Sure.

Next?

 

The same question was posed in the Bb SOPRANO section . . . same answer, too. DAVE

 

No.
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...ies-II-vs-Series-III-Long-term-alto-comparison&p=3331409&viewfull=1#post3331409

 

I would be surprised if Selmers are anywhere near the top of this list. Yamahas, Yanagisawa, and Keilwerth are all more free blowing in my opinion. Maybe vintage Selmers are different but the Series II and III aren't even close in my opinion. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing...

 

If in good working condition, the SA80, Serie II, any Yamaha, and higher end Yani's are certainly contenders. I'd add King Zephyrs and S20's into that short list as well.

 

My Yamaha 82Z with an older Barone neck is pretty free blowing but I suspect that there are others out there such as older Conns and Keilwerths that are more free blowing. I've owned a Series II and I would say that it had quite a bit of resistance.

 

I also have a YAZ 82Z and I think it is one of the most free blowing alto. I could not ask for more.

 

Whatever alto you put a free blowing mouthpiece on.

 

This. Assuming the horn is tight and adjusted.

 

Vintage - King Super 20
Modern - Borgani Jubilee (with a Phil-Tone “Intrepid”, it almost blows like a tenor - unless your tenor of reference is a Borgani Jubilee)

 

Does anyone else think the YAS-23 is the most free blowing alto? Just for the sake of discussion. It seems we're assuming the OP wants a pro horn, but student horns tend to be designed to prioritize response over other characteristics, right?

Aside from that, I agree with bandmommy about mouthpiece/reed, and of course how well the horn is in adjustment being significantly greater contributors to how free blowing a sax is than the make and model.

 

Does anyone else think the YAS-23 is the most free blowing alto?

Sure. That too.

Aside from that, I agree with bandmommy about mouthpiece/reed, and of course how well the horn is in adjustment being significantly greater contributors to how free blowing a sax is than the make and model.

+10, but don't forget where you are. This is SotW, and wandering mindless threads with lists of opinions is what we do best.

 

My Martin Comm III is significantly more free blowing than my YAS-23 was, even with the same piece and reed.

My friends Yany 902 was much more resistant than my Martin.

 

My Martin Comm III is significantly more free blowing than my YAS-23 was, even with the same piece and reed.

And my Comm III alto is definitely more resistant than my 1950 Zephyr. I wonder how big-bore horns like Keilwerths, Coufs, or TH&Cs compare.

 

Conn 6m. Of course, I provide a famously abundant supply of hot air.



dsm

 

I would say that the King Super20 and late 1940's-early 1950's era Zephyrs, Conn New Wonder and 10M/6M, and The Martin Committee III horns are all very free blowing inherently.

 

My Buescher 140 alto is not free blowing.
I like the resistance, it gives me more to work with.

 

I'm not the world's best sax player, but I would not call my SA80II alto free blowing.

 

+1 I've never played any Selmer that was free-blowing. They were always quite resistant compared to other horns that I've played.

 

My TH&C is quite free-blowing, especially in the lower register (it was like a revelation compared to my Mark VI).

 

Agreed, TH & C is very free blowing.

 

Resistant is the nice way of saying it.

Wet towel, damp sponge. These are feelings that come to mind when I've played Selmers.

 

I can only compare two I have played heavily, but with the same mouthpiece/lig/reed set up across both, the Yamaha 62 was far more free blowing than the Yanagisawa AWO20. I vastly prefer the AWO20 for many reasons, and like the resistance, and sold on the 62 despite originally thinking I'd keep both.

 

Again, I'm not the world's greatest player, but I dislike ultra free blowing setups. A bit of resistance makes it easier to control the sound. Resistance does not have to be stuffy.

 

My experience with my horns is that my True Tone is way more free blowing than my SA80ii. The most free blowing horn I've played is perhaps a conn nw1 over at saxquest. I had a ponzol with me that time, the resistance was huge when I played it on my 80ii but it felt like nothing on the conn. I asked the staff and they said the horn didn't even have a proper setup. I played a bunch of horns and it was one of my favorite, along with an sba.

 

Alto? Without any doubt based on my experience it's a Conn New Wonder II (rolled tone holes, nailfile G# and microtuner neck).

 

Ok. Just what does "free blowing" mean when it comes to a saxophone? Does it have to do with quick response, or does it mean less resistance---which could be related response?

Does a "free blowing" saxophone get a brighter tone with more overtones, than one that is more "un-freeblowing" or resistant?

Just what makes one saxophone more "free blowing" than the next? Any thoughts on that?

Trumpet players talk about "back pressure" and I have heard some sax players use the term as well. Trumpets are very long, mostly cylindrical, tubes with a small diameter that flare out at the end. If one blows through the lead pipe of a trumpet one can feel the "back pressure" which is similar to blowing up a balloon. If blows through the neck of a saxophone with the mouthpiece removed fingering low Bb there is no comparison with the resistance felt blowing into a trumpet. Sax players should leave that expression to the brass players and call theirs resistance IMO.

A corollary question: Is a "free blowing" saxophone desirable? (I enjoy playing "devil's advocate" on topics I am interested in, so bear with me. A point to all these questions is coming---just not in this post. )

 

Hello.
In terms of "free-blowing" I think I would put the accent more in the field of the mouthpieces than in the saxophones themselves.
After all, physically, in terms of design and building engineering, the instruments -the saxes- tend to be very, very, very similar (diameters, dimensions of tubes...). -OK, some vintage saxophones can incorporate noticeable differences in design and building technique and even material, but I asume we are speaking in "general terms"-.

Therefore, the differences in aspects like "free-blowing", response, etc, etc. could be related more with the componets of the saxophone that are not exactly the instrument, mainly the mouthpiece, but also, of course, the reed and even the ligature.

So, I also agree with Bandmommy and I think that the main focus in this area probably must be the mouthpiece. After all, again "physically", the moutpieces DO have substantial differences in terms of design and building technique and, of course, even material: the tip opening, the facing length, the size and form of the chamber, the sank, etc, etc. are effective characteristics that impact directly and deeply in the "free-blowing" sensation.

Actually, I would say that the same saxophone could be absolutely free-blowing with a mouthpiece and extremely resistent with another mouthpiece. And I think that most of us have experimented that sensation.

Regards.

 

I don't mean to be offensive or angry, but this thread is just nonsense, as are many others that tout one brand over another (that useless and silly hate-Yanagisawa thread is an example). How could any of the brands mentioned here be any more or less free-blowing than any other brand?

They ALL have an expanding conical tube with basically the same measurements. If the pads seal well, the horn is going to blow as free as the mouthpiece/reed combination allows. Some have already mentioned these factors. DAVE

 

I don't mean to be offensive or angry, but this thread is just nonsense, as are many others that tout one brand over another (that useless and silly hate-Yanagisawa thread is an example). How could any of the brands mentioned here be any more or less free-blowing than any other brand?

They ALL have an expanding conical tube with basically the same measurements. If the pads seal well, the horn is going to blow as free as the mouthpiece/reed combination allows. Some have already mentioned these factors. DAVE

I'm not sure of the science behind it, but there's no denying some makes are more resistant than others. My SA80II is more resistant than any of my S20's. I do know the neck has a different angle between these two brands. The bores are also different sizes in that the neck on one won't slot into the receiver of the other. Again - I have no science to back up the resistance I perceive as I play, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I do know my instruments are leak free, and I use the same MPC/reed setup on both.

 

I like the resistance I’ve felt playing Selmers. Most free blowing I’ve played we’re all Yamaha’s: yas-23, yas-52, yas-475, and yas-62II.

 

And I don’t mean this as a shot against Yamaha, they make fantastic instruments that many professionals have used to make beautiful music.

 

Using 3 different mouth pieces on my late 50's Conn 6m vs. my '69 Mark Vi, the Selmer has noticeably more resistance.