Antiqua Tenor Sax

[coolsaxjazz]

Has anybody out there tried the Antiqua tenor sax. If so what do you think
about the sound , construction, durability ,etc.?

[BlueNote]

I started playing jazz tenor saxophone (immediately) 2 years ago. The tenor I started on was an Antigua Winds, which I STILL use to this day, and hope to continue using after high school (senior now). I have yet to find a more comfortable horn for my playing and tastes in sound/timbre. I get an amazing warm somewhat vintage tone out of it (due to the years of constant jazz listening and playing). I suppose I could compare my tone as a mix of Joshua Redman and Frank Wess (my top 2 tenor sax idols).

My horn is still rented from the local music store (that's right, 2 years!), but soon I am considering buying it (expensive to buy). Still, the one horn that I tried that felt a little more pizzaz was a Selmer Ref 36 I tried out last summer (though back then I was using a metal Berg mp, which now I use a hard rubber Rico Royal mp). Shockingly, it was the first Selmer saxophone I had ever tried. I of course didn't buy it for 2 reasons: Price (a few grand) and the fact that it was the first one I'd ever tried from Selmer. I'm always trying out new horns. Still, none of them I like as much as my Antigua.

I mean I dunno man. I've played with saxophonists who use Selmer model horns but don't get a very good tone out of it. A select few do though, but it's a lot less common for young players to outweigh tone over anything else. My private teacher, Gary Hammon, emphasizes tone from the very first lesson.

But enough about my past.

I think Antigua Winds makes beautiful tenors. If you want, I can send you a sound clip of me playing sometime, or I can put some recent clips of me playing on my saxophone home page.

I don't speak for everyone, so take it what I said with a grain of salt (as they say).

Have fun!

[Jerry K.]

BlueNote, well written post and great review.

One suggestion - Ask your folks to look into what it would cost to buy your horn right now! They have probably paid at least $900 in rent over the past 2 years and Dave Kessler sells the Antigua Tenors for less than $1000 new. Perhaps you can pay a reasonable amount of money to the store you are renting from and buy the horn. If they want more than $500 to buy the horn you have been renting, you should buy a new one from Dave for a few hundred dollars more.

[Mark5047]

I know you were asking about the Antigua Tenor, but I have an Antigua alto that I absolutely love. I was comparing it to my 'other' horn (selmer bundy II) which I realize is not the best of horns by any stretch, but playing them back to back the Antigua beats the SBII in every way there is. Tone quality, ease of playing, key location, etc.
I am trying to work it out where I can get rid of my "French Engineer" tenor sax and buy one of those Antigua tenors from Dave Kessler.

[Saxophobic]

I wanted to purchase my first pro horn w/out paying the big bucks of the 'Big 4'. After a little research I settled on the Antigua brand and recently purchased the A550BC. Comparing it to my warm sounding 1969 Martin Imperial, the Antigua has a dark yet clearer tone throughout the range of the horn-although when pushing both I can play a nasty, edgier tone on the Martin using the same mouthpiece/reed setup. It seems tougher to get all that (heavy-and I mean heavy-sore neck!) nickle plating to vibrate as well as a laquer. The action seems good but I am a little dissapointed in the ammount of rod/key noise I get while playing, although I admit I don't have a very light touch-I pound those buttons! It's early yet and I've only owned it a couple of weeks. I need more time on it. I don't think you can beat the price on a pro tenor built this solid. I am interested in reading reviews of this horn in laquer or silverplate ...UPDATE..I brought this horn to my local tech guy who replaced a bad piece of cork eliminating the rod noise and I put a Kessler OL7 mouthpiece on it and this thing roars-it puts my Martin to shame. I guess you just have to find the right mouthpiece that brings out the best in each horn. I recomend both the Antigua and the Kessler OL7.

[altoist]

I read that Antigua may be coming out with new tenors and altos. Anyone have any idea when
they'll be available? I'm on the search for a tenor now, but I'm in no rush. The Antigua pro tenors
I tried were really good, but I slightly preferred the Jupiter pro horns (which were a couple hundred more). I'd love to try a new Antigua tenor when they come out.

[heinz]

I have two Sax students playing Antigua and I am very dissatisfied with the instruments. The brass/metal is very soft and easily bends, also some screws tend to come loose and fall down. Intonation too is below average in the upper register. I prefer Jupiter, maybe the next series of Anigua will be better.

[Mark5047]

Are these student model Antigua's or the pro models? I have a 520 alto in laquer that is made very well, and as far as intonation it is very close to spot-on up and down. I could not be happier with it.

[Fred]

I do think it ix extremely important to state model numbers when talking about Antigua Winds saxes. We've seen incredible improvement in the AW soprano lines that came out in 2003, so any model before that time is out of date as far as sopranos goes. I think that with many of the "maybe up and coming" lines, improvement is something they strive for and are achieving. Their sopranos are incredible. If AW is coming out with new altos and tenors, they should be something worth playtesting.

[Saxhobo]

A friend of mine has an Antigua tenor in silver plate with lacquered keys.It has a T802xxxx serial number. Is that the same horn as the current 550 SP or has the design changed? He was wondering if it is a six copy or a super action copy. In excellent condition, would anyone venture to say what a fair price would be? No scratches,no dings.

[goodsax]

I agree with Mark5047 about the 520LQ Antigua alto. I have one as a backup to my 82Z and it is well-made with excellent ergonomics and the intonation is as good as any alto I've played during the past 55 years. I also like the tone and looks of the 520LQ.

If I'm not mistaken, Paul Coates plays an Antigua 530SG, the same as the 520LQ, but is silver-plated, and he has shared very postive reviews about it in other threads. It was his review that led me to purchase my first 520LQ, and I wasn't disappointed.

[LarryG]

I visited Kessler Music the other day while in Vegas, and ended up buying a new 550LQ tenor that had just come in that day.

Needless to say, Dave is a great guy, and what a great store they have!
I found the new units have a great honey colored lacquer, very similar to the Selmer ref 54 finish. Absolutely beautiful. The horn played in tune up and down the scale, and felt comfortable, and with great action. The sound was very acceptable, and coupled with their HR mouthpiece, it really honked! I will definitely buy one of his mp's soon. It was very even throughout the range. No stuffiness at middle D like some other pieces I have tried.

I plan on using this as a backup horn to by vintage Big B Buescher on rock and roll gigs where I don't want to have the vintage due to drunk patrons. But just may find that I like it enough to play it more often. I can' t wait to get home and receive the horn and start playing it!

Dave tells me that he has been using these Antiguas in the rental fleet for many years, and his experience is that it is a very well made, very durable horn.

Never thought that I would be buying a taiwanese horn, but I was very impressed with it, and especially with the price. IMHO, Antigua will become a major player in the lower priced tenor market.