Saxophones Best Tenor sax for Rock and roll??

[PiccoloPirate]

It's not the Horn.

 

[thomsax]

It's what you play and how you play, not what you play it on. 😉

True. But I don't think an higher pitch is hurting the amercan sax. We had diffent pitches in Europe as well.

 

[turf3]

Given that the last saxophones made in the US were around 1990 or so, you can be well assured that every sax made in the US was designed at A=440 except of course for the old true high pitch ones from the 20s at A=457. I know Buffet introduced the A=442 saxophones maybe in the 1990s.

 

[PigSquealer]

Given that the last saxophones made in the US were around 1990 or so, you can be well assured that every sax made in the US was designed at A=440 except of course for the old true high pitch ones from the 20s at A=457. I know Buffet introduced the A=442 saxophones maybe in the 1990s.

Wouldn’t it be funny if vintage HP horns became popular. I have visions of wall hangers and lamps being overhauled 😂

 

[thomsax]

Wouldn’t it be funny if vintage HP horns became popular. I have visions of wall hangers and lamps being overhauled 😂

I know a guy who is playing a HP tenor. Rockabilly, Rock & Roll, Garage, Punk ..... genres /styles with high volume/"loud". It's a 4-piece band (tenorsax, guitar, upstraight bass and drums). I think they sounds fine. But you must like the genre as player and listener.

When we talk HP we usally mean A= 452-457 Hz. If I use fork tuners A=440, A=443 or A=444 you must have very good ears to hear the differnces.

 

[dexdex]

I know it is an old thread. Let us remember that the unpopular Selmer MkVII tenor was designed to PLAY LOUD.
I'm the (un)fortunate owner of a 1976 specimen, and can only confirm that this thing hates to whisper.
Body & Soul becomes BELLY & HONK all the way. Perfect to share the stage with guitars and amps.

 

[PigSquealer]

I know a guy who is playing a HP tenor. Rockabilly, Rock & Roll, Garage, Punk ..... genres /styles with high volume/"loud". It's a 4-piece band (tenorsax, guitar, upstraight bass and drums). I think they sounds fine. But you must like the genre as player and listener.

When we talk HP we usally mean A= 452-457 Hz. If I use fork tuners A=440, A=443 or A=444 you must have very good ears to hear the differnces.

Love that Stray Cats sound. I can see how an HP horn would work. I don’t see these late 1800 to early 1920’s HP units becoming desirable or valuable. Worth doing the first repad at age 115 ? No.
I have the total of one HP in the collection. I think it’s A=457. A Jerome Thieboville Lamy C Mel. It’s part of a “collection”.

 

[turf3]

I know a guy who is playing a HP tenor. Rockabilly, Rock & Roll, Garage, Punk ..... genres /styles with high volume/"loud". It's a 4-piece band (tenorsax, guitar, upstraight bass and drums). I think they sounds fine. But you must like the genre as player and listener.

When we talk HP we usally mean A= 452-457 Hz. If I use fork tuners A=440, A=443 or A=444 you must have very good ears to hear the differnces.

I wouldn't be very interested in tuning up MY upright bass to 457. Watch as the top gradually collapses and the thing folds up in slow motion. I'd be telling the sax player to get a normal horn.

 

[Dr G]

I wouldn't be very interested in tuning up MY upright bass to 457. Watch as the top gradually collapses and the thing folds up in slow motion. I'd be telling the sax player to get a normal horn.

You can change strings to get the desired pitch with the same tension.

Variables…. 😉

 

[turf3]

You can change strings to get the desired pitch with the same tension.

Variables…. 😉

True. You can get "solo" strings that are meant to be tuned up a whole step, then tune down a half step and a half-half step and get A=457. Floppy, but that would work.

But playing a HP horn and making everyone tune to it is just silly. Just get a normal damn horn and be done with it.

Plus, of course, there's that time you think you want to play along with a piano, or any other wind instrument...

I remember at one point I had lent to me a C malady sax with an alto neck (not the straight neck Conn, an actual neck off an Eb alto!) and I confess I spent at least 15 minutes thinking about what could be done...

And then I said

NAHHHHHH

And gave it back to the owner. Those laws of physics, they're kinda tetchy.

 

[turf3]

You can change strings to get the desired pitch with the same tension.

Variables…. 😉

True.

But playing a HP horn and making everyone tune to it is just silly. Just get a normal damn horn and be done with it.

Plus, of course, there's that time you think you want to play along with a piano, or any other wind instrument...

 

[thomsax]

True.

But playing a HP horn and making everyone tune to it is just silly. Just get a normal damn horn and be done with it.

Plus, of course, there's that time you think you want to play along with a piano, or any other wind instrument...

Take it easy. No piano in the band. He is a good musiician.