[A Greene]

There has been a discussion regarding the weight of soprano saxophones. Let's clear up the matter once and for all.

Here are the rules:

1) Weight should be in both pounds and grams (if possible)
2) Include Make, Model, Finish, and Serial Number (23,xxx)
3) Include year of manufacter (if known)

NO MOUTHPIECES - Just the saxophone.


I'll go first.

1977 Mark VI Selmer 169,XXX Lacquer Finish 2 Pounds 10.5oz 1205Grams

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

good idea-- will get it out after the football games

 

[Reedsplinter]

I just realized that I have an extremely accurate scale in the house: in the kitchen! A digital kitchen scale. I used it to weigh my present soprano; here are the results.

I have a Musica soprano, which is a lacquer-finish B&S stencil -- serial number 05858, date of manufacture unknown (80s probably). It weighs 2 pounds 13 3/8 oz., or 1.29 kg (another good thing about the kitchen scale: weighs in either mode).

I'll have a new soprano within a couple of weeks -- either a Yani S901 or a Keilworth SX90 (I'm still "weighing" the decision). When I get the new axe, I'll post its weight too.

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

let's see stand on a scale naked holding a soprano then just naked. 789 lbs10.3 and minus 777 lbs= anyone have a calculator

 

[Reedsplinter]

let's see stand on a scale naked holding a soprano then just naked. 789 lbs10.3 and minus 777 lbs= anyone have a calculator

Back to your ball game, Texas.

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

let's see stand on a scale naked holding a soprano then just naked. 789 lbs10.3 and minus 777 lbs= anyone have a calculator

dat b a joke hehehe

 

[Dave Dolson]

I don't have an adequate scale to just weigh my saxophones. However, I have a digital bathroom scale that weighs in pounds. It would not register the weight of a soprano saxophone alone.

I weighed myself, then weighed myself holding my various soprano saxophones - several times each to ensure the base weight was consistent, then twice holding each saxophone to ensure consistency. The scale never varied from the initial read-out.

I held a straight silver-plated Buescher TrueTone (1928), a Yanagisawa S901, a Yanagisawa S992, a Yanagisawa SC902, an Antigua 590LQ, and a KUSTOM (Taiwanese MKVI-clone of substantial build). All saxophones with removeable necks had the straight neck attached. No mouthpieces were included.

They all weighed the same . . . three pounds. Scientific? No. Significant to me? Yes. DAVE

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

Dave--you can do better than that-- i hope

 

[Reedsplinter]

Well, so far the Mark VI IS the lightest -- but the old horns are by far the heaviest! Doesn't this go rather against Houston's thesis that new horns are heavier because of extra keys, outboard motors, built in blenders, and other geegaws?

Of course we don't have enough info yet to be sure. . . .

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

Reedy you sure like to raze me --why don't you put your money where your mouth( finger is). :!: Let's make a friendly wager-- if that is not against forum rules. Not on sound becasue that is tooooo subjective. But weight. Since I have owned 2 new Yamahas, one Yani and one new Selmer in the last 4 or five years I think on the weight issue I can speak from experinece. There is an old saying here-- don't pee on my leg and tell me it is raining

 

[Dave Dolson]

Houston: What do you mean? If you disagree with what I've written, be specific. How can I do better than that?

And Reedsplinter, so far the VI is the lightest and the old horns are the heaviest? Where do you come up with that?

My MKVI-clone should be within a very few ounces of a real MKVI. I've owned, performed and travelled with a VI sioprano and it sure didn't strike me as having anything unusual about its weight, either way.

All of my sops weighed the same - or closely enough that I think you guys who are trying to make a big deal out of heavier and lighter sopranos are joking. A few ounces is no big deal. DAVE

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

dave not sure what i meant-- hmmm-- please disregard-- think i mean't reedy

a senior moment?

 

[Reedsplinter]

And Reedsplinter, so far the VI is the lightest and the old horns are the heaviest? Where do you come up with that? DAVE

In terms of the facts as stated so far: the Mark VI is the lightest at @ 2 pounds 10 oz., the B&S is a little heavier @ 2 pounds 13 oz., and your group of vintage horns all weigh three pounds. So, thus far, what I said is accurate, isn't it? I also said we don't have enough information yet to draw any real conclusions.

Houston, I'm not interested in wagering.

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

So what is the point of this thread? What does an extra 2-3 ounces do for a horn's sound? Someone please explain this one to me.

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

Not About Sound

 

[Chris J]

1926 Buescher TT (206xxx)
1.18 kg
2 lb 9.5oz
naked of lacquer as the day it was born

Happy to help, but will not pretend to understand.....

 

[eidollon]

If your soprano weighs around 6 pounds it is likely made of gold. :sunny:

 

[Dave Dolson]

Reedsplinter: No, I don't think what you said was accurate.

Among my sops were TRUE vintage (two 1928 Bueschers, although I only weighed one of them), Yanagisawas with various keying and shapes - NEW designs all), a new Antigua similar to a Yanagisawa S991, and a Taiwanese-made Mark VI-clone (maybe 25 years or more old). I think those sopranos cover enough age-range and keying designs that some conclusions can be drawn across the board.

All of them weighed roughly the same. The only conclusion I can draw from that is that any claim that one era of sopranos weigh more or less than another era is meaningless and probably should be considered MYTH.

I don't consider a B&S Musica to be an old saxophone. The design is most likely one with the tilting pinky-table and the low B and Bb (and probably the low C#) placed on the bottom half of the tube (unlike vintage Bueschers and VI's). I could be wrong about that, but so what?

I would think that any soprano with modern keywork would be considered to be modern, not old.

I agree with SaxyAcoustician about the significance of a few ounces one way or another (although Houston was right - it isn't about the sound). That was the point I'm trying to make. A few ounces either way means nothing. DAVE

 

[Dr G]

There is an old saying here-- don't pee on my leg and tell me it is raining

Don't put your foot under the dividing wall between stalls. :shock:

 

[Wind_Mill]

Vito sop (SN 27635xx) (Yani S-6 in disguise, made for Vito)

approx. 2 lb 12 oz (1.26 kg) using some digital fish scales

Bathroom scales will typically round up the weight a full increment (lb or kg) if it's in between.