Saxophone player's humor?

Throckmorten · Jan 15, 2007

This is funny.
http://www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/saxophone.html
Informative too.

I'm sure it's familiar to the regulars here. It was new to me.

Given the humor found here on Pete's site and Mindworks (who _is_ this guy?).

Just wondering: supposing "profiling" were not a politically incorrect word, would "wicked sense of humor" be used to help airport security pick sax players out of the line?

I've heard useless but fun speculation from other quarters. I've heard guys say drummers generally seem to be a pretty easy going crowd (with notable exceptions like Buddy Rich).

I hang out with bass players, who can feel a bit put-upon some times, who's humor might be carefully described as Earthy (especially the slab players) and who can fuss at length over a single note (but then they only play one at a time).

Linky Lee · Jan 15, 2007

The author really needs to be told the saxophone is.... wait for it.

A wind instrument!

I really didn't find him funny either, personally I found his attitude and 'jokes' arrogant.

I couldn't decipher any greatly useful information from his illogical rambling to actually make a decision on what would be best for a beginner.
He seemed to think spending 4K on a brand new saxophone was the best thing for a beginner, though he uses Keilworth EX and SX90's after being in the business for quite a while and being able to make an informed choice. Strange.

Bobby G · Jan 15, 2007

Isn't it the SX90's that have built-in leaks as a factory-fitted standard feature? Allegedly.

Cheers, Bob

Linky Lee · Jan 15, 2007

Well I don't know about that, but personally I've never found a Keilworth I'd deem better than mediocre at best. I'll eat my hat if someone can prove me wrong.

I'm sure I'll go play one soon and love the darn thing.

I hope my hat tastes good.

Bobby G · Jan 15, 2007

I was in Oxford back in the summer, and got chatting to these two younguns who were busking in the street. One of them was playing a nondescript-looking alto that had clearly seen better days, but he was getting a beautiful sound out of it, kind of sweet but throaty too. That was a Keilwerth, and he said he loved it. So, there must be a market for them somewhere.

Cheers, Bob

Linky Lee · Jan 15, 2007

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Keilworths are fantastic instruments.

I can not get on with a Keilworth for love nor money.

I'm not sure what it is about them either. They seem stuffy though they aren't a hard blow. They feel slow and non-responsive though I can still play as fast as my fingers go on them, and they don't quite cut it with the sound. A little flat and boring, yet they don't sound terrible.

It's a very strange relationship between player and saxophone.

I just don't take to these Keilworths, though some do look rather nice, namely the SX90R in it's vintage finish. - I might even give one of these a blow next time I'm around one. See if it can change my opinion.

Dylan · Jan 15, 2007

In my recent "extensive" tour of just about every sax produced under the sun - I tried a few new Keilwerth's. I didnt get on with them either - mainly because the keywork was just too big for my hands. Also, the sound didnt really do anything for me.

However, a couple of years ago I tried a mates 50's Keilwerth which sounded and felt fantastic.

D

Bobby G · Jan 15, 2007

Linky, you are right about the relationship between a player and a sax, it's a strange and mysterious thing. I've owned two Trevor James altos, and I got on far better with the student model Horn Revolution 2 than I did with the Signature model. I don't know, maybe I had to try that bit harder with the Rev2 so I got 'closer' to it. Then again, I've always played and enjoyed 'lesser' instruments more - my 'pro' alto is a YAS-62 which is lovely but nothing flashy, when I played bass I always liked the Fender Precision, electric guutar was a Strat copy or a Telecaster, and my lifelong acoustic guitar love is an old Epiphone.

Going back to not getting on with saxes, I wasn't bowled over by the Yani altos when I tried them, but I'd be prepared to give them another go now (although from what I've read and heard here a Hanson would take some beating for a well-priced modern horn). And I have a totally unreasonable prejudice against Yamaha guitars.

Cheers, Bob

mfox · Jan 16, 2007

yep everyone has there loves and hates.. i hate yanigasawa's.. no life in them..but others swear by them.."funny ol' worl, in'it"

tengu01 · Jan 16, 2007

I fully agree. It is totally about the player and their link with the horn.

Altos: The best one I've played is a Yanagisawa A992. Brilliant, resonant, everything I would ever want in a saxophone.

I used to play a trevor james classic tenor which has a reasonably big bore and blows very freely. When trying out potential upgrades, I found a Keilwerth SX-90R had an inimitable big "fill the room" which I found incredible. The only thing that stopped me from buying one on the spot was the fact that the shop only had the nickle-silver one at full price and I didn't have enough cash to fund it.

The Yamaha Custom I tried didn't do too much for me. Tone felt too light and thin (additionally, I don't think it was that well set up because I am sure there were a few leaky pads)

The Selmer tenors had a completely different feel to them and it took some getting used to. More resistance (or just a smaller bore) and a different sound concept.

Ultimately I ended up with a Series 2 because I found one at such a ridiculously low price, it would have been silly not to buy it, if only to sell it on afterwards if things didn't work out. Once you get used to the different feel, it is a wonderful instrument and the initial resistance gives you something to pushagainst. Makes the horn easier to control.

I went to Woodwind and Brass in Bradford last year and tried everything I could get my hands on (Yamahas; Selmer 2, 3, ref 36, 54, mk 6; Yanagisawa T9933, 992,991; Keilwerth SX90-Rs)

The grand final was between the Selmer ref 36 and the Yanagisawa 992. Couldn't decide between the two.

Ultimate decider: what could I afford.

Am I happy with my horns? Yes. Very

If I won the lottery, would I buy more saxophones? HELL YES.

Has an expensive saxophone made me a better player? Nope.

Now I have to raise my game to match the horn I'm currently manhandling 🙂

Dylan · Jan 16, 2007

Hi Tengu01

tengu01 wrote:
I didn't have enough cash to fund it

Tell me about it!

The grand final was between the Selmer ref 36 and the Yanagisawa 992. Couldn't decide between the two.

So which did you go for - suspense is killing me 🙂

In my world tour of horns earlier this year I preferred the Yani 902 to the 992. The wonderful resonance that the bronze Yanis seem to posses was even more pronounced in the 902.

My pocket was very relieved.

tengu01 · Jan 16, 2007

Hey there Dylan,

Well, true to form I couldn't afford either the Ref or the Yanagisawa. I was just going to try out so I can focus my saving attempts on the one I really wanted. The Bradford Woodwind & Brass shop had EVERYTHING. And I had been very surprised at the results of previous playtests so I thought it best to try as many as I could get my mitts on.

In the end, I found a ridiculous bargain on a silver plated series 2 tenor in Switzerland where I live, which I would have been silly to pass up on. Am now focussing my efforts on becoming a better saxophonist rather than having the nicest saxophone.

Funnily enough, the longer I play it, the better it seems to get.

Maybe this is improvement-by-stealth 😉