[potiphar]

Until I watched Andy Sheppard play last night I hadn't fully appreciated how much my Yani stencil is a clone of the Mk VI, at least visually. I'm surprised there seems to be no back-to-back comparison on the site. Has anyone played both, and if so was the tone similarly cloned or not?

 

[Dave Dolson]

I have not played them side-to-side (back-to-back), but I have played them both. I once owned a MKVI sop. I sold it 20 years ago and haven't regreted it.

I recently tried an S-6 - not impressed, but it DID need some work. Even in need of repair, I wasn't impressed.

I own a Taiwanese (Antigua-made?) MKVI clone. It has all the problems my MKVI had (poor intonation the main issue), but it also has the same great tone that my MKVI had. DAVE

 

[potiphar]

Thanks Dave - interesting because my S-6 is a rather different beast after servicing. Intonation, however, was never a problem. Anyone else had experience?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

I've played both and found that the VI has some tuning issues but the S-6 was pretty solid in terms of intonation. Tone wise they were pretty close.

I know some guys who love their VI sopranos and wouldn't give them up for anything. I never cared for the layout of the horn much and since I prefer the tone of some other horns I have never been tempted to own a VI soprano.

 

[Seasax]

is the s-6 the elimona? i have an elimona sop, it is almost identical to a mk vi

 

[sonnymobleytrane]

Until I watched Andy Sheppard play last night I hadn't fully appreciated how much my Yani stencil is a clone of the Mk VI, at least visually. I'm surprised there seems to be no back-to-back comparison on the site. Has anyone played both, and if so was the tone similarly cloned or not?

I have the Vito yani stencil and side by side its amazing how every detail is copied from the VI

 

[potiphar]

is the s-6 the elimona? i have an elimona sop, it is almost identical to a mk vi

I'm told the Elimona was their first with a separate neck - the s-6 is a one-piece. But I might be wrong.

 

[Chicken 'Lil]

I think that the comparison between a VI and an S-6 is only valid if you are comparing late VI's. I have a couple of five digit VI's that crush most everything out there and eat late VI's for breakfast.

 

[Yellowhorn]

Recently, I almost bought a Martin (Yani-made) curvy, and, as Dave also told me, the keyworks look just like the Mk6.

 

[Tryptykon]

I think that the comparison between a VI and an S-6 is only valid if you are comparing late VI's. I have a couple of five digit VI's that crush most everything out there and eat late VI's for breakfast.

How so ?

 

[potiphar]

I believe both late VIs and the Yanis were made of compressed cornflakes recycled from old CBS Fender guitars, which appears to affect the tone adversely. Also the extra digit in the cerial - sorry, serial - number meant more material was removed from the horn - Yanis of course have even more serial number digits so even less vibration. However, as Chicken 'Lil says, they can be eaten for breakfast.

 

[Dave Dolson]

It's the artillery shell-casings that make the difference. DAVE

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

Considering that the shells were purported to be found in France, and let's face it the French have never been known for their military, wouldn't it stand to reason that the brass shells were either German or American? Doesn't it cease to be French brass at that point?

Not that I have ever believed that the VI's were made from shells.

 

[Yellowhorn]

I keep hearing that the 6's were made of, as Dave said, artillery shell-casings, but is it true? Or just a myth that VI players and fans would have us believe?

Is there anything on the Internet to confirm it?

 

[Yellowhorn]

Just found this post:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-40552.html

 

[Razzy]

Henri Selmer used the blood of his late wife while he hand-painted the lacquer coating...

 

[Dave Dolson]

Thang: My post was in jest. DAVE

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

I doubt that there were truly that many shells dropped on France that were collected up and melted into brass sheet only to be formed into saxophones. It wouldn't surprise me if the French did recycle brass but I would think it would have only been a component of the final mix.

 

[Seasax]

my elimona is a one piece sop, no detatchable neck,

 

[potiphar]

my elimona is a one piece sop, no detatchable neck,

Probably an S-6, then, though I think the Elimona name has been applied to various Yannis. 2nd and 3rd digits of serial number should give you the year of manufacture, so that should be a clue if it's before 1978. Though that might just be the batch number of the cornflakes. Or the artillery shell. I'm getting confused now.