[barefootsax]

After over three years on my P. Mauriat, System 76 Tenor, I decided to make a change. I decided to get a PMXT-66RUL. The first time I tried one of these horns is when they first appeared on the market at a trade show. I remember just saying to myself that I have to get one of these. So I did.

When I received the horn I had to unpack the corks and such that are used for transport. As soon as I did that I assembled the horn and boom, it was ready, no adjustment needed. The first mouthpiece that I used on it was my Jody Jazz DVNY with a Rico Jazz Select 3S unfiled reed and the Jody Jazz Ring Ligature. My first impressions were about the sound. The horn has a nice focused sound with a huge tone. The rolled tone holes are real nice because the response of the horn is great with them. Every single note just speaks out on its own. I feel more free on this horn than I did with my System 76. It is more free blowing and open, which I like because I can control the sound more on this.

I also decided to get the Magnum neck in an Un-lacquered finish as well. The new Magnum neck is definitely worth buying even if you are just slightly interested in it. It really adds a nice punch to the sound and will even kick up your volume if you want.

Don’t get me wrong the System 76 is a great horn, I love it. But the 66RUL was really what I was looking for in my sound concept. The system 76 is extremely focused and very similar to a popular brand and model of saxophone that you can find on ebay from $5,000-$12,000. But the 66RUL is more like the horns before that, very comparable to the older Conn 10M and SBA. There isn’t much that you can not do on this horn, in the coming weeks I will make a few videos to demo that. Classical and jazz, this horn will do it all. Overall I know that I am happy with this horn and it plays perfectly for what I need. Please do not hesitate to ask me questions about this.

Patrick Trahan
P. Mauriat Endorser

 

[Mark R]

Patrick, Congratuations on your new 66RUL. That's my main tenor these days as well. I had tried the Magnum neck in nickel silver and for me I had some intonation issues (certainly not the case with many other fine players utilizing it). Tim at Sax Alley was very generous in allowing me to send the Magnum neck back and I exchanged it for a nickel silver Super VI neck. The nickel silver allows me a little more clarity and focus whereas the stock unlacquered Super VI neck give it a more vintage 10M vibe a bit more complex harmonics/spread. So for the more modern cover band stuff the nickel silver is great, for the acoustic jazz type of work the stock neck works awesome.

I had tried the 1st edition 76 when they first came out but like you I like the more free blowing yet focused tone I get with the 66RUL....it is just "home" for me these days (I have tenor GAS all the time!)


I also just received a Jody Jazz DV 7* and it's a nice match for the horn, very powerful piece, yet versatile....I may spring for a DV CHI soon. Happy playing with your new horn.

 

[DC]

Hello Patrick, Mark and all on this thread,

The 66RUL is such a unique horn, I've posted my thoughts on this previously and agree with all you've both said, nothing like the 66RUL on the saxophone market today. It's my tenor of choice and am still having a ball with it, whenever I pick up another tenor I immediately want the 66RUL back in my hands.

Enjoy the switch Patrick and also your 76, what a nice contrast to be able to enjoy between the two models!

best, DC

 

[barefootsax]

Thank Mark and Dusty!! Yeah, I am really digging this horn. I loved my 76 but I am in love with my 66RUL.

 

[skatkat]

Guess i have to check out the 66r. I have the 86 (alto) and an old yts23 that needs replacing.

 

[SaxoFAN]

Guess i have to check out the 66r. I have the 86 (alto) and an old yts23 that needs replacing.

Make sure you check out the 66RUL!!! (unlaquered)

These two letters at the end really add to the qualities of this wonderful sax.

The 66R is just good.
The 66RUL is ULtimately good!!!

 

[Borganiboy]

Make sure you check out the 66RUL!!! (unlaquered)

These two letters at the end really add to the qualities of this wonderful sax.

The 66R is just good.
The 66RUL is ULtimately good!!!

I 2nd that,monster tenor is the 66RUL.

 

[rampantsax]

I have just acquired a 66RUL off ebay. I have a Ref 54 in Matte finish and it is a really great sax. I have been looking for a good second tenor and have been through a Keilwerth SX90 a Yani 901 and 990u in black lacquer and a Mark VII, all good saxes to try and all rightly snapped up when I moved on. None were better than the Ref 54 until now. And it pains me to say that cos the 54 is lovely and part of me.
Its taken a coupe of blows to get 'into' the RUL but wow what power and tone. I am making noises I have never know with any of the others and I cant wait to use it in a gig. I took a chance on the comments on this forum and am really glad I took the plunge. This beast is a "keeper" for sure.
Only slight (and I mean slight) disappointment is the 'patina'. Its only a year old so not at its end point yet but just looks scruffy and green rather than other pictures around of a brown look. Any ideas how to achieve that look from any RUL club members? Or will it just happen.

 

[rampantsax]

This is a photo following the above reply. Doesnt look as impressive as some I've seen. Anything I can do to speed up the process?

 

[whaler]

It will never get the patina of a Selmer or a good old Conn. The brass used for Asian horns just has a yellowish tinge to it. My Selmer with no lacquer and Yanagisawa, also with no lacquer, have a different patina.

 

[Grumps]

It will never get the patina of a Selmer or a good old Conn.

Nor the sound nor feel of either, from my experiences. Another dialed in Taiwan horn, and a wrong number for me.

 

[altofreak]

Agree with above. I have just had the opportunity to try it out over the weekend and I think it's really overrated. Or maybe I just like 66R better..

 

[barefootsax]

It depends on what you are into. The 66R is a great horn as well, but it does have a different sound.

 

[newjazz]

hello guys,


with all the raving going on about the rul how can we be sure it isn't a different horn. man, I just ordered a new pmxt 66r dk for a good price, and to just to say i had to do some budget stretching to go this far. what I mean is, maybe it has something else done to it to justify the more expensive price tag. my question is has anyone ever removed the lacquer on a regular 66r to confirm?

 

[Borganiboy]

hello guys,

with all the raving going on about the rul how can we be sure it isn't a different horn. man, I just ordered a new pmxt 66r dk for a good price, and to just to say i had to do some budget stretching to go this far. what I mean is, maybe it has something else done to it to justify the more expensive price tag. my question is has anyone ever removed the lacquer on a regular 66r to confirm?

I stripped my 1st 66r vintage lac tenor.For me it blew more free but thats to my ears.

 

[Bule Jass]

Just reading this thread and figure out that partick work for P mauriat and saxofan, DC, is just propoerly just another worker from the company I guess. Are there are any one on this thread does not work for the P.mauriat or their dealers and can give me some honest reply on the 66R or 66RUL. Not from the company but some who does play and test them both?

I do admit the 66R is a nice horn but just to say unlaquered is a new thing that is a little bit "sales" and speaking of sound,

I did try the Trevor James 374SR-U which is also another unlaquered horn and it does sound better.

 

[tritonefunc]

Greetings...
I have played / owned the PMXT 66R Tenor with the vintage lacquer finish for several years and during the last year have also tested/compared the 66RUL to the 66R tenor on more than one occasion. My observation is that they are both great sounding horns with similar characteristics. However I think that we all hear and feel the sound differently so it would still be a good idea to try out a few of both horns and let your instinct or preference be your guide. My 66R is fitted with Roo pads with maestro gold plated resonators which I purchased thru MusicMedic otherwise it is just a stock horn. By the way I am not an employee or affiliated in a business relationship with the P.Mauriat company and I play the instruments because they work for me.


All the best....

 

[michaelc541]

I bought a 67RUL about two years ago after many trials of Selmers, Yamahas and others; the tone quality and playability of the RUL was unsurpassed. I really believe the bare brass has a big impact on the sound. Many of this forum believe the mpc/ reed combo comes first. I agree in principal, but I tried so many horns on the same mpc/reed setup that the sound of the RUL was a breath of fresh air. I played a Mark VI for many years; I went searching for something else and found it. Highly recommend it for jazz.

 

[saxnbax]

I just bought a 66RUL from Mark at Saxquest after trying one against my 70,XXX series Mark VI and my friends 85,XXX Mark VI. We were both blown away. I love my Mark VI and it plays great with a pretty focused sound. I thought the Mauriat had a more complex sound, very pleasing to my ear at least, very good ergos (maybe not quite as good as my VI but close enough), and could accomodate a lot more air. For the kind of playing I do the most, which is big band and R & B, its nice to have a horn that I can push into another gear. I did have a chance to also try a 66RDK. I thought it sounded great as well. Not sure I could tell the difference in a blindfold test, but it was set up with a lot stiffer action and I felt like I was fighting it a bit. So far, I'm pretty happy with the Mauriat. I haven't had a chance to try some of the other Taiwanese horns though but I think this horn will do me just fine into the foreseeable future.

 

[Grumps]

I bought a 67RUL about two years ago after many trials of Selmers, Yamahas and others; the tone quality and playability of the RUL was unsurpassed. I really believe the bare brass has a big impact on the sound.

I almost believe that an unlacquered horn allows more of the vibrations of the horn to pass through our fingertips, thus giving us the impression we're more in tune with the horn. Conjecture, I know... but of all the Mauriats I've tried, I've only been somewhat pleasantly surprised by the 67 altos; with lacquer or without.