Saxophones Engraving on saxophones - what do you think?

[Veggie Dave]

I think I already know the answer to this question but...

Am I the only person who thinks the engraving designs on saxes should be left on the walls on 19th century maisons close and the abodes of tuppenny uprights rather desecrating an otherwise beautiful instrument?

 

[Colin the Bear]

I like the contrast on plated instruments where the brass shows through the plate. I especially like a black finish engraved through the lacquer or the nickel plate. Some of them red ones look quite cool engraved through the colour. It must be my age.

 

[kevgermany]

Engraving looks good to me.

 

[jbtsax]

Music and art are both an integral part of the human experience. I am one who appreciates that fine instruments can be both visually beautiful and expressively musical at the same time.

 

[Targa]

Wouldn't you fancy a naked lady?

 

[Ivan]

Engraving seems pointless on a raw brass sax what with all those spit blotches creating new patterns to draw the eye

On my lacquered SA80s: the tenor has engraving while the alto has none. The main difference is the engraving has provided a purchase for corrosion which makes it mildly irksome rather than artistically pleasing

I agree with @Colin the Bear that when it comes to coloured lacquer, especially black, then gold engraving shining through looks special. Until it too corrodes

 

[Veggie Dave]

I didn't say engraving was ugly but rather the design is cliché, doesn't posses even the tiniest modicum of artistic value, lacks even the slightest attempt at individuality. They're all the same basic design and that design came from 19th century knocking shops.

Imagine if every sax had a skull engraved on it instead.

There is no reason all saxes must have the same basic engraving on them and there's no reason manufacturers can't offer virgin saxes for those of us who don't want a design on our instrument that would look more at home on a female impersonator's costume than on an instrument that costs thousands of pounds.

 

[Jules]

I didn't say engraving was ugly but rather the design is cliché, doesn't posses even the tiniest modicum of artistic value, lacks even the slightest attempt at individuality. They're all the same basic design and that design came from 19th century knocking shops.

Imagine if every sax had a skull engraved on it instead.

There is no reason all saxes must have the same basic engraving on them and there's no reason manufacturers can't offer virgin saxes for those of us who don't want a design on our instrument that would look more at home on a female impersonator's costume than on an instrument that costs thousands of pounds.

Yup, very much with you on this. I've got nothing against engraving but there's a bit of a lack of vision when it comes to subject matter. have you ever seen the Amsterdam Winds saxes which have Sailor Tattoo style engravings all over them- now there's a bit of originality.
OK Mr Dave- what would you have on your own personal sax?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Time to see if @KatiaF is still around, she is an engraver and member here.

 

[KatiaF]

Hi there,

Just received an e-mail telling me I am tagged on a post in this forum.

Yes, I am still around. However, the last couple of years have been rather...special for me, with serious health issues affecting very close members of my family.
As a consequence, a rather big backlog had accumulated. I am also beginning to see the end of it now, getting on top of the situation and back in business. So yes, I am still around.

Hope you are doing excellently.

 

[jimmylh]

I like it myself, but after seeing the sax everyday I don't even notice it anymore. I guess I can take it or leave it because I care more about how it plays rather than how it looks.

 

[Veggie Dave]

OK Mr Dave- what would you have on your own personal sax?

I think at the moment I want my saxes to be plain. No engraving other than the manufacturer's name. I find the mechanics of the saxophone so attractive that it doesn't require anything else.

Of course, if I saw something with a really nice celtic design, for example, I may change my mind.

 

[Jules]

Of course, if I saw something with a really nice celtic design, for example, I may change my mind.

I was thinking Celtic knotwork actually... Cannonball do one that's got just that by the way. Do you remember a band called Boiled in Lead- sort of American Levellers.. their bassist had a visually very witty arm tattoo of Celtic network unravelling into guitar leads.. clever idea

 

[Dave Mac]

Wouldn't you fancy a naked lady?

I'd quite fancy a "Betty Boop".

 

[saxyjt]

I agree that engravings could be more fun and I would love to have some personalized engravings done on my saxes.

If my brother wasn't half way around the world from me, I would buy him some tools and let him practice on a couple of crap horns I have before attempting something on one that I'd like to keep... He's always been very talented with drawings and I still have an engraved metal sheet (tin alloy) that he realized ages ago, representing the head of Poseidon erecting from the sea with rather stunning details that could be transposed to a sax. Here is a sample:

I may be wrong, but if he can do this, he can probably do something similar on a sax...

 

[jbtsax]

I didn't say engraving was ugly but rather the design is cliché, doesn't posses even the tiniest modicum of artistic value, lacks even the slightest attempt at individuality. They're all the same basic design and that design came from 19th century knocking shops.

Then there are the artistic engravings done by Jace Dumars. This is my SBA alto that he engraved for me.

 

[Alice]

Then there are the artistic engravings done by Jace Dumars. This is my SBA alto that he engraved for me.

That's amazing!

 

[Jeanette]

This was another nice engraving

Saxophones - My new tenor

Jx

 

[Alice]

I'm going to have to learn how to engrave.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Ah, custom engraving ... now that's a different kettle of squid altogether.

I assume the artist covers over the factory engraving in the same way a tattoo artist covers up bad ink?