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389 Posts
The Shadow Alto is dark and lush not unlike an old Conn or a Martin with the precise ,smooth, lightning fast modern keywork.
It was an unplanned purchase, sort of, driven by circumstances and market conditions. For 2 1/2 years since aquireing the tenor I have been casting about for a used one, but the only one I saw went for nearly retail!
The B&S horns are good horns. I have the tenor to back up the Shadow and went out and purchased the alto. In the past year I have played more alto then in the previous 20 doing more subbing, doubling and playing more quartet arrangements on alto.
Up untill 2 weeks ago I was quite satisfied with my alto, that is, until I got asked to double on some outdoor gigs I decided to A-B the two tenors to see if I would take to the outdoor gig and said " Whoa! There is much more of a difference in these two horns then I ever noticed before!"
When I first aquired the tenor I noticed how much faster I instantly became all over the horn particularly the pinky keys. In addition I really practiced hard over the winter on scales and patterns. Good equipment makes you better which makes you practice more which makes you better! ( At least it does me.)
Finally there was the market situation! I see JK dropping the SX90 abandoning that market segment. I see a change in U S distributers with price increases to the retailers causing them to raise prices, shave margins, or abandon JK altogether as being not worth trying to sell! I see the alto going up in price as soon a current inventory is sold off. Buy now Joe! Buy now! There are still a few available.
It was an unplanned purchase, sort of, driven by circumstances and market conditions. For 2 1/2 years since aquireing the tenor I have been casting about for a used one, but the only one I saw went for nearly retail!
The B&S horns are good horns. I have the tenor to back up the Shadow and went out and purchased the alto. In the past year I have played more alto then in the previous 20 doing more subbing, doubling and playing more quartet arrangements on alto.
Up untill 2 weeks ago I was quite satisfied with my alto, that is, until I got asked to double on some outdoor gigs I decided to A-B the two tenors to see if I would take to the outdoor gig and said " Whoa! There is much more of a difference in these two horns then I ever noticed before!"
When I first aquired the tenor I noticed how much faster I instantly became all over the horn particularly the pinky keys. In addition I really practiced hard over the winter on scales and patterns. Good equipment makes you better which makes you practice more which makes you better! ( At least it does me.)
Finally there was the market situation! I see JK dropping the SX90 abandoning that market segment. I see a change in U S distributers with price increases to the retailers causing them to raise prices, shave margins, or abandon JK altogether as being not worth trying to sell! I see the alto going up in price as soon a current inventory is sold off. Buy now Joe! Buy now! There are still a few available.
It's feels like a '50 corvette with all the authentic coolness intact remade by porsche to ride like a modern racecar.
