[Adderleysfasthands]

modern saxes unjazzy sound, really starting to get on my backside, if i wanted a fluty sound, i'd buy a flute. Does anyone know any modern alto saxes that really bring back the vintage sound that those alto soldiers used to sound like? my set up btw, is a Otto link tone edge 6, with a berg larson ligature and la voz medium reeds, i am happy with the sound of my sax, but i know that i could get a much richer sound if i simply bought a new saxophone. I've heard good things about the Yamaha 82 z custom series, and also good heard good reviews about P.mauriats, but could anyone give me some more model names of saxes that like i said have a really thick jazzy sound? like lou donaldson or cannonball.

thanks

 

[A Greene]

Why not buy an old saxophone (it doesn't have to be a $10,000 Selmer) to experiment. Conn, Buescher, Martin - all have great undervalued vintage horns out there.

 

[bkiser]

If you want to go really cheap, I would suggest tracking down any of the Beaugnier horns- Kenosha Vitos, Noblets, etc. These horns feel a little awkward to play compared to a modern horn, but have excellent intonation, tons of power, and a sound that is somewhere between Selmer and the vintage American horns. I got mine for about $200 in playable condition.

 

[Adderleysfasthands]

there is a shop down the west end of london that does sell cons worth around 500-700 pounds

 

[Dave Dolson]

Adderly: I hate to be repetitive, but it is the player not the horn. I have a nice mix of vintage and modern altos (sopranos, too). All of them play well and sound good, at least to my ears.

I'm playing my Yanagisawa S901 soprano and Selmer Ref 54 alto more and more these days and the music I play (original jazz, New Orleans' style) begs for the vintage sound. I doubt if anyone listening but not watching could tell whether or not my horns were vintage. DAVE

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

modern saxes unjazzy sound, really starting to get on my backside, if i wanted a fluty sound, i'd buy a flute.

What modern saxes sound like flutes?

I guess Peter King sounds "fluty" on his Yanagisawa? Or Alex Han on his Yamaha 875?

 

[retread]

The few Keilwerth tenors I've heard sound thick and spread. But I prefer my old 10M.

 

[RootyTootoot]

Adderly: I hate to be repetitive, but it is the player not the horn.

But clearly the repetition is necessary, Dave.

Adderly: If you want to sound like the people you mention then I reckon one of the best ways is through study and imitation. Transcriptions and listening/playing along with recordings. I'm not seeking to patronise you - often i'll buy gear myself to try and fix a perceived fault. But i honestly think you're barking up the wrong tree if you think a vintage horn will give you a vintage sound. If you can't help yourself maybe try a different mouthpiece rather than thinking you need to splash out on a vintage instrument to fix your playing. IMHO.

 

[fballatore]

In my short time playing and studying saxophone, I've learned many things. One of the most important is that the player, mouthpiece and reed have much more of an impact on sound than the horn. Perhaps a change of mouthpiece is in order.

 

[Seasax]

there is a shop down the west end of london that does sell cons worth around 500-700 pounds

which shop is that?!

pm me/ i don't want to highjack the thread...

 

[ismail]

play loud?

 

[joelsp]

Step up to a La Voz Medium Hard. Or try a tenor reed.

 

[ChuBerry47]

Keilwerth, B & S, P. Mauriat (last on my list),Selmer La Voix.

 

[crazydaisydoo]

i am happy with the sound of my sax, but i know that i could get a much richer sound if i simply bought a new saxophone.

Been there, done that.

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=63322

As you can see from the thread above, the tone difference between my true classic 1957 Martin "The Martin" (a £1000+ horn) and my one year old Yamaha YAS-62II is marginal. Very marginal.

In my opinion; spend the £1500 on music, CD's, lessons, mouthpieces, reeds. concert tickets, and recording gear. These will probably benefit your playing more.

In fact here is a little suggested breakdown:

8 x Jamey Aebersold music/cds, + scale books klose etc £150
1 x Multitrack Recorder (a good one) £500
1 x good microphone and Stand £200
10 x lessons with a pro £250
1 x RPC Mouthpiece or similar (everyone raves about them here) £200
10 x Jazz CDs £150
3 boxes of reeds £50

You could swap the recorder and mic with a summer school next year run by Jazzwise in the UK, costs about £800

I find recording myself very beneficial in term of tone production, but each to their own.

If you are expecting the horn to make anymore than 5% difference to your sound, be prepared to be disappointed.

Do a search here for Pete Thomas's Tenor Shootout, yet again proof that the horn is a minor player when it comes to tone.

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

crazydaisydoo, too bad few on this forum will listen to such sensible and sound advice.

 

[TooSaxy]

It must be a sax player thing to not listen to advice of people who have been where you are. I had to see for myself before I was convinced lol.

 

[renegade]

I had the same attitude before, get a new horn and improve my sound until I realized through experiment and practice that I can also produce a good sound using my present sax. Mine is just a Conn 24M alto, a student model which I bought more than 2 years ago but through experiment to find out what is a good mouthpiece-reed combination, I discovered my that sound could be as good as the one coming from an expensive horn.

 

[crazydaisydoo]

Mine is just a Conn 24M alto, a student model .

Naaahh, surely it has to be 2.4 x better than a 10m?

 

[RootyTootoot]

Been there, done that.

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=63322

As you can see from the thread above, the tone difference between my true classic 1957 Martin "The Martin" (a £1000+ horn) and my one year old Yamaha YAS-62II is marginal. Very marginal.

You will note, Adderley, that "sensible" crazydaisy has nonetheless gone ahead and bought himself a the Martin AND a YAS62. LOL!! :twisted:

But his advice to you is super.

 

[maestroelite]

It has nothing to do with the horns, the guy that sits next to me in the big band I play in sounds more like one of the old Basie saxes than most people I've heard before and he plays an 875EX. And a MODERN Meyer. Crazy talk.