Jim Schmidt Saxophones

[Dig Gonsalves]

Has anybody here tried one of these?

link to his Contralto:
http://cvip.fresno.com/~js210/contra.html

[Randall]

Dig, in the several years I have known of the JS saxes, I have yet to meet anyone who has played one or heard from anyone who has.
I too am interested to hear from anyone who has....those are some wild looking saxes!
I imagine it would really be a bit of work for someone like me who has been playing for over 32 years to get used to the new, more logical and "easy " key layout of Jim's horns....but then again, I won't know till I try one.
Maybe when I hit the lottery....

[Gandalfe]

At http://cvip.fresno.com/~js210/default.html I found out how expensive this new horn really is! But the site is fancinating reading. Enjoy!

ALTO, CONTRALTO AND TENOR SAX PRICES
These horns are hand crafted to perfection by myself and require a great deal of labor and patience to complete. The care and love that I put into them is reflected by their beauty, feel and tone. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Sax with brass body and stainless steel keywork - $10,000

Sax with stainless steel keywork, sterling silver body (straight conical portion), brass bow, bell & neck - $10,500

Add $500 for top F# key. Optional mouthpiece designs or materials are to be negotiated. A beautiful, hand crafted aluminum case is included.

A $2000 deposit is requested. Add shipping, tax or import duty fees.

[MusicMedic]

I had the pleasure of playing Jim's Contralto. It's a wonderful saxophone. The fingering takes a little getting used to but it has a very workable keyboard. There seems to be a way to trill or tremolo from any note to any other note. That alone is pretty cool. Every time you press a button (except the palm keys) you go down a half step. It's a very logical system. For me, pressing the G# key and having the pitch go down was wild. Then equally wild was keeping the G# down and working down the horn from there starting with the right thumb. Like I said it takes a little getting used to, but it's logical.

After playing Jim's amazing instrument for a while, I started to think more in intervals than I usually do. It's easier to think in intervals when each button is essentially a half step. Whole tone scales are a breeze. As a technician the tri-axle hinge rods, magnets, stainless steel parts and the rest of Jim's goodies are really amazing.

Jim's horn played very well also. The tone is even throughout the registers, intonation is excellent and response is perfect. This is a very well made and though out saxophone in every way. As soon as I have the money together, I am going to order one of Jim's horns. I think mine should be the first Baritone...

[shotgun]

Thank you very much, MusicMedic! This is the first hands on review I've read and I'm very intrigued. Hmmm, maybe it's time to see about negotiating a second mortgage ....

[daigle65]

It's very innovative and logical but I don't think it will ever catch on.

Take the bassoon for exemple, it would be possible to make them with the Boehm system but no bassoonist would want to play one.

[MusicMedic]

Originally Posted by daigle65

It's very innovative and logical but I don't think it will ever catch on.

Take the bassoon for exemple, it would be possible to make them with the Boehm system but no bassoonist would want to play one.

Another example might be the modern Bass Clarinet. Adolphe Sax worked hard to have his key work and intonation improvements accepted.

This page at Wilipedia says:
"Finally, Adolphe Sax, a Belgian manufacturer of musical instruments, designed a straight-bodied form of bass clarinet in 1838. Sax's expertise in acoustics led him include such features as accurately-placed, large tone holes and a second register hole. His instrument achieved great success and became the basis for all bass clarinet design since."

However, the story of his struggle with the Bass Clarinet is much more interesting. I'm sure it's on the internet somewhere for those interested.