Keilwerth Bari

[Morry]

I just fell in love today with a JK tenor. Ok, it's not love yet, but it's serious like. If I buy it and it grows on me like I think it will, I might want to go down that JK bari path.

Can I get some reviews of the JK bari, especially as it relates to the Bb vs. A models? Is their bottom end as impressive as the tenor? This thing just wails! I've also heard the non-R (rolled tone holes) model being preferred. Any thoughts?

[jjgold]

I have a black laquer low-a. no rth. IMO the best modern bari played!

[Morry]

jjgold...what mpc do you use on your JK bari?

[jjgold]

Barone Contemp/Trad .115

[saxgourmet]

I was fortunate enough to have some lessons with Nick Brignola and to play his personal JK bari to low B flat. I recall that as being the absolute finest bari I've played.

[Morry]

I like the idea of a Bb bari, in that the ones I played in the past have seemed to blow a little more "freely". However, I'm wondering if it's wise to forego the low A when playing in groups that revolve around concert pitch instruments? Has anyone played the Bb and A models of the JK? If so, any impressions of the playability?

[john]

Morry, I've played both the Bb and A SX90's. Other than a slight difference in weight I have trouble telling the difference.

I use a low-A SX90 as my backup horn. My full-time horn (I've been playing 35+ years but I'm still an amateur with a day job) is the B991. It is flat out the easiest bari I've ever played. Both my SX90 and B991 have custom setups by the same tech.

I'm lucky to be able to own both Yana and JK. I don't know if I could choose just one. I would urge you to play both baris. Under the fingers I find the B991 to be way more comfortable.

john

[Morry]

Thanks, John. Yeah, I do find the JK keywork, especially the right hand, to be very different (I've always played Yamahas). However, the sound I got out of the JK tenor was so great, that I'm thinking I'll just bite the bullet. I'm sure I'll get used to the feel after sufficient shedding. I wonder, though, if the keywork differences will be magnified on the larger baritone?

How would you compare the two (JK and Yani) in the sense of ease of blowing? I mean, I know it's a bari, but I've had some breathing problems, and my lung capacity isn't what it used to be. However, the JK tenor seemed to produce a much larger sound with the same amount of air, as compared to the Yamaha.

Is your JK a regular 90, or is it the 90R? I can get the lacquer 90 for under $3600, and I can't touch the 991 for that.

[barimanjk90r]

Has anyone had any trouble playing a low C#, B, Bb and A. I have never had this problem before. Horn is about 1 year old. I had it worked on a few weeks ago from a KW tech to fix the E, F D keys that were not closing all the way. They were fixed (adjusted) and now I'm having problems lower. Love the horn, just frustrated!

[rcwjd]

I just play tested a keilwerth bari with rolled tone holes this past weekend and had the same problem with the low C down through low A. I reported it to the store as something out of adjustment. Overall, I was not as impressed with the horn as I was with the non-rolled tone hole version I had tried earlier. Both versions were low A. While there, I had the chance to compare the Keilwerth to the top line Yamaha and top line Yanagasawa. I was very favorably impressed with the Yamaha over the Keilwerth, and was surprised because I didn't expect to be. The Yanagasawa also sounded good, and it certainly has some quality features. If I had picked that day, I would have gone with the Yamaha. My current personal horn is a mid-sixties low A Mark VI. None of the horns that I tested would have replaced it, but the Yamaha would have complemented it.

[Bootman]

You need to check through several Keilwerths before you find the one that is best for you. They can vary quite dramatically from horn to horn.

[Morry]

That's gonna be hard to do in my town. I'll just have to hope which ever one Stephan sends me is good :-)

[jjgold]

Morry...I bought my SX from Stephan. Make sure you have him do his set-up.....My SX grunts like a buffalo during mating season :twisted:

[Morry]

Did you get the SX90 or SX90R? Which finish did you get? The only problem is the USD really sucks against the Euro right now. The alto I just bought from him wasn't nearly as cheap as I had hoped, but he got in the ballpark of Mathew's price.

[Morry]

Also what mpc did you find works well on it?

[Bootman]

If it comes from Stephan then you can be assured that you will be getting a good one.

[rcwjd]

Bootman is right about the differences between Keilwerths (also surprises me). On the same shopping trip where I compared the Keilwerth to the Yamaha and Yanagasawa, my friend bought a new alto 90R. He compared it against the new Z Yamaha and the Yanagasawa. The first Keilwerth he tried just didn't sound as good as the Z. We got the store to bring out another, and it was light years better, and he ended up buying it over the Z. Both Keilwerths appeared to be in good adjustment and were brand new, so I don't know why one would differ from the other so much. Today, horns are not "hand built" as much as in the past, so I would expect more uniformity.

[jjgold]

Morry I have the SX 90 no R. it is in Black Laquer. BIG BIG BIG BIG. I am a little bit if a mouthpiece whore on the bari. I have 3 that work pretty well. A custom made RPC .110, A Barone trad/cont....this is probably the best bari piece I have played on. It has it all, it was just a little too much for the big band so I played on a Runyon Jaguar in a .115. I think the ideal piece would probably be a Barone Hollywood.

[Bootman]

JJ,
Nice to see you behaving yourself. I wish I could say the same about myself, at least 6 without going through the drawer and 2 Bari saxes.

[jjgold]

Yeah but don't even get me started with tenors...... :roll:

[Bootman]

I was forced to have a fire sale by the Boss. I am trying tobehave at the moment, but I fear another GAS strike soon enough.

[jjgold]

Boot...the last I was counting on your site you had 4 or 5 baris. Which ones went?

[Joe Jazz]

Morry,

Can you really get a new gold lacquer SX90 bari from Stephan for $3,600? That's a great price if so. Best I've found lately is around $4,500. Good thing I promised the wife I wouldn't buy a bari! At least, not until I sell an alto, soprano, and sopranino. Hard to cope with GAS and a wife! She tries to keep me out of the poorhouse, God bless her!

[Joe Jazz]

Morry,

I'd be a little worried about the gold lacquer too.....Keilwerth has a poor rep when it comes to their lacquer holding up very long. I'd lean towards the nickle-plate, if you care about looking good as well as sounding good.
Of course, then you're talking a lot more $!

[Bootman]

JJ,
I am left here with a Conn tranny and a Martin Magna. A JK Bari would be nice but I can't justify it at the moment. And Yes I had a big Bari sax year last year, far too many passed through here in search of the right one. I wouldn't recommend doing this as it is a very expensive habit to get into.

The scary thing is that I am doing it with altos now !!

[Morry]

Joe Jazz, the $3600 was an SX90 that USA Horn had. As it turns out, it has a few minor defects, and they were selling it cheap. Unfortunately, it's gone.

[Joe Jazz]

Morry,

Yeah, I remember talking to Dennis at USAHORN about that one awhile back! I thought there must be something wrong with it to be listed at that price, and he confirmed it had a dent or two......it was the regular brass finish(maybe with clear lacquer over it).......

[Randall]

Morry,
you asked somewhere else about my SX90 black bari....I'll sell it for 3900.00 plus shipping and insurance. Has a slight, barely noticeable ding on the edge of the bell which was repaired as well as could be. It is in fine shape adn the case is stock and also in excellent shape.. :)

[Joe Jazz]

Morry,

I know where you can get a new gold lacquer SX90 bari(no rolled tone holes) for $4,500. Let me know where to e-mail you if you're interested....

[Morry]

Joe,

Click the little email button at the bottom of my post.