whats the difference between a student horn and pro

[iplaydasax]

i have been looking into pro horns at the moment and my parents want to know the difference between a student horn and pro horn.

i dont know what to say !!! are there different buttons ect or is it easier to get up higher.

i own a jupiter student at the moment and im looking into a yamaha YAS 62. also any other pro horns which are value for money (£900 approx) thanks ...

[DougR]

Most of the differences are not readily apparent to the untrained eye. Its stuff like smaller tolerances, design of the pivot screws (you'd need to take it to bits to see this).
These days, with modern saxes, pretty much all the same keys are to be found, in the same places, and they all open and close the same holes.

The differences which are fairly easily found are those related to the mechanical state.

A pro horn should feel smooth and run almost silently. Pick the horn up, don't blow, finger a tune you know and listen for squeaks and rattles. If it sounds like you have a percussionist in the same room, then work is needed.

Many pro horns (eg Yam 62,875) have post-on-rib construction this is fairly easy to spot.

You could try talking a parent into a trip to Myatts and test play some good horns - they also have a selection of bits and pieces and sheet music.

[iplaydasax]

thanks i will go to myatts, there is one about 10 minutes away from where i live.

thanks.

[DougR]

I think there is only one Myatts. In Hitchin.

Do you know of any others?

[Dave Dolson]

iplaydasax: In 1985, while on vacation in your area, I went to Howarths to test clarinets. I don't recall if they had saxophones but they were great folks with whom to deal and I ended up buying a new Buffet RC Prestige clarinet from them. I think they are still in business, but you'd have to call to see if they sell saxophones.

I agree that pro horns are better made, at least the build-quality is more meticulous. However, I've tested many new pro-line altos recently and found most of them lacking in tonal qualities. None of the ones I played could hold a candle to my three vintage altos - and I'd put my early '20's Buescher TT up against any of them for tone, playabilty, intonation, and endurance. The only things it lacks are a front-F, a hi-F#, and an articulated G#/low-C# mechanism (which doesn't bother me in the least). My other vintage altos have front-F and the articulated G#.

I ended up buying a new Yanagisawa A992 - it came the closest to vintage tone.

The point is that rather than looking for a new horn, you may want to explore a good vintage saxophone (for a lot less money, too). DAVE

[Billy The Fish]

Howarths is indeed still thriving, and they do sell saxophones. They have a pretty good reputation too - many users of this forum have had good things to say about Howarths, although I have only popped in once or twice myself.

I use Myatts in Hitchin myself, as it is a little closer (about 20 miles from where I love) and an easier drive than into Central London. As you are based in London, I would recommend checking Howarths out. It is near Baker Street. I don't know the full address, but am sure you will find them in the Yellow Pages.

Billy The Fish

[DougR]

Howarths do indeed stock saxes, both new and S/H.
http://www.howarth.uk.com

But chasing vintage and ESPECIALLY USA built vintage saxes in the UK is a hairy job... you can cover an outrageous number of miles.

The best selection I've seen was at Allegro, in Oxford. http://www.saxophoneheaven.com/

[Billy The Fish]

I use Myatts in Hitchin myself, as it is a little closer (about 20 miles from where I love)
Billy The Fish

I, of course, meant 20 miles from where I live :oops:

[DougR]

BTF, do you find driving round Hitchin is a little like entering the Twighlight Zone?
Everybody and his brother trying to ram you, people travelling round roundabouts anticlockwise, and the best signpost in England:-
Swimming Pool Overflow Car Park..

[Dave Dolson]

I know nothing about the vintage market in the UK, true. But I recall some eBay auctions originating in your country for vintage American-made saxophones. I'll bet they are there. Yes, it may require a "chase".

And, I'd also wager that for the price of a new Yana, Yamaha, Selmer, or JK, you could find a really nice Selmer Cigar Cutter, BA, or SBA lurking around someone's attic. I sold a nice BA last year and still have a gold-plated Cigar Cutter that is a super player (albeit I favor the Buescher TT).

Myatt's are good folks, too. I bought my Arbiter curved soprano stand over the Internet from them - the deal was smooth. DAVE

[Billy The Fish]

I would echo DougR's suggestion to try Allegro's in Oxford as they do have a good selection of vintage horns, although my only personal experience of shopping there was less than positive. I may have just got them on a bad day, but I found them to be a little...well...elitist :?

I went in as a relative newcomer to the sax, looking for a better mouthpiece, as my teacher suggested I was ready to try a more open tip than my stock 4C. I felt as though I was not taken very seriously, and was intimated (not physically, just by the way I was made to feel that as a newbie, I was wasting their time) into buying the first mouthpiece thrown at me, an alto Link 6* which I never really took to :shock: I felt so worthless and insignificant I didn't have the courage to ask to try it out first.

My experience at Myatts was a totally different ballgame. Having switched to tenor, I again wanted a more open mpc than the Selmer C* I was using. I nervously trotted off on my first visit to Myatts. When I got there, they asked me a few perceptive questions, selected a handful of mouthpieces which they thought might suit me, and packed me off downstairs to the private practice rooms to try them out without humiliating myself in front of other customers. After a good hour, I trundled back upstairs, recounted my experiences, and they dug out a few more with slightly different facings to try. When I did finally walk out with my shiny new mpc, I had the added benefit of knowing that I had it on a full week's trial to make sure it was definitely for me (A Runyon Custom Spoiler #9, which I love). Needless to say, it was a much warmer experience :D

And DougR, that is exactly what it felt like last time I went to Hitchin. A taxi driver tried to run me off the road :shock:

Billy The Fish

[iplaydasax]

thanks for all your replys, i live in stevenage and i go to a saturday music school in hitchin. hitchin is quite busy, i think going to london will be to far for my mum and dad !!! but thanks for the website, i will have a look at there prices.

i dont know any othere myatts stores i think the only one is in hitchin.

what intermediate/pro saxses would you reccommend my mum and dad are thinking of buying me a yamaha YAS 62 is this worth the money?

keep replying ha ha!! 8)

[DougR]

There are only a fairly small number of current production intermediate/pro horns with low to moderate "cost or ownership".

That is the Purchase price minus the Sale price.

Remember that the advertised price is open to negotiation.

If you are still at school full time, then you may also be able to avoid the dreaded VAT, this is 17.5% and can easily be the difference between a New and a S/H price.

Yani 901 and Yamaha 62 are probably the pick of the bunch, but others will add Selmer and Keilwerth.

Check out this list of S/H saxes.
http://www.musicalinstrumentsales.co.uk/saxsales.html
Last year I scored a YTS61 in decent playable nick (Moderately Ugly) for £350 from this list.

and also the Loot site

[Metro Gnome]

I went in as a relative newcomer to the sax, looking for a better mouthpiece, as my teacher suggested I was ready to try a more open tip than my stock 4C. I felt as though I was not taken very seriously, and was intimated (not physically, just by the way I was made to feel that as a newbie, I was wasting their time) into buying the first mouthpiece thrown at me, an alto Link 6* which I never really took to :shock: I felt so worthless and insignificant I didn't have the courage to ask to try it out first.



Hi Billy fish.

I know what you mean about Allegro’s I went there first off when I decided (seriously) to buy/take up playing a sax. I’d done some research here and round about so I wasn’t clueless (some still say…:lol:) Anyhow, the Oxford experience was useful and to be honest, helpful and far from unpleasant, the other side of the coin was that I didn’t leave thinking that they had fallen over themselves to help me either.

I can’t write anything bad about them because nothing bad happened. They were patient and answered all my dumb questions having announced myself as a complete novice and offered various suggestions and advice about which makes/models were good/bad and what to avoid and look for. Most of this supported and built on what I had already learnt and I came away knowing far more than I went in with. Even which side up/down the reed goes on the mouthpiece (I said there were dumb questions) :oops:

Bottom line is that I think the problem is that they may be a little opinionated. (i.e. I do it this way, I’ve always done it this way, and I will continue to do it this way until I die and I’m not prepared to even consider any other way) Know what? They may well be right! Problem is, when you are looking for informed opinion then that kind of attitude leads you to think that your being forced down a road that may not be right for you.

That said, I’d still go back there (‘cos they are closest) and if you accept that they are the way they are, then you can agree to differ. From there, you can both explore other options even if it’s not right for them, they will have to accept it may well be right for you.