Saxophones Not the B Team but the BB Team - black beauties on the gig tonight

[lig]

Playing a casual fundraiser tonight. I don’t think I’ll find anything I like more than my Ishimori but different is always fun.

My new to me Shadow has got potential. 🙂

Pretty easy to see where P. Mauriat got the inspiration for their “Black Pearl” horns. Nearly dead ringers for the Shadow. It’s been my backup alto for a few years now and has it’s merits as well. They did a nice job with the horn imo. Both nickel silver bodies and black nickel plate with silver keywork and abalone or dark MOP pearls. Never like the black/gold horns but have always loved the black / silver look.

Not my usual sort of funk / soul jazz thing - it’ll be more of a “Real Book” night.

Needed a good excuse for a little sax p0rn. 😀

For those uninitiated to the brands - the alto is the P. Mauriat and the tenor is the Keilwerth

 

[PigSquealer]

Is this dirt 🙀

 

[Nick Wyver]

That’s not dirt. This is dirt.

 

[Ghr9204]

Is this dirt 🙀
View attachment 36826

I thought it was "booger" thread locker.

 

[Woodpad]

Booger thread locker mainly consists of protein and is terribly at locking threads. Advise to use locktite 243 instead.

 

[Ghr9204]

Booger thread locker mainly consists of protein and is terribly at locking threads. Advise to use locktite 243 instead.

It a was resourceful solution to a screw vibrating loose using available material during a rehearsal where there was no thread locker in the band's instrument repair kit.

The player had "the knack".

 

[Ghr9204]

By the way, @lig , those black nickel saxes are indeed a beautiful sight to behold, real eye candy. I imagine they play as well as they look.

 

[lig]

lol… organic Loctite?!? I tend towards the blue. Good on watch bracelet screws. 😀

The Shadow has a vibe of it’s own. I found myself playing more of the bell tones than normal as they are pretty big and fat. Not sure I’m loving the palm key timbre just yet. Almost seems thinner than my other tenors. Will have to give it more time.

The horn judging by serial number is probably from about 2010ish or so but looks to have never been played - screw booger aside it looks amazing.

So far it seems to prefer a bit more baffle too. Have been playing the 10mFan Robusto 7** for just about everything but the Chameleon seems to suit it really well.

It’ll be fun adventure.

Thanks for the laughs and kind words, y’all.

 

[Ghr9204]

So far it seems to prefer a bit more baffle too. Have been playing the 10mFan Robusto 7** for just about everything but the Chameleon seems to suit it really well.

I by no means am a mouthpiece expert, but have found that by a simple change in mouthpiece corrected what appeared to be a tone weakness in my sax. Then it takes me to a new level of enjoyment.

Now if I can apply that to my stash of 12 clarinets. 😉

 

[lig]

I by no means am a mouthpiece expert, but have found that by a simple change in mouthpiece corrected what appeared to be a tone weakness in my sax. Then it takes me to a new level of enjoyment.

Now if I can apply that to my stash of 12 clarinets. 😉

My agony stick lies dormant. One per year I will swab it with bore oil, try the glissando from “Rhapsody In Blue” and then put it away.

Any weaknesses in my playing/sound are 100% not due to a lack of mouthpieces. 😀

 

[PigSquealer]

That’s not dirt. This is dirt.
View attachment 36832

🤔 are you sure ? Have you sent samples to the local laboratory ? Looks a bit fuzzy for dirt. Maybe Euro dirt is different than left US grit ? Ya know, we’re into goo and hydrocarbons. Hard plastics that have reverted to “The Blob” ( urethane ). Or petroleum products that have hardened under UV / sunlight. These require Rockwell testing to determine the best cutting agent for removal.
If you posted a thread “ What’s this on my sax? Is it cleanable?” With your above picture. I would be likely to reply “looks like Yeti dander. Try Main’n Tail shampoo and warm water. 🤣

 

[Ghr9204]

My agony stick lies dormant. One per year I will swab it with bore oil, try the glissando from “Rhapsody In Blue” and then put it away.

I used to tote the common perception that of Grenadilla wood was superior, then found that my "Ebonites" were decent jazz players plus didn't require "warming up".

And regarding narrow versus wide bores, found that greats like Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey and etc. at one time or another played Buffet clarinets in their professional jazz playing history. I came away with the conclusion that the best jazz clarinet was one that played jazz.

If my 12 "sticks" are agonies, then I must be a masochist. 😉

 

[lig]

I used to tote the common perception that of Grenadilla wood was superior, then found that my "Ebonites" were decent jazz players plus didn't require "warming up".

And regarding narrow versus wide bores, found that greats like Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey and etc. at one time or another played Buffet clarinets in their professional jazz playing history. I came away with the conclusion that the best jazz clarinet was one that played jazz.

If my 12 "sticks" are agonies, then I must be a masochist. 😉

Hehe… in nearly 60 years I’ve had exactly one clarinet. An old Selmer Signet that my dad picked up from one of his work pals for $30 back in the ‘60s.

Took me to All City Band at least. Now I feel like I’m going to have a stroke whenever I play it. I think it has an old Selmer HS* from back in the day.

Maybe it’s time to find a nice, open vintage crystal mouthpiece and let it rip.

 

[Ghr9204]

Maybe it’s time to find a nice, open vintage crystal mouthpiece and let it rip.

Or, post a media try with a Brilhart budget mouthpiece and give the mouthpiece deniars a fit. 😉

 

[PigSquealer]

Maybe it’s time to find a nice, open vintage crystal mouthpiece and let it rip.

Get the O’Brien

 

[lig]

Get the O’Brien

No idea what that is. Will search the interwebs. 😀

As a kid I envied the other kids that had the Buffets and Mark VIs. I think that has contributed to me being a bit of a horn whore over the years.

Edit: Pete Fountain’s crystal piece maker? Want!!!

 

[Ghr9204]

Hehe… in nearly 60 years I’ve had exactly one clarinet. An old Selmer Signet that my dad picked up from one of his work pals for $30 back in the ‘60s.

That was the best $30 invested by your father.

From what I understand, the Signet is a good intermediate clarinet that compares well in playing ability to a professional model. A used one in good condition would be a Ramen eating (starving) musician's doubling clarinet. One kept in good shape is a good keep.

 

[lig]

That was the best $30 invested by your father.

You have no idea of how absolutely correct you are about that.

Literally paved the way for my life as it has played out over the years.

The confidence instilled in me by my band director in junior high school to amazing experiences to this day playing with Tokyo Groove and others, having a really fun retirement hobby with my band to having met my wife on a gig 32 years ago - music has been a dominant force in my life in so many ways and I am forever grateful.

 

[PigSquealer]

@lig Harry O’ Brien was a different maker than what Pete Fountain used.

Music & Family History: Harry O'Brien, clarinetist

The musical gene on my Dad's side of the family must have been passed down from my great-grandfather, Harry Edward O'Brien. Harry was the so...

jonesandrelated.blogspot.com

Long but informative.

View: https://youtu.be/dPU8bdbaItg?is=tXX0E00du_WkUXfo