From Kush - My Sax's Photos

[stitch]

I hate to discourage you Kush, especially as you're so enthusiastic, but I have to tell you that what you have is not a real saxophone - it's what we often call an SSO or saxophone-shaped-object (and that's when we're being polite!). These are very poorly made copies of Adolphe Sax's original instrument, hence the old-fashioned design and fewer keys. The pads are very soft and faced with thick red plastic 'leather' and I'd be surprised if they sealed at all well, so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!

By all means continue practising to get the feel of the instrument, but don't expect to achieve anything until you get your real sax.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and good luck to you.

[nagukush]

I hate to discourage you Kush, especially as you're so enthusiastic, but I have to tell you that what you have is not a real saxophone - it's what we often call an SSO or saxophone-shaped-object (and that's when we're being polite!). These are very poorly made copies of Adolphe Sax's original instrument, hence the old-fashioned design and fewer keys. The pads are very soft and faced with thick red plastic 'leather' and I'd be surprised if they sealed at all well, so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!

By all means continue practising to get the feel of the instrument, but don't expect to achieve anything until you get your real sax.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and good luck to you.

Hi there !

I hope all is well !

No problems Sir, Thanks for caring and for the honest advice... Actually the statement "so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!" has only encouraged me more and has motivated me to continue further - Thanks again for the honest somments and for caring

I guess only true friends care enough and give honest advice regarding the true state of situation - I really appreciate that I'm truly thankful to you...

I guess I'll do that and continue and practice whatever is possible for now... Atleast I have something to work with, where it could have been worse (that is If I did'nt have even this instrument - considering that this was the only one piece available here...) Like one of the Quotes in my signature says " I cried that I had no shoes, untill I saw a man who had no feet...", I'm sure there may be people with greater talents and abilities, who really want to play and enjoy music, but may not be able to do so because of financial or physical body situations...

Anyways, as they say something is always better than nothing... Sorry if I sound over confident or artificial here...

Thanks a lot for guiding me Friend - thanks for truly caring
Have a Beautiful day !
Kush

[stitch]

Anyways, as they say something is always better than nothing...

That's a very positive attitude and I commend you for it - it should take you a long way, I hope.

[RootyTootoot]

No problems Sir, Thanks for caring and for the honest advice... Actually the statement "so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!" has only encouraged me more and has motivated me to continue further - Thanks again for the honest somments and for caring

I guess only true friends care enough and give honest advice regarding the true state of situation - I really appreciate that I'm truly thankful to you...

Kush: What you said there should be required reading for everyone on this forum. Thank you.

[nagukush]

Thanks for the Kind words, Friends Thanks for your love and blessings...

[CiaranAudio]

Kush: What you said there should be required reading for everyone on this forum. Thank you.

No freakin' kidding! I printed that out and put it on my wall!


Also, Kush, I just dropped a package for you in the mail, should be arriving in 12-14 days (postage to India is nuts if you want anything above standard).

[milandro]

Nagukush,
as Stitch told you your horn is , unfortunately, generally not considered to be a playable instrument but just a decoration one , they are generally branded Bessons and they are so famous they are even on wikipedia


Counterfeit 'Bessons' instruments
A flood of very poor quality Indian-made instruments bearing the name Bessons entered the market in the late 1990s. They are completely unrelated to the Besson instruments manufactured by the company with that name. Many sales are made on online auctions. With cursory examination, any serious brass player would be able to recognise that these instruments are wholly inferior to real Besson instruments, and also of much poorer quality than even the cheapest of student instruments produced by large reputable manufacturers.
The fake instruments, particularly pocket trumpets, cornets, euphoniums, bugles and Bb trumpets, are likely to feature a 'serial number' of H.75983 (or 84059) embossed on the top of the bell and valve keys are often hexagonal in plan view. Similar counterfeit instruments, potentially made at the same factories, have been falsely branded with other reputable manufacturers' names, such as Getzen and Boosey. These instruments are best described as novelty items since they are shoddily built from very thin metal, joints are soft-soldered rather than brazed, and they are often unplayable (due to faults in the manufacturing) and untunable (the tuning slides are simply ornamentation - they do not work).



please don't loose enthusiasm but loose this saxophone, I really hope that you can find something at least playable to get you through the first learning stages........maybe some of us can help......

[saxislife]

Ah man... such a nice guy with that kind of horn? We should get together and donate a sax to this guy!

[CiaranAudio]

Ah man... such a nice guy with that kind of horn? We should get together and donate a sax to this guy!

Even a 300 dollar Wensen would be better than what he has.

A Jupiter would be like a god-send, and man do I feel dirty saying that!

[milandro]

maybe the SOTW community can help....... wheels are turning and PM's are being sent

[JL]

Even a 300 dollar Wensen would be better than what he has.

A Jupiter would be like a god-send, and man do I feel dirty saying that!

A far better choice in the 300-500 dollar range would be a Buescher True Tone, a real pro horn with incredible tone.

[nagukush]

No freakin' kidding! I printed that out and put it on my wall!


Also, Kush, I just dropped a package for you in the mail, should be arriving in 12-14 days (postage to India is nuts if you want anything above standard).

Hi Brother !

Thanks for the kindness - I'll let you know as soon as I receive the package and I promise that I will make full use of the material that you've kindly sent me - I just hope that you've included a small hand written note wishing me luck and giving me your blessings, because that will be a real treasure and the most precious thing to me

Thanks again !

[nagukush]

...and untunable (the tuning slides are simply ornamentation - they do not work).

Friends, just wanted to know on what are the Tuning Slides and where are they located on the Saxophone. Kindly advice.

Thanks again, for all the kindness and for caring so much... I really dont know what to say or how to react - but I'm sincerely saving money and I guess I'll be able to save enough in a few coming months...

Anyways, thanks again for caring... Your blessings, love and the kind words you've said about me are more than the most precious of donations or gifts - honestly no butterings intended...

Also, if I may say this here - I was just thinking yesterday that if we all can join and decide to donate just 1 USD each, to some reputed and honest Charity Organization (in any country for that matter - we all are brothers IMHO) may be it can make a considerable difference in somebodys life (may be somebody who needs it more desperately and might have dreams just like us... may be it will help somebody fight a dangerous disease or health condition thats threatening his life... may be it can just help somebody live a little longer and see this beautiful world for some more time... may be it can bring a little smile on some childs face who has had no reason to smile all his life...)

May be SOTW can start a little donation center for this and we all can contribute whatever little possible and after the Moderators and seniors feel that we've managed to save enough, they can select a Reputable Charity Organization and donate the money to them - just as a small gift from the Wonderful SOTW Family !

I personally do not know any such good organization, but I'm sure that there must be a good organization somewhere... There are sure many people around the World who are struggling for even the most basic necesseties to survive... may be we can manage to help atleast one such person in the world, to make whatever little difference in the World thats in our power...

As God says in the movie 'Evan Almighty' -

How do we change the World ? Just one Act of Random Kindness

Anyways sorry if I've said something wrong or something that I should'nt have said... It just occured to me and I guess I have the right to talk it over to my Family... Kindly excuse me and forgive me if I've said something offending or something like that... I really didnt intend any wrong and I'm also not a very great or experienced (that is in life) person to talk about all this...

Just thought that I'd say and leave it to the Moderators and seniors to decide... Even if it is not possible now, maybe SOTW can think about it and implement it in the coming years, whenever the opportunity to do such a thing shows...

Thanks again friends... and sorry for typing so much..lol (I guess the seniors here are gonna be real mad at me for not practicing the Sax and for spending so much time at the forums... I guess I should be going and practicing those Long Tones ! Got to improve my Embouchure and Breathing

Have a Wonderful day !
Kush

[milandro]

tuning slides refers to trumpets........

[playitfunky]

tune the sax by pushing the mouthpiece in and out on the neck.

[nagukush]

tuning slides refers to trumpets........

Oh ok then... I was searching for it on my Sax...lol..

[Jolle]

........maybe some of us can help......

As far as I know, that is being taken care of (check Gary's posts).

Kush, all the best to you and your family

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

I hate to discourage you Kush, especially as you're so enthusiastic, but I have to tell you that what you have is not a real saxophone - it's what we often call an SSO or saxophone-shaped-object (and that's when we're being polite!). These are very poorly made copies of Adolphe Sax's original instrument, hence the old-fashioned design and fewer keys. The pads are very soft and faced with thick red plastic 'leather' and I'd be surprised if they sealed at all well, so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!

By all means continue practising to get the feel of the instrument, but don't expect to achieve anything until you get your real sax.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and good luck to you.

Hi there !

I hope all is well !

No problems Sir, Thanks for caring and for the honest advice... Actually the statement "so if you manage to play any notes at all you're doing a good job!" has only encouraged me more and has motivated me to continue further - Thanks again for the honest somments and for caring

I guess only true friends care enough and give honest advice regarding the true state of situation - I really appreciate that I'm truly thankful to you...

I guess I'll do that and continue and practice whatever is possible for now... Atleast I have something to work with, where it could have been worse (that is If I did'nt have even this instrument - considering that this was the only one piece available here...) Like one of the Quotes in my signature says " I cried that I had no shoes, untill I saw a man who had no feet...", I'm sure there may be people with greater talents and abilities, who really want to play and enjoy music, but may not be able to do so because of financial or physical body situations...

Anyways, as they say something is always better than nothing... Sorry if I sound over confident or artificial here...

Thanks a lot for guiding me Friend - thanks for truly caring
Have a Beautiful day !
Kush

Will it matter if this discourages your wife? She was holding the "SSO" backwards.

[nagukush]

...lol...

Thanks for the smile, Friend
Have a Wonderful day !
Kush

[quackattack]

Kush is never going to learn anything with a gimmick saxophone. I hope Kush can afford to purchase a real saxophone soon so that he can really start learning to play, and put the mouthpieces and materials we are sending him to real use.