[mudrock1000]

Ok so im looking to upgrade to a pro grade tenor saxophone. My price range is very limited, around $3000, and thats if im lucky, because my dad is a little short on money. Now my saxophone teacher i take lessons from suggests a cannonball, but my band teacher reccomends a p mauriat. I tried the cannonball and it had a very nice sound, a good balance. Im going up to try a p mauriat this Saturday, and im hoping to make my final decision by then. If i get a p mauriat im leaning towards the pmxt 66r, or if you go to saxalley.com, i see a custom one. So considering my finacial status...which would you get. (cannonball i can get for $2200, p mauriats around $3000)

 

[Morry]

Ok so im looking to upgrade to a pro grade tenor saxophone. My price range is very limited, around $3000, and thats if im lucky, because my dad is a little short on money. Now my saxophone teacher i take lessons from suggests a cannonball, but my band teacher reccomends a p mauriat. I tried the cannonball and it had a very nice sound, a good balance. Im going up to try a p mauriat this Saturday, and im hoping to make my final decision by then. If i get a p mauriat im leaning towards the pmxt 66r, or if you go to saxalley.com, i see a custom one. So considering my finacial status...which would you get. (cannonball i can get for $2200, p mauriats around $3000)

If you are patient, you can find a like new 66R for under $2000.

 

[Grumps]

Im going up to try a p mauriat this Saturday, and im hoping to make my final decision by then.

Are you going to try one at a place suggested by your band director? If so, you might want to ask him if he gets a cut. For 3K you almost have your pick of a variety of vintage pro tenors, or could even get a current Selmer second hand. You should check out the resale values of the horns you're considering before dropping 2-3 grand on one.

 

[rispoli]

You can buy a P.Mauriat (if that turns to be your choice) 66R or 76 for 2175$ at www.chucklevins.com

They are also really good with emails.

 

[Yellowhorn]

Mudrock -

Between the Cannonball and the PM, I would go for the PM - particularly the 66R as some have recommended here.

But bear in mind that with 3K you can go for something even better than the PM and a nice mouthpiece. There are legendary (mosly vintage) horns that you can have for that much money!

Have you heard names like Yamaha, Yanigisawa, Keilwerth, Buescher, Conn, King, Martin, to name but just a few?

 

[mudrock1000]

yes

Well yes but im looking for something thats cheap and with a good sound. I don't want to buy off the net for the main reason i won't know how it sounds...and saxalley has a shop near me so...yeah...i tested the cannonball and selmer one that was like $7000 side by side...and i didn't feel much of a difference. Im making my final decision on saturday. You guys know any other sax shops thats a max of a 3hr drive from pueblo, CO?

 

[mudrock1000]

oh yah

Ive heard of them all...and im looking at the p mauriat because i like need one by tuesday because this student vito sucks, and its got like a price under 3000 and ive been to quite a few places but they don't have any pmauriats...only saxalley located in windsor. I mean the cannonball i found had a better sound then some of the real big brands i tested for the heck of it, but every where ive been they said they haven't had a p mauriat in their shop for years.

 

[Yellowhorn]

Saxalley

Even if you found a dealer closer to you, I woluld still recommend doing business with Tim.

I don't know you are talking alto, sop, or tenor, but try used horns Tim has too. You may get a great horn for, say, 2K or less?

Good luck!

 

[Dr G]

For 3K you almost have your pick of a variety of vintage pro tenors, or could even get a current Selmer second hand. You should check out the resale values of the horns you're considering before dropping 2-3 grand on one.

Yikes and amen, yes! Check out the SML in the For Sale forum. Let's see, what do I want to play??? A horn with great tone that will last for another 50 years - that looks great, and has a reasonably fresh rebuild... Or do I want a new shiny horn that costs even more and will have a resale value of 50% of purchase price within an hour?

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=68927

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Oh well, somebody has to buy those new horns else eBay would have no business.

G'luck and enjoy.

Wait. Why, oh why, does this HAVE to be an instant purchase? Most people would want to take more time to research a purchase of several thousand dollars. Can you not borrow a horn for this EMERGENCY?

Shakin' my head... I don't get it. :?

 

[soulysax]

Check out Tim at saxalley.com. I just got my P. Mauriat from him. The setup is fantastic and that is so important. A horn out of the box just is not going to play its best. You need the pro setup like Tim's.

To give you an idea about which I prefered I am getting rid of the Cannonball in favor of the Mauriat. The Cannonball sounds good to me. Big open sound and good response. But recorded, which also should be close to what the audience is hearing it is very thin. The Mauriat sounds much better.

Also, do yourself a favor and try the other Mauriat models. Tim should have most of them and they do play very different. The 66 sounded dead while I played it so I went for a 60ns.

As for the the vintage advice. I like a vintage sound. However, you open so many variables with an old horn. Keywork which is not as comfortable. Play in the keys. Less than new pads corks etc. Relacquered. And as you pointed out a really good vintage horn in top shape can get expensive. And for those who think I am anti vintage my Mark Vi's beg to differ.

Good luck in your purchase.

 

[tjontheroad]

I'm going against the grain here by saying go with the Cannonball. I've played tested a number of PMs and Cannonballs of different models and I always came away with the feeling that, while all the PMs were nice, the Cannonballs had better response and resonance in tone. None of the PMs said to me, "take me home". OTOH, the Cannonballs kept me up at night (I did buy a Mad Meg tenor). Plus, if you call around, I think you'll find the street price of Cannonballs to be less than the PMs.

 

[Dr G]

If you're looking at spending $3k, you could get a good used Selmer Serie III.

What else are you playing, Tim? What will be the last tenor to go?

 

[soulysax]

From Dr G. Wait. Why, oh why, does this HAVE to be an instant purchase? Most people would want to take more time to research a purchase of several thousand dollars. Can you not borrow a horn for this EMERGENCY?

Shakin' my head... I don't get it.

Cmon George the guy mentioned his band director. When you are young, want a new horn, have to $3,000 thats an emergency. Come to think of it at that age EVERYTHING was an EMERGENCY.

 

[Boontigula]

Well yes but im looking for something thats cheap and with a good sound. I don't want to buy off the net for the main reason i won't know how it sounds...and saxalley has a shop near me so...yeah...i tested the cannonball and selmer one that was like $7000 side by side...and i didn't feel much of a difference. Im making my final decision on saturday. You guys know any other sax shops thats a max of a 3hr drive from pueblo, CO?

Right on. I have a Cannonball Hot Spur and recently purchased a selmer ref.
I like the CB better-I'm gonna sell the ref. If your leanin toward the Cannonball, go for it. Easily the best modern horn for the money.

 

[Dr G]

Cmon George the guy mentioned his band director. When you are young, want a new horn, have to $3,000 thats an emergency. Come to think of it at that age EVERYTHING was an EMERGENCY.

Hmmm, I was young too. Maybe the difference is that my father didn't have that kind of cash to throw at my "emergencies". Come to think of it, I have bought all of my own instruments all of my life.

Some people don't appreciate what a real "emergency" is.

That's alright tho', this isn't about me.

Back on track (thank you, Souly'), how many other kids in the band have new instruments? What's the real need here? What are your friends playing? What are they driving? Is there a correlation? :twisted:

 

[tjontheroad]

What else are you playing, Tim? What will be the last tenor to go?

Just the Mad Meg and the Series III for now What will be the last to go you ask? Honestly, I'm pretty set on keeping both and worrying more about playing them.

Of course you're right, you can't go wrong with a Series III. If I had to, the Cannonball would be the one to go.

 

[Dr G]

:borg:

 

[mudrock1000]

Yikes and amen, yes! Check out the SML in the For Sale forum. Let's see, what do I want to play??? A horn with great tone that will last for another 50 years - that looks great, and has a reasonably fresh rebuild... Or do I want a new shiny horn that costs even more and will have a resale value of 50% of purchase price within an hour?

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=68927

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Oh well, somebody has to buy those new horns else eBay would have no business.

G'luck and enjoy.

Wait. Why, oh why, does this HAVE to be an instant purchase? Most people would want to take more time to research a purchase of several thousand dollars. Can you not borrow a horn for this EMERGENCY?

Shakin' my head... I don't get it. :?

because i have a concert coming up in symphonic and jazz band and i can't play anything as good or as quiet as i need to. And dude i have been researching for quite a while. i have to play low F's throughout the song and the Vito student i have just doesn't cut it...im renting it and i can't find one thats a better one to rent.

 

[mudrock1000]

alright people its not an emergency, its just that our band tends to be a bit better then all the other bands and even better then a few HS bands, which im proud to say, and it would just sound better. The expectations are higher

 

[Dr G]

Fix the leaks and practice.

And, for the record, I don't respond well to "dude", dude.

If "expectations are higher", why don't you keep the horn in better working order?