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

[Digger2054]

I have an abundance of Altos. Wouldn't mind a 2nd tenor, as mine is just too damn nice to play with the orchestra when crammed into a church. There's been a few instruments damaged at concerts due to lack of space.

Give Dean a shout he's having yet another clear out 😂

 

[milandro]

Nice to drop by here every now and again when my name gets mentioned, maybe I should do this more often! 😉 😎

I have never really ever had any need for a back up horn.

I use all the very few chances that I have to play and enjoy my Super 20 which has been giving me joy (and sometimes some grief) for over 20 years now.

If I had a back up I couldn't enjoy the horn when I use that!

 

[Ivan]

I have an alto and tenor, both bought in the 1980's, that have subsequently been displaced into reserve by an alto and tenor(e) that I like better. I keep the old uns kinda as back-up, but really their sentimental status means I don't want to part with them however little I play them

I'd say the back-up usage of the reserve horns is less than 2% of gig time. However, I play amongst Philistines who rarely notice that I will swap best alto for best tenor when I feel like it, so there's even less need for a reserve horn

 

[skeller047]

I’ve been playing my “backup” for the past 7-8 months, as my Mark VI needs a COA. And I’m lazy, so haven’t got a round tuit It’s a Barone made in 2011, and now IT needs a COA so I guess I have no more excuses LOL

 

[Woodpad]

I tinker a lot. The prime and backup saxophone can change every moment. On bari it changes between Conn and King zephyr. On tenor between different Hohner Presidents. On alto, between 6M, Hohner President, Vito (Yamaha), Adams top tone steam punk horn, Beaugnier and a Jupiter made Evette.

 

[Wonko]

I have a backup tenor (my main horn). It's my old Yamaha (YTS32) that I kept when I got myself a Conn 10m (1963 model). I hardly ever use the Yamaha now, I kept it mostly for when I bring my horn to the shop for its yearly maintenance, that I'll have a backup for practice and lessons.
But since the 10m has such a huge, rich sound compared to the Yamaha I prefer playing that one. I have been using the Yamaha from time to time to check out if a certain problem I am facing might be due to the horn, or if it's just me....
Generally it's just me ;-)

 

[rhysonsax]

I tinker a lot. The prime and backup saxophone can change every moment. On bari it changes between Conn and King zephyr. On tenor between different Hohner Presidents. On alto, between 6M, Hohner President, Vito (Yamaha), Adams top tone steam punk horn, Beaugnier and a Jupiter made Evette.

That "Adams top tone steam punk horn" sounds interesting. What's the history of it and can you share any pictures ?

Does "top tone" refer to the "Toptone" synthetic floating pads like these and discussed on this old thread ?

View: https://youtu.be/3E_k2m0Yw6k?si=iSM8u8ADU3STc5py



Rhys

 

[mrblackbat]

I have an abundance of Altos. Wouldn't mind a 2nd tenor, as mine is just too damn nice to play with the orchestra when crammed into a church. There's been a few instruments damaged at concerts due to lack of space.

Give Dean a shout he's having yet another clear out 😂

He has a very shiny silver Conn 10M….

But then a Conn is VERY different in feel than a BA. So as a backup it’s not ideally suited. And it’s a lot to shell out on something that will sit in a case.

 

[Digger2054]

He has a very shiny silver Conn 10M….

The one with the gold key work?

 

[mrblackbat]

The one with the gold key work?

Yep

 

[Woodpad]

That "Adams top tone steam punk horn" sounds interesting. What's the history of it and can you share any pictures ?

Does "top tone" refer to the "Toptone" synthetic floating pads like these and discussed on this old thread ?
View attachment 26655

It is a saxophone made by Adams from a New York Symphonics saxophone and toptones. Most of the key cups are removed which gives it a steam punk look. Not a regular product, looks like an experiment. An picture is added by mistake as an the attachment in your quote.

 

[dexdex]

Backup or spare ? As a result of a mix of curiosity and opportunity on the local used market, I've had 2 or 3 of some horn sizes over the last decade. Some have remained, others are gone.
I tend to play them all, so none has a backup status. Sometimes I leave one at some spot between rehearsals, when commuting on public transportation. Currently 3 sopranos, 2 altos and 2 tenors. Only 1 baritone. Those guys are expensive and bulky...
As a hobbyist, I admit I never needed a backup. I could always get my baritone serviced during season breaks.

 

[rhysonsax]

It is a saxophone made by Adams from a New York Symphonics saxophone and toptones. Most of the key cups are removed which gives it a steam punk look. Not a regular product, looks like an experiment. An picture is added by mistake as an the attachment in your quote.

Thanks - that looks great ! If you can edit the post you should be able to cut the picture out from the quote and paste it in the main body of your message. But maybe the ability to edit depends on your category of forum membership (I'm not sure).

Rhys

 

[thomsax]

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

No, back-up horn. As a hobby honker I just played outside my home, woodshed or rehearsal room 3-4 times/per year I had lots of time to keep my sax in good playing condition. The "unforeseeable" didn't happened to me so often.

I think back-up mouthpieces are more important to me. What to do if my only and best mouthpiece hit the floor ..... ? I have double of my tenor mouthpieces.

 

[Colin the Bear]

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

Hardly ever. I should really sell them. Bought to fix up, fixed and hoarded.

I take the Artemis and Bundy out occasionally for a quick blow and check over. It's surprising how regulation can shift, sat in a case.

 

[EdJ]

Not really a back up but I leave a straight Bb sop on it’s stand in the house so minimal barrier to practice and a curved Bb sop in a Berkeley of London compact case for gigs as it fits in my fold up bike Brompton T bag for cycling to practices and gigs. I was going to get rid of one when I got the other but have found this works well and it does mean I have a back up.
I also have C sopranos in curved and straight versions for standing in in rock and folk groups. The curved C is such a rarity (only 4 known according to my research) I tend not to get it out much though it has a good sound

 

[Nick Wyver]

I have backup horns and some get played regularly and some do not.

Sop main: yanag s991. Backup is BW curvy which gets played quite often. Also have a yanag S6 which came out of its case for the first time in yonks for a jam.

Alto main: Keilwerth SX90R. Backup HLSax (Taiwan) played now and again - for instance tonight at a blues gig.

Tenor main: Keilwerth Shadow. Backup Selmer MkVII gets played almost as much. Poor old Keilwerth EX90 stays in its case.

Baritone main: Yanag B900. Backup Conn crossbar (1936) only comes out if Yanag needs fixing.

 

[thomsax]

"Back-up" sax has different meaning depending on how you use your sax:

- The heavy in demand session-/performer playere use to have 2-3 saxes playing as close as possible to each other. 2-3 Keilwerths, 2-3 MkVI, 2-3 YTS 62 ..... which are set-up by the same tech. They are paid to take good care of thier saxes so they can "deliver".

- The heavy in demand saxplayers in in less well paid genres (smaller productions) sold thier pro saxes and started to play beginner/student saxes beacuse there were less money in thier genres. The could get 6-7 Bundy II for the money of one S20. Two horns on the road, four at the tech/waiting at home.

- A serious hobby player use to have a back-up horn as well. And that's good. We all want to play.

" the King Super Sonic 20" was a little bit too delicate to be on the road. So I started to play YTS 61 ...."

 

[mrblackbat]

Thanks for that…..

 

[Pete Thomas]

Not really a back up but I leave a straight Bb sop on it’s stand in the house so minimal barrier to practice

This makes sense. I noticed that I practiced more if I can just grab a horn and play a bit, however as we all know (maybe) it's not good practice to leave a sax out all the time.