[kryz]

Hi,
I'm looking to buy a soprano, mainly to figure whether it is something for me and also to play it (or give it to someone else i trust) to play in a group(quartett +guitar/piano).

I don't have too much money to spend and I'm looking for a used horn, that is rather easy to play intonationwise and has a good resale value (just in case!).

So I searched the forums and figured the Vito S-6 stencils are great.
But how to fugure out if its a S-6 fake? I know it has to look like a MKVI and has these scary palmkeys and no front F. Also I sometimes read things about some of these are japanese or taiwanese.

Can anyone sort this out for me please?!

Are there any alternatives? I want to buy a straight not a curved one, and no taiwanese brands like kessler or antigua or sugal or whatever^^

thx

Chris

 

[Dave Dolson]

kryz: Why NOT a Taiwanese-made brand like Kessler or Antigua? You could do a lot worse than a Kessler or an Antigua. My Antigua 590LQ is really a good player - great tone, good scale, and responsive top to bottom. If looking for a good inexpensive soprano, one almost has to buy Taiwanese (or American vintage, but those are going to probably cost you more - my two 1928 Bueschers are superb sopranos).

As to "fake" MKVI clones, yes they exist. I own one (labeled "KUSTOM") and my research lends me to believe it was made by Antigua (or at least the factory in Taiwan that made/makes Antigua). And, my KUSTOM plays just like a real MKVI I once owned (with many of the problems my real MKVI had). My KUSTOM has no other markings on it, to Grumps' dissatisfaction (no country-of-origin).

I received a recent P. Mauriat brochure and it showed a MKVI-clone soprano. When I inquired, I was told that PM dropped that model before bringing it to market. I still have the brochure.

The Yanagisawa-made MKVI clones (S-6, Vito, Dorado 600, and maybe Martin - I don't know if Yanagisawa made a MKVI-style sop with the Martin brand) are good players - maybe more consistently good than even the MKVI, but that is a discussion for another thread.

The Yanagisawa stencils I've seen had either "Japan" stamped on them OR the Yanagisawa trademark. That doesn't mean all of them have those markings, though - I just don't know.

Just when you think you have a handle on stencils and clones, you'll discover that not everything is known about them. DAVE

 

[stevesklar]

The old Vito sopranos with the inline palm keys are Yanagisawas. modern Vitos are not

Some ppl do not like those inline palm keys, myself included. I've passed by old Coufs and yanis with those inline palm keys and mk VIs. I borrowed a yani with them and after hours and hours I simply did alternate D and up fingerings (made it up as close as possible). They simply did not work for me - but it works for other ppl.

Other non- Taiwan sopranos are:
vintage Buffets
B&S
Selmer Paris
Keilwerth/Coufs (and their cheaper heritage line)
other french makes such as Beaugnier, Malerne

Though I'd actually recommend a used Antigua. If you get one from here it already has lost it's depreciation, is normally in really good shape (no $$ to get fixed) and can be resold (if you find out quickly that you don't like soprano) for about what you bought it for.

 

[stevesklar]

Hi,
I don't have too much money to spend and I'm looking for a used horn, that is rather easy to play intonationwise and has a good resale value (just in case!).

That kind of limits you to the Vito/Yanis or Antigua if you ask me. The antiguas have modern keywork.

other vintage horns may require $$$ to get them working really good just to find out if you want to play them.

Keep in mind the "total cost" of a used horn.

 

[kryz]

kryz: Why NOT a Taiwanese-made brand like Kessler or Antigua?

The have really bad resale value here in Germany.

I tried the MKVI style palmkeys on a Elimona Sopranino and they seemed usable.

The Yanagisawa-made MKVI clones (S-6, Vito, Dorado 600, and maybe Martin - I don't know if Yanagisawa made a MKVI-style sop with the Martin brand) are good players - maybe more consistently good than even the MKVI, but that is a discussion for another thread.

The Yanagisawa stencils I've seen had either "Japan" stamped on them OR the Yanagisawa trademark. That doesn't mean all of them have those markings, though - I just don't know.

What about Martin? I've never heard about these?

I don't think a buescher or conn or similar vintage similar is good for me know. I don't want to spend all that practice time just to get used to an instrument ( just recieved an '19 Conn bass from a total rebuilt - lot of practice still to do^^)

 

[stevesklar]

Yani owned the martin name and also had a martin-Yani stencil.
before that (1970's) Martin was a US company with their own sopranos etc - they apparently changed hands several times over the years.
http://www.themartinstory.net/

how bad is the resale value if you by used already ??

 

[kryz]

Great I'll see if I can find one.

I have to pay 20% taxes, and antigua is not a known brand here in Germany

 

[A Greene]

I did a visual comparison between the Selmer VI Soprano and Vito (S-6).

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=69189

Great Value and nice playing horns.

 

[km]

you might find weltklang sops easier to source in germany - some love 'em, some don't - but they are robust and IMO undervalued - I enjoy mine!

km

 

[Udikas]

I like my B&S soprano, it's got a really nice sound

 

[bruce bailey]

As far as I know, Yana never owned the Martin name. Leblanc owned it and used the Yanas for Soprano and Baris. There are some really nice curved Martins that are Yanas. These have the Martin name inside an oval. The other yana made sopranos and baris are Whitehall.