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Taiwanese produced bass - why not?

19K views 66 replies 32 participants last post by  milandro 
#1 ·
Hello everyone!

I've got an old Triebert bass-saxophone, but I am not satisfied with it's intonation, playing comfort and range. But this model was the only one who was affordable for me. I would like to buy a new bass saxophone, but the only new ones available are Keilwerth, Selmer and Eppelsheim, which are about 12.000 $. I've got an excellent Cannonball Soprano, which was about 1500$ cheaper than other professional sopranos and I like it very much. Considering this, I wonder: Why don't they produce bass-saxophones in Taiwan? It would be wonderful to own an affordable bass-sax with good intonation and handling like the Antigua and Cannonball Sopranos. Why are the currently available basses so expensive? I doubt that the material is 2 times as expensive as the bariton material. I think that they are so expensive, because there is no mass production, they are produced in Europe and/or they are made by only one worker. But I think there will be demand for bass saxophones in the price range between 5000 to 6500 $. Don't you think so? Is there a taiwanese company which is interested in producing bass saxophones?

Thank you, Benny
 
#27 ·
Now, however, There was that 3rd wave ska period that everyone LIKED horn lines, but that was very very short lived.
Im still riding the 4th wave, so to speak. pocketed into same areas you can find a nice ska scene, but it soesnt really bills these days, the intrest isnt huge. Although, more people than you realize like the swing revival style. Lots of great groups and playing being done here in that genre
 
#28 ·
I often bring up a band called "the debonaires" on this message board. ( http://www.myspace.com/thedebonaires ) an amazing co-op of guys who met in highschool under the idea they would be a traditional ska band, and then managed to infuse their own rockabilly tribute into what is essentially a soul, funk, and reggae-ska style JAZZ. They are quite simply the best little-known band featuring a horn line to come out of southern california in the last 10 years, that have been around for 11 years.

For those who love this kind of music, no one doesn't like the debonaires. A band from argentina, known as the skafres, has the same following from southern california latinos and chicanos.

I'm a member of a half-mambo, merengue, chachaska (known as "eskañol") band, and we are lucky with the devout following that we have.

MTV will probably never again jump into horn line bands. The sound requires way too much sophistication of one's ear and patience, and that his been diluted by synthesizers and effects pedals, and far too much post production. Not to say that I don't really enjoy listening to bands like Thirty Seconds to Mars, The Killers, or Bloc Party, but its just not going to go into that renaissance that you (and i know many others) seem to desire.

At this point, BETJ (BET Jams) has the best foundation in exposing little known jazz artists during their late night and early morning shows. I've seen more sax players like frank morgan who came about during the bird era and still continue to fascinate audiences on BETJ than I have ever seen on PBS stations.

VH1 COULD do it, but VH1 seems to only focus on catering to the "used-tos." The people who used to watch MTV and wear 80s shirts and follow fads, and then invite has-beens to talk about the trends of that era.

Lucky for me, KJAZ is broadcast at the University of Redlands, as well as in Long Beach, and most of Southern California can tune into it, and the late night KUCR ska/Reggae/Mento music. Here's hoping that one day KJAZ can have the funding to support a TELEVISION jazz station.

Honestly, I would love to play Rock n' Roll sax riffs, and see kids trying to imitate other famous players, but how many kids do you know who even watch movies like "the blues brothers" who aren't already ostracized from their peers for being old fashioned?

Here's to hoping.
 
#29 ·
basses at disney

Bar-Ron said:
Any one who has gone to Disney can catch strolling sax quartet's with bass saxes. They sound great.
I believe that both the Orlando and Anaheim sax quartets have bass saxes. In Orlando there is also a bass in the Grand Floridian hotel. When the band isn't playing it just sits there (sans neck and mouthpiece). When the band is playing they tend not to actually play the bass sax unless you ask.

btw, I just blogged about this.
 
#30 ·
Hello Guys,

I'm from Brazil and played some of those horns you're interested of.

I posted some photos at ContraBass or lowest forum... Please take a look.
(http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1811)

Now in Brazil we have 3 saxophone makers, Soprano Musical Instruments, Stainer (they also have contrabass) and Lopes Musical Instruments.

They all are in São Paulo - Brazil and I can get some pics/information from Sopranos's bass, they've began a long time ago copying a Buescher bass. Now it's improved and you can chose with low G, low A and if I think they have a model with low Bb bass.
I have just one picture from soprano bass, so there it goes...

Sorry my English...
 
#34 ·
Brazilian basses in a Taiwanese bass thread

leogigeck said:
Now in Brazil we have 3 saxophone makers, Soprano Musical Instruments, Stainer (they also have contrabass) and Lopes Musical Instruments.
So half the bass models in the world are made in São Paulo? (the others: Keilworth, Selmer, Eppelsheim.) (Oh, and I guess Orsi.)

Cool, but why? Are there a lot players performing on bass in Brazil? If so, maybe I should head there for vacation...
 
#35 · (Edited)
legato said:
leogigeck,

What about Weril? They claim to be a Brazilian instrument maker. Try www.weril.com.br

Brian
Hey Brian, you can call me Léo...

Weril makes just alto, baritone, soprano and tenor saxophones. They have a nice model now, Supremo. It sounds like a Yamaha 62.

All brazilian saxophone makers aren't a huge factory, they started with a repair shop and after start making saxophones... Except Weril.
 
#36 ·
bassclar said:
So half the bass models in the world are made in São Paulo? (the others: Keilworth, Selmer, Eppelsheim.) (Oh, and I guess Orsi.)

Cool, but why? Are there a lot players performing on bass in Brazil? If so, maybe I should head there for vacation...
I don't know if here in São Paulo we have half of the production, but...

I know that there are a lot of Protestant Church using contrabass and bass saxophone to replace tuba.
Jazz Gigs and big bands don't use these horns, yet. There are just a few bands using them...

If you wanna pass by São Paulo on vacation, let me know and I arrange a test drive is these beasts, lol...
 
#37 ·
Found a Pic

see this pic, I think you'll understand why there are so many bass makers in Brazil... I wasn't there but it's pretty impressive...

Also... on this pic there is a low G baritone... completely modified... my friend got this photo and sent to me, they were in São Paulo.
 
#38 ·
Assembling large numbers of any instrument seems to be a human trait. Hell, I've even been part of a six hundred saxophone mob on one occasion. 'Twas entertaining enough at the time, although some of us wondered after trekking back to our cases in the "assembly area" just how worth-while it was in the first place.

For some specialized applications (sax group at Disney, which is a first class show, by the way) or authentic period music from the 1900-1930 period, they have a place. Even for some jazz improv stuff, they have a place. But, for the rest of the world, they are nothing more than a gimmick, and a very expensive and hard to store and transport gimmick at that.

Still, I have always wished that I had bought the one I had on "rent to buy" some thirty years ago...
 
#39 ·
Not just human animals get together and blow their horns in group extravaganza's frequently.......Flocks of Geese come to mind.

Once an animal can make a sound he seems to desire to make it in larger quantity for no other reason but that more has got to be better!!!

Lions would even do it if their instinct to eat each other wasn't so over powering, sort of like jazz soloists that play at each other instead of with each other hogging every moment they can from the other musicians devouring the time slot or is that just the ones from Berkley.....
 
#40 ·
okami said:
OK, this is a reason. but they are producing those sopranino devils, too. and I don't think the demand for them is much higher than that for the basses.
i dunno about that. sure, probably more people would like to have a bass, but a heckuva lot more people can afford a nino. I'd love to have a bass, much more than a nino. but my next purchase will be a nino, since it's in the realm of possibility. even if taiwanese manufacturers could make the cost much lower than other basses, it would probably still be very expensive compared to a 600 dollar nino.
 
#43 ·
SOTSDO said:
Assembling large numbers of any instrument seems to be a human trait. Hell, I've even been part of a six hundred saxophone mob on one occasion. 'Twas entertaining enough at the time, although some of us wondered after trekking back to our cases in the "assembly area" just how worth-while it was in the first place.

For some specialized applications (sax group at Disney, which is a first class show, by the way) or authentic period music from the 1900-1930 period, they have a place. Even for some jazz improv stuff, they have a place. But, for the rest of the world, they are nothing more than a gimmick, and a very expensive and hard to store and transport gimmick at that.
Once I played alto sax among 3 hundred other saxophones. I know what you mean...

I think bass sax is becoming popular again, for Jazz combos and protestant churchs. Like a Phoenix, arising from ashes. :D

This is what's happening, well, this is what I feel...
 
#44 ·
Is this IW Bass Saxophone worth the money? It is obvious to me that such an instrument can't be as good as an intrument which sells for 13.000 $, but is the intonation and the keywork so good that you can easily work with it?
 
#45 ·
okami said:
Is this IW Bass Saxophone worth the money? It is obvious to me that such an instrument can't be as good as an intrument which sells for 13.000 $, but is the intonation and the keywork so good that you can easily work with it?
Is the one for $13,000 worth that much is the question.

The economic differences of Taiwan and China make the price difference partly the difference, whether the skill to make them well is a different issue and that is where they are getting closer every year.

I have heard good things about the IW Bass.
Its a copy of a Buescher and plays and feels like a Buescher. It has the same intonation querks as any big bore Bass, but any sax player with an ear and a talent for "Getting used to a Bass" can handle it.

The Selmer for about $14,000 sounds like a big baritone and isn't worth $$$ unless you like a prissy tight confined low note with little ability to fill a room and punches a note out rather thinly in comparison to every other Bass on the Market.

From what I have heard it is pretty well made and plays as well as a Vintage Bass. The IW is about $7500 at times when they do promotions and Mr Lee Mason has them as well and can supply a hard case too.

Personally I have a Vintage Conn, but would consider the IW if I were looking just for the fact that they copied an American legend.

It's nearly 1/2 the`price and in no way half the value.
It is worth a look for sure.
 
#46 ·
I think I can get a bass sax from China that would cost around $4,500 to $5,000 including shipping to the USA. The only thing is that I have not bought anything from this particular contact. If anyone's interested then PM me and I'll look into it in more depth for you.
 
#47 ·
Bar-Ron said:
Actlly I don't think its a rumor, as I have seen pix.
Some one on Bass sax coop was heading down to Brazil and was going to try and look up the company. The Brazilian Bass goes down to low A and maybe G I have heard.
Did this ever happen and what were the results?
 
#50 ·
Bar-Ron said:
Any one who has gone to Disney can catch strolling sax quartet's with bass saxes. They sound great.
I got the bug for a Bass after I heard how easily they add dimension to a sax ensemble and especially out side. The bari just can't fill the low notes like a tuba, but a Bass sax sure can.
I heard them when my marching Band went to Disney last year to play. Me and some other saxes saw them come out, and watched until they went back in. The two lower saxes fascinated me similarly, I checked out pics and clips of them for an entire weekend once.

I was surprised at how much dimension they add, but unfortunately not many high school band songs have parts for them. I may play it in Pep-band, just for fun. It can easily play the tenor part of all the songs up where it's written, and with the low A key I could take Smoke on the Water down two octaves.
 
#51 ·
I've played the IW bass sax. Um... nice that there's an affordable bass being made. The keywork on this one, however, included a right-hand reach that was so long as to be virtually unworkable for me. Given that my thumb-to-pinky span is almost 8 1/2 inches, you're gonna need some pretty big hands to play this horn much. The Keilwerth I tried at Roberto's a couple years ago didn't give me the same problem, nor does a friend's Conn.

I only had my Berg bari MP with me, so I probably couldn't give the best report on the sound of this horn. Perhaps someone else who's tried one would like to weigh in?
 
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