The saxophone

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when getting a sax (or any instrument for that matter), i recommend going to an approved store, and ask for a rent-buy system.
these systems will let you rent an instrument for some time (usually limited to 5 years), with the option of buying the instrument at any point during the rent, the purchace price lowering the longer you have rented it already.

aside from this, you will be able to try out several for a few weeks each, then trading it in for another one, to make sure you end up paying for an instrument that 'fits' you.
this is, you should know, becouse instruments are like shoes, even the same brand and type, from the same series, will differ from the one that is made a minute before or after it, and the one that "everybody uses becouse it's great" might be bad for you

This is how a transatlantic would sing if it could

Bass saxophone is pretty cool too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_gEAKAqebw[/youtube]

^^^
gee, i think both those bass saxes would fit inside of the subcontrabass sax.

They are the lovable sons of subcontrabass sax

That LA Law sax solo sounds so awesome.

Springsteen's "Jungleland" (with Clarence Clemons) of course; ditto "Baker Street".
I like Quarterflash, where the singer is also the instrumentalist.
Older music, Ace Cannon does some nice covers. The records used to be not hard to find; i don't know if any of it has made it to CD yet.
Somewhere i have an all-saxophone gospel record, no voices, but i forget the group's name. (Wait--it's the SILVERTONES.)
"Pink Panther Theme." Mingus on "Fables of Faubus."
King Curtis did a splendid cover of "Whiter Shade of Pale"...

In more ferocious genres, there's Borbetomagus.

Last edited by graywyvern on 15 Oct 2012, 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

just remember that a pro sounds better on a cheap horn, than an amateur on a pro [$$$$$] horn.

Does anybody have an earthly reason for loving the saxophone? My primary one is the sultry sound it m aeks.

What about saxophone brands? I'd go for Yamaha, if anything.

I agree with izzeme. A rent-to-buy is the best option all the way around. I used to play the sax (alto, tenor, and baritone) and work for a musical instrument repair shop. A good quality saxophone will have a good weight to it and it should sound full without being too tinny. In general student saxophones are cheaper, easier to play, but sound cheaper too. I'd recommend an intermediate or professional saxophone if you're serious about getting back into it. I believe Yanagisawa, Selmer, SML, Vito, Cannonball, Jupiter, and Yamaha are all popular brands if you're not familiar with the market.

If you're planning on buying used ask to play it first right in the store. If he refuses walk away and go somewhere else. You should know what you're getting before you buy and it's often hard to tell without playing it (hence why I recommend rent-to-buy). I've been burned once when buying a flute.

As a side note...when having the keys re-padded, if it sounds "airy" and the repair man tells you that "it will fix itself as you play and it will become better seated" then he doesn't know what he's doing. It should sound correct right away. The repair man I worked for fixed many botched repairs for this kind of thing. It's a common problem.

I'd try a mid-range model myself, are those any good?

I'm no expert but at least among the Pro horns from what I gather the big brands these days are mainly Yamaha, Yanisagawa, of course Selmer and to a lesser extent Keilwerth.

I have the Vito and it seems acceptable for me. About 15 years ago it cost $1000 but now my niece has it and it has held up well. I am getting it back.

By the way this is a great resource:

http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Reviews.htm

This guy is apparently an instrument repairman in the UK and so he gets all sorts of horns brought into his shop for repair, and thus gets a chance to play them. He's written reviews of many including some rare and exotic ones.

I liked the plastic sax made in the 1950s......... if only there was one on the market today. It'd be nice.