half diminished
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,343
- Locality
- Buckinghamshire
Anyone know what make of sax this is?
- Thread starter half diminished
- Start date
Chris98
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,116
Don't let PeeDee see this, I think he has a Bentley Soprano.
half diminished
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,343
- Locality
- Buckinghamshire
Cheers Griff
Looking for a cheap alternative I can take with me in the car and get a bit of playing in on. The R&C is too precious to leave it in the motor!
AlistairD
Member
- Messages
- 165
I also think it looks like the Bentley logo. I started on a Bentley tenor and for the money it wasn't bad at all. From memory they are assembled in the UK. I sold mine for £100 less than I paid for it and used it for about 18 months so the effective rent was less than £10 a month....
Pjonah
Member
- Messages
- 870
- Locality
- West Row, Suffolk
Its a 13!
No Dooce is right, its a Bently Straight Sop, I can't comment on its quality, but my bari is bang on, its not as robust as my old Beuscher, but will out play that piece of aggricultural ironry anyday.
I think they have all but packed up, I think the guy running Bently was a guy called Peter if my mind serves, he was a really helpful chap.
It always stated on the Bently website that the componentry came in from China and was finish assembled in the UK, don't know if thats true but it was set up pretty well straight out of the case. Its a shame in many ways as I think they were actually half decent instruments. I played a Walstein Baritone of COL9 and thats a nice peice of kit, but its not appreciably better to the point of wanting to chuck mine in the trash can to get one.
I knew a guy who had a tenor and alto, one of which needed a post soldering back on when it arrived, they were pretty slick at correcting that problem. He also like them too and gigged with them all the time.
It remains to be seen how long this instrument stands up to some hard gigging...watch this space!
No Dooce is right, its a Bently Straight Sop, I can't comment on its quality, but my bari is bang on, its not as robust as my old Beuscher, but will out play that piece of aggricultural ironry anyday.
I think they have all but packed up, I think the guy running Bently was a guy called Peter if my mind serves, he was a really helpful chap.
It always stated on the Bently website that the componentry came in from China and was finish assembled in the UK, don't know if thats true but it was set up pretty well straight out of the case. Its a shame in many ways as I think they were actually half decent instruments. I played a Walstein Baritone of COL9 and thats a nice peice of kit, but its not appreciably better to the point of wanting to chuck mine in the trash can to get one.
I knew a guy who had a tenor and alto, one of which needed a post soldering back on when it arrived, they were pretty slick at correcting that problem. He also like them too and gigged with them all the time.
It remains to be seen how long this instrument stands up to some hard gigging...watch this space!
daveysaxboy
Big ruff Geordie bendy metal blower
- Messages
- 3,324
I had the silverplate straight Bently sop as a backup horn and it was rather canny for the cash and is a Yani copy,nice ergo's and tuning was good.
Pee Dee
Member
- Messages
- 425
- Locality
- Dorset
You know how to tell a good sax player? He/she can get a good tune out of any instrument. Yep, can confirm it's a Bentley sop, one of which I have, and despite Griff's VHO, it plays sweet as a button, and I don't consider myself as particularly good.
Was gonna take me Lafleur, which is no doubt another of Griff's untouched by bargepole horns, down to Exmouth for a service, mmmmmm, not so sure now
Bobby G
Senior Member
- Messages
- 4,984
- Locality
- Wonderful Welwyn Garden City, Herts
Just a quick tip for anyone wanting to play/practise in the car - unless you are going to sit sideways, a straight soprano may be a bit long, danger of knocking teeth out etc when the bell clonks on something. My advice is go for a curved soprano, I've been having loads of fun with mine between calls while out on the road recently. Also, it is entirely practical to play alto in the car, I've been doing it for some years with no ill effects or injuries
Bobby G; what is your curved soprano?
I'm toying with the idea of getting a cheap one for fun. It's the cuteness and the ease of toting it around with me, playing in the park etc that is seductive.
But there again we have to embark on the the old problem of getting a decent mouthpiece to suit.
ps. I don't drive a car
pps. Do you ever go to the Jazz club near you at Panshanger?
I'm toying with the idea of getting a cheap one for fun. It's the cuteness and the ease of toting it around with me, playing in the park etc that is seductive.
But there again we have to embark on the the old problem of getting a decent mouthpiece to suit.
ps. I don't drive a car
pps. Do you ever go to the Jazz club near you at Panshanger?
Bobby G
Senior Member
- Messages
- 4,984
- Locality
- Wonderful Welwyn Garden City, Herts
Alan, my curved soprano is an ex-rental cheapie bought for mostly fun. The make is Artemis, which judging from the logo is some kind of Trevor James as there is a tiny 'tjj' visible in the engraving. Jambo, who at one time was a contributor here, had an identical one except for the engraving, so it would seem to be a mass-produced thing which is badged up later. It's very playable, the intonation is good, and makes a very sweet sound with a not-very-expensive Selmer HR mouthpiece, although the trusty old Yamaha 4c is pretty good too.
As for Panshanger, yes I have been there once or twice but not regularly, it's the old story of not going to places on your doorstep, plus it's a little on the pricey side' also I have, to be honest, been to places with a bit more atmosphere. I can recommend the Old Barge in Hertford, free sessions every other Thursday - there's an organ/sax/drums* band coming up soon, I will most likely be there.
*Not Van der Graaf Generator
As for Panshanger, yes I have been there once or twice but not regularly, it's the old story of not going to places on your doorstep, plus it's a little on the pricey side' also I have, to be honest, been to places with a bit more atmosphere. I can recommend the Old Barge in Hertford, free sessions every other Thursday - there's an organ/sax/drums* band coming up soon, I will most likely be there.
*Not Van der Graaf Generator
Thanks for the reply Bob, I'm toying with getting one from www.studentmusicsupplies.com where they have a curly one for £199.
These horns are among those recommended by www.shwoodwind.com as cheap Chinese examples. I have enormous respect for that site.
I did think I'd probably go for the Yamaha 4c mouthpiece, always a safe and inexpensive bet for a beginner.
I first went to Herts Jazz Club about 25 years ago, when it was upstairs at The Fountain in the town centre, where we had some great Sunday nights with Peter King, Dick Morrissey, Art Farmer, Herb Geller, Stan Tracey et al. and some of the first Jazz gigs by Alan Barnes and Gerrard Presencer who was not much more than an embryo at the time!
It seems to have lost it's way of late and looks like petering out unless someone gets a grip on it.
I haven't been there for years since splitting up with a girlfriend, who was the driver, but still keep in touch with some of the punters there.
ps. I used to really love VDG, times change.
These horns are among those recommended by www.shwoodwind.com as cheap Chinese examples. I have enormous respect for that site.
I did think I'd probably go for the Yamaha 4c mouthpiece, always a safe and inexpensive bet for a beginner.
I first went to Herts Jazz Club about 25 years ago, when it was upstairs at The Fountain in the town centre, where we had some great Sunday nights with Peter King, Dick Morrissey, Art Farmer, Herb Geller, Stan Tracey et al. and some of the first Jazz gigs by Alan Barnes and Gerrard Presencer who was not much more than an embryo at the time!
It seems to have lost it's way of late and looks like petering out unless someone gets a grip on it.
I haven't been there for years since splitting up with a girlfriend, who was the driver, but still keep in touch with some of the punters there.
ps. I used to really love VDG, times change.
