Saxophones Cons of unlacquered sax

[Mark Hancock]

I find it fascinating how this look splits the room. Maybe the marmite would be an accurate name 😉

some of them look like they've had marmite smeared on them!

 

[Halfers]

I'm not an expert on Vintage music, but it seems to me that most of the vintage Saxophone players I've seen on youtube and such, playing vintage Jazz seem to be playing quite shiny saxophones? Granted, it's not always easy to tell in B&W. So I'm quite happy that my nice shiny lacquered saxophone suits my vision of a vintage sax..but a bit newer...

 

[Merryfisher]

imo, if you want you horn to stay shiney shiney, get a laquered one. this is my 7 year old SC RAW. everyone thinks it must be nearly 100 years old. I have given up trying to keep it shiney - it is what it is, and it play just how i like it.

 

[ChampagneBears]

imo, if you want you horn to stay shiney shiney, get a laquered one. this is my 7 year old SC RAW. everyone thinks it must be nearly 100 years old. I have given up trying to keep it shiney - it is what it is, and it play just how i like it.

Yikes! Ok. I’m convinced.

 

[Merryfisher]

i would'nt be too put off how it looks - if one spent time keeping on top of things it would probably look a whole lot better. tbh, i am a very dribbly player and it gets everywhere, but to me it is more important how my horn plays then how it looks. The build quality of this horn has been pretty much bullet proof over the time i've had it, and has done a lot of rough old gigs. To my shame, other then regularly oiling the key work it has never been to the tech, and every note bottom to top plays good and clear...but i should get it done soon

 

[ChampagneBears]

i would'nt be too put off how it looks - if one spent time keeping on top of things it would probably look a whole lot better. tbh, i am a very dribbly player and it gets everywhere, but to me it is more important how my horn plays then how it look

I'm a bit vain. I thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could choose a horn that played well and looked cool at the same time? However, I'm just not prepared to put a lot of extra time and effort into maintaining a horn to look good. If that vintage-inspired look is hard to maintain, then I will just opt for a good functional easy-to-take-care-of lacquered horn instead. I just wanted to make sure that I did my research beforehand so I won't have any regrets. Thanks.

 

[jazzdoh]

imo, if you want you horn to stay shiney shiney, get a laquered one. this is my 7 year old SC RAW. everyone thinks it must be nearly 100 years old. I have given up trying to keep it shiney - it is what it is, and it play just how i like it.

Mine isn't quite as worn looking as yours, but as far as upkeep its the same as any other horn.

 

[Juju_Birdie]

I figured that a NEW “aged brass” sax like the Eastman 52nd Street, some P Mauriats, Canonballs, and Custom Signatures will not degrade/get verdigris because they’ve received some kind of a treatment to prevent it. I can’t imagine a new sax that was purposely made to look like that wouldn’t get some kind of stabilizing treatment. It just doesn’t make sense to me but I could be wrong.

Apparently, the look is very popular. The look of a vintage horn, but not. 😎

I know nothing about this subject AT ALL but my initial reaction to this 'look of a vintage horn' is this it's all a bit 'shabby chic'. A piece of furniture that is genuinely old and showing the wear and tear of years of love is a beautiful thing; a piece of new furniture that has been purposely distressed to mimic that love is a shallow imitation. There's no story there.

(And don't get me started on jeans that come already ripped...)

I don't get why anyone would like the look of bare brass for its own sake. But then again I was sorely tempted to buy a red sax to learn on mainly because it would match my lounge rug so who am I to judge (I went for rose gold as it was a few bucks cheaper).😛

 

[ChampagneBears]

I get it. It’s not to everybody’s taste, but it’s enough people’s tastes that many brands are jumping on the band wagon. Thank goodness it’s not just me!

Ripped jeans lol. I definitely have a few pairs. As long as the holes are not in unfortunate places I’m ok.

 

[Merryfisher]

I know nothing about this subject AT ALL but my initial reaction to this 'look of a vintage horn' is this it's all a bit 'shabby chic'. A piece of furniture that is genuinely old and showing the wear and tear of years of love is a beautiful thing; a piece of new furniture that has been purposely distressed to mimic that love is a shallow imitation. There's no story there.

(And don't get me started on jeans that come already ripped...)

I don't get why anyone would like the look of bare brass for its own sake. But then again I was sorely tempted to buy a red sax to learn on mainly because it would match my lounge rug so who am I to judge (I went for rose gold as it was a few bucks cheaper).😛

Thing is i got this horn because of how good it plays and sounds, not because i was bothered about having on that looked older then it really was. So the story is - these are great horns to play.

 

[jbtsax]

I believe how an unlacquered saxophone ages depends a lot on the geographical area and climate. Air blowing in from the ocean contains minute salt particles that attack not just raw brass instruments but lacquered ones as well. I think the cosmetics of one's choice of instrument is a personal choice. I read somewhere that someone once said "you can't hear (play) the shine".

 

[jazzdoh]

I agree that its not to everyones taste, but when I tried the above horn in the shop it could have been pink with dark blue spots and I would have still bought it, i bought it with my ears not my eyes, and the finish has grown on me over the years.

 

[RyanL]

I'm not an expert on Vintage music, but it seems to me that most of the vintage Saxophone players I've seen on youtube and such, playing vintage Jazz seem to be playing quite shiny saxophones? Granted, it's not always easy to tell in B&W. So I'm quite happy that my nice shiny lacquered saxophone suits my vision of a vintage sax..but a bit newer...

Indeed that used to be the norm - the old jazzers would always have shiny horns, many bandleaders even demanding it. In the mid-late '70s, arguably starting with Brecker, saxophonists began preferring older horns to the newest offerings, and thus battle-worn horns became accepted and in some cases preferred.

To me the most important is the sound, and the Brute (aged brass) has a distinctly different sound than even the Mad Meg (raw brass pre-patina). It's a great day to be a saxophonist where we have the choice of more than just lacquer & silver!

 

[jbtsax]

I agree that its not to everyones taste, but when I tried the above horn in the shop it could have been pink with dark blue spots and I would have still bought it, i bought it with my ears not my eyes, and the finish has grown on me over the years.

You mean like this one? 🙂

 

[jazzdoh]

You mean like this one? 🙂

View attachment 14700

Perfect where can I buy it.

 

[jbtsax]

Perfect where can I buy it.

Here's one like it (not really 🙂) Pink Saxophone All you need is these: Colored Dots

 

[jazzdoh]

Actually wasn't that pink tenor a Selmer mk VI,i seem to remember it on SOTW a couple of years ago and wasn't it once owned by Dexter Gordon?

The one in the post above is not suitable it has to have factory fitted spots for me to buy it, adding the spots later reduces the value.

 

[jbtsax]

Actually wasn't that pink tenor a Selmer mk VI,i seem to remember it on SOTW a couple of years ago and wasn't it once owned by Dexter Gordon?

The one in the post above is not suitable it has to have factory fitted spots for me to buy it, adding the spots later reduces the value.

Not being owned by Dexter Gordon may reduce the value a bit as well.

 

[Taz]

Here's my Amati, its 60 years old but was only stripped about seven years ago. It's never been cleaned other than a quick dust every now and then.

 

[jbtsax]

Here's my Amati, its 60 years old but was only stripped about seven years ago. It's never been cleaned other than a quick dust every now and then.

Lovely! Do you mind telling us what you used to produce that finish? 🙂