Saxophones Dearman bari sax

[C_Claudemonster]

hi All,

any thoughts on these saxes at all? I have just agreed to a purchase of an old 1950's new super dearman baritone sax. Bari is a new thing for me and I've only ever played it once to step in at band, it was so much fun as I'm a small ish lady so it looked quite comical!
It is Bb to high F so old keywork and if I remember the bell keys are the other side? It should be with me friday but I would be interested to hear your thoughts. I have at the moment purchased a Rico Royal B5 m/p as I can't afford anything else for it as yet! It seems more expensive to play baritone with all the accessories required
It's not something I will be taking too seriously but just an opportunity I have taken advantage of and will see what happens. It may end up on the yard sale if I don't get on with baritone but I'm hoping it will be fun!

 

[Taz]

Well I can't offer any help with info on the sax but if you have half as much fun as I do with mine you'll be having a real blast!

 

[C_Claudemonster]

Brilliant! Cant wait to foghorn my neighbour haha

 

[kevgermany]

Good luck. I'd love a bari.

I think yours will have been made by Amati - in the Czech Republic. Or more likely when it was still Czechoslovakia.

Taz has an Amati tenor, or did have.

 

[jonf]

And the Rico Royal mouthpieces are actually pretty good. If you want to really belt out the blues the Rico Royal Metalite, for a tenner more is outstanding.

 

[zootsaxenberger]

I have been using a Dearman president tenor for five years now and i have to say i love it,if the bari is anything like the tenor it will be built like a tank.
i am currently using a Rico Metalite mouthpiece and it works very well, tonally i can get a really good pallet of sounds everything from laid back jazz to screaming rock! this sax does it all.
i really recommend you give it a go you wont be disappointed

regards Zoot

 

[C_Claudemonster]

hi all, thanks for the positive replies! will let you know how i get on

 

[Taz]

Taz has an Amati tenor, or did have.

Yup, still tootin the old girl, although she's desperate for a service and some love! One thing I can say about Amatis is that they are built to withstand a good hard thrashing........ oooohhhh er misses!

 

[Pete C]

The high F# key on modern saxes is superfluous so you won't miss it.

 

[Nick Wyver]

The high F# key on modern saxes is superfluous so you won't miss it.

The high F# key on modern saxes is bloody useful.

 

[Andante cantabile]

The high F# key on modern saxes is bloody useful.

You can say that again.

 

[aldevis]

The high F# key on modern saxes is bloody useful.

To do what?

And low A is evil: 2kg for a semitone!

 

[thomsax]

Enjoy your bari! I also think a allround mouthpiece like Rico Royal Graftonite is fine on your bari. The bellkeys on " other side " = left side? Don't worry to much about that your bari is a Bb to F baritone. Play and have fun!

I haven't been playing/blowing bari on regular basis for the last 15 years. But the last two month I'm back on the bari. So it's lot's of songs and excersises in the keys of F# and C# (concert A and E, Rock/Blues sax!). I don't miss the low A that much. And I'm using the bari for the low tones. So I don't even think about the high F# key!!

I recommend harness for bari. I got a nice harness from the big saxshop down by the coast of UK.

Thomas

 

[Nick Wyver]

To do what?

Play G.

And low A is evil: 2kg for a semitone!

A very useful semitone.

 

[baritonesax]

Play G.



A very useful semitone.

Top F# certainly is useful for top G on the smaller saxes - but you can get a very clear G on bari without one. As for the A - I can't make my mind up on the subject. I certainly wouldn't want to play a standing-up gig with a low-A - not with my spine - but it's great for big band where low As (granted, often optional low -As) are written in frequently. My solution is to own one of each.

My low Bb bari feels like a tenor compared to the low A.

 

[Nick Wyver]

but you can get a very clear G on bari without one.

What fingering do you use?

My low Bb bari feels like a tenor compared to the low A.

Interesting. My two feel much the same.

 

[aldevis]

What fingering do you use?

On the Conn I think I use some kind of xox|xox but I will be unable to check for few weeks. I also remember a frontF/sideBb on a low Bb selmer

 

[baritonesax]

The G that always worked best for me on the baris that I have owned was a "fork Bb" with the side A# added. So, left 1&3 + the side A# - maybe you've tried it already, but it seems bulletproof to me.

I get pins and needles in my arms playing low As for longer than 20 mins. Much better in a Jiffy stand!

 

[aldevis]

The G that always worked best for me on the baris that I have owned was a "fork Bb" with the side A# added. So, left 1&3 + the side A# - maybe you've tried it already, but it seems bulletproof to me.

I get pins and needles in my arms playing low As for longer than 20 mins. Much better in a Jiffy stand!

I will definitely try it.

About needles and pins... I had a similar worrying problem (even on alto). Maybe you can try a good osteopath.

 

[Nick Wyver]

The G that always worked best for me on the baris that I have owned was a "fork Bb" with the side A# added. So, left 1&3 + the side A# - maybe you've tried it already, but it seems bulletproof to me.

I get pins and needles in my arms playing low As for longer than 20 mins. Much better in a Jiffy stand!

It's not one I've come across before. Nice and in tune but doesn't seem quite as stable as my usual fingering on my Yanag (left1 + side Bb + top F#). Should be handy though for the Conn - it speaks more easily than the alt top F fingering.