Saxophones Anyone played all these three Altos

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I`ve got my bright aggressive lively Yamaha Pruple 62 and it`s always been in my plan to replace the superb Sakkusu Tick with an SA80 but as is typical, two other alternatives have hoved into view - I know of an Ex-Dem SX90R at a superb price and with the current scrappage scheme, the TJ RAW is actually attainable (all you need is a papetweight with a serial number - no problemo) ....... I play all sorts from classical to blues, Christmas carols to heavy metal on Alto (hence two horns) ..... but NO JAZZ of any kind, the Jazz I do (Trad) is on Tenor.. a combo of what I`ve saved through selling and a bit of borrowing I could do this.

So strictly between these three - SX90R , SA80 (I or II) or RAW in Alto has anyone compared the three (please keep it between these three) , I`m not able to but any reports would be welcome .

from reviews ..

SX90R Uppers - large deep sound - Downers, the tonehole thing , sticky pads, possibly agricultural keywork, hard to sell if I end up only playing the Yam...

SA80 Uppers - Familiar SA80 sound, familiar fast keywork, it`s a Selmer, easy to move on if gathering dust and not lose on - Downers, finding a half decent one at the right price when you want one, may need pads and other work, sample variation

TJ Sig RAW Uppers - Rich, powerful sound, excellent backup from Dave Farley - Downers,. maybe too close to the Yam in sound , possible longevity issues (Mauriat keywork reports) , Keywork quality unknown (to me anyway) , likely to lose the most on if it gathers dust

So Folks, anyone compared the three or at least two of them ? . thanks
 
I don't really get your "hence two horns" comment. Do you think one sax can't do heavy metal and classical?

Anyway, I've not tried the RAW (only a tenor - it was ok but I wasn't thrilled). SX90R (as you know) is my favourite. The tonehole thing is something easily checked so it's not really an issue. My alto had one sticky pad (G# of course) but the problem disappeared fairly rapidly. That was 14 years ago, though. I've no idea what the modern ones are like. There's nothing remotely agricultural about the keywork.
I haven't played an SA80 for a while but, as you said, you can't go wrong with one. It doesn't sound much like a Keilwerth though. I guess it might win in a competition for best standard classical sound.
Neither of them sound like Yamahas.
Your list is a bit like my alto collection - SX90R, '72 MkVI and an H L Sax (v. good Taiwanese). All bases covered, if you like.
 
Thanks Nick - Firstly , HM and Classical (at least the baroque stuff I do) are actually best on the same kind of horn, the Yam covers that beautifully, it`s cutting and aggressive but can be very lyrical too , where it lacks Is in the thick warm bottom end (where the others specialise) hence my Two horns dilemma - yes I can do it all on one, it covers the same range of notes but I`d rather have the pair .....

thanks for your report, it`s a shame you`ve not played the RAW and nice to see that the sticky pad thing hasn`t persisted on the Keilwerth, though I guess Roo pads on the G# and C# would fix it anyway .
 
I've tried 2 out of your 3 the SA80 and the RAW.
I play mainstream Jazz and for me the RAW was the best,it had everything i wanted,the Selmer is owned by a friend so I've compared the two and again the Selmer was good but not for me.
I have several years ago tried the SX90R shadow and it was a great horn but alas at the time couldn't afford it.
 
Thanks Brian .. I don`t think the Shadow differs from a normal one except in colour and price .. why did you find the SA80 lacking in ?
 
Thanks Brian .. I don`t think the Shadow differs from a normal one except in colour and price .. why did you find the SA80 lacking in ?
I didn't find it lacking as such but the sound seemed for want of another word "safe" i little bit clinical but a fine sax all the same,and its condition was superb,like new and my friend loves it.
Had i have been offered it for the price he paid and the condition it was in.i would have jumped at it.

Ads you mentioned above that the RAW is like the Yam in sound,just a note that i haven't found that to be the case.
As for the longevity of the RAW no one knows but I'm in my middle 50s and i am sure it will outlast me.
 
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I
Ads you mentioned above that the RAW is like the Yam in sound,just a note that i haven't found that to be the case.
As for the longevity of the RAW no one knows but I'm in my middle 50s and i am sure it will outlast me.

I didn`t say it sounded like the Yam but feared it may get too close ..... It was the Mauriat business which made me wonder about the RAWs keywork longevity ..

Thanks Brian - I don`t do "Safe" 😉- if I did , I`d buy a Yani
 
you've this before I'm sure - spend a day woodwind exchange in bradford. You don't have to buy, but it will help you make a decision.
 
Nope I`ve not done it before - 1:- it`s Immoral to spend a day A:B:C'ing the horns at the shop and then buy from elsewhere (there`s no way on the planet I`d pay WW`s ludicrous used horn prices) and 2:- The Woodwind exchange is a 200 mile round trip anyway.

Thanks Fibracell but if it had been a simple trip to Curly Woodwind (which is a more sensible 60 mile round trip and the seller of the RAW) then I`d have done it but They don`t have a used SA80 and an SX90R
 
the other option is to keep scanning private ads - gumtree, saxtrader etc and if you see something reasonably close then check it out. It it floats your boat and If the price is right,then buy it - you're gonna loose any dosh on a resale.
 
Yup, I know ,been doing that for an SA80 even before I sold the Sakkusu . used RAWs and SX90R Altos aren`t common in the least and I`ve been pipped at evey SA80 I`ve tried for (someone is telling me not to get one ?) ......
 
.....

So strictly between these three - SX90R , SA80 (I or II) or RAW in Alto has anyone compared the three (please keep it between these three) , I`m not able to but any reports would be welcome .

from reviews ..

SX90R Uppers - large deep sound - Downers, the tonehole thing , sticky pads, possibly agricultural keywork, hard to sell if I end up only playing the Yam...

SA80 Uppers - Familiar SA80 sound, familiar fast keywork, it`s a Selmer, easy to move on if gathering dust and not lose on - Downers, finding a half decent one at the right price when you want one, may need pads and other work, sample variation

TJ Sig RAW Uppers - Rich, powerful sound, excellent backup from Dave Farley - Downers,. maybe too close to the Yam in sound , possible longevity issues (Mauriat keywork reports) , Keywork quality unknown (to me anyway) , likely to lose the most on if it gathers dust

So Folks, anyone compared the three or at least two of them ? . thanks

I've played all three of these within the last 6 months. I used to have an S80 Series 2 which was my main alto for many years. I now play a Ref54 out of choice.

The SX90 is a lovely sounding sax, but I think they can be very variable. I've played some that seemed quite easy to play in tune and others that were pigs. (I think that the SX90 tenors are great, but I have reservations about the altos and sopranos).

The S80 really improves as you blow it in. I blew the s*** out of mine over about 15 years in all sorts of musical situations - Orchestras, Nyman Band, chamber music, funk etc etc - and it can cope really well in all genres with a change of mouthpiece. The S80 has it's peccadilloes, middle G# that drops the octave, flat C# beneath the break etc, but it's a very strong horn IMO.

The TJSig RAW alto is - for me - not as good as the tenor. I have discussed the keywork with Stephen Howard who rates it highly, so no worries there, but I found the intonation squirrelly and felt the instrument was designed to get the biggest sound - not necessarily to play the best in tune.

BUT, I'm a Selmer kind of chap and have been for ages so I retain some reservations, knowing that it may be my Selmer habits that influence my judgement.

I used to play a set of Pruple Yamaha 62s when they came out in the 80s and I thought they were great, but swapped back to Selmers for the depth of tone.
 
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Thanks a lot David .... looks like the SX90R is one big lottery regarding almost everything 🙁 but seems to be universally praised for sound, sounds like a spot on sample would be ideal for me ...

I`ve only played the Tenor SX90 (non-R) and various SA80 Tenors which varied from good to one superb dented Mk1 all of this was a while ago and never played the Altos . regarding the RAW, having to play around tuning issues would wear thin after a bit in an Alto

Looks like back to lying in wait for the right SA80 to wander into my path - Back to Square one :rolleyes: . This almost got me re-thinking the Stephanhouser equasion but I`m sure the Keywork would be a stumbling block there, also may have the usual early TW issues of warbles and octaving .
 
Thanks a lot David .... looks like the SX90R is one big lottery regarding almost everything 🙁 but seems to be universally praised for sound, sounds like a spot on sample would be ideal for me ...

I`ve only played the Tenor SX90 (non-R) and various SA80 Tenors which varied from good to one superb dented Mk1 all of this was a while ago and never played the Altos . regarding the RAW, having to play around tuning issues would wear thin after a bit in an Alto

Looks like back to lying in wait for the right SA80 to wander into my path - Back to Square one :rolleyes: . This almost got me re-thinking the Stephanhouser equasion but I`m sure the Keywork would be a stumbling block there, also may have the usual early TW issues of warbles and octaving .
Not played any of the horns that you like but I do own a fantastic Step 1500. I will buy one of their sops if given the chance as well. It is a mighty horn with great keywork....
 
I`ve decided to sit it out and wait for an SA80 for the right price, it`ll happen, has for others .

Looks like The SX90R variation and tone-hole issue means that unless buying new and cherrypicking from a shopfull of the things you`re asking for trouble - they cost way too much new anyway so means buying used and buying local ........... Keilwerth really need to get their act together big time, Yamaha or Yanagisawa wouldn`t get away with such shoddiness..

I`ve never been really happy about paying the new price for the RAW (and to be honest, I can`t really afford a new one - straws and camels backs etc, it was the scrappage thing which just about made it in the ball park) and used are rare , big bell ones are very rare indeed, then there`s the intonation report from a respected Pro player (thanks David) .

It looks like now I`ve got a Soprano situation to sort out anyway . thanks everyone for the opinions. Yes Prof, a cheap Step maybe a good interim answer - a kinda overweight SX90 without the issues by the sound of it
 
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Thanks, it looks a right minger (when I see Mingers, I think to myself - what would David-UK offer and would they accept it - answer would be No here ) but thanks for the heads up, I`ll leave a dealer grab that one ..
 

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