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CafeSaxophone Forum
Beginner Saxes Fremont Luxor Sax
Hi All
Looking to get back into Sax after some years off - never really got to grips or get past the basics before as I couldn't find a tutor. I have now found several tutors who all seem to offer similar services. One tutor is offering to sell a Fremont Luxor sax to me for £295, saying its better than a Yamaha YAS-280 (which I'm close to buying). I've tried to find out about the Fremont Luxor without any luck, so just after opinions from those in the know.... is this any good, or is the 280 a better bet (I am a newbie......still!!).. rob
The Fremont 'Luxor' Alto Sax | in Norwich, Norfolk | Gumtree
Looking to get back into Sax after some years off - never really got to grips or get past the basics before as I couldn't find a tutor. I have now found several tutors who all seem to offer similar services. One tutor is offering to sell a Fremont Luxor sax to me for £295, saying its better than a Yamaha YAS-280 (which I'm close to buying). I've tried to find out about the Fremont Luxor without any luck, so just after opinions from those in the know.... is this any good, or is the 280 a better bet (I am a newbie......still!!).. rob
The Fremont 'Luxor' Alto Sax | in Norwich, Norfolk | Gumtree
15 Replies
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6203 views
Miscellaneous The Official Off Topic Thread.
The Everything thread. Off topic and derailing posts welcome.
My roses don’t like the heat. Lots of food and water but they still don’t grow well. Water less time but more frequent? The pink are doing better than red ones.
My roses don’t like the heat. Lots of food and water but they still don’t grow well. Water less time but more frequent? The pink are doing better than red ones.
802 Replies
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24168 views
Miscellaneous Emmets Place
😉😉 Been having a look at Emmets Place online lately. Some great youung talent there!! All live.. And great fun!!Regards..😉😉
0 Replies
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9 views
Saxophones Saxophones, rarely discussed
Everybody knows the nice horns that get talked about all the time (Selmer, Martin, Yamaha, etc). Then there are the good instruments less talked about but I would say still fairly well known (a Yamaha Vito stencil for example).
How about a topic for those worthy saxophones (I'll leave the definition of worthy alone for now) that are rarely discussed?
Yesterday I 'discovered' the F.E. Olds Super:
Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I have to say that is a very cool looking alto! With an interesting story as well, that you can find if you dig a bit here or at the other forum.
So, what other models might fit the topic?
How about a topic for those worthy saxophones (I'll leave the definition of worthy alone for now) that are rarely discussed?
Yesterday I 'discovered' the F.E. Olds Super:
Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I have to say that is a very cool looking alto! With an interesting story as well, that you can find if you dig a bit here or at the other forum.
So, what other models might fit the topic?
5 Replies
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63 views
Tech/maintenance 1983 Conn 18M Alto Student Sax Restoration
In this thread, I requested an ID and year for this sax that I bought today:
Then I did a little reading up on various Café threads with 18M content:
Inventor: "What have I done?"
Milton: "I'm Milton, your brand new son!"
Did I just get CONNed?
I think @lig knows the answer. 😉
To which @Stocker replied it was a 1983 Conn 18M.
Then I did a little reading up on various Café threads with 18M content:Then the following observation comes through:
with further clarification on the quality of an 18M:
My first thoughts reflected the final words of the cartoon, Milton The Monster's opening song:
Inventor: "What have I done?"
Milton: "I'm Milton, your brand new son!"
Did I just get CONNed?
I think @lig knows the answer. 😉
15 Replies
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213 views
Cafe Moderator
Café Supporter
Miscellaneous Daily Check In
Good morning,
We thought it might be good to have a thread where you can just come and say hi, tell us what you are doing today, have a moan, share an idea that you wouldn't necessarily start a thread for ( we can always create a new thread from posts here if it became a substantial discussion).
It doesn't have to be sax related🙂
Basically an easy way to connect on a daily basis.
So to kick us off, I am writing this whilst prepping a casserole for the slo cooker as I am playing sax today with café sax and need a quick easy tea when I get home.
I am still suffering with a cough which will impact my playing today and I am worried as we are playing our first care home gig next Sunday!!
Have a lovely Sunday
Jx
We thought it might be good to have a thread where you can just come and say hi, tell us what you are doing today, have a moan, share an idea that you wouldn't necessarily start a thread for ( we can always create a new thread from posts here if it became a substantial discussion).
It doesn't have to be sax related🙂
Basically an easy way to connect on a daily basis.
So to kick us off, I am writing this whilst prepping a casserole for the slo cooker as I am playing sax today with café sax and need a quick easy tea when I get home.
I am still suffering with a cough which will impact my playing today and I am worried as we are playing our first care home gig next Sunday!!
Have a lovely Sunday
Jx
2859 Replies
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83068 views
Miscellaneous Colorado residents
Hey everyone, I wanted to start a quick thread (hopefully in the right spot).
I wanted to see who all on here lives in Colorado. I'll be moving next week back to CO in the south Denver metro area.
I could not find a thread or posting that had who lived where, so I figured I'd start one!
I wanted to see who all on here lives in Colorado. I'll be moving next week back to CO in the south Denver metro area.
I could not find a thread or posting that had who lived where, so I figured I'd start one!
18 Replies
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227 views
The dates have been announced for the 2027 International Saxophone Symposium hosted by the Navy Band at George Mason University: January 8-9.
Plan your trip now if you're coming from afar.
Plan your trip now if you're coming from afar.
19 Replies
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899 views
Playing the saxophone Have you hooked up?
Playing music with or seeing others play who post on the forum? Over twenty years ago we used to have a group of players in my area who would meet up, try each others' horns and go to each others' gigs when we could. That's mostly in the past now in favor of just meeting up at the annual Symposium in Virginia. Now I know some of us in the States know each other, but what about in Europe? Do you guys ever meet or go to each others' gigs?
39 Replies
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3770 views
Miscellaneous watches
Before I subscribe a forum about watches, where I will realize that only expensive pieces made in 1962-63 are worth wearing,
is anyone knowledgeable about automatic watches and straps?
is anyone knowledgeable about automatic watches and straps?
842 Replies
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27131 views
Backing Tracks Chord charts & backing tracks
Hello everyone,
I’ve created a simple website that aggregates backing tracks, performance videos from youtube, and chord charts, all in one place.
The site is completely free, and it will always stay that way.
Feel free to check it out here: OpenRealb - The Ultimate Source for Chord Charts
Any feedback is very welcome, I'm actively working on it!
I’ve created a simple website that aggregates backing tracks, performance videos from youtube, and chord charts, all in one place.
The site is completely free, and it will always stay that way.
Feel free to check it out here: OpenRealb - The Ultimate Source for Chord Charts
Any feedback is very welcome, I'm actively working on it!
18 Replies
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1826 views
Saxophones Selmer Supreme alto (quick look)
Had a client bring two Selmer altos in yesterday - a Ref.54 for a service and a brand new solid silver Supreme.
First time I've had my hands on one.
It only came in for a quick tweak - so no time to run up a proper review, but I did notice a couple of things.
First up - the client brought it in because there was a problem when moving from low B to low Bb; a break in the transition.
This turned out to be a badly adjusted link between the low B and the low C#. In fact it wasn't really adjusted at all - so that when his finger rolled down onto the Bb touchpiece and just caught the C# touchpiece on the way, the C# would open about 3mm. That's plenty enough to knock out the low B.
And there was this:
This is the Bis Bb/G# adjuster bar. Take a look at that gap between the Bis Bb arm and the adjuster above it. In horn terms it's miles away.
The adjuster is actually set right in terms of its ability to close the Bis Bb - so you can't screw the adjuster in to take up the play. What this means is that the lower stack is set substantially higher than the upper.
I had a quick peek at the toneholes. Selmer are traditionally pretty good at getting the toneholes level, but I was rather disappointed with the low C on this horn:
I compared it with the Ref.54 - which still wasn't perfect but was rather flatter.
So, not a great start for the Supreme. It comes in at an eye-watering price, and for that kind of money I want all the boxes ticked...and then some. So I'd expect the out-of-box setup to be spot on and rather more precision when it comes to the toneholes. Y'know, a bit like a top-end Yani.
And then I had a blow on the Supreme.
I was expecting a 'Woah!' moment - and I got one...but not the one I wanted.
It prompted me to go back and forth between the Supreme and the Ref.54. The Ref is exactly what you'd expect from a Selmer. Nicely balanced, a 'big' sound with that characteristic Selmer mid-range oomph, slightly resistant but nonetheless punchy - with a wide spread of sound.
The Supreme felt very closed in, like it was keeping the sound huddled around itself. And where was the punch and clarity?
It had a sort of Paul Desmond thing going on...that sort of laid back, soft kind of approach. That's fine...if you can turn it on and off at will but it kind of comes stamped into the horn.
That really surprised me because it's dramatically different from the Ref - so-much-so that I had to put a light down the Supreme to see if there was a problem with one of the pads (nothing major...slight leak on the A, which didn't change the tone when corrected).
I can't say it's a conclusive impression because it's just that horn - but even accounting for variations between seemingly identical horns it seems a bit extreme.
I'm hoping the client is going to book the Supreme in for a proper setup once I've serviced the Ref - at which point I can do a proper run-down on it and see what's what.
First time I've had my hands on one.
It only came in for a quick tweak - so no time to run up a proper review, but I did notice a couple of things.
First up - the client brought it in because there was a problem when moving from low B to low Bb; a break in the transition.
This turned out to be a badly adjusted link between the low B and the low C#. In fact it wasn't really adjusted at all - so that when his finger rolled down onto the Bb touchpiece and just caught the C# touchpiece on the way, the C# would open about 3mm. That's plenty enough to knock out the low B.
And there was this:
This is the Bis Bb/G# adjuster bar. Take a look at that gap between the Bis Bb arm and the adjuster above it. In horn terms it's miles away.
The adjuster is actually set right in terms of its ability to close the Bis Bb - so you can't screw the adjuster in to take up the play. What this means is that the lower stack is set substantially higher than the upper.
I had a quick peek at the toneholes. Selmer are traditionally pretty good at getting the toneholes level, but I was rather disappointed with the low C on this horn:
I compared it with the Ref.54 - which still wasn't perfect but was rather flatter.
So, not a great start for the Supreme. It comes in at an eye-watering price, and for that kind of money I want all the boxes ticked...and then some. So I'd expect the out-of-box setup to be spot on and rather more precision when it comes to the toneholes. Y'know, a bit like a top-end Yani.
And then I had a blow on the Supreme.
I was expecting a 'Woah!' moment - and I got one...but not the one I wanted.
It prompted me to go back and forth between the Supreme and the Ref.54. The Ref is exactly what you'd expect from a Selmer. Nicely balanced, a 'big' sound with that characteristic Selmer mid-range oomph, slightly resistant but nonetheless punchy - with a wide spread of sound.
The Supreme felt very closed in, like it was keeping the sound huddled around itself. And where was the punch and clarity?
It had a sort of Paul Desmond thing going on...that sort of laid back, soft kind of approach. That's fine...if you can turn it on and off at will but it kind of comes stamped into the horn.
That really surprised me because it's dramatically different from the Ref - so-much-so that I had to put a light down the Supreme to see if there was a problem with one of the pads (nothing major...slight leak on the A, which didn't change the tone when corrected).
I can't say it's a conclusive impression because it's just that horn - but even accounting for variations between seemingly identical horns it seems a bit extreme.
I'm hoping the client is going to book the Supreme in for a proper setup once I've serviced the Ref - at which point I can do a proper run-down on it and see what's what.
37 Replies
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719 views
Saxophones Pork Tales: Saxophone Repair DIY Adventures.
Tales from a pig that likes to stick his nose into everything.
Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?
1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.
Do the cleaning & prep.
Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……
Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !
Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?
1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.
Do the cleaning & prep.
Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……
Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !
1045 Replies
·
58592 views
Miscellaneous Photography - all aspects
Following various recent posts, I thought I would create a thread specifically for photography. Somewhere to talk about equipment, experiences, processing...
To start off, I was a Nikon user for over 40 years, but had to 'down size' as handling full-frame cameras and lenses was getting to be too much like hard work and giving me shoulder issues. My current digital camera is a mirrorless Fuji X-T5.
For film cameras, I have a Pentax MX, Mamiya RB67, and a Sinar F2.
To start off, I was a Nikon user for over 40 years, but had to 'down size' as handling full-frame cameras and lenses was getting to be too much like hard work and giving me shoulder issues. My current digital camera is a mirrorless Fuji X-T5.
For film cameras, I have a Pentax MX, Mamiya RB67, and a Sinar F2.
369 Replies
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12562 views
Miscellaneous Latest Chris Potter
😉😉 Been listening to the latest Chris Potter playing over the last months. There is some strange stuff around?? Discuss?? Regards 😉😉
2 Replies
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48 views
Introduction HELLO
I'm Mike Reed aka Saxdaddy on another forum. I have been repairing saxophones since High School as a hobby since 82 and professionally since 91.
I complete a 2 year repair program and received a certificate in Musical Instrument Repair, then onto a formal apprenticeship for another 3 years under the guidance of the programs instructor. I have worked for myself and ran large and small shops for or in partnership with others. I only repair single reed instruments anymore, since it's always been my specialty and is what I enjoy doing. I like helping others, have horrible grammar, spelling and my posts are full of typos. I can come off as harsh, so sorry ahead of time for my tone. I am much nicer than I often sound, but my patience can be short at times. (I'm grumpy). I focus on Pro and or vintage instruments, but accept all single reed intruments if the client is wiling to pay for and let me practice my craft. I hope to learn and improve my craft through interaction here and hopefully help others to do the same.
I complete a 2 year repair program and received a certificate in Musical Instrument Repair, then onto a formal apprenticeship for another 3 years under the guidance of the programs instructor. I have worked for myself and ran large and small shops for or in partnership with others. I only repair single reed instruments anymore, since it's always been my specialty and is what I enjoy doing. I like helping others, have horrible grammar, spelling and my posts are full of typos. I can come off as harsh, so sorry ahead of time for my tone. I am much nicer than I often sound, but my patience can be short at times. (I'm grumpy). I focus on Pro and or vintage instruments, but accept all single reed intruments if the client is wiling to pay for and let me practice my craft. I hope to learn and improve my craft through interaction here and hopefully help others to do the same.
1 Replies
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37 views
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