R&C R1 Jazz curved soprano sax review

[xuanvu]

Hi all,
After about 1 1/2 month of waiting for my customized R1 Jazz curved soprano to arrive, I got it yesterday but didn't have any chance to play it until today. Here is my initial review after about 4 hours of playing with it:

It's a killer soprano! I've never played any saxes (sop/alto/tenor) that can speaks easily as this R1 Jazz! And I've played quite a few of them since I live about 10 mins from 2 sax stores and about 45 mins. from SaxAlley. The sound is beautiful, absolutely sweet and colorful in my opinion. The low notes (C, B, Bb) are so easy to get out that I can't believe it! Those are the first notes that I play, and they just pops out, much easier than my Ref. 54 alto that I thought was very good.

The actions are very smooth, reponses fast and accurately. I can "tell" that the horn was made from realy people, from the marks on the horn, the "not perfect" spots, but I love them :) To me, those are the characteristics that seperate my sax from the rest. I chose the R1 Jazz, but customized the finish: Sandblasted body/bell, vintage gold on the key and the inside, as well as my name is engraved onto the bell. To me, the horn look absolute stunning! I love it :) With my main mpc, a SR Technology Pro., I have that "smooth jazz" sound; and with the Phil Barone piece, I have a very "jazzy" sound, both with either a Rico Royal or Brancher Jazz.
I have to add that I just discover a perfect reed for all my mpc. With all my mpcs, I play Rico Royal, and while reading the accessories at SaxForte, I was interested in the Brancher reeds, so I ordered them to ship along with my sax... They are really great reeds, especially if you're playing a Rico right now, give the Brancher a try, they reponses better and the quality is superb.

Here are some pix that I took before the practice today... I will write more when I have the time to "break down" the horn.

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz01.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz02.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz03.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz04.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz05.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz06.jpg

http://www.gamnhac.com/saxman/R1Jazz/R1Jazz07.jpg

[okami]

Congratulations! Wow, what a wonderful horn! I wonder if the real gold finish is very thin or less resistant to dents etc. than the gold lacquer.

[imamfaja]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

that is the best looking soprano i've ever seen! even the case!
how much did you pay for it?!

congrats on your purchase
im aiming for one myself too

:o

[xuanvu]

You can contact www.saxforte.com for the actual price, I think he was forbidded to post the price online, so I don't want to post it here, but I paid more than $3K for this :) It's about the same price that I paid for my Ref. 54 alto. Yes it is beautiful, I've never seen anything like this before, too... The more I play with it, the better it gets.

Kenny.

[Michael Ward]

That's a beautiful horn Kenny congratulations. Mike

[tonyg]

It would be nice to hear a little sound clip of your horn. Very interesting finish. Congrats.

Tony

[xuanvu]

I'm getting my equipments now for some recording... I have a laptop with a soundcard that doesn't have any microphone in (only the 1/8 port that I don't think will make the sound sounds good)... I'm looking for a device now that let me do some recording stuffs, without spending too much money, I'm broke now after the Ref. 54 alto purchase and this new horn...

I play for about another 4 hours today, and yet, it gets better the more I play it. I now got used to the keyworks, and I can control the instrument better now.

However, I feel that the mpcs that I'm having now are not made to be with this sax, I know the sax [or me] can do better!!! I don't have the feeling that I used to have when I found the perfect mpc for my Ref. 54 alto.

Kenny.

[rapabq]

Kenny,

You've got yourself a beautiful little horn. Certainly, the prettiest I've ever seen. If it plays as nice as it looks, you've got a treasure. Now, I'll be saving my pennies to buy one. Anxious to hear which mouthpiece you ultimately decide on.

Congrats and God Bless

rap

[Joe Jazz]

Kenny-

Did yours come with the standard Selmer S-80 C*? When I had an R&C it played pretty well with S-80's.........I tried a few others but kept coming back to one of them....beautiful work of art you have there by the way... :) Now that I think about it, the S-80's(various tip openings)have played well on every curved sop I've owned....

[xuanvu]

rapabq,
It play really, really well... I'm using an SR Technology Pro (metal) currently, but I will give the Lamberson a try, since I have great successful with the Lamberson for my alto.

Joe,
The sax come with a mpc that marked Rampone & Cazzani Deluxe, so they probably changed the stock mpc. I haven't tried any S-80 but will look for it and try...

Kenny.