Sopraninos

[duckmaster1089]

What is a good brand to buy a cheap sopranino. Is it worth buying a sopranino?

[Dave Dolson]

duckmaster: Rampone, Yanagisawa, and Selmer make really nice sopraninos. Vintage 'ninos are also around (mostly Bueschers). Also, there may be a cheaper Taiwanese 'nino or two available lately, but I don't know about them.

I owned a Rampone - a gorgeous little horn (24kt gold-plate, fully engraved, with a hi-F# key [useless feature, I thought]) and recently sold it. I rarely played the thing. It was a great player, though - better than the one Selmer I tried a few years ago.

However, if you play in a group that uses 'nino parts, you may need one. Unless you have a need or are a serious collector, my advice would be to pass on it. DAVE

[danielkcsax]

There is very little music to play on sopranino that I have seen, unless you play in a saxophone chior or other ensemble that requires one. I play sopranino in the saxophone chior at my school, its a Selmer, and it is really hard to play it in tune. Fun to play, but for as much money as you could end up spending, unless you have the funds, save the money and get a horn you might play more often.

[mostly alto guy]

Nino is a novelty, mostly, but it's huge fun to play and always gets noticed. Very difficult to play in tune, so unaccompanied solo work is where if greatest potential lies.

[Joe Jazz]

MAG-

Glad to hear you're having fun with the Yani...I only miss it occasionally! The dogs never miss it, of course! :D

[mostly alto guy]

Yes, it's fun, but I don't get to play it enough. Still, it has an honored place in my collection of rarely played but much-appreciated saxes.

[singlereed]

See the thread 'low cost sopraninos', I have one of these Earlham ones from saxophones.co.uk. A couple of much better players than me pronounced it as good as the Yanagisawa one. Mine is still trouble free.