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Which Sax are Late Bloomers playing

76K views 279 replies 192 participants last post by  Keith Ridenhour 
#1 ·
I think it would be fun to see what horn, all of us "Late Bloomers" are playing. How much do you like your horn 1 to 10 ... 1 hate 10 love it
 
#160 ·
Age 68, started about 20 years ago, now playing out more than ever (3+ nights/week, making a little money, 3 different bands), "old school" blues/r&b, YBS-62, a perfect 10 with recent tune-up, fibracell 2, modern Brilhart Level air 9...switched over from Bb Martin stencil over a year ago, probably not going back.
 
#161 ·
I first started playing decades ago, and while I've kept up my chops over the years by jamming with friends now and again on an old King Cleveland 613, I never took it too seriously, nor ever really improved. Then a few months ago, a musician friend asked me to gig with his band at a local community centre. I rented a Mauriat Le Bravo for the event, as that was about the only half-decent alto available in town.

The Mauriat did the trick, and has its charms. But by happenstance I soon stumbled across a 1946 The Martin, and grabbed it. The Martin is styling, quite free blowing and soulful, and while intonation can be tricky in the upper registers, I find it much easier to play than the Mauriat. For the first time in my life, I'm taking my sound seriously, practicing every day--well, most days.

So I guess that makes me a late bloomer. Having loads of fun collecting vintage pieces and trying out different reeds.
 
#162 ·
I play a Yanagisawa 990u alto, Yanagisaawa 991 tenor, Crescent (Yanagisawa copy) curved soprano and an Allora Paris baritone. Like so many others, I haven't played a lot of other horns since returning to the sax a few years back, but I would say the Yanagisawas are very well made and easy to play. The Cresent soprano, which is sold by Palo Tung, is a good copy of a Yanagisawa (I played a friends Yanagisawa back to back with it) and seems well made for a Chinese copy. The Allora Paris, which is Woodwind and Brasswind's top of the line house brand is not as well made. It sounds fine and plays pretty well, but there are obvious quality issues such as loose screws and lack of support for long, soft rods.
 
#163 ·
Yamaha YTS-21 from the early 1970's; a former school rental.

It's in tune for all notes from low Bb to high F, basic and alternate fingerings. I give it a 9 because it's a little bit clacky around G# / C# and not as fluid in operation as a 62.
 
#164 ·
Like people have mentioned before, I don't have the experience to rate but my favourite is my Solo soprano sax that comes from Vietnam. It's inexpensive but plays so well throughout. My tech guy thinks that Ho Chi Minh City is becoming the Elkhart of this century.
 
#166 ·
Bueschers from True-Tone right thru to the 400 seem to attract late bloomers and re-starters. For years you didn't play them in serious jazz programs, or all but a few classical schools. Buescher's cachet still lags behind other classic US makes, but its appeal is broad and still broadening in pro circles.
 
#167 ·
Still playing the armstrong 3006a alto...had it adjusted not too long ago. It came with a selmer sp402 mouthpiece and I've been using #2 1/2 reeds with it. Recently got a hold of an early 60s beaugnier vito tenor and with a fobes mouthpiece and #2 reed it plays way easier than the alto does. I'm still waiting for #2 alto reeds to arrive on my doorstep and hope its eases up a bit...
 
#169 ·
I have a Conn Selmer alto Premier with a vandoren v16 mouthpiece, Buescher C Melody with an ebonite mouthpiece ( which I think was made by Leblanc?), a Bauhaus soprinino but but go to instrument is my most recent, a Martin handcraft tenor with an otto link mouthpiece. How do I rate them? As I know little about saxes it difficult to do that other than to say the Martin is the nicest to play and to my ear sounds the best. But then what do I know Ive only been playing about 3 months!
 
#171 ·
I should add that until I got that SML overhauled, I played a Yamaha YTS-62II with Otto Link STM. This was a very reliable and solid sounding setup. The mechanics of the YTS are superb, but you gotta shop around. Not all brand-new Yamaha's are setup well. I suppose it depends if they were finished on a Friday or not ;-)
 
#173 ·
I started a year ago on a Corton Super tenor, probably made by Amati. After a while i became to love the looks and the the sound of the JK Toneking. So a half a year ago i got the chance to buy a '61 Keilwerth Toneking with the special keyguards (Angelwings). I don't have anything to compare it with but for me it's a 10.
 
#175 ·
Started my "sax journey" at age 65. I play a Martin Indiana alto with a Meyer 5 and V16 #2 1/2 reed. My teacher says I have a 1940's sound. I don't know if that is good or bad. Oh, well, at least I know what dynamics are.
 
#176 ·
I play a 1936 Conn 6M tranny alto and a 1938 Buescher Aristocrat Series I tenor. I don't really know how they should be rated, but they are 10's to me. I am amazed at how good these old horns still sound. On a sound/$cost basis, these old horns have to be the best value around!
 
#179 ·
I am about a year into the sax, and I am playing a 1969 Conn 11M low A Bari. In its previous life it was a school horn, but it sounds lovely to me. The only other bari I have played for comparison was a Couf superba II. I liked the Conn 11M better, those big widely spaced key touches fit my large-ish hands real nice, I rate the Conn a 9.
 
#244 ·
UPDATE: I sold the Vito, and picked up a completely refurbished '61 10M. I had planned on selling the Cleveland, but it's paid for, so why sell it? It compliments the 10M nicely, as each horn has a totally different projection of sound.
 
#183 ·
Hm - including past as well as present:

Bass: old Buescher (1924) has an ENORMOUS sound, but holy f*** does it ever suck air!!!
I miss my old Keilwerth, which was more like a gigantic baritone with a supercharger. The Buescher isn't very nimble, and I want to get something more modern again.

Bari: SA80-II is my main horn - I keep two necks set up: a mild jazz mouthpiece on the stock neck, and a slightly aggressive classical mouthpiece on a silver neck. This one has a black/gold finish, which is kinda slutty but very eye catching. I love it. When I want loud, I've got an old Martin (Committee II maybe) which will levitate the dead. I've had a couple of VI's, but both these are better.

Tenor: I love my Borgani Jubilee. It's classy but hit-the-tornado-sirens LOUD! My very first sax was an American Artist (Conn stencil), which I gave a full rebuild out of respect - it's loud, but the Borgani is numinous, and louder.

C-melody: I've got an old Buescher TT which sounds good with original mpc. I need to get it tuned up, then maybe I'll take it out busking.

Alto: I've got a late Buffet (made by Keilwerth). My old New Aistocrat IV, which I liked, walked. Best of all was my old Mark VI - ripped off by Bob Ackerman.

Sop: I've got a Taiwanese "InternationalWoodwind", which sounds mpretty good, and a curved Borgani, which is better but a little wimpy. I miss my old VI, though it wadn't a very good VI. I'm shopping.

C-sop: I had an old American horn - don't remember which - which was very nice. It came with a Bb mpc though, and wouldn't play remotely close to in tune with yhat. I'd like to get a C-sop again, but now I know a Bb mpc is totally f***ed for this.

Nino: I've got a "Mason", which is pretty good for a Taiwan horn, and a Steve Goodson, which is uglier but better made. If I get a good C-sop again, I'll give up on nino. It's a bear.

Contrabass: I've got a EEb Conn sarrusophone, which is pretty good, but I liked my old Gautrot better. What I really want is an Eppelsheim'
 
#184 ·
Have played for year now - about half of a time actively.
First horn was Trevor James Classic "Horn" and cheap Expression 7* Mouthpiece, which was pretty nice.
Now I have Yamaha YTS-62 Purple logo and Otto Link STM 6*.
Even if first setup was ok for a beginner, I'll have to say that new gear feels like having suddenly 50hp more in your car.
 
#186 ·
I'm playing a Tenor Weltklang from 1958, with rolled tone holes. Nothing fancy, heavy, build like a tank.

The first sax doctor refused to work on it: Weltklang is east german and they did get a bad reputation due to quality problems. (1958 should be from before they had these quality issues)
The second was reluctant but decided to give it a try. And when I came back to pick it up he smiled and commented on the sound.
So I can dream of being the old fart with an cheap sax with a big sound. Still dreaming though.

Before I played on an old Pierre Guénot. Got it from my father in law, but my ex took it with her during the divorce.
So I have a weak spot for these old saxes.
 
#188 ·
Though I've played altos on and off for decades, I recently bought my first ever tenor, so I guess that sorta makes me a late bloomer. It's an Armstrong 3055T from the early '90s, with solid keywork, rolled tone holes, and a body apparently based on the Couf Superba I.

Taking up tenor wasn't as hard as I expected; in fact, I think it's easier to get a nice tone on tenor than on alto or soprano. I'd love to hear the experience others have had with their Armstrongs.
 
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