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Rock Guitarist - sees the light...

ChrisC

Senior Member
Messages
44
Locality
Surrey, UK
Hey Folks

After 30 odd years playing an electric guitar (and owning the usual Fenders and Gibsons) I have realised that I will never be very good. Im almost as old as the Rolling Stones, so I dont think I am going to suddenly get better.

My young daughter picked up the flute and learned to read music almost overnight (something I could never do on the guitar) and so.... with my love of the blues, I turn to the sexiest instrument in the world - the Tenor Sax.

I have always loved the sound so I will step towards the light and buy one. My 11 year old daughter can teach me to read music and perhaps we can play together some day.

Right now I am just looking at saxophones deciding which one to buy. Those nice people at sax.co.uk have already helped giving me a free lesson in their sound proofed room so now its down to deciding what to buy. Being told to try them all doesnt really help as I am not beyond that classic tune b-a-g-a-b-b-b :)

So my new friends - I am willing to throw £1000 at my first sax... what should I go for?

Cheers

ChrisC
 
What was that song? Blinded by the light....

You'll get the usual recommendations for flavour of the month, so I wan't say anything - except what feels most comfortable in your hands? And... Don't forget to budget for a decent mouthpiece/reeds/lig/strap.
 
Welcome to the cafe Chris :D i'll leave the choice for the more experienced members on here

Enjoy your new journey
 
Welcome to the cafe:)

You'll get as many recommendations as members, choose what feels and sounds right for you.

Look at secondhand too if you can get some help purchasing or go to a reputable dealer

Enjoy

Jx
 
Welcome Chris, yet another guitar wielder comes to the sax. It's amazing how quickly those old licks get transformed into something really sexy on a tenor sax. I hope the neighbours like "Smoke on the Water squeek squeek" at 3.00 in the morning.
You'll never have to buy another alarm clock again. ("Do you know what time it is?").

Have fun and ask as many daft questions as you like, most of the answers will be dafter any way.

Cheers

Andy (Guitarist and sax murderer)
 
As others have said there are as many recommendations as sax players but from my own albeit limited experience the BW Bronze Tenor is very good value for about £800. There are also quite a few BW advocates in here.
 
Welcome Chris, the saxophone is a fantastic instrument and I'm sure you're going to have great fun with it. I came to the sax after years of noodling on the guitar! I haven't quite given up on the guitar, but have come to terms with my (current) limitations on it, but I'm now in the process of building one, I spent the today carving the neck and heel, hope to have the strings on by Christmas.

Best wishes,

Chris
 
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Welcome Chris, it was only a matter of time, all guitarist will eventually turn to the golden beauty, some just take longer than others.
 
Hi Chris,

And welcome to the Madhouse. I'm another Bauhaus Walstein fan after converting from Yamaha!

Cheers,

Amanda
 
Welcome Chris. Yes, it does seem to be catching. I have recently taken up saxophone after 33 years as a guitarist and vocalist. Have fun!
 
And I am yet another after 30 years of stringy things. I also have a BW and love it but would reiterate what others have said that even of you can't play more than a note or two, it is still worth having a hold of a few saxes as there are certainly differences in feel which may make one sax more comfortable than another. think of it in terms of the differences in feel between necks - some are fat and positive, others are slim and fast the same can apply to the ergonomics of the sax ;)
 
Hi C. and welcome, I tried teaching myself the guitar but found out there were to many strings attached in learning to play. (Another one to set them rolling in the aisles.) so I bought a kazoo instead then an alto about 10 months ago. You are going have a great time here. Best Regards Extremely `slow hand` N.
 
Welcome to the caff©, Chris.

I;m a serial failure with instruments but still occasionally have a burst on the banjo, guitar, flute, melodeon, flügelhorn, melodeon and keyboard and it is all rubbish.

ENJOY!​™
 
Hi Chris! I'm a newbie too, been playing guitar for over 25 yrs and just recently picked up a sweet, and I mean sweet Yani 880 Alto! I've always wanted to play sax but never really had the opportunity to buy a good one, or maybe my passion for nice guitars emptied my checkbook and left no room for buying other instruments. I don't know.......
 
Welcome Chris,

How far have you got with your decision so far?

There seem to be 2 or 3 general viewpoints in answer to your question. There's the one that says a beginner should buy a reasonably priced starter horn until they know for sure the sax is for them and have learned enough to know what they'd like to upgrade to. And then there's the view that you might as well buy a pro or intermediate horn right from the outset as you'll eventually want one anyway when you "get good" so its a good economy to get it up front and avoid the cost of a starter horn. Oh and then there's the buy a good second hand horn view.

I'm a beginner myself so can't advise on the best horn to get. I favour the first option as you can get a pretty decent horn these days in the £300 to £500 range. Amongst names ames which come up as respected on this site in this kind of price range are John Packer, Gear4Music's Rosedale, Academy's Jericho, and one I'm particularly tempted by Odyssey. In fact you can get tenors even cheaper than that (probably from around £200 although I have little experience of their quality). If you're looking at £1000 then you'll have already seen above how well thought of the Bauhaus Walstein Bronze range is at well within your budget. Soon enough you'll probably want to buy an upgrade in mouthpiece from whatever comes with your horn and might easily spend £50 to £200 (or more) on one. You may well want to buy yourself a more supportive neck strap (sling) as well, and if the old Gear Acquisition Syndrome kicks in as it usually does you'll want an alternative ligature, books, CDs maintenance kits, and before you know it an Alto, Soprano, and/or Baritone!

Whatever you do buy, try it first. And if you are worried that you are too inexperienced to know for sure what's good and what's not, find someone who plays (maybe a local tutor), get a horn on trial, and book a lesson and get them to give it a good blow before you shell out.

As a newbie I'd be nervous about buying a second hand horn without considerable advice, if only because, when it arrives and you don't get the sound out of it you hoped for, its very hard to know if its just down to mouthpiece, reeds, or something simple that needs adjusting, or if you've just bought a complete duffer which can get a bit nerve wracking. But that's just my own personal view for what suits me.

Let us know how you get on, and meanwhile, enjoy the forum!
 
Welcome to cafe saxophone Chris, i'm sure have great fun and get some good advise along the way.
 
Hi Chris,

welcome. Re the choice of instrument. if you speak to Richard at Saxhire he runs a scheme where you can hire an instrument to play and see if you like it. he then reduces the purchsase price depending on the amount of rental paid. he also gives good value for money (bought my 2 from him). he lets you play pretty much anything he has in stock and you get an hour long lesson to boot.

Lxx
 
Hi Chris and welcome....great choice the tenor, I'm sure you will find the right horn :thumb:
 
Hi Chris from another oldie.

I had the same decisions to make as you now have as what to buy.
I initially got an Alto on hire and then realised I wanted a Tenor.
Bought a very cheap one which although not brilliant confirmed it was to be a Tenor.
I purchased a second use YTS 25 and it opened up a whole new world for me.
Since then I have owned others including a Selmer III , that I admit I could not get on with, probably too professional. I now have a BW bronze/brass and recently got a YTS62.
But I still go back to my YTS25 as it seems to fit me like a glove and is so easy blowing. Ok, so as I improve I will move up to the 62.
I also have an Alto in the cupboard that I get out from time to time.
It nice to take a real top class instrument out of its case, but at my level I found I could not give it justice and I struggled. So I am not too proud not to admit I still use my YTS25.
Ps what part of Kent are you from?
 
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