[tedtelle1]

As Van sang "It's so quiet in here." I thought with the world in the midst of a pandemic that posts here would skyrocket. To me it feels just the opposite. I don't have anything Cannonballish to post, but I just wanted to break the silence.

 

[Arundo Donax]

Full Moon today, so it's a marvelous night for a Moondance.

 

[1saxman]

One of the worst sax solos ever recorded. Even if a worse one can be found, you will never hear a harsher, more metallic sound than VM's alto on Moondance. BTW, what does COVID19 have to do with saxophone playing aside from the fact that its costing us $millions?

 

[swperry1]

I think that it’s a great rock alto solo. Jack Shroer was part of something iconic and has a bunch of recording credits. I’m sure it bothers him that you don’t like his playing.

 

[1saxman]

If somebody did a satire on pop sax playing and it sounded like that, it would be perfect. I thought Van Morrison did his own sax work?

 

[swperry1]

Good thing opinions are like *** holes. Nope. Try google.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

I thought Van Morrison did his own sax work?

He does on more recent stuff, but he didn't on Moondance and other early records. I've always been a huge fan, partly because he thinks, composes, and sings like a sax player. He hears horn parts. The horn section work on his early stuff absolutely makes the songs, in my book.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

One of the worst sax solos ever recorded. Even if a worse one can be found, you will never hear a harsher, more metallic sound than VM's alto on Moondance.

That's part of the allure of the song. It's really not that bad. There are worse solos out there to complain about.

 

[1saxman]

Good thing opinions are like *** holes. Nope. Try google.

You oughta know about those holes.

 

[Ixthusdan]

I am fascinated that Cannonball draws such ire in some circles here. Since there are other horns made in Taiwan that get praised, horns that come out of factories producing several brands, it seems out of place that Cannonball gets the negativity. Granted, I am prejudiced because I chose my horn from several big names and it played the best. But, I only learned of Cannonball recently. Did they do something in the past to deserve the smears? Really, just curious. Cannonball has always responded to all my questions, and when I called them one day, the President actually answered the phone! She is a nice lady, BTW. I do not consider this a hi-jack since the thread openly says talk talk!

OK, just to stay in line, I know nothing of Van Morrison.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

OK, just to stay in line, I know nothing of Van Morrison.

You've never heard Brown-Eyed Girl? On other musician forums, that's one of the songs that they say if they never have to play it again, it will be too soon. That, and Mustang Sally and Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird and a few others. Interestingly, they don't say that about Moondance - a great song ruined by so many lame jazz and cover versions by mediocre bands. And the Moondance album is one of the greatest pop albums of all time. I raised my (now grown) children on it. And the Too Late To Stop Now double album is one of the greatest live concert recordings ever made. But I'm a fan so don't mind my hyperbole. You could give those albums a listen on whatever streaming service or utoob and see what you think.

 

[Dr G]

I am fascinated that Cannonball draws such ire in some circles here. Since there are other horns made in Taiwan that get praised, horns that come out of factories producing several brands, it seems out of place that Cannonball gets the negativity. Granted, I am prejudiced because I chose my horn from several big names and it played the best. But, I only learned of Cannonball recently. Did they do something in the past to deserve the smears? Really, just curious. Cannonball has always responded to all my questions, and when I called them one day, the President actually answered the phone! She is a nice lady, BTW. I do not consider this a hi-jack since the thread openly says talk talk!

OK, just to stay in line, I know nothing of Van Morrison.

Where is the C'ball bashing in this thread? No ire.

FWIW, tho', Cannonball has been criticized for their claims of tone stones, and their policy preventing dealers from advertising prices on the web.

Please listen to some Van Morrison.

 

[Arundo Donax]

I am fascinated that Cannonball draws such ire in some circles here. Since there are other horns made in Taiwan that get praised, horns that come out of factories producing several brands, it seems out of place that Cannonball gets the negativity. Granted, I am prejudiced because I chose my horn from several big names and it played the best. But, I only learned of Cannonball recently. Did they do something in the past to deserve the smears? Really, just curious. Cannonball has always responded to all my questions, and when I called them one day, the President actually answered the phone! She is a nice lady, BTW. I do not consider this a hi-jack since the thread openly says talk talk!
...

Most people, I think, have come to this thread not from the Cannonball forum, but by clicking on "New Posts". I didn't even know the original post to this thread had been made to the Cannonball forum.

Anyway, it seems to me that in the last 15 or more years at least, Cannonball actually has had a good reputation and people like their horns. I've heard only good things about the people at Cannonball.

I did have a 98 Knight tenor from 2001, an improvement over the earlier 1998 Knight. A chronology:

http://www.cannonballmusic.com/chronology.php

My 98 Knight sounded darker and mellower than my Yamaha tenor (YTS-21), which I did like, but there were several things I didn't like and so I sold it and kept the Yamaha.

The only flak Cannonball got here that I'm aware of was from the "resonance stones". I don't know if they still do that.

 

[Ixthusdan]

Where is the C'ball bashing in this thread? No ire.

FWIW, tho', Cannonball has been criticized for their claims of tone stones, and their policy preventing dealers from advertising prices on the web.

Please listen to some Van Morrison.

I could see where that would be a bit too much hyperbole. I like the stones, but really cannot hear them. I do think the price thing is also an adjustment they should consider. They could easily show their suggested list price on their site without altering their desire to support the local shop.

I do know Van Morrison without knowing that I know. I now wish I knew that I had known without saying I had not known. You know?

 

[Arundo Donax]

...
I do know Van Morrison without knowing that I know. I now wish I knew that I had known without saying I had not known. You know?

Don't feel bad. Nobody is worse than I am about liking songs and not knowing the name of the artist, the band, or even the proper lyrics.

It was decades before I realized most of the songs I like are by the Eagles.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

I do know Van Morrison without knowing that I know. I now wish I knew that I had known without saying I had not known. You know?

Yeah, I know.

 

[tedtelle1]

I orginally started this thread to comment on how quiet the forum seemed to me. I used the Van Morrison song because of the lyrics "It's so quiet in here." I posted the Cannonball section because the tone stones had been mentioned 399 times and I was hoping for an even 400.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

I posted the Cannonball section because the tone stones had been mentioned 399 times and I was hoping for an even 400.

I think you just made it 400. The things I read about Cannonballs were the nonsense about resonance stones (n = 401) and that you couldn't get a price quote except by going in person to a dealer. That kind of thing made me have zero interest in trying a Cannonball, especially since I already loved Martins and could find vintage ones in good condition for less than what I learned Cannonballs sold for.

 

[tedtelle1]

:

I think you just made it 400. The things I read about Cannonballs were the nonsense about resonance stones (n = 401) and that you couldn't get a price quote except by going in person to a dealer. That kind of thing made me have zero interest in trying a Cannonball, especially since I already loved Martins and could find vintage ones in good condition for less than what I learned Cannonballs sold for.

You win the prize for pricing . . . . that's at 4,000 . . . . .:mrgreen:

 

[JohnInDenver]

I've owned a half-dozen Cannonball tenors over the years, and really enjoyed them. Get a good one used and you can get a lot of sax for your dollar. The fancy stones don't matter to me. Their policy of not sharing prices doesn't matter either...I would probably never consider buying a new one, and that goes for pretty much every brand out there!