I bought a tenor and alto Maxtone from the guy on SOTW who has been selling them. My idea was to have nice horns to use on gigs that I wouldn't be worried too much about getting knocked over. The price was pretty good, even allowing for the tax and duty I had to pay to get them to the UK.
Alto and tenor are both silver plated on body and crook and gold plated on the bow and bell, with abalone key touches. I really love the look and they are supposed to have been built in the same factory in Taiwan as makes the P Mauriat. I'm not sure that is true and when Steve Howard looked at it, he doubted it was right (but did quite like the horns).
The tenor came first and I am really impressed by the sound, especially down the bottom where it is much richer and easier-blowing than my MkVI.
The alto is also nice, but the low D sounds a bit muffled compared with the notes around it. I have had it looked at and improved a bit, but it's still not quite right.
Eergonomically they are fine horns, but I did have Griff reduce the height of a palm key touch piece on each sax and they are just right now.
A word of warning - I think the Maxtone is just a name that is not necessarily linked to one maker in one factory. So another Maxtone horn might not be the same as mine.
If you're near Surrey then you're welcome to have a blow on my alto or tenor Maxtone.
Rhys
PS And the cases are pretty rubbish - see Steve Howard's review of the Mauriat horns:
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Tenor/mauriat_66r_tenor.htm
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