Saxophones Interim GAS - just couldn't resist - Conn 58M Alto

DavidUK

DavidUK

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OK, OK, so it's not a 6M but it's been fully overhauled a few years back and so I thought I'd take a foray into the American horn world just out of interest....

My Sax brain just took over and I bought it! Pan American s/n 62***

Will let you know how it compares to the "others" I have lying around the place in due course.

Maybe take a look at my ads the sales section to help me pay for it, and Christmas.

:verysad
 
Tom is the Mpc guy around here , hopefully he`ll give a view on the Vandoren . as for the Pan-Am , you may find it`ll make your SDA nervous and could give you the 6 itch as well (and a 10 tenor to kick the grassi into touch - LOL) .

I don`t remember Saxgirl getting a Modele 22 but as far as I know she still has the Pan-am and the shooting stars ..
 
She mentioned the 22 here: http://cafesaxophone.com/community/threads/pan-american-alto-saxophone.7793/#post-89506

Yes, I suppose a hint of the "Conn Sound" could send me on another quest! But this is what I really like, apart from the cost! Trying out the next find against what I already have and then making a decision. Those who say I should concentrate on playing are dead right too. It was only when I had my first piece with a quick transition from Eb to low C that I discovered the Buffet SDA is far easier for me that the Buffet 400. In time I guess I'd adapt, but the SDA's key work just fits me perfectly.... for now!

How many more little quirks like this have I yet to find as I progress? That's a little scary, as I find a horn that I can play presently until I struggle with a feature I've not yet had to use in "anger". That'll send me back to the drawing board quite a few times I guess.

What I should do is keep any sax that satisfies my present playing needs and if I come across another keying issue, see which of those I have "in stock" meet up with the new requirement.

It would be interesting to know now what other similar issues there are to keying as one progresses, similar to the one I had. I just could not get my r/h pinky to quickly switch with the 400, whereas the SDA's Eb/C keys are both angled and have barrel shaped rollers - perfect... for me. The Pan Am may give me the same issue?

Maybe this is one of those things that everyone struggles with and I've been too quick to condemn the 400 just for this one thing. If all saxes were made with this type of Eb/C design (and a lot are) I'd have no choice but to stick with it and master it....

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It`s almost scary, You`re doing exactly what I did with Squeezeboxes, I ended up keeping Three in the end , all the rest provided me with a lovely brand new YAS-62-Mk3 😀 .... Although I`m in the "You should concentrate getting used to one and honing your playing skills" camp, after the enjoyable ride with the boxes I can fully appreciate where you are coming from, it`s just that I`ve never had the inclanation to do it with Saxes - though If I was starting now instead of the early 80s, I`d probably end up doing the same ..... I`d suggest keeping horns longer than you kept the Pruple 62, I know it`s cash tied up but that could have been your perfect tenor with a bit of time though understand the personal connection with the Grassi and its rebuild and your main blow is Alto anyway isn`t it

Enjoy what you`re doing David 🙂 ....... I enjoy playing so the less distraction the better - the thought of the Finding the perfect mouthpiece rat-race makes me shiver, I don`t even want to go there though I do need a decent Alto one, the Esprit has way too small a tip gap...
 
But then again, maybe I would have struggled on with the 400 r/h pinkies (and the Yam/Vito 23 is just the same for me) and never known there was a horn (the SDA) which overcomes this difficulty for my playing immediately? So that may have held me back or put me off or caused hours of heartache and sore fingers. At least I now know that this is one of the "key" areas for me to be happy with on a future keeper.

But hang on... in not struggling to play, and master, what is a fairly normal key layout I'm going to discount a whole load of future models passing my way, perhaps too soon... hmmm....

I'm sure most people will have some area of keying they struggle with and don't know there's another layout out there somewhere which solves that problem for them? Fortunately for Andy Sheppard, he has had a horn designed for him AND he knows what he needs as he has perhaps covered every possible finger move and combination that's ever possible.

For us mere mortals, I guess we have to put up with whatever key work is there, with the odd modification that's possible, concentrate more on the sound, the mouthpiece choice, practice, and just get used to it, OR try to find the holy grail of saxes which gives us everything we will need now and forever more!
 
DavidUK said:
Oh... and it has a Vandoren A28 MP with it. This appears to be a classical piece, am I correct?
Click to expand...

The mouthpiece is a Vandoren V5, which seem to generally cover both classical and jazz styles. The A27 is described as a classical mouthpiece, but the A28 does not have a specific description. The V5 seems the oldest of the current Vandoren mouthpieces.
 
I`ve succumbed to GAS too ! , a TJ Artemis HR (Not plastic !!) Clarinet ,the Keywork which is rather bendy next to Buffet and Buescher stuff needs attention (it`ll be off to Connollys in the new year) but pads all fine . I didn`t realise they made HR ones, the purchase was worth it for the rather nice case alone which my B12 looks longingly at (buffet Student cases Suck beyond measure) ..

And an Emerson Flute at a really low price also - I thought I`d give the old blowpipe another go
 
The Pan Am is sitting in it's wrapped case in the hall at home having been delivered by UPS just as I was on my way out.

Wife's out with "the girls" tonight so I'll have a chance to inspect it and have my first experience of a Conn. Let's hope in a good way, and not in the other sense of the word!
 
DavidUK said:
The Pan Am is sitting in it's wrapped case in the hall at home having been delivered by UPS just as I was on my way out.

Wife's out with "the girls" tonight so I'll have a chance to inspect it and have my first experience of a Conn. Let's hope in a good way, and not in the other sense of the word!
Click to expand...

I have visions of you presenting to your local A+E for a delicate saxophone extrication procedure and explaining to the triage nurse,

"I was playing in the nude when suddenly..................."
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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