Nickel-Silver Tenor

[bradshawm]

I am looking at purchasing a used P Mauriat solid Nickel Silver Tenor. Are these just solid nickel with a silver color or is there actually silver in the mix?

If I decide to go for it I will be able to check it out this weekend, but I have to drive quite a ways to get there so I was wanting some opinions on it before I made the decision to make the trip.

Can anyone tell me how they play/sound compared to the more common lacquered with antique finish?

Thanks!

[Randall]

brad this has been addressed many times before....
Nickle silver is not silver in any way except color.
It is nickle with zinc and a couple of other metals mixed in, but not silver.

It is often referred to as "German silver" and Keilwerth is calling theirs "new silver" (or neu silber in German).

As for the sound, I can imagine they will be brighter than the brass PMs.
A lot of this of course, depends on your set up, etc....

[Daktion]

i agree with randall that the sound should be brighter.... but I dont think the difference will be "too" large

btw randall... was that you that recently won the TH&C on ebay?

[Mark R]

I tried the PM Nickel Silver model first before trying the PMXT-66R model. The one I tried wasn't really what I would term as brighter. To me it had a less open more restrictive air column and no vibration. I personally found it to be rather dull, lifeless and sterile. I had special ordered it from Dave at Junkdude. When I contacted Dave to let him know I wanted to return the horn he concurred that this particular Nickel Silver model did not play the same for him and was a more restrictive feeling horn than the Custom Class series.

Dave encouraged me to try the Custom Class model (66 and 66R) before throwing in the towel on P. Mauriat. I almost didn't.....just about decided I would prefer to trade on one of his nice vintage horns instead. So, end of story for me is that once I tried the PMXT-66R I was totally blown away and very,very impressed by it's performance. It is an entirely differnt playing horn to me.

[BigDaddyJ]

The Nickel Silver tenor I tried at Sax Alley was just as free-blowing as any P. Mauriat that I've tried, but it was WAY bright. In fact, it was as bright and tinny as the brightest Yamaha I've ever tried. To say the least the sound did nothing for me. As with Mark R., the 66R I eventually bought blew me away. To this day, my 66R is still the BEST tenor I've played.

later

Joel

[Randall]

dakt,
no , that wasn't me, but I was looking hard!:D
I am trying to sell off some big ticket horns now to satisfy GASsy cravings.

Anybody interested in a brand spankin new CB Raven bari? Think JK low end and 12M midrange....

[saxboy]

Just to balance the crowd -

I loved the Nickel Silver sound. I did not think it was too bright, but very big, full and loud. I don't know if they all sound like this one did, but it was a very usable Saxophone with a nice sound.

I thought it was more responsive than the standard Brass with better dynamics. If I bought a Tenor from Roger, it would be his Nickel Silver, probably without the high F# key.

Guess your gonna need to play it for yourself.

SAXBOY
www.saxreviews.com

[Mark R]

Saxboy, I was surprised when I had received the Nickel-Silver model. The one I received had a high F# key. When I contacted Roger despite that the description in the online catalog shows it to be offered without the high F# he informed me that P. Mauriat is not offering a production model of the Nickel Silver without the high F#. I don't know if it would have made much of an impact on the way it performed. Just like with any particular brand of horns some individual instruments being the same model are more exceptional and have a better sonic resonance than others.. Just like back in the day I've played some MKVI's that were killer and others that were dogs.

Now maybe his particular prototype you played was great. In fact one reason I ordered the NickelSilver model first was due to your review of it. It just didn't float my personal boat. It was a gorgeous horn to look at though and had some nice engraving but I don't know if it was the material....the way this particular horn was set up but it didn't seem to resemble the nice lush fat sound that is characteristic of the P.Mauriat Custom Class line of saxophones.

[BigZ]

I'm with you Saxboy. Different strokes.

[bradshawm]

Well, now you all have me intrigued. Quite the diversity of opinions. I can't say I am surprised. I am doing my best to work out the trip up there on Saturday to play it. It will take me a full day just to drive up and back and my wife is not too happy about that. I have tested a few saxes, and so far none has grabbed me like the 66R did. However, it is both out of my price range and out of stock in most places.

Thank you all for your of your input. Marshall

[jazaddict]

I did a little comparing a few months back. The links are long since down, but the text might be of value.

You can read it HERE (http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28405&highlight=Mauriat)

FWIW, I kinda liked the NS. Go figure.

[bradshawm]

jazaddict,

Good post. I just read that a couple hours ago and was dissapointed that the links were no good. Is there anyway you could e-mail me the mp3's, or at least the one on the nickel-silver sax? I would be very grateful.

bradshawm1 at verizon dot net

Thanks!

[jazaddict]

I'll look around & see if I still have 'em. I dumped them off the website just last month, but they might still be on my home PC.

Your best bet is to bring a horn you like along to A/B. And if possible a recording device. My ears suck w/ the horn in my mouth (which would explain why hats rarely fall off my head while I'm playing :geek: ...I digress); I need the external reference to access best.

Roland sounds like a stand-up guy; we've been chatting about that horn you're gonna look at. I'm hoping you buy it so I won't have the option! I SO don't need to spend the bread right now, but it looks like a good deal by all indications. 8-)

[bradshawm]

jazaddict,

If you could find them that would be great. I am an alto and soprano player, and don't own a tenor or know anyone personally that plays, so taking one along is not an option. It does sound like a good deal on a good horn. It is just a long trip to make if after playing I decide the sound is not what I want. I have some high quality recording equipment, but nothing portable, not even a cheap cassette recorder. Thanks for your help.

[mountainman]

I have spent a year playing the Nickel-Silver JK shadow. It has been a wonderful experience and a challange. I am posting this here to offer general help in taming a Nickel-Silver horn.

In making "Ni- Ag" ( a misnomer) some of the copper in traditional brass is replaced by nickel still leaving about 60% copper and the balance more or less devided between nickel and zinc plus trace elements.

The material is harder, lighter and resonates better. The Shadow blows effortlessly, retains the same JK dark low end and tends to be very bright up top.

My rubber Link was too dark and muddy and ANY baffle at all makes the upper end too bright for my taste. ( A Ben Webster Sound). Too small a bore i.e. a link RG and others starves the low D-E-F .Either a metal Link STM or STM NY works great for me and gives the upper end a sweetness unlike any other horn I have ever played.

[bradshawm]

Jazaddict sent me the mp3's comparing a Selmer Ref, 66R, 66 and an NS. Wow can he play. I can only dream of ever playing that well. While I loved the Ref, and for the price one should, I also loved the sound of the Nickel Silver over the 66's. What a beautiful tone. I am definitely heading to PA tomorrow.

I want to thank all of your for you input. Variety is what keeps life fun and exciting, and the reality is that every single one of the horns sound great and personal prefrence is an individual thing. God bless you all.

[jazaddict]

bradshawm,
So ya got it. Good for you. I was RIGHT behind ya; play it in good health.

[bradshawm]

What a beautiful sounding horn. It played effortlessly from top to bottom, intonation was perfect, and I love the tone. I stopped and got a good deal on an Otto Link 6* on the way home, and it complements the horn well, and will work good for me while I am learning. After spending this much time and energy on a sax search, I am not ready to go on a mouthpiece one. Both my wife and daughter say that this is the best sounding sax of anything I tried out, which makes me feel good about it too.

Thanks again to you all!

[Joe Jazz]

Forgive me if I'm slow, but you got the NS model?:?

[saxboy]

MarkR - Sorry it didn't work out for you. It is such a personal thing adding an extension to our bodies to create music. What ened up happening with it all?

mountianman - I too love the NS JK. The response of this material is so quick and the tone is so complex.

SAXBOY
www.SaxReviews.com

[bradshawm]

Joe Jazz - Yes, I got the PMST60 NS. The more I play it, the more I love it. It is very pretty, but looks were really not the issue for me. To my ears, it just sings, I don't know how else to describe it. The first time I played it, something in me just said, "This is it!" It does feel like an extension of me more than anything else I tried. I have found that with some mouthpieces it can be rather bright (Meyer 6M, JJ HR 7), but not so (to my ears) with the Link 6* I'm using. From a playability stand point, it plays perfect from top to bottom. This one was set up very well when I tried it, and I know that several of the ones I tried, came straight out of the truck to the shelf, and I could tell they were not set up very well, so that may have affected playability and influenced my choice, but I am very happy with what I got.