[Noj the Terrible]

I have noticed a few SDA players are using a Barone neck on their SDA tenors. How has this changed the way you sound on the SDA? How has it change the way the horn plays/responds? I currently like the way I sound but I don't like the angle of the neck. It angles up more at the end than my 10M and MKVII and it always takes a little getting used to. Any input would greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Jon

 

[Noj the Terrible]

I forgot to add that I mostly play using a Meyer 5M and Rico Jazz Select #3S reeds.

 

[Saxland]

I bought a Barone to try on my Dynaction tenor, the model before the SDA and found the sound was very similar and the Barone neck angle made a huge positive differance. The Barone is very free blowing. In my case the bores were too different and intonation suffered.

I ended up buying a Codera, and selling the Barone. The Codera attaches to the sax hook and it allows you to play at a differant angle. It will balance the sax with your center of gravity instead of you leaning into the saxophone.

I do think that a Barone neck is a deal though and well worth the money for your SDA as it will play well and the bores should match.

 

[bfoster64]

I've posted a lot on this partly because I'd like to see someone else try a Barone neck on an SDA and confirm the benefits I have experienced: low notes speak easier, high notes project better, everything is a little more free blowing, dynamic range is greater, and intonation remains good. The only detriment I noticed was that D2 got a little flatter, but it's pretty typical for that note to require a little extra push to bring it in line with the others. I don't even notice it even more.

However, if you think your SDA neck already points upward too much, you might not want the Barone. It has a more modern neck angle that points even more up. But I think most people agree it is more comfortable to play that way. I did not like the 90-degree neck angle of the original SDA neck so the Barone improved on that for me.

 

[Noj the Terrible]

Thank you for the responses Saxland and Bfoster64. Do either of you know if Buffet changed the angle on the neck during the production run of the SDA? The reason I ask is that my neck looks like it has much more of an up turn at the mouth piece than the photos I looked at on the Barone web site. The year of manufacture of my SDA is 1964. I don't know how much difference there is between the DA and SDA neck angles. Saxland, you felt the Barone neck had less flip up than the Buffet? Bfoster, you feel that it has more? When I get home tonight I will compare the photos and my buffet neck more closely.

 

[Noj the Terrible]

Bfoster, did you purchase your Barone neck directly from his website or did you find a dealer that had it in stock? I would like to try one before buying if possible.

 

[bfoster64]

I'm curious about the neck angle, as well, after this discussion. For the record, my original SDA neck seems to have about a 90-degree difference between the tenon and the mouthpiece receiver. My Barone neck has a larger angle. It also has a higher arc.

I was able to play my Barone before buying b/c I bought it in person from the former owner. However, the tenon had to be expanded to fit my SDA so I didn't get a true test of the neck. What convinced me to buy was seeing how much it improved his Mark VI as opposed to the original VI neck. I figured if it helped his horn that much it would probably help mine. I was more than happy with the results once I had it fitted to my SDA.

The good thing about these Barone necks is that you can get them for a pretty low price and they hold their resale. I would look for one on a discount sale from Phil or a used one on Ebay or SOTW, if I were you. I don't know of any retailers that stock them.

 

[Saxland]

The Barone neck has more of an upturn than the Buffet neck. For me the Barone neck was a really good angle. It may be that your Buffet neck may have been bent upwards or by a woodwind or brass tech that knew what he was doing.

Is it possible you have a Buffet S1 neck on your SDA or another neck from a French saxophone manufacturer that has the same bore or close to the SDA?

 

[Noj the Terrible]

The neck I have with my SDA looks to be the original. It has the same amount of wear and matches the finish on the sax body (color and sparkle lac.). It does not look to be altered in any way. As close as my crude techniques allow there is about a 15 degree up angle at the tip of the neck. I measured this by placing the neck on a flat surface in the upright position as if it was in the sax body and then eyeballing it with a protractor. I think I will try to find a barone neck locally to play. The Barone web site lists Horn Improvement as a dealer and they are within 30 miles of my home so I will give them a call to see if they have one in stock I can try out on the SDA.

 

[bfoster64]

Sounds like a good option. Keep in mind the neck tenon will probably be too small to fit your SDA, so you might have to try it on another horn, maybe a Selmer. Ironically, my Barone neck originally was fitted for a Mark VI and was the perfect size for my B&S Allora, but it did not improve the sound and response of that horn and really hurt the intonation. You can always put paper around the stock Barone tenon to fit it to your SDA, but remember it will play much better once the tenon is fitted properly. The tenon expansion is an easy job for any competent sax tech, but it I believe it is more difficult to reverse.

 

[EllSyd]

A question for those who have tried Barone necks on their SDA tenors.

Do they fit correctly as delivered, or do you have to get it custom fitted by a tech?

EllSyd

 

[bfoster64]

Mine was pre-fitted for a Mark VI so I had the tenon expanded to fit the SDA's bigger bore. It only took my tech a couple minutes. They probably all start out sized for a Selmer so you can expect to expand them for an SDA tenor.

 

[Yellowhorn]

Noj the Terrible -

I think you should focus on the tonal differences a Baron neck may make on your SDA rather than the angle of it. The reason is that, with the exception of the Rampone Cazzani low neck on the tenor, most modern brands have the Selmer-styled, and that is very uncomfortable.

I write this after playing my King Super 20 tenor while I was in Vietnam. And when I got home over the weekend, I played my Selmer-Conn tenor and hated its neck.

The only other neck that may offer you that great comfort is the Yanigisawa underslung one and, like I said, the RC one.