[chipcook]

So, came across this on Ebay (yeah, I know). What is this? Why? Did Berkeley make this and actually sell it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-St-in-th...f0784ed59:g:BSoAAOSwk-Jd1u4A&autorefresh=true

 

[Dr G]

The ad copy says it’s the first.

Don’t worry about me outbidding you.

 

[bruce bailey]

It says that it goes down to low C but actually goes to low D

 

[Dr G]

It’s lacking a lot of keys that I would miss.

It might be a good double for a piccolo player.

 

[jgreiner]

Made for the "minimalist" type of player.

 

[Uwe Steinmetz]

A Gentleman shouldn´t play higher than a Db on a soprano anyways...

 

[chipcook]

A Gentleman shouldn´t play higher than a Db on a soprano anyways...

That's what she said!

 

[milandro]

few years ago someone else showed something similar. It even had a leather protection of where the bell was cut.

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?185143-unusual-adler-c-soprano

We never determined whether it was stock but I doubted it then as I do now.

The Berkley is stock but it is a weird thing

Actually it is cheaper buying from them than from ebay

https://www.berkeleywind.com/c-sax.html

 

[Taragot]

"A Gentleman shouldn´t play higher than a Db on a soprano anyways..."

Didn't I hear you lately play C-Soprano in the altissimo range in a very beautiful and impressive manner, Uwe?

 

[JayeLID]

This ad got lots of talk over at Pete's cafe.....my favorite part of it (and there is soooooooo much to LOVE):

It has a vestigial front F touch, in the complete absence of palm keys. LMAO......

So all the touch (ostensibly) does is close the upper stack C cup, alone. That'd make for an interesting sound, for sure...

As I said on the other Forum....one wonders if anyone ran this by an actual sax player before fabricating (?)

 

[ZootTheSim]

They're often used by felons, and are illegal in most states.

 

[chipcook]

You know, I thought this was RS Berkeley producing this, it's not. Some other company with the same last name.

 

[milandro]

You know, I thought this was RS Berkeley producing this, it's not. Some other company with the same last name.

It’s a US based shop

https://www.berkeleywind.com/index.html

there seems to be some relationship with some American person featured in lots of their videos and who seems to import these in the USA ( see address)


Dear Customers:

Looking for the perfect unique music instrument and accessories? Well, you have come to the right place for violin, cello, flute, trumpet, french horn, guitar, drum....

We'll gladly help you to find the most suitable music instrument that you need, whether for your own use or as a gift. We specialize in unique and elegant music instruments. We offer the widest selection of music instruments at discounted prices. View our extensive selection and find out what our online store are whispering about.

Choose from our unique online store for your music instrument and before the instrument is shipped to you, it will be completely setup and fine tune by music professional so that it can be ready to play when you receive it. At BerkeleyWind.com we have a wide selection of musical instruments that are completely new and nicely crafted. You will be completely impress by it's nice looking and excellent craftmanship. The soft colour of the internal casing makes the instrument looks extremely elegant and shining.

BerkeleyWind
10032 San Pablo Ave
El Cerrito, CA 94530
[email protected]



( The address seems to be a shop selling Computers but the street view picture reveals instruments for sale here )

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1...977a700e0e21eb!8m2!3d37.9013009!4d-122.302504




I am resonably sure they are not the makers of all the range of instruments which they sell and in all probablilty this is a Chinese trading company with some guy in the West.

Nevertheless, it would be interesting to hear how this fares, at $250 this may be better than the HORRIBLE Yamaha Venova at not much more ( they call it a C sax) :dontknow:

https://www.berkeleywind.com/c-sax.html

 

[AddictedToSax]

Interesting shop. He has a lot of unusual stuff. It's not far from me. I will probably be heading to the Bay Area next month. Maybe I'll stop in there on the way back. All that thing needs to make it sing is a Klangbogen strategically placed at the joint near the neck.

 

[JayeLID]

They're often used by felons, and are illegal in most states.

The theory being a sawed-off sax results in more spread...if I am not mistaken....

 

[datsaxman]

... and easier to deloy in tight quarters when every second counts...

 

[datsaxman]

Deploy

 

[Arundo Donax]

I have a soprano recorder that can slap that thing silly.

 

[georgewa]

This is a student soprano sax called the Easy Sax. Craig at Micramusic in Hong Kong sells them for $175 plus S&H. It is meant for students and is reported to have good intonation; it uses synthetic pads which seal well and better than replacement leather pads.One could potentially use it as a beginner horn or a travel practice horn, though one would want a hard case for it which Craig does not sell.

 

[JayeLID]

There's many a thing wrong with this, besides just the design of the horn itself (which again seems to defy the notion that a sax player actually had input into it).

1) The shop/model name is using a moniker which can be confused with RS Berkeley.....and yeah - although one can claim 'hey it's because of the geographic location of the shop !'...the fact is the horn is made in asia, and there's no question in my mind that the moniker intends to piggyback on the name of RS, thus intimate an association with the better known company...while giving the producers/sellers an 'out' should that notion be raised.

2) This is a (bad) throwback to the 'home' models of the 1920's...in an era where the notion of a pared-keywork sax has long, long ago vanished as any sort of positive attribute.

3) Why not just buy a cheapie soprano or sopranino instead ? Is one seriously gonna argue that the difference in length of a few inches is gonna create any sort of 'hardship' in transport or usability ?

4) Again, IF the creator had done some R&D they might have discovered that the world of sax players is quite conservative when it comes to proposed changes/inventions in keywork of the sax...look at noble failures such as LeBlanc System, Italian 'Ministeriale' horns, or even the resistance Jim Schmidt has met.
So, if you are gonna try to climb that hill, it might be advisable to not attempt it with something which has additional strange qualities to it....

Just my 2 cents as a purveyor myself.