Pete's Tenor Sax Comparisons - All new ?

[rhysonsax]

Our very own Pete Thomas has recorded six snippets on five different tenor saxes and put the results up at:
http://www.petethomas.co.uk/saxophone-comparisons.html

I think this is a completely new comparison compared to the ones last year, but I could be wrong.

In there somewhere are a 1954 Selmer MkVI, 1930s Conn 10M, 1950s The Martin, Yanagisawa 901 and a Walstein.


Beautiful playing on all the clips and I particularly like "The Everywhere Calypso". That has reminded me to get my backing track out and give it a go !

Can you tell which horn is which ?

Rhys

 

[sax_starved]

[No message]

 

[thomsax]

Yes, great clips. I 've listened to the clips over and over but I can't tell which sax is which. I'm playing on Martins so I thought that I could get the clips with the Martin. But I'm not sure. On the more dynamic clips I think I can recognize "my Martin", but ... .
All saxes sounds good! A good player can get most saxes to sing well.

Thomas

 

[Linky Lee]

those are the same horns as last years, I would imagine they're the same clips as last years two as the MK VI was borrowed.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yes they are the same clips.

Just in a different order and at some stage in the future I will reveal what they are. I think it's fun to swap them around, people can see if they have the same opinions each time they try it.

 

[Pjonah]

What is interesting is that if they all sound so similar, it comes down to what they're actually like to play (ergonomics, the action, cost etc), which leads one to suggest the Walstein must be quite an instrument to mix it in such company! (I don't have one by the way)

I think its time to forget about whats written on the bell folks.

 

[thomsax]

Pjonah wrote:
What is interesting is that if they all sound so similar, it comes down to what they're actually like to play (ergonomics, the action, cost etc), which leads one to suggest the Walstein must be quite an instrument to mix it in such company! (I don't have one by the way)

I think its time to forget about whats written on the bell folks.

I agree. But we must keep in mind that nearly all saxes sounds good in the hand of a pro. The other year I let a pro play a new Amati tenor on a Rocksax workshop. The horn sounded great and I sold the sax!!

New saxes are overall better than older/"vintage". But they can't compete when it comes to the feeling.

I have a Martin HC (Committee I) that is built 1938. Heavily used through the years but in very good shape. Solid nickelsilver keys, soldered on toneholes, thickwall, real mother of pearls touches ,,,,, . I got it cheap. It s 61 years old and I use the horn nearly every day!!

How will a 2009 Walstein, Yamaha, Yanigisawa do in a comparision "test" in 2070??

Thomas

 

[Pjonah]

Its a balance between cost and longevity. If the instrument lasts only 5 - 10 years and only cost $x.xx throw it away and get another. The rate at which these far eastern instruments are improving is incredible, they just seem to get better and better.

Interestingly, my old Selmer tenor feels awkward in comparison with my modern saxes (Ergonomically), but I prefer the dark tone of the old girl.

 

[ByteOfTheCherry]

Thomsax wrote:



"How will a 2009 Walstein, Yamaha, Yanigisawa do in a comparision "test" in 2070??"

Thomas

Who cares...??..I don't.. I want my sound now..them that had those saxes back then certainly were not interested either..:whistle: :whistle:

 

[thomsax]

ByteOfTheCherry wrote:

Thomsax wrote:



"How will a 2009 Walstein, Yamaha, Yanigisawa do in a comparision "test" in 2070??"

Thomas

Who cares...??..I don't.. I want my sound now..them that had those saxes back then certainly were not interested either..:whistle: :whistle:

You're right!

The new saxes are fine for me and other oldtimers. The players who are on Conn's, Martin's, Selmer's, SML's use to have another beer and a Gammel Dansk (bitter) while we are waiting for the "modern" guys chasing around for lighters, crawling on the floor for missing plastic pieces, fixing sticky keys ... .

Cheers!

Thomas