Just got a new Borgani!

[DoublTyme]

After searching for several years, I believe my quest for a great alto is over. I just picked up a Borgani pearl gold alto at Roberto's and I must say, I'm a very happy saxophonist. I've tried over 30 horns to this point, and my search has taken me across the country. I've played good VIs, bad VIs, great VIs, and mostly ludicrously overpriced VIs. The Borgani outplayed or was as good as all of them, even the vaunted 5-digit VIs. Last night I had to make the big decision: spend $7k+ on a killer VI, or go with the Borgani, a horn that doesn't seem to get any respect or recognition from the professional saxophone world as a whole. I think I made the right choice!

[Leon]

Hey, congradulations! These are beautiful horns indeed with a sound like no other. I once had a Pearl Gold tenor with the warmest vibe of any I have played and should have kept it. I am now waiting the arrival of a sterling. You are right that not everyone seems to respect or like them compared to the big 4, but those of us who have them love them, and this does include some major players.

[Dr G]

:borg:

Welcome to the collective!

[LarryG]

I received a Pearl Silver Jubilee tenor from Tenor Madness a few weeks ago. The Series III has been staying in the case while I get used to the Borg, and I must say, it's going to be in the case for a while to come. I knew I wanted one when I listened to Joe Lovano up close, its a very unique voice. I knew it after I played it for the first 5 minutes, and it keeps getting better. They're will be more converts, you'll see. You could get two Borganis for the price of VI.

[Dr G]

I received a Pearl Silver Jubilee tenor from Tenor Madness a few weeks ago. The Series III has been staying in the case while I get used to the Borg, and I must say, it's going to be in the case for a while to come.

That's the way I'd like to feel about my newest Jubilee but I'll be playing my Ref 36 at my upcoming concert. I just haven't enough time on the Borg' yet. Are you so confident in your Jubilee that you'd consider selling it? That'll be the acid test for me. Whew, after being a Selmer fan for 20 years or so, that's tough.

[tjontheroad]

I received a Pearl Silver Jubilee tenor from Tenor Madness a few weeks ago. The Series III has been staying in the case while I get used to the Borg, and I must say, it's going to be in the case for a while to come. I knew I wanted one when I listened to Joe Lovano up close, its a very unique voice. I knew it after I played it for the first 5 minutes, and it keeps getting better. They're will be more converts, you'll see. You could get two Borganis for the price of VI.

Larry you dawg! Congrats bud. I can appreciate you being influenced by hearing Lovano up close playing one. I had the same wow factor earlier this year.

Enjoy :)

[DoublTyme]

I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard Jimmy Greene, but he's an outstanding player. He's now endorsing Borganis and the sound he gets on his pearl gold tenor is gorgeous, not to mention huge.

[SaxyAcoustician]

I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard Jimmy Greene, but he's an outstanding player. He's now endorsing Borganis and the sound he gets on his pearl gold tenor is gorgeous, not to mention huge.
Somehow I get this feeling that this Jimmy Greene would have a huge and gorgeous sound on any horn. :)

[brassnaked]

Congratulation on your new Borgani and welcome to the collective of "those who understand"...It doesn't sound like anything else, it's not trying to...it sounds like a Borgani!!!

I'm waiting for Orfeo to make a SOLID SILVER Tenor...Oh I'm there, I'm soooooo there!!!

[DoublTyme]

Oh no doubt... Jimmy sounded killin on his old Mark VII. If you've never checked him out you're missing a great young player.

Thanks for the congratulations... you're right - Borganis sound very unique and there's nothing like the feel and response of a hand-made instrument. It feels alive in my hands, not cold or mechanical.

[LarryG]

you're right - Borganis sound very unique and there's nothing like the feel and response of a hand-made instrument. It feels alive in my hands, not cold or mechanical.

That's it Doub, it does feel alive. But I wouldn't sell my Series III. No reason to. I'm sure that my fancy for it will return at some point in the not too distant future. She is still my "first love". But this silver thing is so beautiful, people just walk up and say, "Wow, that horn is awesome".

TJ - Seeing Joe Lovano did entice me to buy it, (and so did Mr. BRASSNAKED Man), but what has convinced me has been using it in the rock and roll band. This horn is not only unique, but has the best low, middle and high end response for me, than anything I've used previous. And I'll bet that is also in large part to Mr. Randy Jones at Tenor Madness's setup.

Thanks Orfeo.

[bjornblomberg]

If I remember right, Jan Garbarek uses a Borgani, at least for the curved soprano. IMHO he has a fantastic sound.
Bjorn

[Stan]

There is a short movie on my web pages in which you can ear the new Borgani 's alto saxophone. It is the last one:

http://www.hobbysax.com/Contralto_Borgani.html

enjoy it,

Stan

[Tryptykon]

That's it Doub, it does feel alive. But I wouldn't sell my Series III. [
No reason to.

I like that attitude . I find with saxophones it's great to collect just for the
sake of it(there are far worse vices,to be sure..), but ultimately they're just tools.

Tools of expression, yes ..but just tools.
If you find places to use the III and the Borgani; all the better .




TJ - Seeing Joe Lovano did entice me to buy it, (and so did Mr. BRASSNAKED Man), but what has convinced me has been using it in the rock and roll band. This horn is not only unique, but has the best low, middle and high end response for me, than anything I've used previous.


I've had my Pearl silver tenor for 6 years, and it's a definite keeper, for the
exact reasons you mention [low, middle, high response].

My man, Tim Price turned me onto the sopranos 7 years ago, and then I saw
Joe Lovano playing one in Philly. I didn't recognize it from a distance as a
Borgani, but he told me he was collaborating with a new company and giving
them feedback, by playing the prototypes in the field.

I saw him 3 times in 1999 and it definitely sold me on the Borgani sound.

[roccosm]

I have never [played the New J Model Borgani,s But I own a 1998 24k Gold tenor SN 19408 , it is hard to imagine that the J can be any better, sometime's Horn Maker's go the other way with progress ex. Selmer , I own a 55 and a 69 Gold M6 and a and My M7 play's equally as well, I have alway's thought that the 7 is one of the greasted deal's out Here, but the SN is the key to a 7. The Borgani has a delicious sound , like no other and since they are not know it make's it nice for buyer's to get these great Horn resonable. MY pefect condition Tenor would hardly bring 1800. on ebay. The J model was introduced for Borgani's 130 anniversary in 2002 , I can only talk about the one I have and it is the best Tenor I have played and I doubt seriously if the J is any better?

[Dr G]

The Jubilee was introduced more like '97 - they had a special anniversary model for the 130th.

Yes, it (the Jubilee) is better than the stuff they put out before Joe Lovano started working with them - and the more recent Jubilees are better still. I had an early one and currently own a more recent one.

[SAXISMYAXE]

Last night I had to make the big decision: spend $7k+ on a killer VI, or go with the Borgani, a horn that doesn't seem to get any respect or recognition from the professional saxophone world as a whole. I think I made the right choice!
That may be, but any slight these horns may suffer is due to ignorance, not quality. There are only two current production horns that I wish I had in my collection, but don't as of yet:
A Borgani and a R & C. I've play tested several examples from both makers, and they are indeed marvelous IMO.

[Tryptykon]

I have never [played the New J Model Borgani,s But I own a 1998 24k Gold tenor SN 19408 , it is hard to imagine that the J can be any better, sometime's Horn Maker's go the other way with progress ex. Selmer , I own a 55 and a 69 Gold M6 and a and My M7 play's equally as well, I have alway's thought that the 7 is one of the greasted deal's out Here, but the SN is the key to a 7. The Borgani has a delicious sound , like no other and since they are not know it make's it nice for buyer's to get these great Horn resonable. MY pefect condition Tenor would hardly bring 1800. on ebay. The J model was introduced for Borgani's 130 anniversary in 2002 , I can only talk about the one I have and it is the best Tenor I have played and I doubt seriously if the J is any better?

Hey Rocco my tenor is 19105 and is .. hey, I just double-checked a source,
and you have my old tenor !

You must've bought that from Leon or a 3rd party,recently .

Anyway, I owned that tenor and then added a Pearl Silver whose sound I
preferred, more. I sold that one to Leon, as a favor, a few years back when
he was lamenting a recently departed Borgani .

Your gold was the first Borg tenor I tried, and I was really blown away by it.

I had at that time(year,2000..) :

~a pristine early 50s Super 20,
~3 different model Conns including an incredible 30M Connqueror circa 1939
~2 mid-60s MK VIs
~ 2 1950's vintage Keilwerths

This new Borgani was amazingly like a Conn/King hybrid to my ears - and I
had those tenors for direct comparison; so it wasn't like I imagined it sounded
that way.

I sent it back to WWBW because it seemed redundant to keep it in the midst
of all those horns - but, of course, I wanted to.

When WWBW's supply dwindled to a scant few models, I thought 'if I ever
for some reason settled permanently on Borgani I'd have no choice expect to
buy from Roberto's at inflated prices ..' so, I re-ordered it "before it was too
late ".:shock: :D

The silver tenor surfaced later in WWBW's b-stock inventory, and I grabbed
it, also .8-)

So, my tenor is 6 years old and going, strong. I'm planning to send it to Randy
at tenor madness and having the action tweaked(new springs), the pads
reseated w/ shellac, the bell seam soldered, and whatever else he thinks might
'enhance it'.

I can't imagine it sounding, *better*, so the idea is pretty exciting.

Enjoy that tenor; it was a good one .:)

[Tryptykon]

my old Borgani appears to seek a new home(again...)

http://cgi.ebay.com/BORGANI-TENOR-24k-Gold-SN-19408-like-New-FLAWLESS_W0QQitemZ180050384786QQihZ008QQcategoryZ1 6234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Dr G]

I have never [played the New J Model Borgani,s But I own a 1998 24k Gold tenor SN 19408... MY pefect condition Tenor would hardly bring 1800. on ebay.

I guess we'll see, eh? Good luck with the sale.

BTW, if you've never played the new Borg's, you may not know of some of the differences such as the double arms on some of the lower keys. The two models certainly don't "look the same side-by-side".

So are you looking for another? You know the saying, "Once you've been assimilated by the Borg', there is no escape. You will be back." :D

I tried to get away but as soon as I saw another Borg' available, I had to have it.

[Tryptykon]

Maybe my post motivated him to try and sell it for more than $1800 ?

Maybe not ..

Anyway, Leon sold that tenor last month(Oct 2) on eBay, after re-buying it
sometime, in April or May .

Now, it is on the move, again .

[Dr G]

"The seller ended this listing early because the item is no longer available for sale."

Decide to keep it?

[Tryptykon]

I almost sold my Borgani a couple of months ago, as I needed to get a
different style tenor for certain work .. luckily after some researching I found
some affordable alternatives to Selmer in Yanagisawa(good tenors!)

I had a buyer for my tenor but he wanted a trial period, and was giving me
the 3rd degree about the horn, so I just hung onto it.

I'm so glad I did, too because it continues to inspire me after 6 years of loyal
ownership.

That 24K tenor was a good one; I hope it finds a home with someone who will
play it.

The seller actually sold a pearl silver tenor that was s/n 18,000 and then
bought Leon's- this same 19408 that I used to own .

Leon sold it to a friend/associate, and then apparently, bought it back a few
months ago. Then he sold it again, last month.

The poor, shoeless orphan..:walk: