[LukeAndHisSax]

Has anyone ever heard of a Jinbao sopranino and how much should these sell for? Thanks

This is the engraving on the bell (i am assuming)

 

[A Greene]

I paid $489 including shipping from China. Another $200 to get the tone holes in the shape of circles - plays pretty well at this point.

 

[ericdano]

Probably should be paying someone to take it off your hands.......

 

[LukeAndHisSax]

Ok so 450 from a local citizen is definetly not a good deal?

 

[A Greene]

Ok so 450 from a local citizen is definetly not a good deal?

Only if it's been checked out by a technician. You'll also need to spend some money on a real mouthpiece.

 

[Wade Cornell]

Mine played fine out of the box. Am using an older Selmer mouthpiece that works well with clarinet reeds or Vandoren nino reeds. It doesn't have the warmer tone of my Yani nino, but actually has better intonation + F# (if you have some reason to want to go that high and set off all the neighbourhood dogs).

 

[electricfigue]

I just bought an NN (no engraving, no serial number) sopranino from SOTW member Camry, which I supposed it´s a Jinbao nino because of the quality control card inside the case.
I agree with Wade about the intonation because it´s really very good, I am on the process to decide which piece to use as main piece, an original piece refaced or a Yanagisawa #5, but today I tried both pieces with a Rovner ligature (I had it like a spare ligature for my Selmer Metal Bb soprano but barely use it because it darkened the tone too much), but on the nino worked perfectly, because the Rovner takes out all the brightness and leaves only a warmer rounded tone.
All my other horns are vintage (King & Buescher), I point it up because I am not one of those taiwanese/chinese believers ,but this sopranino really surprised me much more than I expected.

 

[LukeAndHisSax]

Congrats on your buy!

Thanks for the info on this horn

 

[Mattutopia]

I can echo what Electricfigue is saying, I'm presuming I have the same horn (again, mine isn't engraved JinBao, but it is identical, and from the same Chinese sellers - mine is engraved "Prelude by conn-Selmer"!). Anyway these are good horns, played right out of the case, and after a year still plays great, no problems at all. Good intonation and tuning, and a pretty good sound, which can be improved with the right mouthpiece and set0up as electricfugue also said.
Maybe they have got better or maybe they are uneven? Some with good finish/set-up, some not so well finished? Mine is about a year old...I think now is the time to get one of these horns, they can only rise in price...they are an amazing bargain in my view!

 

[paulwl]

All the Jinbao ninos on Google Images stop at high E. But Wade's horn goes to F#. What gives?

I'm not in the market as I have my 1924 Conn experimental up and running nicely. But it ought to be possible to see what one is buying...or maybe it keeps the prices low when you can't!

 

[A Greene]

This is the one I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SALE-Sopranino-...854?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c518536

I recently tried a RS Berkeley - Very nice horns. (Different level completely) One thing I noticed on my Chinese horn is the extreme off set of the upper and lower stack. The Berkeley stacks were almost in line more like a VI soprano.

 

[Mattutopia]

Thats the same horn as mine too (same seller as well). High F#. If the quality is consistently the same then this could be the best saxophone bargain on the net. I also have a 1925 vintage CG Conn New Wonder nino and they make for an interesting comparison. The sound of the Conn is definately better, more 'live' somehow, and it is lighter (less keywork). But most other factors are better in the Chinese nino - tuning, intonation, range, ease of playing (goes down to low Bb in a whisper) and although it does have a very different sound it is a good sound, less juicy or characterful, perhaps better for classical type playing really, purer. I've been playing it with a Vandoren nino mouthpiece at it is very nice indeed, easy to play, no worries on tuning (execpt perhaps at the very top end where some concentration is required, but nothing a slight embrouchure adjustment can't fix, like most ninos anyway). This is a solid, well made horn. The price can only go up in my view. I'm keeping both ninos, they are each very different.

 

[LukeAndHisSax]

Possibily the holy grail of sopraninos?? Well for the price of it possibly yes

 

[Mattutopia]

For the price, they are a great deal. I'm sure if you payed $2000-$5000 you could get a better horn, but for less than $500 (shipped!) they are a very good place to start, perfectly usable professionally. I'd like someone who has the other cheaper Chinese ninos to chip-in how they are. There is also a High Eb (E?) model in barebrass/'Antique' finish, from topeseller again. And now all these Rosebrass ones keep apearing, the J Packer Atom, and other similar ones. They seem to vary in price quite a lot depending on if they are direct from China or if they come from Europe or the US, but they look like the same horns. I guess it will all come down to how well set-up/finished they were in the Chinese factory (mine was great), that's the only real risk. These makes that are stencilling these same horns I guess must be checking them for set-up and making sure they are good. But some of them are double the price.

 

[junior1]

This is the one I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SALE-Sopranino-...854?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c518536

I recently tried a RS Berkeley - Very nice horns. (Different level completely) One thing I noticed on my Chinese horn is the extreme off set of the upper and lower stack. The Berkeley stacks were almost in line more like a VI soprano.

I heard some good things about the RS Berkeley sopranino. Chris Potter had some postiive things to say. Did you find the ergonomics better on the Berkley? Which tone did you prefer? I don't think I would pay $2000 for a sopranino since it would be more of a fun instrument to play around the house or take it with me on travels. The Chinese nino sounds like a good bargain for the novice sopranino player. If I get really into playing the nino than I would entertain the Berkely or Yani.

 

[milandro]

the RS Berkeley is a different animal from the Jinbao, it can be bought under other brandnames to but they are all rather expensive