Saxophones Low Bb vs low A baritones.

[Pete Thomas]

So that's the only current production low Bb there is, I think (?)

Rampone and Cazzani?

 

[PigSquealer]

Rampone and Cazzani?

Nope ! I just looked. They make a Lo A only. I’m sure if someone asked Claudio nicely he would make a Bb.

Ramponesaxes

R&C

www.ramponecazzani.com

 

[Tenor Viol]

My low A bari is a Yani B900. Baris are heavy. I really need to get a much lighter case for mine than the Yani 'coffin', but that's ££££

 

[Pete Thomas]

Nope ! I just looked. They make a Lo A only. I’m sure if someone asked Claudio nicely he would make a Bb.

Ramponesaxes

R&C

www.ramponecazzani.com

Have another look.

Then Eastman had a student line low Bb which I thought they discontinued ....but I just checked and apparently it is still currently available. So that's the only current production low Bb there is, I think (?

Low Bb baris also made by Thomann as well as Eastman

 

[Woodpad]

My low A bari is a Yani B900. Baris are heavy. I really need to get a much lighter case for mine than the Yani 'coffin', but that's ££££

In the R1 jazz saxophone range of R&C there was or is a low A bari in Es. If that's too heavy I am working on a low A bari in E.

 

[mark_addy]

I posted on this before, but I have refined it since then - still available in a roadside hedge near you. For tuning the plastic needs to be cut at the base of the standard reflective sleeve, which I then removed and cut down for comedy stage value, so it still looks like what it is. I cut about 100mm off the small end which gives a nice fit in the bell while not getting mixed up with the 'Bb' key.

A full one gives low G, but it's a bit epic
🙂

 

[Wonko]

Nope ! I just looked. They make a Lo A only. I’m sure if someone asked Claudio nicely he would make a Bb.

Ramponesaxes

R&C

www.ramponecazzani.com

On their site

R1 Jazz

R&C

www.ramponecazzani.com

they state clearly:

• Possible configurations
  Range from low A to high F#
  Range from low Bb to high F
  Range from low A to high F
  Range from low Bb to high F#

 

[PigSquealer]

I stand corrected. I didn’t dig deep enough 🤦‍♂️. Thanks guys 😊

 

[Stephen Howard]

I agree that's a pretty silly argument. But I've seen people post about removing the high F# key on their horns because of weight, then happily slap on a Klangbogen. So yeah, it borders on insanity.

When I switched from my Yamaha 23 tenor to the TJ RAW I certainly noticed the difference in weight.
The 23 weighed in at 3.1kg (one of the lightest tenors on the market) and the TJ at 3.5kg. 0.4 kg difference - or just under pound in old money.
That's nothing, right?

So there you are, standing on stage for a couple of hours or so with this extra pound around your neck. Thing is, the weight isn't going straight down your body - it's out front and off to one side...so you have leverage going on.
Halfway through the first set I really started to notice it down in my lower back.

I got used to it over time but I often deal with clients who struggle with horns that are on the heavy side - and sometimes you find that even a modest amount of extra weight over a period of time can have a surprisingly large impact.
If you factor things in like disabilities or old injuries it can get pretty critical quite quickly.

 

[lydian]

When I switched from my Yamaha 23 tenor to the TJ RAW I certainly noticed the difference in weight.
The 23 weighed in at 3.1kg (one of the lightest tenors on the market) and the TJ at 3.5kg. 0.4 kg difference - or just under pound in old money.
That's nothing, right?

So there you are, standing on stage for a couple of hours or so with this extra pound around your neck. Thing is, the weight isn't going straight down your body - it's out front and off to one side...so you have leverage going on.
Halfway through the first set I really started to notice it down in my lower back.

I got used to it over time but I often deal with clients who struggle with horns that are on the heavy side - and sometimes you find that even a modest amount of extra weight over a period of time can have a surprisingly large impact.
If you factor things in like disabilities or old injuries it can get pretty critical quite quickly.

Yeah, that can be an issue for some I guess. Just doesn't resonate with me when one gig might be on alto and the next on bari. That's a much bigger difference than an extra key.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yeah, that can be an issue for some I guess. Just doesn't resonate with me when one gig might be on alto and the next on bari. That's a much bigger difference than an extra key.

It can make a difference depending on your playing position...

 

[Pete Effamy]

It can make a difference depending on your playing position...
View attachment 38271

Mic and amp leads must be taped / secured on stage at all times.

 

[lydian]

It can make a difference depending on your playing position...
View attachment 38271

Love it! Betcha wish that gig was on a low Bb horn with no high F#.

 

[JayeNM]

Yeah, that can be an issue for some I guess. Just doesn't resonate with me when one gig might be on alto and the next on bari. That's a much bigger difference than an extra key.

I also consider less than a pound negligible

 

[LostCircuits]

The majority of low A baritones have dreadful mechanisms for actuating the low A via the thumb key only. Yamaha's mech is sublime

100%
I recall a few instances where a (especially younger) player messed up the action in the middle of a jam session, which then literally takes out the entire LH pinky table and, if you know what you are doing you can fix it in 10 seconds. But I can't be everywhere every time

😀​

 

[Pete Effamy]

I also consider less than a pound negligible

Your Butcher is a happy (and more wealthy) man. Or woman. Or in between.

 

[JayeNM]

Your Butcher is a happy (and more wealthy) man. Or woman. Or in between.

Hardly....I'm Vegan.

 

[JayeNM]

Agreed on thumb trigger Low A mechanisms. They can drive a tech crazy and all we can really do with most of them is get the leaks small enough on the B and Bb to make the A speak nicely.

The BEST trigger mech I have come across was on an Allora 'Paris' model. As close to perfect as I have seen...

 

[JayeNM]

I posted on this before, but I have refined it since then -

View attachment 38258

A full one gives low G, but it's a bit epic
🙂

And BEST thing...it's so subtle the audience would never notice....

 

[Pete Effamy]

Hardly....I'm Vegan.

A smaller bare patch of lawn then