Cannonball Altos Opinions Please

[Andrew D]

Thinking of a cannonball Alto!! which one to go for (finish)??
How consistant are these horns sight unseen?
Also opinions on necks, I believe you get two, which one's to buy silver, gold, black nickle??

Thanks in advance

[Manny]

If your going to go for any silver, be aware that It tarnishes very easily and that Its pretty high maintenance; even if you take perfect care of it, it will still wear from you rubbing it down. Personally I would get the black nickel body with gold keys, (I forgot the model number) it looks pretty spooky, you can see it at cannonball's website.

you will probably need it to be adjusted if your buying it without seeing it, or even better order from saxalley and they do it for you. :)

[Manny]

whew, that last sentence is pretty passive (for you english freaks out there ) Its time to go back to school :oops:

[Dr G]

Are you suggesting that school makes you more aggressive? :shock:

[Andrew D]

Saxor :

I can confirm that there are lots of english freaks here in the Uk :wink:


Saxor I'm not going for the silver horn, it was the neck RE: 2 necks, is there any notable difference in sound from the black nickle/gold necks to the silver??

[Manny]

A passive sentence basically means that you use too many its, is, and some other generic words like that. It's considered bad writing unless done intentionally....

or; Passive sentences are considered bad writing unless done intentionally. (active sentence)

well, to get back on topic :D sorry, I misunderstood; people usually refer to the silver as bright, gold medium, and black dark sounding (there's a very long thread in finishes about this) so it's pretty much your prerogative, it really doesn't make too much of a difference to me, but I believe that the gold produces the fullest sound (overtones) from the three, and it's always nice to have a bright sound if your doing jazz, so I would pick silver and gold...

It's really personal preference though, maybe some other posters on SOTW could add their opinions.

[Dr G]

"Gold", in this case, is a lacquer finish, not gold plate.

[Manny]

yes, sorry... :oops:

[Gargoyle]

I am also told that the unlaquered (which look the coolest in my opinion) have high maintenance. If you get a scratch or a green water stain on it, it is difficult to clean off. If you clean it, you'll end up polishing that region of the metal and you'll have a half-bare-brass-half-polished sax.

The necks do make a difference, but not because of their outer laquer (though some say that different colors, because they have different weights, make a different sound; but this difference is very minute). One neck is meant to be more open and jazzy, the other is better for classical/ensemble music.

[Dianna Webb]

I was so close to buying a cannonball alto, however I did not. I absolutly love the nickel black; I think it is the most distictive and original color you can get this horn because the engravings are really visable with this lacker. If you are looking for horn with good looks buythis one, but if you are a true artist you will not be going for the looks of the horn. On the contray you will be listening to the sound. I can't tell you if you are going to like the way it plays since everyone has a different opinion, but this is what I think. The lower range on these horns are amazing. you can sub tone soo easly. The black one which i had kept for about a month to try had a very dark tone. The silver neck had a darker tone. The black one was almost the same.
IF I were you I would not buy a cannonball because if you go to sell it later it is valued about half the amount you bought if for. It is a new company and that's what happens.

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I just bought a Black Nickel Raven Alto three weeks ago and I love it. I recommend the Cannonball because it is so nice to play. and it looks great. Its easy to clean compared to my Silver 98 Knight Cannonball Alto. I am not really concerned with resale value. If the horn makes you happy and it plays the way you like. Then that is what I think you should base your decision on. I don't plan on selling my horn Anyway. SanDiegoSaxMan 8)

[altopro]

i own the black body gold keyed alto it is a big bell i love the way it plays but when you set it down on your lap you can see every single little scratch in the finish, if you get one get a big bell global series Raven it is not finished on the body and it doesn't show scratch (unless of course it is to the metal) and it looks so cool, ya the one i have is so cool i would of got the raven if it was out at the time

[sycc]

My daughter has a lacquered A1E big bell alto. Big fat dark sound. It is probably the most solid sax buildwise we have.Very sturdy. Got it because we only paid 1200 for it due to slight lacquer overspray on the bow and bell. I would never pay full price for a cannonball because I worry abouit resale in the future in case one of my daughter's wants to switch to a differant sax(BRAND).

[DeanoTheSaxman]

I have the "Mad Meg" very low maintanance and it looks very antique cos the finish tarnishes, actually looks & plays better than my MKVI at a fraction of the price, yes it does go green in places but is very easy to remove :-)

[catfishman123@hotmail.com]

the only cannonballl i have played was a raven, thought sounded brittle and without much body, compared to my keilwerth that is, but thats just my opinion, the raven finish very low maintenace, its a weird finish

[Saxaholic]

I played a Cannonball Big Bell for a while, so I'll add my comments.

If you're looking to get a professional horn that will be your "main axe" for the rest of your days...I'd suggest looking elsewhere. These horns are a great step-up, a nice "entry level professional" horn in my opinion. They have a big, boomy sound...but lack richness and center.

Pro: Excellent intonation, huge sound, lots of projection

Cons: Not a "centered" tone, hard to control at times, no real richness, ergo's are a bit clumsy for some people.

You should take a look at the Yanagisawa A901 or A902. These will both cost less than a Cannonball brand new. Also, an excellent value for the money would be a used Selmer Series II. These can be had for under $2,000 and are great horns.

Whatever you do, make sure you play the horn before you purchase it. You don't want to be stuck with a brand new horn that doesn't play great for you. Good luck!

Saxaholic

[Chu-Jerry]

I've got a silver plated Big Bell Global Series alto which is about 4 yrs old. I'ts one of my favorites for ease of playability and even tone. As others have stated it doesn't have its own distinctive "richness" of tone that some horns do, but it can have a big sound. For example my Chu altos all have a certain depth or complexity to the tone that is somehow missing from the Connonball. My 6Ms have their own character and pizazz. The Cannonball seems to just be more mellow. It seems to take on the personality of whichever mouthpiece I'm using rather readily, rather than always overshadowing the mouthpiece's character.

Mine has two necks, a gold laquered one and a silver plated one. The silver one is 'edgier', and the gold laquer more soft and smooth.

The silver plate is definitely high maintenance if you want it always looking new. It tarnishes quickly. But mechanically the horn seems to be built very solidly, and with quality components.

The keywork works really well for me with the exception of the left hand pinky keys. They seem slightly awkward, especially the G# key which seems too short causing me to slip off the edge of it easily or even miss it. But then I learned on vintage Conns so I'm more used to the vintage pinky keys. I'm getting more used to it so the problem is diminishing.

Overall I like it better than several high-end horns I tested such as a Ref54, B&S Medusa, and R&C.

[BayviewSax]

Thinking of a cannonball Alto!! which one to go for (finish)??
How consistant are these horns sight unseen?
Also opinions on necks, I believe you get two, which one's to buy silver, gold, black nickle??

Thanks in advance

I got a killing price on three CB Stone Series about a year ago, one alto. I've played two other CB altos. I would not recommend one. Unlike the tenors, they just didn't respond that well. I felt like I was playing against it. I had a Vito (Yani) student model and there was no comparison. I'd strongly recommend a vintage American horn over a CB. The ergos on the altos aren't usually such a big deal and you'll be getting a lot more horn.

[saintsday]

I have a Silver/Lacquer/Silver BB Global with the jasper touches that I picked from four CBs that the local music store had. The store owner was giving me a mild push toward the black finish (he has one himself) but the one he had for sale sounded harsh to me. I'm still not convinced that the finish has anything to do with the sound. I just picked the one that sounded best to me. Intonation is not as good as some of my Bueschers and it doesn't have the focus that they do and I've come to really dislike the table keys... but then my table key gold standard is Leblanc system horns.
Mine has two necks, a gold laquered one and a silver plated one. The silver one is 'edgier', and the gold laquer more soft and smooth.

I'm with Jerry, but I wonder if it isn't some tweak in the metal rather than the finish. Mark Aronson seems to think that a silver or gold plate is smoother and that part of any possible difference comes from the smoothness. On the older horns I think that the arguement that more time and trouble was taken with plated horns makes some sense. New horns?
Who knows? I do know that I liked the sound of mine better than any of the 4 or 5 new highline Yamahas that I tried the same day.
BTW, Thanks again Jerry for the NA tenor. I'm still in love.

[catfishman123@hotmail.com]

the raven alto does actually sound as if, someone has cut out all teh middle frequencys form the tone all you are left with are harsh trebles and some bass, not great. teh Eb key felt way off to me too. horrible ergos and action. gerald albright plays one, i would check out his signiture model if they sell it i am sure its better than the rest.

[Saxnflut]

I played a Cannonball Big Bell for a while, so I'll add my comments.

If you're looking to get a professional horn that will be your "main axe" for the rest of your days...I'd suggest looking elsewhere. These horns are a great step-up, a nice "entry level professional" horn in my opinion. They have a big, boomy sound...but lack richness and center.

Pro: Excellent intonation, huge sound, lots of projection

Cons: Not a "centered" tone, hard to control at times, no real richness, ergo's are a bit clumsy for some people.

You should take a look at the Yanagisawa A901 or A902. These will both cost less than a Cannonball brand new. Also, an excellent value for the money would be a used Selmer Series II. These can be had for under $2,000 and are great horns.

Whatever you do, make sure you play the horn before you purchase it. You don't want to be stuck with a brand new horn that doesn't play great for you. Good luck!

Saxaholic
Hey man, I always find it difficult trying to put sounds into words, so I'm interested in understanding your complaints a little better.

I've been playing a very good 60's Mark VI tenor forever, and while I love it, I'm not opposed to moving to a newer (or older) horn, if it has great tone, & is smooth & easy to play. I had an incredible Mark VI alto, too, but had to sell it years ago, while broke, and haven't really played alot of alto since. I've bought & sold about a dozen, trying to find one that's just right, and currently have an old Buescher (1920ish). It has a mindblowing sound & fatness to it, but obviously not great ergonomically. I just sold a new Yamaha Custom Alto, cause while it was beautiful & smooth like a sports car, the tone was just not happening, dry & thin, kinda stuffy, just didn't "sing"....

I've tried the curved soprano & tenor at my local store. I thought the tenor seemed every bit (or almost) as good as the Selmer Reference, at less than half the price. As for the soprano, I almost bought it on the spot! I'm not wild about curved sopranos, they usually remind me of a toy alto, (& make me think like that's what I'm playing), and often just sound too, well, "soft" or "wimpy". But this Cannonball played great, and had a sound that really appealed to me.

However, the fact I already own three sopranos (all old Bueschers) and a Saxello (which I love), gave me the willpower to resist buying it on the spot.

They are sold here for very, very good prices (it seems less than what I hear others are paying), and the owner's son is one of the Cannonball artist endorsees (altho he raves about the Yamaha Custom Alto, too).

Anyway, what exactly do you mean by your thinking the tone is not "centered" & especially why do you say it's not "rich"? Isn't a "huge sound" and "richness" almost one and the same? My biggest complaint of horns is many not having a big, rich sound, especially ALTOS.

Since I didn't check out the Cannonball alto (none in stock at the time), I don't yet have an opinion, altho I would definitely be considering getting one. I either don't like most of the new horns out there I've tried, or haven't yet tried them all, so I'm sure about the new Selmer Series II, or the Yanigasawa. I have heard good things about the Yani sopranos....

Could you elaborate further on your comments, thanks.....

[ALVEGASAX]

"Gold", in this case, is a lacquer finish, not gold plate.




Ah,:?:But what ifyou have it silver plated and then gold plated over the silver and I don't mean lacquered.The reason I ask is because that's what I plan to do to my MK VI. How would it affect the sound ( bright, dark,more projection,etc..etc.).:?:

:glasses1: :cool: :glasses7: :walk:

[Teabag]

I've got a new Gerald Albright model which I love. It is black. I picked up over the Keilwerth I had, Rampone, Selmer, Yam and the other Cannonball finishes. I've put the Lamberson white nylon FMaj7 mouthpiece on it and just can't saqy enough good things. The key work and intonation is excellent. Palm keys and altissimo just sing - they are what made the final decision for me. The only way I can describe the sound is it sounds like a tenor, only higher. I don't think I've ever said that about any of my other past altos. On my web site, I have a snippet of "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" which is on the Cannonball. All the othe cuts are tenor or soprano. Since I primarily play tenor, that may explain why I like the sound so much.
My 2 cents worth!

[Randall]

Tea, if you think the CB alto gives a "tenor" like sound, wait til you try a Keilwerth straight alto!
I think you will also love it.

My favorite alto is a CB 98 model alto...it just has THE sound!

[Randall]

Tea, you great uncle also played with a guy named Gil Rodin...have you ever hear any stories about Gil?

I used to own a horn that was given to Gil by Benny Goodman, your great uncle and a host of others....

However, it is hard to find any info or annecdotes about Gil, other than he discovered Benny Goodman.

[Jonathan C.]

So I am confussed, are these great horns or not. I heard about it being rich and such, but how would it compare to a 23?

[Hotspur]

Either go for a raven or a playin laquer one

[saintsday]

So I am confussed, are these great horns or not. I heard about it being rich and such, but how would it compare to a 2 3?

They are darker and more resonant than a Yamahahaha. They are also rather variable in sound, probably not as a function of the all the goofy finishes and cheesy engraving, but just variable. Try several. One will stick out for you. At least it sure did for me.
FWIW, most of the finishes don't hold up very well according to my tech who works for a Cannonball dealer.
Great might be pushing a point, but then great, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder. They are good enough that I bought one. Only one of two new horns I've bought and I still have it. The other 60 or 70 were/are all either used or vintage.

[Teabag]

Randall, not familiar with the name Gil Rodin. I am not up on the players of that day as I should be. I never had a chance to meet Jack before he died.

In fact, everything I know about Jack I learned from people who played with him or from books. He was good.

When you hear the old recordings and think about how those were made i.e. without edits, overdudbs, pitch correction etc., it is amazing how good they were.

[shmuelyosef]

I have the "Mad Meg" very low maintanance and it looks very antique cos the finish tarnishes, actually looks & plays better than my MKVI at a fraction of the price, yes it does go green in places but is very easy to remove :-)
You need to get some maintenance done on your Mk VI. I also have a Mad Meg tenor (I polished the whole thing by hand to remove the green gunk from the previous owner and now it wipes clean easily). The MM Tenor is a great horn and I love the sound, but IMHO it is no comparison in playability to a well setup MK VI. The keywork is less refined, and the versatility of timbre on the Selmer is superior (and it's no secret around SOTW that I am not a big fan of Selmer saxes). If you like the fairly unique sound of the CB Big Bells, though, then they could be the right horns for you...they are awesom for the price (you can get used Mad Meg tenors for <$1400 if you pay attention...I might be selling mine soon, as I have crept back up to five tenors, and some of them will need to go to feed the taxman)

[Jonathan C.]

How much does a New Cannonball cost?

[saintsday]

CB doesn't allow price advertising. Call your local dealer which you can find at the CB website and then check with http://www.scimonetti.com/ who has a good rep and I believe is also a CB dealer.