Best Czech saxs

[efka]

Hello.

I've heard, czech saxs are ones of the best (having in mind the quality and the price) in Europe. I'm planning buying one of them, but I don't know any good czech manufacturer. Can you help me, please? Is here anybody who knows anything about good czech sax?

Thank you!

[HC]

The only Czech manufacture that I could think of is Amati, available from Woodwind Brasswind. I don't know much about their quality nor heard much about them. I did take a good look at their Bari and looked somewhat decent, but bought a Bueschur TT instead.

[Pete]

We don't currently have an Amati area, otherwise I'd forward you to it.

Modern Amati instruments are patterned after and named similar to the Yamaha saxophones. Note that "patterned after" doesn't mean "as good as" :).

I've played an ATS-61 and was impressed enough to buy it, a "factory second", still in plastic, for $200 US (the "flight"-type case was easily worth that). It wasn't that bad of a student-level horn, but you'd look at some of the manufacturing and say, "Why?" For example, there were flanges on some of the keys that were corked so they wouldn't click, but if there WASN'T a flange there in the first place, it wouldn't click to begin with. Some of the keyrods looked repositioned just so Amati wouldn't be sued for violating a keywork patent from someone else and that made some of the keys feel very awkward to press, such as the G#.

Anyhow, this was a few years ago. They may have improved since then.

Their website is www.amati.cz.

I also know of no current "big name" Czech sax manufacturers. Most of the big name manufacturers, like Kohlert and Keilwerth, moved from Czechosolvakia after WWII -- however, the Amati plant isn't that far from the Keilwerth plant (in Germany), so you might decide on a day trip!

[Leo]

Hi,

AFAIK there's no other sax manufacturer here in the Czech Republic besides Amati. Most of the saxophones I ever played for an extended period of time were Amati models from the communist era (1945-1989) - beware of these; some of them sound quite good and are solidly built, but their ergonomics stayed stuck somewhere in the 1940's, so it would be a pain for you later when switching to a modern horn (personal experience). The current production consists of several model lines, of which I recently tried the ATS 62 tenor and yes, there are significant improvements both in sound and mechanics, but it's still no more than an intermediate horn, in which category I would still prefer a used Yamaha or a new Trevor James (these I had the chance to try in the past few years, but there are dozens of other options). I think the best way to choose is to try as many possibilities as you can, regardless of the manufacturers and their reputation, and let your fingers and ears decide. Good luck :wink:

[reisax]

this sax is nade in czechoslovakia but i can not any info on this manufacturer. can any one help???? :cry:

[reisax]

pruefer sax made in czech :oops: any info on this????

[Leo]

Never heard of Pruefer saxes, and the name doesn't really sound Czech. Where did you get the information?

[hellas]

Could I conclude that if you're interested in Amati, better buy a good condition vintage one and it would much better than current models?

[Giganova]

Yes, Amati are THE best Czech horns because they are the ONLY Czech horns :D

I've been to Prague recently only to find our that Amati horns are rather expensive there (maybe due to the strong Euro) compared to the prices in the US.

[Nando]

Although I now own and play a Yani T9937 Tenor, My first horn over 30 years ago was a Amati Classic Super Tenor. I still own it and it is in great shape. The metal used particularly on the bell compare to other tenors might be a little thin, but the sound, at least mine has always been great. I play it with an Otto Link mouthpiece.

[kuniz]

pruefer is a german ex-brand. It finished in70's when the factory burned down.. Recently I found in a shop a brand named "Antonin Janda, Hodonin". Seems to be a decent Czech brand from 40's or 50's..

[Swingtone]

Vintage Keilwerth's made prior to the death of Julius Keilwerth. He was Czech, not German, as many mistakenly believe.

[Chris Peryagh]

The Keilwerth ST90 saxes from the '90s were also made by Amati, though some Keilwerth characteristics were incorporated in their design.

[Farina_man]

Regarding Leo's comment about avoiding pre-1989 Amatis, and their "ergonomics", what IS the the problem? The only problem with ergonomics on a sax you have not played before is lack of familiarity! Give it a blow. A couple of hours practice will dispel the percieved problem and your selmayamahagasawizakeilwerth will feel strange under the fingers when you go back to it.
I have a "brand new old stock" Amati Classic Super which I got from the USA, and, believe me, it can knock spots off any of the far-eastern models in the same price range or higher, as far as intonation, action, tone, and, yes, ergonomics! And the beauty of it is you can pick these great saxes up for sweeties!
To quote the Americans: get real! we can't all afford a reference 54 as our first instrument, and a good player plays as well on a cheap, battered, sad-looking old horn as on the latest expensive high-tech pastel-coloured piece of art.