P. Mauriat Baris

[Scott Ramminger]

Someone posted a question about the P.Mauriat baris a while ago, but there was no response.

The dealer around here doesn't have one. I'm curious -- particuarly about the low Bb model. Has anyone played a P. Mauriat bari? If so, what horn would you compare it to.

Also, what do these things go for. I have seen the "Minimum Advertised Price" posted, but I mean, what do they really go for?

Scott

[GAS_Wyo]

I haven't played one, but I'm going to Sax Alley to try one out within the month. I think it would be really cool to have a bari that matches my antique tenor and alto.

Have you been to Sax Alley's website? Their minimum advertised price is $5017.50. Tim is pretty tough on coming off this price, but he gives the best setup of any sax tech I've ever known.

Scimmonetti's is the same price, but no pro setup.

[moontom]

it's not the antique finish, just regular lacq...Tim did a mean setup on it...

gotta say it's a meaty mutha of a horn. can do the sweet thing too, but it really barks when asked. I use HR only -- a slant link, lawton or yani -- and all of them speak beautifully on the Mauriat. definately worth checking, imho...

[mountainman]

The one I tried in the post below was a low A. It was great!

[Scott Ramminger]

Hey, I have been meaning to drop a note here that I finally got to play two P. Mauriat baris, and they were both quite nice. The low Bb I played was VERY nice.

A local music store (Foxes Music, Falls Church, VA) near where I live sponsored a clinic by a fantastic New York bari player named Jason Marshall.
He is playing with Roy Hargrove and also has his own group. He is a monster player who normally plays a Super 20 bari. He has become an endorsing artist with P. Mauriat.

First I played the Low A model, which I thought was quite nice. I pushed it and and got some grunt from it. It also could whisper.

Then I asked about the low Bb model on the stand, which was what I was really interested in. Jason hesitated for a beat and said: "Well, that's actually my horn. I just got it." But then he let me try it, which was very cool. It was really a sweet horn. I think they custom made it for him. It has as silver plated (I'm assuming it was plated and not solid silver) bell. Beautiful sound, beautiful response, etc.

Anyway, these are very nice horns, though they are not super cheap. But unless I have missed something, these guys and Keilwerth are the only folks out there still making low Bb baris.

I will say that after all the noise, I was not all that impressed with the P. Mauriat tenor I played. But the baris were very nice.

Scott

[GAS_Wyo]

Scott,
Thanks for the follow-up post! 2 questions...What was great about the PM Bari's? How was the sound of the PM bari different from the PM tenor you played? I have a run-of-the-mill YBS-52 and I'm a little bored with the sound 8 mos. into playing it...I want some thing that will deliver!!! :twisted:

As for the tenor, I believe it's a question of the sound you want to produce. For me the PM has a distinctive tone I couldn't find on the Selmers or Yamaha's I tried. I just play tested a JK and I can say I wasn't really that impressed with that horn...just goes to show you - to each his own!

[Scott Ramminger]

Sorry I took so long to respond to this. I just noticed your question. Both the P baris I played (low A and a customized low Bb) both were extremely responsive. They could belt it out and growl and also be played very softy without a loss of town. The keywork was very nice.

The low Bb model really played. Now, of course, this horn was Jason's personal horn. They custom made it for him with a silver bell and a silver upper tubing. But I suspect that -- based on the stock low A model I played -- the stock low Bb models would play very nicely too.

As you would expect, the low Bb model was a bit clearer in the low end.

The tenor I played seemed too dark for my taste -- almost a bit stuffy. However, that could have just been me using a setup that worked for me on another horn but not on this one. Or perhaps it was just the particular horn I picked up. Who knows. It certainly wasn't terrible, but it didn't knock my socks off.

Scott