Saxophones Selmer Supreme alto (quick look)

[Grumps]

Always wanted an Alto Sax made of silver or grenadilla.

It's been some years since I tried Yanagisawa's silver horns, but they were always seemingly the better playing horns shown at the Symposium; and at least on one occasion were the best in show for me one year. I remember a bari in particular that was a true joy to give a go. And not to say it's the material doing the magic, as I suppose much more care goes into making them.

 

[turf3]

It's been some years since I tried Yanagisawa's silver horns, but they were always seemingly the better playing horns shown at the Symposium; and at least on one occasion were the best in show for me one year. I remember a bari in particular that was a true joy to give a go. And not to say it's the material doing the magic, as I suppose much more care goes into making them.

And on would hope that any instruments placed on display would have been very carefully gone through and fettled.

 

[Stephen Howard]

It's been some years since I tried Yanagisawa's silver horns, but they were always seemingly the better playing horns shown at the Symposium; and at least on one occasion were the best in show for me one year. I remember a bari in particular that was a true joy to give a go. And not to say it's the material doing the magic, as I suppose much more care goes into making them.

I played their solid silver bari - it's a beast! Practically plays itself.
But on the whole, the more an instrument costs the more likely a manufacturer will have given it some special attention.
On the whole, mind.

 

[PigSquealer]

And on would hope that any instruments placed on display would have been very carefully gone through and fettled.

You’d be surprised how many are not. Three times I’ve been to NAMM. Every time there was at least one horn that fell apart while viewing. Top makers. I fixed one tenor on the spot that @skeller047 attempted to play this year.

 

[thomsax]

Leaving the factory with toneholes not level, return for refund.
They can replace it with a different one made right.

Now we are talking in a more "second-line-sax-think". Life was easier without/less QC.

If the tonehole is wrapped/un-even, install a thicker pad. Still with solid contact of the back of the key cup.

Eddie Shaw played Bundy/Bundy II tenors. Still riding high in the heaven? With a S20, Supreme, Bundy II .....?

Have fun and a meaningful time with your saxes.

 

[r. giuseppe]

If the tonehole is wrapped/un-even, install a thicker pad. Still with solid contact of the back of the key cup.

I‘m not a tech, but I have experience with saxes and different repair philosophies over almost 40 years. And I believe this one is not merely a matter of taste. I have had setups that stay well for a year or two and others that stay well for a decade or more with only minor tweaks. The latter were set up play-free with perfectly aligned cups, carefully levelled toneholes and not-too-soft pads of the right thickness to allow an even installation in the aligned cup.

If I need to fix something on my horns, I can get it leak free for the moment with all sorts of “soft compensation” of my lack of precision, including plenty of shellac/glue, softer pads, teflon wrapping etc. But it does neither stay like this for the same amount of time, nor does it feel the same. I think on the long run it definitely is even cheaper to do it right in the first place. Stays good forever.

 

[Grumps]

I played their solid silver bari - it's a beast! Practically plays itself.

My lord... there it is. Common ground!

 

[ghostler]

Eddie Shaw [1937 – 2018] played Bundy/Bundy II tenors. Still riding high in the heaven? With a S20, Supreme, Bundy II .....?

Goes to show that it is the player that makes the sax sing. The sax is a tool. Maybe not everybody's cup of tea, but IMO the Bundy II's are decent. Put a good mouthpiece to it and it will sing. No one will ever know the difference. Last year picked up another Bundy II alto project sax for a song.