Simba Products

[Mike Ruhl]

Anyone have any experience with any of the Simba Products instruments?

www.simbaproducts.com

[Morry]

I would guess that any new alto sax you can purchase for $280 is very nice boat anchor.

[Mike Ruhl]

fyi, I have a $300 soprano that plays quite nicely, thank you.

Now, can anyone actually answer the question?

[MonchMan]

You have got to realize that there are those here who belive that if the name on the horn does not start with a "S" or "Y" and is not made in Japan or France or is not more that 40 years old, it is not worth playing.

[Mike Ruhl]

I know. I didn't mean to come off quite that strong. I should have said something like:

"You'd be surprised. I have a $300 Asian-made soprano that plays quite well."

Actually, I'm considering their clarinet and/or flute.

[Morry]

I also didn't mean to sound so dogmatic. It's just that, sometimes there is at least some link between quality and price. I, too, have an inexpensive Asian curved soprano that is a pretty nice horn. Honestly, not as in tune as a Yani curved I played, but pretty nice and playable for $695. However, if you look at your $300 soprano, and figure that a similar quality alto would be another maybe $80, then you'd have a $380 alto. The Simba was more than 25% less than that. It could be a great deal, or it could be completely unplayable, intonation wise. I'd certainly make sure they had a return policy.

[Mike Ruhl]

It could be a great deal, or it could be completely unplayable, intonation wise. I'd certainly make sure they had a return policy.
And that's why I posted the original question, to see if anyone had any actual experience with this company.

yes, I swithced user ids.

[Bloo Dog]

When this brand showed up on Ebay about a year and a half ago, I contacted several people who had bought one. (I tracked them down by contacting them through ebay). All of the purchasers had bought the Simba sax for a child and had no working knowledge of the instrument. As consumers, however, the parents' general consensus was that the instrument did not appear to have been well-made. Most often noted (by eight or so parents) were rough edges on keys and the kids having inordinate difficulty in the lower registers.

One person told me that she had to return the horn for some reason and that the dealer refunded her money.

That's all I know about this instrument. I myself was curious, so I did a little research. It is hardly a scientific poll, but it told me enough about the instrument to make me not want to purchase a Simba.

[Mike Ruhl]

Thank you! That's the kind of feedback I was looking for.

[Jamie]

I've only heard positive statements about Simba 100 series sax's. I know their website now offers a money back guarantee on all their products. Not shure what the other persons hastle would have been unless they abused the item in some way?

Thanks,

Jamie

[KEN K]

When it comes to horns you get what you pay for.The market is full of these horns all cheap , made by the same people ,and all with different names on them. Beware.

[KEN K]

I saw my first Simba clarinet today. It was in for repair. It was new but it did not play.It was so poorly made I refused to work on it. Just another bottom of the barrel clarinet.

[pknight]

This was mentioned somewhere else, but Sam's Club stores and their web site are selling the Simba line of instruments. You can get a soprano, and alto and a tenor for about $1150 total.

[KJ]

A student brought in a Simba flute to the beginner band class I was calling on today. The head joint did not fit the body of the flute (it was too big) hopefully the student can get a refund.

[Bloo Dog]

I finally got to see a Simba alto at Sam's. The demo which was on display was interesting. The palm keys were very well-cast, and stamped with a number. The rest of the keys seemed to be of a different manufacture grade.

The finish did not look very good around the posts. If you want a brand-new alto for $168.00, then go for it. I have not played the instrument, but my impression of the instrument is not a good one.

The flute was typical school-grade nickel silver. The clarinet appeared to be wood, and the boring of the holes had an unfinsihed appearance.

My advice for those looking for a bargain sax: look for a good used Jupiter 700 series on ebay. Tenors, altos and sopranos in excellent condition can be had for about $300.00 apiece. The Jupiter is a low-prestige horn, but the quality should satisfy the discriminating serious player. I own one of each and I feel that my tenor 787 plays as well as my old MkVI, if not better.

[HohnerBlower]

I have been reading these posts with interest...many valid points are raised on both sides. I wonder how many "Horn blowers" back in the days when Yamaha were first bashing bits of brass into sax shape called them cheap asian imports?and now look at them. NO....a Simba sax isnt a Selmer mkVI and I`m glad...I have a family and mortgage to support and couldnt afford one but I can shell out £300 for a Simba and stick a Yamaha 4c mpc and BG ligature on it to make a reasonable toot come out of it. These saxophones are produced in Asia by a relatively lowly paid workforce with a moderate profit margin. How much do Selmer and Keilworth etc. have to mark-up their products to make the same,or dare I say considerably more, profit?
Once unknown companies are established and gain a good rep. they start jumping on the price bandwagon and charging BIG for the same product that was a third of the price beforehand (Yamaha,originally, and now the upcoming Yanagasawa and jinyin brands as examples). Yamaha COULD make and sell a sax for the same price as the "Asian junk"....they don`t want to...its called making the biggest profit..or GREED!
I dont really care if the rod posts on the Simba arent immaculate....the instrument will probably never leave my front room anyway....I cant imagine I will ever play a solo piece at the Albert Hall! and its for people like me,and hundreds of others, that these instruments are made.
But what do I know?,I like Kenny G!

P.S. if the Albert Hall is interested...I`m available mid to late July!!!!!!!!!

[saxophrenic]

Hohner,

I was with you on your treatise of macro saxonomics, BUT
Kenny G! :Rant2: How pedestrian! :twisted:

Well, "chaque a son gout" (can't spell in French no more, no more).

Just kidding 8)

[HohnerBlower]

Saxophrenic,

I once read a post from a music teacher that stated " I know a 14 year old who can play better than Kenny G"........what on earth posseses people to come out with such preposterous claims.

Kenny G....playing for around 37 years....played in Barry Whites orchestra at 17.....highest selling instrumentalist ever.....once record holder for holding a note for over 45 minutes.....

VERSUS......

14 year old schoolboy.............hmmmmmm!

What has the poor bloke ever done to illicit such criticism?...So he recorded a cover over Louis Armstrongs "Wonderful World"....sounds good to me, He doesnt impose over the great mans lyrics and it adds a lilting melody to the piece. If the great Satchmo was alive I`m sure he would have willingly recorded a duet version with Mr. G as have many great artists already.........
but what do I know....I like Barry Manilow!

Petite Bob-Bon and Mange Tout my friend.....ces la vie. :lol:

[pknight]

A long time ago (not as long as I would like to admit), I rationalized like crazy to save money on a sax. The sax in question was much better quality than a Simba (which I have seen and played), but it was still an inexpensive Taiwanese model made on the cheap.

Then I got my hands on some better student horns, and then some pro horns. I stopped rationalizing, bit the bullet, and now have instruments that, while not requiring me to break the bank to obtain, do not force me to supress my regrets whenever I pick them up.

By any standard, Simba instruments are not good. It may be possible to say that they are "good for the money," but that is becasue nobody can make a good sax for that money, regardless of the cost of labor. A used student model from Selmer USA, or a used Vito, or a used student Jupiter would not cost much more, and would all be much better players, and would hold up better and longer.

As far as the off-chance that Simba may someday become the next Yamaha, all I can say is that as of now, they are far from it, and since we can't buy that hypothetical future horn, why speculate?

IMHO :)

[HohnerBlower]

I agree in part with your views.....BUT, when I bought a Simba tenor sax I knew diddly-squat about saxophones....never played one...never touched one. I had no way of "getting my hands on some used horns". I wasn`t about to spend big money on something I didn`t know if I was going to stick with and so I WAS "biting the bullet" to buy any sax!

Four months down the road....what do I think now?
Would I buy a Simba again.....no....not because its crap, but because of the slagging off they and other brands get on this forum and I`m as prone to "peer pressure" as the next bloke.
I have trawled the web sights viewing pictures of vintage Conns and Martins and Selmers etc and drooled along with everyone else...I have researched saxes for sale on ebay...who made them and when and picked out the possible duff ones amonst them....urk...AMATI!....yeuch...Earlham!

Who says they are duff...YOU and other forum submitters right here!...so pat yourselves on the back boys....you`ve turned another poor sap into a sax snob.... :lol:

[ptoprin]

Avoid this company and it's products!!

Very poor customer service! (based on a friend's experience!) he bought several instruments ,thought it's a good deal, instruments arrived in unplayable condition, poor packaging, out of tune,broken keys,you name it,sent it back because he didn't expected it worst like that...,,,and they never send refund or even replacement to hang on the walls!!!..he's still waiting,it's been 7 months already !...

A friendly advice!..don't waste your time & $$$ on this product !

Pls don't make your student or a family suffer from a poorly made instrument!!!

[NashvilleTenor]

I personally have known one of the owners of this company for 10+ years and his family. Copley is their surname and IIRC the Simba brand is a brand labeled chineese manufactured instrument. I have one of their tenors that was returned, and it is a cheap student level horn. I for some reson cannot get it to play for more than ten minutes, then it's like some leak occurs and I can barely blow a clear note, anywhere - it's like it has fallen apart. I had it in the shop and they replaced a few pads, but to no avail - yet. I don't like where the strap loop is - it's uncomfortable for standing. I think I would lead towards a good used horn or maybe something like the Kessler.

[Boatz]

Simba instruments are just fine for beginners and parents who don't want to spend a fortune on an instrument that may be just a child's passing fancy.

I went to a Tuesday Morning retail store several years ago and bought a trumpet, clarinet and flute made by Simba for $100.00 each. Look, you get what you pay for, so there are no complaints. These instruments cannot and do not hold up to my standards for playability, intonation or sound, but they are great to have around for kids to play with. I have several nephews and nieces who love to come to Uncle Boatz' house to play the instruments. If they serve the purpose to get these kids interested in playing music at any level, then they are worth every penny of the purchase price - and then some.

However, if you are truly interested in playing an instrument seriously or even professionally, you need to look elsewhere. By the way, I agree that it doesn't have to be a Yamaha or Selmer. I play Taiwanese horns (Jupiter and Monique) and Mason (which I believe he gets from Taiwan) and they suit me just great. After, it really is mostly about the mouthpiece and everything else behind that, right?