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IMHO the least inexpensive nino that will play in tune and sound good is the Yanagisawa SN-981. The smaller the sax the more care that needed drawning the tone holes. Small saxes need precision work to sound good and play in tune. I say get a SN-981 or go ape like I did and buy a R1 Rampone or go even more ape and get a Selmer S-80 II.
 

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I admit it--I bought a DC Pro sopranino. I caught the sopranino bug but couldn't spend the money for a well-known instrument, so I took a gamble.

I've only had it a few weeks. It takes a lot of effort to play in tune, basically, fighting the instrument. At first I had problems getting even simple tones out of it, which I've mostly overcome with some minor adjustments to the instrument, practice of course, and experimentation with reeds.

I guess the mouthpiece that comes with it is OK, but I haven't tried any others (even my soprano mouthpiece swallows up the sopranino's neck so I can't even try it for a laugh). I started out with the Vandoren sopranino reed #2, tried soprano sax and Bb clarinet reeds, and came back to the Vandoren for now.

It will be fun to play with, but I wouldn't play it in public yet, maybe never depending on my skill level and possible adjustments to the instrument. It does fit in my daughter's hands and she can honk on it, so maybe she can learn to play it as she gets older.

I have more information plus pictures and a sound sample on my site linked in my signature below.
 

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At the bare minum get a yani 5 sopranino mouthpiece(available wwbw.com) and a brancher(avaible saxforte)ligature. I use vandoren nino 3 reeds. I also have a selmer lig on order.
 

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Remember the mouthpiece/reed/ligature is where it all starts. The best 4 digit priced sax cannot overcome a bad mouthpiece.
 

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monzamess- I note from the tuning/intonation results on your website that you have some intonation issues with most of your saxophones - with all due respect, has anyone else tried the DC 'nino, or any of your other saxes, maybe with their own mouthpieces. (I appreciate that 'nino players aren't exactly "thick on the ground")

I play C Saxes, which are renowned for 'intonation challenges', and often spend some time checking against a tuner - some of those numbers of yours would make me a little concerned.
 

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No offense taken, I understand.

On the one hand, an expert player with a good ear can bend any note on almost any sax until it's in tune. On the other hand, that's not really the point of my experiment (as such). The results on my website are from tuning the midrange, then holding a steady embouchure, as recommended by sax instructors, and seeing what comes out.

Having said that... I'm working on my embouchure and I realize some (maybe most) of the intonation problems lie in my inexperience. Also, I have not had any of the instruments checked or adjusted at a shop, which I've neglected until I decide how seriously I want to pursue things. Finally, I understand the mouthpiece can make a big difference here and that my large chamber pieces may exaggerate intonation problems.

The alto results were especially disturbing and considering I tried a few variations of sax/mpc, either all my stuff is junk, or I simply can't play alto in tune. On the soprano and sopranino, I think I'm squeezing the high notes too much and making them sharp. However, if I play to the tuner and try to get the high notes in tune, on some I drop the jaw so far that I fall an octave before the note gets in tune.

I haven't had anyone else try my saxes. I have little contact with sax players of any type--just some quick conversations at concert band, where I play clarinet. :)
 

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
i might try one out and get a good mouthpiece and reeds
 

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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
guy above me bought one
he sounds pretty decent on it on his site for using the stock mouthpiece
 

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I also wanted to buy a sopranino, and a DC pro was all I could possibly afford, so I too have purchased one of Dominic's instruments. It should get here soon (he's shipping from Salem MA to northern Connecticut). Here's hoping I get a good horn, I've heard with DC pros you can get a worse one or a better one.
 

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Discussion Starter · #12 ·
Please come back and tell us all about it :)
 

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Ok, but if it turns out that the sopranino sounds off I'm sure most of it will be me. My main horn is Tenor and I practice Soprano but my tone isn't all that great yet (plus I'm a bit out of practice). I'll report back here soon though, since it's scheduled to arrive by UPS tomorrow already! I'll be checking the tracking number every few hours until it gets here...
 

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Discussion Starter · #14 ·
then practice nothing but soprano till it gets here

:)

well that might be a little too much soprano for one person to handle....u might go deaf.

i wouldnt, im a piccolo player:(
 

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Huh... just checking back on this thread, I thought I had edited my post and it looks like it never went through. Anyway, after the sopranino arrived (a month ago already!) I opened up the box and everything looked good. Packaging kept everything in place, it came in a bag in the case, and there were corks to keep the keys in place until I removed them.

The included reed was chipped though, having arrived attached to the mouthpiece, but my soprano reeds fit well enough for me to play it. It did seem a little off-pitch at first, but I think I'm getting better at it. The highest notes sound out of tune compared to the lower notes but adjusting my embouchure seems to help. What was a little strange is that it came with a neck strap but there is no ring for one on the saxophone. (But it's light enough so I don't need one).
 

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
hmmm
im really tempted to get one

and just get a better mp
like a selmer or somthing.
 

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I do find it very easy to go out of tune playing the sopranino, more so than other saxophones, probably because of it's size. Moving my jaw at all makes a noticeable difference in the pitch of a note so I have to keep my embouchure pretty tight.
 

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Microsoft/Ebay cashback program (30%) + current ebay coupon (10%) + Dominic's running one of their semi-irregular 50% off sales convinced me to join the 'nino club this morning - I ordered up the silver plated DC Pro 'nino for what will amount to $299.30 and with free shipping. I figured that would be pretty darn hard to beat.

So.. I'll review it when it shows up. Stay tuned.
 

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First impressions review posted in the "Monique - DC Pro forum." Not bad at all for the small amount of coin paid for it.
Yeah, I like the nino too!!! I dread the day when I will have to get it worked on though!

It plays much better than people told me it would play. It just requires good listening and control.

Congratulations!

Phineas
 
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