Cannonball Saxophones, etc.

[Der Wikinger]

I am NOT a representative for this firm. I just know about their horns, and want to pass on good knowledge when I can. You can see the youtubes about them in the video clip forum. They are made in Salt Lake City, UT., and the vision is to provide professional quality horns at a lower price. Not a student horn price, but a lower price. If you view their video, you will see what all goes into their horns. I have played their horns and they are marvelous. (Just can't afford one right now or I would have their bari fersure).

 

[Pete Thomas]

I've tried lots of cannonballs, and while I agree they are good saxophones, they aren't great. I tend to think of them as a competitor to P.Mauriat in price and apparent quality, and as such I think they are very comparable. What I found was that most mauriats and most Cannonballs were on a par, but the very best Mauriats had the edge for me in how the horn responds and feels. What I do give the Cannonballs is that a couple of altos I tried were the loudest imaginable horns, but I'm more impressed by dynamic range than loudness..

But the reps on the Cannonball stand at the Musikmesse were not really that polite or inspiring, they seemed more into selling stuff to people but didn't have the enthusiasm of the Mauriat employees who just seem to love saxophones.

Oh yes, one funny thing. I was playing a stone series baritone and the stone fell off. I'm a bit dubious about the marketing of the saxophones that are more in tune because of the special stones, but then again I'm dubious of the marketing of P.Mauriats if it fools people into thinking they are French.

 

[RedBottom]

A friend sells them. He likes them and says they represent good value for money, although they don't seem quite as robust as some of the more expensive makes. However, he also repeats what others have said to me here about other horns in the past - you can get a perfectly good, cheaper horn. As long as you remember that it will never be the top-of-the-range Selmer/Yanigasawa or whatever your wish-list horn is, then you probably won't be disappointed.

 

[Der Wikinger]

I think that is hilarious that the stone fell out!! What do you think about the ramponi & cazzani saxes, particularly the R1 Jazz Tenor in comparison to P. Mauriat, Cannonball, & Selmer?

 

[dooce]

I'm not sure that, on this side of the pond at least, they are neccesarily associated with a lower price. Cannonballs pricing policy seems to be shrouded in secrecy, but new prices generally seem to be up there with Mauriats, pro Yanigasawas and Yamahas. Second-hand though - absolute bargains. I bought my Raven tenor 6-months old, barely played and immaculate, for about half the price new.

The stones are a distraction - the guys in SLC really believe in them but I can't believe anyone else does. It makes them different though. As for their robustness, I've never heard that the modern horns are anything other than very well constructed and in 18 months of ownership, I've suffered nothing worse than the occassional sticking pad.