[Lovejoy]

Hi everyone!

I've been playing the saxophone on and off for almost ten years now (the first four of those I had tutoring but only up to Grade Five standard). I learnt all I knew on my Alto - a Jupiter 767 Student Model - and its taken a few whacks in its day. Now I've started taking lessons again I'm seriously considering a new Alto.

I'm not looking to go into music professionally, however I do love to play. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

Edit: probably a good idea to give you a price range eh? Well I'm looking to spend £2000 at the most but again, any advice is welcomed!

 

[JayeLID]

Probably a good idea to give more info also.....:bluewink:

What kinda music do you want to play ? What contexts would you be playing in (large bands, marching bands, small ensembles, electric bands, acoustic bands, lead horn, horn section, wooing a sweetie by standing below the window in the garden whilst playing smooooooth, romantic ballads....etc.) ?

Do you have any favorite players ?

That sorta stuff would help narrow the field a bit.

For that sort of budget, you can easily land a professional instrument, BTW.....

 

[Lovejoy]

Hi! My apologies for the late reply, I've had a hectic couple of weeks! I'm afraid I'm not going to be very helpful though.

Generally speaking I'd like to play everything. However I'd be most likely playing alongside an electric band, probably in a ska band. However a groovy guy I know has a fondness for a lot of crazy stuff so I might be able to convince him into trying some new ideas...

As saxophonists go, I usually listen to King Curtis (love the Soul Twist album with the Kingpins!) and John Coltrane. I did listen to a few others, but when I stopped playing I listened to the older stuff less and less. Nowdays I usually listen to either Capdown or Morphine for my fix.

In a last ditch effort to be helpful - I guess what I'm looking for is an Alto with a sound that with the first blast gets people's attention. If I'm playing in a Jazz/Rock band I'd be playing the sort of solo that'd really get people bouncing. Not with the quickness of Alex Foster on Bullet Train but with that slick sound of Maceo Parker in Pass the Peas.

(Reading back at this I probably sound really green. Please be aware that I know its the saxophonist that creates the sound. I'm just hoping for some advice on the best sax to buy to achieve that).

Cheers!

 

[thadnoland]

Check out a Conn 6M. It sounds like it might just be the horn for you.

With that budget you could get one w/ rolled tone holes, naked lady...the works!

The ergonomics will be different but the sound will be unmistakably Conn.

 

[Tiberius]

Although you can't get any sax, with that budget you should be able to find any type of sound you want. Take your time, try a few. I've only ever tried one Jupiter, I found it uninspiring tbh. I didn't like the ergonomics, half the keys seemed in the wrong place, and it went very flat when I played the palm keys (D,E,F).

 

[cbandwoman]

Check out http://www bandmastersmusic. com We have some nice vintage saxes that you might like to view.

 

[JayeLID]

Generally speaking I'd like to play everything. However I'd be most likely playing alongside an electric band, probably in a ska band. However a groovy guy I know has a fondness for a lot of crazy stuff so I might be able to convince him into trying some new ideas...

As saxophonists go, I usually listen to King Curtis (love the Soul Twist album with the Kingpins!)

You want a horn with some edge, then...but maybe something a little richer and lusher in the bottom overtones than what a contemporary horn can give you (with the exception of the very expensive ones).

If you go vintage...the first makers which popped into my head upon reading the above were King and Kohlert. Both have a lotta cojones and a nice bite and edge to their tone, but with much fatter midrange and lows than contemporary horns.

A nice Zephyr or Super 20, or a Kohlert Bixley, Regent, '50's series model.....

The Conn 6M was also a good suggestion.

I agree.... for your budget, a higher-end used Yani or Yamaha is certainly w/i your reach, too.

As noted, try as many as you can...older, newer...and see how the vintage ones move you. I'd keep the Jupiter as a back-up, maybe someday invest a few quid in it to get the whacks out.....if for no other reason than they aren't bad budget horns and you may sometime have the need for the brighter, brassier, modern sorta timbre again.

 

[Raphyel]

a chu berry alto is a great horn and you can get them wayyyyyy cheap. chus are my allround favorite altos as far as sound/price.