Saxophones Cheapish Curved Soprano Recommendations

[nigeld]

I have a jolly little curved soprano (a Roy Benson, that used to belong to the Prof, probably made in Vietnam). It sounds nice and it's fun, and I find myself picking it up more than my (much better) straight one because it is more comfortable. But the intonation leaves something to be desired.

So I'm thinking about getting a curved soprano that is easier to play in tune. I can't really justify a Yani or an R&C, and I am looking at a maximum price of about £1000. I'm not bothered if it is new or secondhand, but I am rather wary of buying a secondhand soprano without trying it, and I am housebound for the next 12 weeks because of the plague.

I think if I lived in the USA I would go for a Kessler, but I'm in the UK. Some of the candidates I am considering are:
Bauhaus Walstein
Elkhart Deluxe
Sakkusu Deluxe
Windcraft 210 (Dawkes)
Thomann Custom Line,

Does anyone have opinions about any of these?
Does anyone have other suggestions?

By a "curved" soprano, I mean one that looks like a little alto, not a straight one with a bent neck. The reason for getting a curved soprano is simply comfort. I have a good Sequoia straight sop. So please don't suggest a straight one or get into a discussion about the differences between straight and curved.
A saxello shape might be OK, but I haven't seen any cheap ones.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I have a Bauhaus Walstein CSS-PD. It's very good. I use it if I've got a gig that needs an amplified sop. It's not let me down yet.
I have no experience of any of the others but I've been teaching for the last 6 years or so a young lady who has a John Packer curvy. It's also very good.

 

[Ivan]

I have a Conn-Selmer bought new, that's a solid little thing with good intonation

 

[saxyjt]

I never played a curved soprano. But I'm curious...

I will not be able to invest in another toy before the 'Plague' is over (we're being put on leave for the next few weeks) but it's been on my mind for a while...

 

[rhysonsax]

Maybe ten years ago I played an early example of the Bauhaus Walstein curvie alongside my own Yanagisawa SC991. There was obviously a very strong resemblance as I believe that one was based on the other (I wonder which ?).

The neck on the Bauhaus was curved but not nearly as much as the Yanagisawa. I suspected the Bauhaus neck might have been the same as the curved one provided with the twin straight straight sop. I tried the Yanagisawa neck on the Bauhaus and it fitted perfectly and made the ergonomics a bit better for me.

I would say that the build quality of the Bauhaus wasn't quite as good as the Yanagisawa, but the sound was very nearly as good and I would have been happy to play it.

Rhys

 

[Colin the Bear]

There's one in the yard sale atm.