[MM]

I have small hands and even more of a challenge, short pinkies, both of which exhibit trigger finger if I transition from straight and pressing down to curved. What modern horns might be best for me to minimize finger stretch, especially wrt the pinkies?

My Mk VI is about the best for pinky ergonomics of any horn I have played recently. An older Yamaha Custom (YAS-855) is almost as good. An A992 is significantly worse, especially the LH spatula. Reaching between low Db to low Bb on the Yani is impossible for me to do while maintaining good hand position without triggering the tendon. Also moving the right pinky from low C to Eb can have the same issue on the Yani unless I alter my hand/wrist/arm position, rotating clockwise from the elbow and bringing the forearm to my body touching the hip. This is not so great for reaching the side keys.

Perhaps some of the Yamahas might work well for me. There have been a few recommendations for the student Yamahas, none of which I have played for years.

If anyway here has had spatulas reworked, I'd appreciate comments here or by email and photos. Also any other words of wisdom for dealing with trigger finger would be of help. Triggering has two issues. It causes a delay in certain movements for one, and also if I trigger too frequently it causes tendinitis. I've seen recommendations for finger exercises and have started on them but I don't see how muscle strength would help with the tendons not being able to slide smoothly in their sheath.

Thanks.

 

[hallda01]

When I switched to my Selmer Series III alto it took a bit to adjust because the the left hand pinky table was closer than on my Axos alto (which is basically the same keyboard as a Series II). You might try that.

The left hand table on the Cannonball Stone Series altos are also slanted pretty severely, but I haven't played one recently enough to tell if that would help or hinder your situation.

 

[saxyjare01]

I’d get a non-jubilee series iii or a yanagisawa 991/2.

 

[sparq]

One possibility is a Yanagisawa A-500. They were geared for students and the pinkie keys are closer than on other instruments that I have tried. I'm not sure if the A-600 has similar positioning.

Another possibility to try is the Beaugnier Model 38.

 

[B Flat]

MKVI or Yamaha are about as cramped as you can get.

 

[boots148]

Have you tried a Selmer sba?

 

[Saxophone Strange]

Have you tried looking at one of the Ishimori horns? I have one for Tenor and it is quite comfortable (though I have particularly large hands).

 

[dexdex]

I've got rather long fingers, over-trained by 24 years of MkVII tenor, so I can only speak of how "compact" and easy some horns feel. I'd clearly give Yamaha a run, the newer the better. Their kaizen engineering works great on such ergonomy issues, every version of every horn being a tad better than the one it replaces. Their latest 62 baritone feels easier under the fingers than most tenors, probably even than some vintage altos.

My personal favorite alto, and probably favorite horn from a pure keywork standpoint is the Selmer SA-II. But I think Yamaha is even easier and more compact in this area.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

Keilwerth MKX has the smallest keyboard I have ever played and they are built like tanks. Also the Giardinelli by Eastman is another that I own and perform on when I need a modern sound. Its compact like a Mark VI alto but has a very similar tonality.

 

[Jazz House]

Like everybody else, I would recommend a newer Japanese horn such as the Yani or Yamaha horns that have been mentioned. These horns are really well designed and engineered. The suggestion of an older Selmer BA or SBA is also probably a really good one. I'd say that's probably the smallest layout I've encountered and those horns can often be set up to be really soft as well. Of course, this could be a lot more expensive.

Another thing that may help a lot is to pay close attention to spring tensions and other aspects of the setup. It's possible that maybe keys could be bent slightly to accommodate your hands better. It's also possible to build up keys using epoxy, sugru and other materials.

Here's Michael Brecker's pinky table. Most techs could probably do something like this for you.

 

[vbluesman]

The most spread is the King Super 20 if anyone wants to know.

 

[turf3]

For small hands the Conn 6M will work well. Your little finger doesn't have to arch over the bar that connects the tilting low Bb to the C# like it does on the Selmer copies.

 

[hallda01]

Keilwerth MKX has the smallest keyboard I have ever played and they are built like tanks. Also the Giardinelli by Eastman is another that I own and perform on when I need a modern sound. Its compact like a Mark VI alto but has a very similar tonality.

Forgot about the MKX. I tried one of those out a couple years ago and remembered thinking it was cramped next to the SX90R I was trying.

 

[saxoclese]

Some of the modern "student model" saxophones are designed for younger players with smaller hands. The one I own as a "backup horn" is a Cannonball Alcazar. It plays great and I wouldn't hesitate playing a concert or gig on it.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

Forgot about the MKX. I tried one of those out a couple years ago and remembered thinking it was cramped next to the SX90R I was trying.

I found the MKX to be the smallest finger positions of anything I have played including vintage horns. I was actually going to buy one but it was just too compact for me and I have medium size hands.

 

[soybean]

The new Eastman 850 is supposed to have a very comfortable layout.

 

[Pent up Kid]

I tried an MKX Alto very tight and wierd with it ,I didn't like the way I had to adjust my wrist's to play it.
My Narayan is very compact key work ,much to tight for me.. so It's going sadly, great in your face sound ,very contemporary.

 

[milandro]

There is a saxophone made for a brand called Roy Benson that is especially made to fit kids hands , it also has a curved neck ( like the Talto neck sold by Music Medic) , you can see the keys are made to be closer together

 

[datsaxman]

I like the bent neck on alto! Clever idea.

 

[milandro]

That Idea was used , many years after the Roy Benson introduction of this model, by Music Medic as a TALTO neck