[kaplac]

Hey everyone,

I know everyone says Truetones are nice for classical sax. But what about the other side of the sax?

How well do you guys think the true tones pull off a nitty gritty blues/jazz sax sound?

I know all the subjectivity among saxaophoens and how much they do for differnet people. But for you personally, Do you think a true tone can do well among a sea of jazz players with their super 20s and Mark VI's?

 

[princeganon]

every true tone i've played has sounded quite different. i used to own a c melody that had one of the grittiest honking sounds i've ever heard. The lower register sounded like a bari. my current TT alto sounds very classical, but could easily be used for jazz, though i'd say a VI or a S20 would be better if you're leaning towards the bluesier, more rockin' side of jazz.

so, i guess my advice is try a few and see what you think.

 

[kaplac]

Yeah, my problem is that I'm not in a position to test out saxes since I live in a town with small selection.

But if I bought a TT off ebay cheap and I didn't like it could I make some decent money off of it to get a different sax?

 

[Dave Dolson]

Sidney Bechet played a TT soprano.

I do not believe that a certain brand of saxophone is required or desirable to play a certain type of music. Show me a well set-up saxophone that has good intonation and I'll bet that it can play any kind of music one wants to push through it. That includes TT's.

To claim otherwise is silly. DAVE

 

[princeganon]

Show me a well set-up saxophone that has good intonation and I'll bet that it can play any kind of music one wants to push through it. That includes TT's.

To claim otherwise is silly. DAVE

yes that's true, but it doesn't mean that some aren't better suited for certain types of tones than others. If not we'd all be content with student horns. if you plan to primarily play rock or blues, it doesn't make sense to buy a TT. It's certainly capable of playing those types of music, but there are better options.

I can run in dress shoes, but if I plan on doing a lot of running, maybe i should buy some running shoes.

 

[saintsday]

Do you think a true tone can do well among a sea of jazz players with their super 20s and Mark VI's?

Yes.

 

[kaplac]

Ok, I knew this kinda thing would start up when I made this thread.

But I get the genral consensus now. The true tone can do it, there are jsut better suited candidates for rougher more raw sounds used in blues and rock. But I figure the TT can provide a pretty sophisticated sound for a jazz player.

Thats really all I needed to know. Thanks guys!

 

[Grumps]

How well do you guys think the true tones pull off a nitty gritty blues/jazz sax sound?

That's what I use my alto for; rock and funk as well.

 

[ToreH]

You may have to use a mouthpiece with some extra edge, but then it works great.

My son is leading a funk-jazz-rock band with a TTalto and a Runyon XL 7 and has no problems in parking the rest of the band with his combo.

 

[super20dan]

i some times use my true tone alto in my r&b band using a dukoff!

 

[Dave Dolson]

Prince: Nonsense. DAVE

 

[JL]

if you plan to primarily play rock or blues, it doesn't make sense to buy a TT. It's certainly capable of playing those types of music, but there are better options.

This is NOT true at all. The TT altos are very flexible horns, capable of a wide dynamic range (more than most modern altos). They have a great blues sound.

Now, imo, if you want to play rock or blues, get a tenor. I'm not saying an alto won't do it (look at Dave Sanborn, Maceo Parker, etc), just that the tenor seems better suited to that style. But if you go with an alto, the TT will do the job if YOU can do it.

 

[princeganon]

Prince: Nonsense. DAVE

wow, what an brilliant argument. If all horns are equally suited to all types of music, why is it that I've never seen classical guys playing super 20s?

Yes, a TT can play any kind of music, but given the same mouthpiece setup and player, the average s20 is going to have a grittier sound than the average TT. That's all I'm saying.

 

[princeganon]

But if you go with an alto, the TT will do the job if YOU can do it.

I never said that it couldn't. I agree that the TT is a very flexible horn, but if you don't need flexibility, and only want that gritty type of tone, the TT is certainly capable, but other horns are better suited to that particular type of tone.

 

[SephirothTNH]

why is it that I've never seen classical guys playing super 20s?

Preconceived notions?

 

[Migraine777]

I'm a classical nerd, and I'd love to own a Super 20, or moreso, a Silversonic....sad to say, I own 6 saxophones, all vintage, most recent built is my 305xxx buescher, but I have never...played a King saxophone. I'm missing out! Someone send me your Silversonic, let me wail on that sucker for a while and I'll send it back with some cookies or something for your troubles...=P

- Pat

 

[knighttrain]

My TT Alto does Rock as well as or better than my other altos. You just have to use a mouthpiece appropriate to the horn and music. I use a Runyon Delrin XL - my Quantum works just as well - other rock pieces work almost as well.

 

[fred12]

True tones were built in the twenties for the music people were playing at that time. This era is commonly known as the "Jazz Age". Duh.

My TT (obtained after recommendations of certain SOTW distinguished contributors) plays whatever I want it to, within my admittedly limited ability.

 

[Hornlip]

True tones were built in the twenties for the music people were playing at that time. This era is commonly known as the "Jazz Age". Duh.

Bwaa!!

I've found that the True-Tones will dirty up nicely if you drive them a little. They're a darker-toned horn -- with a lot of thick "guts" in there. You can bring it out.

 

[Pinnman]

I and two friends have TT altos, quite unusual to have so many so close together in England. We all make some very jazzy sounds on these and, with careful technique, some decent classical sounds too.