Saxophones "Michael White" branded saxophones, anyone know anything about them?

[VictorFirstClass]

I've seen a scattering of these saxophones around but don't know much about them. "Designed By French Technicians", apparently based on the engraving. Appears to have been made since the 80s, high F sharp key visible.. don't seem to go for every much? People say equivalent to Elkhart quality.

Elkhart Alto Saxophone

best price Michael White, by Elkhart, Alto Saxophone

www.clarinetsdirect.net

https://reverb.com/en-pl/item/1655281-michael-white-tenor-saxophone

Michael White (MW) Alto Saxophone Brass Lacquered****SOLD**** - The Sax Shack

Here's an opportunity to take ownership of this ideal starter saxmade by Michael White. Setup and ready to go

thesaxshack.co.uk

 

[Stephen Howard]

Yes - they're absolute crap.

His shop was just a few miles down from mine back in the 80/90s - and I saw steady stream of the these horn coming in for repairs.
People who say they're Elkhart quality just repeating what some other idiot has said.
Build quality was dreadful. Ditto Earlham (Mk1 - they got a bit better, But only a bit)

Simply put, if you're buying Taiwanese horns from that period, stick with Trevor James or Jupiter. Better still. save a bit more and get a Yamaha.

 

[noelweston]

Wot he said 🙂

I used the MW shop a lot in the early/mid 80s, bought several good instruments from them. Lovely shop, lovely people.

But when their own brand saxes came out I tried one - for about 10 minutes. Horribly out of tune with itself, in the hands of several players, and we all thought it was awful.

 

[dreadnet]

I have owned an alto MW from the 90's. I was going to use it to learn saxophone repair but now after reading how crap they are. I don't think its worth bothering with.

 

[Grumps]

"Designed By French Technicians"

That's a very creative description for a Selmer clone.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Oh la la. 🇫🇷🧅

 

[JayeNM]

Wot he said 🙂

I used the MW shop a lot in the early/mid 80s, bought several good instruments from them. Lovely shop, lovely people.

But when their own brand saxes came out I tried one - for about 10 minutes. Horribly out of tune with itself, in the hands of several players, and we all thought it was awful.

I guess I always wonder why a shop which does deal in respectable brands would actually contract with a mfr. for their house brand if the resulting quality was so poor. Yeah, I understand price point....but...a bit of quality-check on setting the bar (?)

 

[Tuppertn]

That's a very creative description for a Selmer clone.

I have a Monique soprano that says the same thing, but it's clearly a Yamaha clone.

Also a terrible instrument.

 

[Grumps]

... but it's clearly a Yamaha clone.

Didn't they copy Selmer too? Once?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Didn't they copy Selmer too? Once?

Didn't Selmer copy Adolphe Sax once?

 

[Tuppertn]

Didn't they copy Selmer too? Once?

At first, of course, but then it reversed. At least for the soprano it was the other way around. The MkVI had inline tone holes for the LH palm keys. For the SA80, they copied the offset pattern from the YSS-61.

 

[Stephen Howard]

Didn't Selmer copy Adolphe Sax once?

Welllllll....that's a little bit debatable.
Thing is, Adolphe was the first - no debates about that - but there's a line between 'copy' and 'develop'.
Now, I know that Mr Sax is rightly revered - but the truth is that while his brasswinds were magnificent in terms of build quality (for the period) his saxes were bloody awful. I've restored a fair few of them in my time and its never a job I've taken on lightly.
I would say that it's fair to suppose that Selmer picked up the baton and ran with it - as, indeed, did everyone else over time.
It's also the case that Sax was severly hampered by legal challenges (and very much worse) - and perhaps one might say that a bit of pride got in the way. Understandable, mind.
There also appears to be links from Sax to various manufacturers - and I wonder if there might have been some 'bar-room' agreements going on behind the scenes.
I've restored a number of Sax horns* that have been engraved with another manufacturer's name...but which displayed the tell-tale "A S" stamp...usually somewhere around/under the low D key action.

*Not 'Saxhorns' - which are brasswinds.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Welllllll....that's a little bit debatable.

I know, which is exactly why I said it.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I know, which is exactly why I said it.

You devil you! That's one less pint I owe you! Or is it fewer???

 

[Pete Thomas]

That's one less pint I owe you! Or is it fewer???

Yes.