Saxophones Can anyone tell me anything about my Earlham alto sax?

[Sabytet99]

It says c91005 on it, I paid £45 gbp for it, does anyone know anything about this type of sax?

 

[Di in France]

£45 - if it plays well, it's a bargain!!

 

[jonf]

Earlham made a few variations on a theme over the last couple of decades - without a decent pic it's impossible to be sure which one yours is. However, in general, they're perfectly acceptable Taiwanese student saxes. If yours plays £45 is a bargain. Even if it doesn't it's probably worth spending a little on to make it work. Typically they go for £130-£200 second hand, depending on age and condition.

 

[milandro]

I think Earlham are mostly Chinese saxophones not Taiwanese

here a review of their “ professional” Pro2 model
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/Earlham_Pro2_alto.htm

these are a few offered by Bill Lewington

http://www.bill-lewington.com/earlham/eas_ind.htm

whichever way you look at it 45£ is a bargain

 

[jonf]

Not that it's important either way, but I've had three of these (two altos and a tenor), and all were marked as 'Made in Taiwan'. The current onces do look very much like current generation Chinese saxes though.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I thought Taiwan was China. Formerly Formosa innit?

 

[milandro]

no, Taiwan (Republic of China) isn’t China (People’s Republic of China) !

Formosa is the Spanish name of the Island, that was Dutch, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan

in fact Taiwan has been defending her independence since 1945 despite the claims of the PROC.

 

[Colin the Bear]

So the peoples republic of China isn't China but the Republic of China is? So Made in China is from?

 

[milandro]

the other way around

PROC is China, ROC is Taiwan, Made in China is PROC, Made in Taiwan is ROC

 

[Ivan]

the other way around

PROC is China, ROC is Taiwan, Made in China is PROC, Made in Taiwan is ROC

...and King Crimson is PROG ROC

 

[saxplorer]

...and King Crimson is PROG ROC

And Taiwan is Formosa (an island), while King Crimson is Formentera Lady (on "Islands").... apologies for the tangent!

 

[Ivan]

And Taiwan is Formosa (an island), while King Crimson is Formentera Lady (on "Islands").... apologies for the tangent!

Formosa, Formentera and swainsona formosa (one of my favourite plants): Three of a Perfect Pair

 

[saxplorer]

Formosa, Formentera and swainsona formosa (one of my favourite plants): Three of a Perfect Pair

Neat!

 

[Andante cantabile]

no, Taiwan (Republic of China) isn’t China (People’s Republic of China) !

Formosa is the Spanish name of the Island, that was Dutch, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan

in fact Taiwan has been defending her independence since 1945 despite the claims of the PROC.

Things are a bit more complicated. The situation in brief is this. Taiwan has been part of China at least since Koxinga in the 1640s. That was the last time when it was something like an independent territory. It is in fact not all that useful to draw on concepts of international law in explaining relations between various territories at that time. In 1895 Japan occupied Taiwan and held on to it until 1945. At that time it reverted to China, then still unified as the Republic of China (ROC). When the Chinese civil war looked like ending in a communist victory, Chiang Kaishek and his Kuomintang (KMT) went to Taiwan. Taiwan then became the new seat of the Republic of China which claimed all of China's territory. There was in fact governed concurrently by a Taiwanese provincial government. The new Government in Peking then established the People's Republic of China (PRC) which also claimed Taiwan as part of its territory. So in fact there are two claimants (ROC and PRC) for all of the territories that may be considered Chinese and the ones with disputed ownership. Taiwan's stridency in asserting its claim has waxed and waned, as has that of China, and there is now a strong view in Taiwan that some form of cohabitation may be inevitable. Be that as it may, Taiwan has not had independence since 1945, and it is not treated as a sovereign country in the inernational organisations of which it is a member, though for a short after the war the locals were sort of left alone. And the PRC has never abandoned its claim to Taiwan. But what all of this has to do with saxophones I don't know.

 

[milandro]

well, since Made In Taiwan is not Made in China and it makes a big difference in price whether a saxophone is made here or there , it matters to know where Taiwan is.

I have many Taiwanese friends, they think they are independent, have their, flag, government and their army defending them from China. When they speak of themselves they use the term Taiwan and Taiwanese and when they go to China they clearly go to another country.

 

[Andante cantabile]

I have many Taiwanese friends, they think they are independent, have their, flag, government and their army defending them from China. When they speak of themselves they use the term Taiwan and Taiwanese and when they go to China they clearly go to another country.

That is indeed a widespread sentiment in Taiwan (I have spent time in both of them, and they feel like different countries), but if you are still in inclined to think that Taiwan is independent, assert the proposition to a Chinese diplomat. A tip: after you have made your statement, stand back.

 

[milandro]

yes, they have also invaded Tibet and think of it as their own, yet, Tibet has’t got an Army and Navy.

Taiwan (and Japan) do.

Going back to saxophones. A Taiwanese saxophone costs, at the factory, on average 300% more than a Chinese saxophone.

In China, where there is a traditional distrust for their own products ( I am not prejudiced, I own both a Chinese and a Taiwanese saxophone) they consider Taiwanese products to be of a higher quality.

 

[TomMapfumo]

Anyway, just off to have a stove top espresso......................................

 

[saxplorer]

That is indeed a widespread sentiment in Taiwan (I have spent time in both of them, and they feel like different countries), but if you are still in inclined to think that Taiwan is independent, assert the proposition to a Chinese diplomat. A tip: after you have made your statement, stand back.

I just recall noting that in Beijing airport a few years ago, flights leaving to Taiwan were in the "domestic departures" (as opposed to "international") section. That told me how the Chinese regard it ...

 

[Colin the Bear]

I like to play my chinese (?) saxophone wearing a cashmir sweater.