Saxophones Richard Sax Ross - his saxophones from California

[ProfJames]

Has anyone experienced this guy and his horns? Here is a brief description from eBay -

Here is a brand new top of the line RSR "Jazz" model Eb alto sax. It is a very similar to the 82 Z by Yamaha, which is nicely akin to the famous Mark VI

The new sax he was selling eventually sold for $366!! May be one for DavidUK to test, there are more on eBay.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RSR-JazZ-...082?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac62632f2

 

[thesaxman71]

just looked into them saxes and they look really great value for money, i am a yamaha man and the alto is like a clone of my 62 and looks really well built, unreal how cheap they are and the quality is that of more well known branded instruments, but SSSHHHHH do not tell Daveysaxboy about them , he may end up having a GAS relapse and buying them all, hahaha.

 

[ProfJames]

Have you played one? They may look good but sound awful. Constantly comparing a sax to an 82Z or a Mark VI is a cute marketing job!

 

[Pete Thomas]

Have you played one? They may look good but sound awful. Constantly comparing a sax to an 82Z or a Mark VI is a cute marketing job!

I was under the impression that his saxophones were straight MKVI copies, as opposed to copies of an 82Z (which is nicely akin to a MKVI)

I met him and tried some horns out at Frankfurt. He has purple hair and wears shoes with toes (like gloves only for feet) which I found very impressive.

His saxophones are very good, but as I said, I thought they were modelled completely on a MKVI so maybe this is a different model.

After Frankfurt he told me he was off to China to R & D a brand new saxophone design, which involves simplifying the keywork as opposed to adding more and more "features" - sounds good to me.

 

[ProfJames]

Thanks Pete....so am I right in taking from your post that the saxophones are a good purchase at a price of £300 - £500?

 

[Pete Thomas]

OK just had a look at his site, there are three models. The ones I tried may have been the more expensive ones so I'd hate to comment on the "jazz" model without trying it.

 

[Jamesmac]

I have a feeling that his custom shop upgrade Tenor that i saw and heard is possibly no better than a G4M Tenor de-Lacquered and set up with his custom shop upgrade. it may be half the price of a YAS 62 but more than four times the price of a G4M Tenor.
He also makes the point that no instrument is set up as well as his CSU model, which i find hard to believe.

 

[ProfJames]

new RSR "Vintage" model tenor sax, 6, VI style w/ Selmer acc

"Here is a brand new top of the line RSR "Vintage" model Bb tenor sax. It is very similar to the Mark VI by Selmer Paris, this sax was modeled from a very fine 1960's era Mark VI. Looks, feels and sounds so similar it is amazing. Very nice build quality and superb finish in a vintage look, beautiful engraving. The finish is a chemical treatment......"

Price is £574 on eBay now. If they are that good....................

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/new-RSR-V...395?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33807dd57b

 

[DavidUK]

Has anyone experienced this guy and his horns? Here is a brief description from eBay -

Here is a brand new top of the line RSR "Jazz" model Eb alto sax. It is a very similar to the 82 Z by Yamaha, which is nicely akin to the famous Mark VI

The new sax he was selling eventually sold for $366!! May be one for DavidUK to test, there are more on eBay.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RSR-JazZ-...082?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac62632f2

I had spotted these but felt no urge to investigate.

 

[jonf]

They cost nearly £800, by the time you add on VAT and the customs 'handling charge'. For me, it would take more than saying it's like a Selmer or a Yamaha to differentiate it from other modern Chinese saxes at that price.

 

[ProfJames]

Had to ask the question didn't I?...........

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD]Dear richardsaxross,

I am keen to know how a sax that cost $366 brand new and top of the line has this description -Here is a brand new top of the line RSR "Jazz" model Eb alto sax. It is a very similar to the 82 Z by Yamaha, which is nicely akin to the famous Mark VI - is it possible? Brand new "top of the line"?

How much are the entry level saxes?

- profjames
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

And the reply.............

Dear profjames,

It's our intermediate line, sorry it's a typo, we do not sell entry level horns but other sellers do in the $200 to 300 range. We auction one each week, the averaged sell price is about $425.

- richardsaxross

 

[milandro]

I marvel at the fact that new saxophone “ brands” are born every day.........

Selecting and selling horns made in China is a honorable profession, many do this throughout the world and some even manage to establish themselves as a “ brand”.

Judging by the price the return on these horns is very low, which has to be sufficient for a small operation but will not be able to pay the bills if the operation grows. Besides, QC will always be the main hurdle in this kind of operation.

 

[ProfJames]

Not just quality control but actual quality. How can you compare a $366 Chinese horn to an 82Z or MkVI? The big issue is not QC but the quality itself. If your budget is $366 then that is acceptable but to influence the purchaser with such an extreme comparison!! It is the quality itself that is the difference between the two horns along with a lot of other things such as design, materials, etc.

RSR has no shame!

 

[milandro]

well, I am a salesman and I know that one needs to praise the goods that one is selling but I prefer not to use “ Taurus Waste" when singing the song of praise for anything that I sell, and that includes saxophones.

Have you ever heard of any saxophone or part of it being offered second hand and not having a great, deep, warm (warmth is everywhere in saxophone world) lush, sound?

I haven’t and yet there aren’t too many saxophones or any part of it which really possess these qualities.

Once I bought a “ dark sounding” mouthpiece...........it turned out to be a dull sounding one.

Different strokes for different people.

It is not impossible to achieve good quality even in a cheap horn but the problem is to keep it that way.

I am sure that a good Chinese made Yamaha 275 doesn’t cost much more to make than one of these horns. Yet it reaches the general public with a considerable mark up because all sorts of things need to be paid and that all adds to the cost.

Many think it is possible to do the same on a shoestring and it isn’t without cutting corners.

 

[ProfJames]

Could not agree more!!!! Quality always comes at a price and we all set a budget for our purchases. But some of the marketing descriptions..............

 

[aldevis]

Have you ever heard of any saxophone or part of it being offered second hand and not having a great, deep, warm (warmth is everywhere in saxophone world) lush, sound?

Yes: the ones that are powerful, focussed, with a terrific volume that allows you to compete with the guitar player.

I must agree with Milandro (I am probably getting old), but on the player's end of the business I prefer to buy from a reliable easy to contact source. Unfortunately being from across the pond does not help: any issue that might occur, would involve a pointless lot of money to couriers and custom offices.
In the low price range (<£500) there are some good alternatives here in UK.

About the usual debate of chinese instruments, a friend recently bought a batch of about 40 curved sopranos. 20 of them where very poorly made and he had to spend a considerable amount of (valuable) time on each of them. If the importer is honest, he/she will take the loss, if not, will pass on the problem.

 

[milandro]

........ that includes also the larger brands making claims that they do not care to substantiate about the sonic influence of this that or the other ...........


As long as no one has to prove anything they say they can say anything and they do.......all creatures great and small!

 

[milandro]

.........I must agree with Milandro (I am probably getting old).........

I resent that! :shocked: ;}

 

[ProfJames]

You can "resend" it as many times as you like!!!

 

[milandro]

re-sent is the past participle