I love Bari Tone

[u_can_call_me_al]

In October last year on a whim I bought a bari from John Packer (JP044). It was on offer as it is now. I have to say that it has exceeded all my expectations. Reading a Stephan Howard article and comparing my instrument with the photos it seems I have a Taiwanese Yanagahama / Yamagasawa much like the Gear4music bari except it has a rather nice looking rose brass bell. The only problem I have had was with a couple of adjuster screws on the low A double arm which needed replacing which I was able to do myself. Whilst playable I replaced the standard mouthpiece with Dukoff D6 this produced an immediate and immense improvement in the sound/tone. Perusing the devil?s junkyard (eBay) I saw a bronze Yanagisawa neck for sale at a knockdown ?90. It required an hour or so of patient and careful sandpapering following the advice of my sax tech as it was very slightly oversize.
When finally fitted I could not believe the difference 15 grammes of metal made, the new neck weighing in the heavier. It now sounds sooooo much better across the entire range particularly bottom end. All this has still cost under ?1k including the neck and MP for what is now a very good sounding bari sax.
I am now totally hooked on the bari and cannot hear myself moving up the octaves again until I physically can?t manage it. I have no connection with JP but if you have around ?750 to spare and are tempted I?d give it a go.

 

[Pjonah]

My instrument of choice also, they are such fun to play and like you I can't see myself going back to tenor or alto, but that could all change next week when my tenor returns from its service.....doubt it though.

These Chinese/Taiwanese instruments are really coming on leaps and bounds just lately. They will soon be right up there if not already with the Yani's and Yami's, JK etc.

Interesting how just a neck can make so much difference?

Simon

 

[u_can_call_me_al]

I have just carefully compared the two necks. The bronze replacement is: 1 Heavier.
2 Very slightly shorter 3 Has a very slightly bigger bore ( I measured the weight of water each holds ) 4 Is slightly more angled downwards to the horizontal being 2.5 mm lower than the original when standing on a level surface. 5 There is a bevel of the edge which fits into the receiver 6 The brace under the neck is more substantial on the replacement.

Perhaps its not surprising at the huge difference it's made to the sound

 

[Pjonah]

Have you checked the tuning?

A shorter crook should produce a more sharp note.

 

[u_can_call_me_al]

When I said slightly shorter I meant just that 0.5 - 1.00 mm if that difficult to judge. Tuning is fine right across the range of the sax. When played alone with the neck only! it produces a much louder fuller tone for the same effort although this only subjective.