Saxophones Excellent new sax

[jonf]

Just come by a new alto sax. Picked it up this morning, everyone else is out so giving it a good blast this afternoon. I'm very pleased with it. Intonation is excellent, ergonomics spot on. Build quality generally very good. Feels very nice under the fingers. All notes blow evenly from top to bottom. Nicely finished with adustable metal thumb hook, metal left thumb button and top F#, of course. Tone is nice, with my metal Yanagisawa it's a good rich tone, a bit fuller than most modern saxes.

It's a Gear4Music own brand.

I know Colin has been very pleased with his, and also that there have been a number of comments about the ones cropping up on eBay, which appear to be either customer returns or QC rejects. This one is just a really good sax, plain and simple. Would have been excellent value for the purchaser at its current price of £250.

As an aside, I've been practising 'Careless Whisper' for a comedy thing with a few friends. I'm finding it a bit difficult for such a simple tune. I think it's my brain objecting, as a sort of inbuilt quality control. "Guilty fingers got no rhythm" as the song (nearly) goes.........

 

[Colin the Bear]

Told ya.

 

[jonf]

Told ya.

Indeed you did. And you were absolutely right.

 

[Alice]

As an aside, I've been practising 'Careless Whisper' for a comedy thing with a few friends. I'm finding it a bit difficult for such a simple tune. I think it's my brain objecting, as a sort of inbuilt quality control. "Guilty fingers got no rhythm" as the song (nearly) goes.........

Ha! Yes, keep telling yourself that!

 

[DavidUK]

Might be in the same camp as the Jericho J6. Another cheap model where it's hard to believe it's so good for the money.

I've been dabbling with the idea of trying another straight soprano. Didn't get on with the curved one, nor the YSS-475 strangely. Anyone tried the G4M straight sop? Any comments if you have?

 

[kevgermany]

Anyone tried the G4M straight sop? Any comments if you have?

Yes, don't

 

[Jeanette]

For a cheap sop you could try a fortissimo if you can find one secondhand.

Jx

 

[Ads]

The G4M is OK for the price you can get them for used (£100-£130) but I`d not pay any more , Ideal for an occasional sax or for giving it a go (same goes for the Venus) but it`s not even in the same Galaxy as the YSS475-II or Yani S901

 

[DavidUK]

It was a YSS-475 MkI iirc. Seem to recall it had a straight neck. Maybe that's what put me off?

 

[kevgermany]

the 475s have a straight fixed neck

 

[jonf]

I've played soprano for over thirty years and have always played either a straight neck straight (if you get my meaning) or a fully curved. I've always viewed a curved neck on a straight sop as frankly rather deviant.....

 

[MandyH]

I am deviant!
I chose the curved neck over the straight one on my Yani S992 (which has both)

 

[Nick Wyver]

I am deviant!
I chose the curved neck over the straight one on my Yani S992 (which has both)

I do too.
However, I would actually like a decent modern one-piece sop. My old Yanag S6 is very nice but is not quite up to modern standards, ie. it's not as good as the S991 I normally play.

 

[trimmy]

I don't play it much but the Sakkusu sop is very good, i too prefer the curved neck.

 

[Jeanette]

I have had sops with exchangeable necks and prefer straight over curved. My 62 is one piece which is much better than the ones with removable necks 🙂

Jx

 

[jonf]

Noooooooooooooooo

Straight neck, hold it proudly pointing straight out like a medieval trumpeter heralding the start of a battle. Which is probably appropriate the way I play.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Get a little curvy. The G4m sop isn't up to the same standard as the alto and tenor. Which is odd. Their Baritone is worth a look see.

 

[Ads]

It was a YSS-475 MkI iirc. Seem to recall it had a straight neck. Maybe that's what put me off?

the Mk2 was a total re-design as it had to replace the 675 as well as the 475 Mk1 in the range - on comparison, it was basically a de-blinged 675 in a one piece body, they even designed in the step in the neck area equivalent to where the 675s neck joint was (I was amazed when I saw that) . the Mk2 was fantastic in sound and handling and gave the Yani 901s more than a run for their money after the action was lightnened , I`m not a massive Yani fan soundwise but their sops are fantastic in all respects and I didn`t expect the 475-II to come close so was pretty shocked when it did

 

[zootsaxenberger]

Just come by a new alto sax. Picked it up this morning, everyone else is out so giving it a good blast this afternoon. I'm very pleased with it. Intonation is excellent, ergonomics spot on. Build quality generally very good. Feels very nice under the fingers. All notes blow evenly from top to bottom. Nicely finished with adustable metal thumb hook, metal left thumb button and top F#, of course. Tone is nice, with my metal Yanagisawa it's a good rich tone, a bit fuller than most modern saxes.

It's a Gear4Music own brand.

I know Colin has been very pleased with his, and also that there have been a number of comments about the ones cropping up on eBay, which appear to be either customer returns or QC rejects. This one is just a really good sax, plain and simple. Would have been excellent value for the purchaser at its current price of £250.

As an aside, I've been practising 'Careless Whisper' for a comedy thing with a few friends. I'm finding it a bit difficult for such a simple tune. I think it's my brain objecting, as a sort of inbuilt quality control. "Guilty fingers got no rhythm" as the song (nearly) goes.........

apparently the guy guy who played the sax part on the original recording had trouble playing it!

 

[Firebladejedi]

Careless whisper is a tricky tune for seemingly simple lick? Keep practising....

I tried a g4m sop at the start of the year. All things considered it was not that bad. I played it for 2 weeks than sold it once I bought a 475II. No comparison really. The cheap sop is ok if you just want to try soprano, but thats about it....