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Saxophones Baritone bell sizes?

Alc.

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UPS just brought my latest Ebay toy, a Buescher low b flat baritone, a 1934 model. When I opened the ancient case I felt like I was opening Capone's coffin. Old dark blue liner with cob webs. Anyway, I know I am used to my alto so the Buescher's bell seemed enormous, but even so I was wondering if there are differences in size among various baritones. The radius of the bell is 7 1/2 inches.
 
Do you mean radius??

The diameter of my low A Bari is 18cm (I can only find a centimeter measure!) which is a little over 7 inches.
 
I Googled 18 cm and it came back 7.08 inches. My Buescher is a split bell low B flat. I'd better double-check my tape measure. I wouldn't think there would be that much difference. Oh, well, if I can just summon the wind to blow that monster I'll be happy. I smoked for many years and am now paying the price. When I first put it together and blew today I could feel the lower register resound down to my toes. I haven't seen the cat lately. Thanks for the response, Mandy.
 
P.S. I guess I meant diameter. I slept through many math classes. Sometimes I wonder if I ever woke up. Thanks, again.
 
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UPS just brought my latest Ebay toy, a Buescher low b flat baritone, a 1934 model. When I opened the ancient case I felt like I was opening Capone's coffin. Old dark blue liner with cob webs. Anyway, I know I am used to my alto so the Buescher's bell seemed enormous, but even so I was wondering if there are differences in size among various baritones. The radius of the bell is 7 1/2 inches.

The bell of my low B♭Yanagisawa B990 is 187mm (7.4 inches) in diameter.
That of my low A Trevor James Revolution II is 175mm (6.9 inches).
 
I guess there is a difference. Your 7.4 inches is probably more accurate than my tape measure. Is there a difference in tone between the two horns, to your ear?
 
It is not so much as diameter that counts but the flare of the bell my B♭Conn 12M is 7 inches but there is almost no rim at all. As saxophones are tapered tubes imagine how wide the bell would if it were extended a further 4 1/2 inches, the approximate length required to sound a low A.
Study the bottom section of any modern low A bari and it is almost tubular which is why the bottom end doesn't roar like the oldies.
 
It gets to a point of nastiness that is downright mean. It should have been called Butcher. Thanks, Al. Baritones are good-looking pieces of plumbing.
 
I'm familiar with that article. I don't agree with all of it. Admittedly it was written way before the Chinese came on the scene but he's got no excuse for not even acknowledging that the Japanese make bloody good saxophones. But, anyway, I definitely agree with your last sentence.

Cheers.
 
Absolutely, it's like Ella sang, 'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.' I'm just an old hack that was trying to brag on my horn. I found an old piece of furniture that's older than me. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office when it was molded, and I was born two years later. I shine it and fondle it and wonder how many millions of notes have been put through it and wonder who played and cared for the old bugger. It feels good and I will try to make it sound the way it wants to.
 
Of course the difference between low A and Bb has been discussed endlessly on SOTW. Here's something that might amuse you from the archives: Virtues of A and Bb
 
Absolutely, it's like Ella sang, 'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.' I'm just an old hack that was trying to brag on my horn. I found an old piece of furniture that's older than me. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office when it was molded, and I was born two years later. I shine it and fondle it and wonder how many millions of notes have been put through it and wonder who played and cared for the old bugger. It feels good and I will try to make it sound the way it wants to.

I often think it would have been great if a sax came with a book recording who had owned it and what and where it had been played. There would be some great stories.

Jx
 
Of course the difference between low A and Bb has been discussed endlessly on SOTW. Here's something that might amuse you from the archives: Virtues of A and Bb

Read it Nick. Admire your inventiveness in sound testing the two baris, I now only own the one Conn 12M most of my pleasure has come from playing in a big band. Even then I've not missed the low A, when needed I've compromised diatonically. As an amateur outfit the diector doesn't moan he's just greatful to have a bari player!
I really enjoy the sound of any bari but reluctantly parted with my previous BW as I couldn't justify keeping both and preferred the sound of the Conn, although the ergonomics of the BW was much better.
 
Cheers, Al. I had the Conn repadded recently and it plays rather more easily. Sounds the same though - nice, but I still prefer the Yanagisawa. I obviously have no problem with people saying they prefer the sound of one sax over another but I got irked by the comments that low A baritones couldn't be played loudly. Utter cobblers. I also found it odd that they were always going on about the bottom end whereas I found that it was the palm keys that really screamed in the Conn. Oh well.
 
I often think it would have been great if a sax came with a book recording who had owned it and what and where it had been played. There would be some great stories.

Jx

Should be compulsory, sold complete with full service history, registration at SPLC (( Saxophone Players Licencing Centre).
 
I often think it would have been great if a sax came with a book recording who had owned it and what and where it had been played. There would be some great stories.

Jx
I love that idea. What about a vintage sax registration website? ...
 
Of course the difference between low A and Bb has been discussed endlessly on SOTW. Here's something that might amuse you from the archives: Virtues of A and Bb

Should we ever meet I'd be fascinated to hear you play your low A Yanagisawa and my low B♭ Yanagisawa, since they're near-contemporaries and virtually identical in all respects save the low A/low B♭.
 
Should we ever meet I'd be fascinated to hear you play your low A Yanagisawa and my low B♭ Yanagisawa, since they're near-contemporaries and virtually identical in all respects save the low A/low B♭.

That's the right way to go. To comapre a Conn 12 M low Bb (construced and designed in the mid 30's) and a Yanigisawa lowa A (B6?, constructed and designed in the 70's, 80's or 90's) gives us a complete differnt results. You must have two baris that shares the same tube and bow. A SBA/MkVI low Bb vs low A, Conn 12 M low Bb vs 11 M low A, The Martin Baritone low Bb vs "The Martin Magna Baritone" low A ..... . And a extended low A bell bari is different to low A with a bell made in one piece.

The bell on "The Martin Baritone" is 7.25".
 
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