you play them: Jody Jazz HR*, I like to have a darker sound and Jody Jazz is great!
Reed(s): Woodstone #3
Sound Concept(s): Balanced
Music Played/Bands: Jazz, Blues
Comments: I had to decide between a brand new Bauhaus Walstein or a used JK SX90R...guess which I picked?
Age: 29
Experience: About a year?
 
#183 ·
Model: SX90R tenor
Finish: bn
Mpc: Florida Link usa #8...no wedge added,lol
Reeds: Vandoren red box 2 1/2
Sound Concept: Ernie Watts, Dexter, Joe:glasses1:

A good friend of mine wanted me to check out this band he's putting together, so I went and checked it out tonight...friend is a bada$$ guitar player, he sounds like "which way did he go George" lol:lol:, Benson, the band is guitar, bass, drums, keys, all pro players, will add singer later. We played songs by jeff lorber, marcus miller, which way did he go George benson, Wayne Shorter, Miles, Grover, etc...plus original's.
Anyways, the band sounds tight! but LOUD,:Rant: and they use dynamics as well,lol!:mrgreen:...I didn't have a mic,:crybaby: practice place was inside keys player's house, big house, big room.

I have 3 tenors, silver Yamaha custom Z, Mark VI, and Keilwerth SX90R...couldn't decide which horn to take, I was thinking what if they don't have a mic for me??:scratch:...so I took the Keilwerth, anyways everybody in the band could hear me loud and clear, and they dug my sound!:) I thought I would have been drowned out, because band was that LOUD, :yikes!:but the music sounded great! and the Keilwerth projected really nicely, and intonation was superb, guitar and tenor sounded great together!:headbang:...oh, and I don't use a wedge in my Link. :lol:

If I would have taken the Yamaha I would have not been heard, same goes for the Mark VI:crybaby:...Keilwerth makes great horn's!:headbang:...also the pad's haven't got stuck since I've used waxpaper on the pad's/toneholes:rolleye:...I had a great night!:bounce:...that's my rant for tonight.:walk:
 
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