Saxophones Do you have a backup sax - how often do you play it?

[mrblackbat]

I've been thinking about getting a backup tenor for a while, currently I just have tenor, alto, soprano; but as I mostly play tenor, when my horn is in the shop etc, then I'm without for those periods (forcing me to play alto more, which is a good thing - it's a lovely horn).

But I also struggle justifying spending on something that will likely just sit in it's case most of the time (like my sop and alto do, to be fair). At the same time, I don't want to get such a cheap horn that I don't want to play it, or when I need to play it it's not up to what i need and so on.

So do you have a backup horn, and how often do you actually play that backup?

 

[turf3]

I have backup alto and tenor. I didn't buy either of them specifically to be a backup, rather the alto came to me from a friend who was moving cross-country and lightening the load, and the tenor was intended for an experiment with neck pickups.

Recently after about 5 years I pulled the alto out and it really wouldn't play till I reseated a bunch of pads. I wasn't keeping the pads corked shut. The tenor I recently tried out and it's OK, I've been keeping the pads corked shut on that one.

My main alto is a Conn and the backup is an old Martin so fingerings are the same; on tenor my main is a Conn 10M and the backup is a Conn Director, so fingerings are the same. I don't know if I'd want backup and main horns that were widely different. My idea is that if the main horn goes down I can simly grab the backup and play it without having to refamiliarize myself to any extent.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Alto being my main I have several. A Thomann bought new and a couple of used do uppers, a Bundy and an Artemis.

First choice is the THOMANN, it's very playable but it screams a little up top. It encourages me to fix the Yamaha. Currently debating about a new TJ EVO II or a refurb Yani 991. 🤔

 

[jazzdoh]

I think it pays to have a backup of your main horn, alto is my main horn so i have two but only have one of tenor, soprano, sopranino and C melody.

I have a SC RAW and a Viking M60 which i am happy to play either on gigs, i usually decide on the night which one i will use.

 

[Grumps]

I was with a brass band for five years playing mostly drunken, disorderly and chaotic waterfront fiascos. I only used my backup horns on those gigs; tenor and soprano.

 

[Zasterz]

I recently got a really nice VI alto as a second horn because my 6m needs work from time to time and it was stressful to me not having an alternative. I currently have both of them on stands and when I go to practice I pick up one or the other for the day, based on what I feel like playing. I love them both and they’re (obviously) a bit different so it makes it fun for me to have the bit of variety. (I’m not one of those who stresses about minuscule ergonomic differences so I don’t have a preference as far as that goes.)

 

[cappers]

Yes, regularly.
..........

I started on a YAS-25 then got a YTS-25 which became my main and band horn. I recently got a mint YTS-32 and relegated the YTS-25 to a backup. I tend to alternate on the tenors and like to play the alto for a change.

I don't need a backup tenor but I am quite attached to the YTS-25 as I learnt the ropes on it and it's a nice horn. It could be handy when the YTS-32 is o/s and for 'rougher' venues or outdoor gigs where it might get wet.

I am a novice amateur so it might seem overkill but as I've got them, why not?

 

[mrblackbat]

Alto being my main I have several. A Thomann bought new and a couple of used do uppers, a Bundy and an Artemis.

First choice is the THOMANN, it's very playable but it screams a little up top. It encourages me to fix the Yamaha. Currently debating about a new TJ EVO II or a refurb Yani 991. 🤔

And how often do you play the others? E.g. 90% of time on the main, 5% on each of the other two?

 

[mrblackbat]

I think it pays to have a backup of your main horn, alto is my main horn so i have two but only have one of tenor, soprano, sopranino and C melody.

I have a SC RAW and a Viking M60 which i am happy to play either on gigs, i usually decide on the night which one i will use.

And how often do you play the backup?

 

[mrblackbat]

I was with a brass band for five years playing mostly drunken, disorderly and chaotic waterfront fiascos. I only used my backup horns on those gigs; tenor and soprano.

And now, how often the backups?

 

[lydian]

As an amateur who only gigs 30-ish times per year, I've never had a backup. If I were a pro on the road playing multiple shows per night, I'd probably get a backup. But in my case, I have so many sax player friends, on the rare occasions I need a back up, I can always borrow one. I'm happy to loan mine as well. That goes for flutes and clarinets as well.

I did have a close call once that could have gone very wrong. I showed up to a gig, opened my tailgate and my case immediately tumbled to the ground. It was rendered completely unplayable. When setting up, I tried rubber bands, duct tape, you name it, but I couldn't get it playing. Miraculously, my piano player (also a saxophonist) happened to have a horn in his car that I could use. So my gig was saved. That's the only time in 50 years my own backup would have come in handy. But I can definitely see where a pro has the potential for far more mishaps.

 

[Dr G]

I did that quest for a while when I was playing more frequently and had scheduled to send my #1 (Borgani Jubilee) away for an overhaul. I bought a bunch o' really good vintage tenors (King Super 20, Buescher Big B, Buescher TH&C) but found that I didn't want to put in the time to adapt to other horns and ended up with a close match to my #1 that was a newer Borgani OBT. After both horns were overhauled, I found that I no longer needed a backup and sold #1 after a couple years. I would only play my backup when I needed it and I didn't need it. Yeah, been there, done that.

Edit riffin' on Lydian's post: There's that other side of having a backup. Is it for when you know that your horn will be away for work or is it to cover those last minute emergencies? Are you going to carry TWO of everything to a gig? Now you're set up for schlepping more gear and increasing the probability of theft. Argh...

 

[Grumps]

And now, how often the backups?

I took about two years off after leaving that group, so didn't play much of anything. But come to think of it, during that prior five year plus run, there were at least three times I needed my other soprano for a gig due to repair/shop issues. For that band, the backup turned out to actually be more useful to me and I'd now consider it my main soprano, with the other a sentimental favorite. Currently, they both sit.

Have a new project now, but will mostly just play tenor; either of my two, depending on the gig. When that comes, I'm sure I'll put word out. Currently rehearsing with my main horn when we get together.

 

[mrblackbat]

Are you going to carry TWO of everything to a gig?

Nope. But most of the gigs I do at the moment are within 30 minutes of home, so I could get home to swap in an emergency.

But it's more for while work is being done. And lets face it, I have a BA, they're a bit finicky and a lot of what keeps stuff in regulation is cork and felt, which compresses, falls off, erodes and so on over time fairly regularly.

 

[Dr G]

Nope. But most of the gigs I do at the moment are within 30 minutes of home, so I could get home to swap in an emergency.

Fair - but home and back is a looooong break during a set.

But it's more for while work is being done. And lets face it, I have a BA, they're a bit finicky and a lot of what keeps stuff in regulation is cork and felt, which compresses, falls off, erodes and so on over time fairly regularly.

Hmm, sounds like your BA needs a good going through. Fresh cork and felt should not fail any sooner on an old horn than a new one.

 

[jazzdoh]

And how often do you play the backup?

I sort of don't regard either of the saxes as a backup, so they get equal time, sometimes i have a run of gigs that i use the Raw, then there might be a run of gigs i use the Viking both get used.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I’ve never had a backup horn, in the unlikely event of needing one I would hire it rather than having a backup hanging around the house/studio doing nothing.

A few years back I had a one night gig in Amsterdam and didn’t want to futz with tenor on aeroplane and it worked perfectly, I borrowed @milandro’s YTS23.

 

[mrblackbat]

Fair - but home and back is a looooong break during a set.

Hmm, sounds like your BA needs a good going through. Fresh cork and felt should not fail any sooner on an old horn than a new one.

It’s been fully overhauled a couple of years ago, and another service this year.

It gets played a lot, and I drink way too much coffee, beer and so on that’s bad from that perspective, and of course the UK is a wonderfully dry place…..

The point around the cork is that on modern horns you have screw adjusters for things like G# and C# keys, whereas on my BA no such adjusters exist. So the cork and felt is doing all the work for the adjustment. Whereas with, say, my now sold SA80 ii if the cork compressed there you can adjust the key work via a screw adjustment without needing to replace any cork or felt etc.

BAs are wonderful horns, but from a regulation point of view not so practical.

 

[Pete Thomas]

The point around the cork is that on modern horns you have screw adjusters for things like G# and C# keys, whereas on my BA no such adjusters exist. So the cork and felt is doing all the work for the adjustment.

Old school adjustments work: gaffer tape, postage stamps (now almost obsolete of course) masking tape, electrical tape (tends to not stay in place after 15 years or so)

 

[mrblackbat]

Old school adjustments work: gaffer tape, postage stamps (now almost obsolete of course) masking tape, electrical tape (tends to not stay in place after 15 years or so)

Done many of those in my time! And ofcourse elastic bands