Saxophone Mythbusters

[jbtsax]

A comment often heard on saxophone forums is that metal resonators make the keys heavier, or they collectively make the sax heavier to carry. One would think that metal reso's weigh more than plastic ones. It's just common sense, isn't it. Here is what my measurements found. I just weighed a plastic and metal resonator the same 28mm diameter, the plastic with its brass plug and the metal with its metal rivet. The metal weighted 1.5 grams and the plastic weighed 1 gram. That is a .5 gram difference. If you want to know what .5 gram weighs, put a 3"x3" post-it note in your hand. That is .5 grams.

A 28mm reso is about the average size many are smaller and some are larger. With high F# the saxophone has 23 keys. Assuming they all have resonators, the metal resonators would add approximately 11.5 grams to the weight of the saxophone over all plastic ones which is roughly .4 ounces. Obviously if one installs the thicker Maestro type metal resonators there will be more of a difference, but still less than one might imagine.

 

[kevgermany]

Never thought about it. I like the look of metal, plastic looks cheap.

 

[jonf]

Interesting.

Also interesting is a thread about saxophone myths. There are loads of them. Here're a few of my favourites:

Vintage saxes require a vintage big bore mouthpiece. Nope, not necessarily, I've played an Oleg Maestro on a Buescher true Tone. Played perfectly in tune.

You're not a 'player' unless you play a Selmer Mk VI (particularly prevalent view on US forums, odd given that Selmer is a French company). Just no.

'Asian' horns are all rubbish. Two responses. Last time I looked, Japan, home of Yamaha and Yanagisawa, was in Asia. Then, Chinese saxes. Some are really good, and even cheapos are generally playable. This has democratised music, making instruments available to all. Cheapo Chinese saxes are better than the student instruments I learnt on thirty five years ago.

Metal mouthpieces are brighter than ebonite or plastic. We've done this to death, it's all about the design and shape. If you doubt this, try a Jumbo Java or Britone ROC.

Japanese saxes are 'boring' or 'characterless'. Nope. We all have preferences, which is fair enough. However, if you say a sax is boring, what you really mean is 'I sound boring on that sax'.

Ligatures dramatically change tone. Hmm, not for me, at least. I have used metal, fabric and plastic ligs, and even on occasion in an emergency string and sticky tape. I've never noticed any difference in tone.

 

[richardr]

This prompts me to ask a daft question: does the fact that the toneholes are raised from the main body of a sax make a positive contribution to the sound or is this a necessary evil, to provide seatings for pads which are flat while the sax body is round? To put it another way, how (if at all) would a sax play if it had metal "pads" that seated perfectly on holes in the sax body so that when closed, the pads would be internally flush with the body?

 

[Dibbs]

This prompts me to ask a daft question: does the fact that the toneholes are raised from the main body of a sax make a positive contribution to the sound or is this a necessary evil, to provide seatings for pads which are flat while the sax body is round? To put it another way, how (if at all) would a sax play if it had metal "pads" that seated perfectly on holes in the sax body so that when closed, the pads would be internally flush with the body?

It's a necessary evil. A closed tone hole makes the bore wider at that point affecting intonation and has to be compensated for somehow.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Ligatures dramatically change tone. Hmm, not for me, at least. I have used metal, fabric and plastic ligs, and even on occasion in an emergency string and sticky tape. I've never noticed any difference in tone.

Cue @aldevis

I'll just throw in the obvious, "Vintage saxes sound better".
Well, they might to you, but they don't to me.
I think it's mostly a case of old is good, new is bad. It applies in many different fields. Nostalgia rules.

 

[jonf]

Which bit do you respectfully disagree with, Aldevis? Surely not the Mk VI comment?

 

[aldevis]

Which bit do you respectfully disagree with, Aldevis? Surely not the Mk VI comment?

Ligatures, of course. But Nick beat me.
But I must admit that ligatures don't improve articulation when I keep my tongue in cheek.

 

[nigeld]

Many of these statements are not so much myths as subjects for endless, unresolved, debate.
Some of them have almost reached "Internet Forum Treasure" status, like elderly TV stars.

So we should not forget the venerable and much-loved:
"Silver-plated saxophones have a brighter sound"

 

[Jules]

Never buy a neck strap with a plastic hook because it will snap or one with a metal hook because it'll eat through the strap ring or scratch your beloved sax

 

[jonf]

Never buy a neck strap with a plastic hook because it will snap or one with a metal hook because it'll eat through the strap ring or scratch your beloved sax

A true saxophone player will forge his or her own hook in an oven fuelled by nothing other than cedar wood, out of pure unobtainium.

 

[aldevis]

A true saxophone player will forge his or her own hook in an oven fuelled by nothing other than cedar wood, out of pure unobtainium.

Which cedar wood is better for jazz?

 

[Jules]

Which cedar wood is better for jazz?

That raises an interesting one (one of my pet annoyances). I want a "jazz" saxophone, a "jazz" reed etc.... meaning what exactly? from where I'm standing jazz covers everything from borderline classical to borderline heavy metal and all points in between....

 

[aldevis]

That raises an interesting one (one of my pet annoyances). I want a "jazz" saxophone, a "jazz" reed etc.... meaning what exactly? from where I'm standing jazz covers everything from borderline classical to borderline heavy metal and all points in between....

We can use the French definition: anything that would not be accepted at Paris Conservatoire is jazz.

 

[jonf]

Which cedar wood is better for jazz?

Lebanese. Lebanese products have long had an association with playing the saxophone.

 

[nigeld]

Which cedar wood is better for jazz?

Lebanese. Lebanese products have long had an association with playing the saxophone.

Utter rubbish!! EVERYBODY knows that Bohemian maple is the best sounding oven fuel for Jazz. Whereas for classical sax, it has to be French beech wood.

But the best hooks of all are made from cryogenically treated onyx, preferably covered with clingfilm to slightly reduce the vibration.

 

[ProfJames]

Which cedar wood is better for jazz?

Silver birch obviously................

 

[jbtsax]

Cue @aldevis

I'll just throw in the obvious, "Vintage saxes sound better".
Well, they might to you, but they don't to me.
I think it's mostly a case of old is good, new is bad. It applies in many different fields. Nostalgia rules.

I would counter that vintage saxes sound different, not better or worse. This is because of different bore dimensions, and different tonehole sizes and placement. To me a key aspect to remember is that when most vintage saxes ie. old Conns, Bueschers, etc. were made, the concept of how a saxophone should sound was much different than it is today as evidenced by the recordings from that era.

 

[Targa]

Silver birch obviously................

@Jeanette, that's probably his favourite cane.

 

[Jeanette]

@Jeanette, that's probably his favourite cane.

Yes sugar

Jx