Saxophones Silver body with black keys

[Colin the Bear]

This is the first time I've come across a silver body with black keys. I've no idea if it plays well and it's halfway across the globe from me and it's way out of my price league but man , it's pretty.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380934710...2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT#ht_1651wt_1395

 

[milandro]

this is a Taiwanese horn made by someone, Frankie Yang, whom I know and importend by the company that is now run by Dennis Bamber . He has and has always had a penchant for the more striking looks af the saxophones that he sells. I don’t know if this particular model in this combination is available also by other retailers but as Mr. Yang does with other horns that he makes, he might sell this under different brand names too.

 

[aldevis]

Interesting sling ring 🙂 I am surprised Milandro hasn't spotted it.

 

[milandro]

milandro has spotted it but has no interest in pointing out that other horns use the same ornament, as I told you, I personally know both the maker and the vendor of this horn

 

[Targa]

Interesting sling ring 🙂 I am surprised Milandro hasn't spotted it.

Looks like a knuckle duster, og will fancy it.

 

[milandro]

about cat’s paws size

 

[aldevis]

milandro has spotted it but has no interest in pointing out that other horns use the same ornament, as I told you, I personally know both the maker and the vendor of this horn

And I guess your discretion restrains you from revealing if the maker makes other well known horns...
It might be just the choice of that particular bit though. Sometimes I find odd coincidences among Taiwanese horns, including Sequoia.

 

[milandro]

Small parts like that might actually be bought from several suppliers and used by several unrelated Taiwanese makers.

Although most Taiwanese makers generally make as much as the can themselves, they might outsource some small parts from companies which are not specialized in the production of saxophones but of mechanical parts either dye cast or made by press or lathe.

Taiwan has a very long and extensive tradition in the making of mechanical parts and indeed some saxophone companies started from families where the production of metal parts has an even longer history than the production of musical instruments.

So, you can find things like neck screws (and the whole receiver and tenon), thumbrests, keyguards, being made by company which are not necessarily specialized into making saxophone parts in particular but make all sorts of mechanical parts.

Indeed several factories offer the customer many options and, whilst the body tube, despite assurances of the contrary, is always the same (unless the customer is prepared to pay the considerable expense for what in Taiwan is referred as “ the mold “ ), the appearance might be significantly altered to provide the foreign customer with a product that they can claim is “ unique”, whatever that means.

I might add that this is also the rationale that brought in Italy, several music instruments companies to be based around the Orta and Como lake, because there there was a flourishing metal industry with a very long history indeed.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I've seen a similar sling ring on some vintage saxes. It looks like it could be useful . I wonder why they haven't continued the monochrome theme through to the pads. It would be even more stunning with black pads.

 

[jbtsax]

Indeed several factories offer the customer many options and, whilst the body tube, despite assurances of the contrary, is always the same (unless the customer is prepared to pay the considerable expense for what in Taiwan is referred as “ the mold “ ), the appearance might be significantly altered to provide the foreign customer with a product that they can claim is “ unique”, whatever that means.

It is my understanding that Mauriat and Cannonball who "own" their own factories also make their own body tubes and bells. At least that is what is claimed in their literature.

 

[milandro]

Mauriat indeed owns the whole of one factory where they make only one of all the models they sell.

P Mauriat Factory, and out-sourced factory Tour, and Taiwanese hand made saxophone production report.

I am in Taiwan. ......... We traveled by high-speed train, deep in to Taiwan, to the System 76 factory. This is where the system 76 saxophones are exclusively made. This factory is 100 percent dedicated to the production and refinement and development of the system 76 range.

............ The 76 factory seemed to only have about 10 -12 people working and assembling the horns. A very small affair, but it seems like a lot of love and pride goes into the production.
For the rest of the day he accompanied us, driving us all over the country, visiting many other factories outsourced for P Mauriat production I went even further out into the country, to the bell factory. This is the biggest bell factory in Taiwan, and here they make the Le Bravo and student model P Mauriat range bells and body tube (and many other Taiwanese saxophone brands also) This was a real honor. ............. I also went to another major factory outsourced by P Mauriat. In this factory the P Mauriat 66,86,67 range are made to an exclusive P Mauriat patent. The factory was about 2-3 times the size of the 76 factory, but I still would say no more than 20 staff. ....................
Another factory I went to was the lacquer factory, where a man (I hope they pay him well!!) wears nothing but a breathing mask hand sprays the keys on a huge convener belt. I hope he does not do this job for too long!
[

Roger Manins 3.7.2011
Taipei, Taiwan

There were many videos of this tour where Mr. Manins talks of the one factory owned by P.Mauriat and the fact that others are their suppliers.

These videos with this important information have been since removed from youtube

 

[jbtsax]

Interesting. Can you tell me which model that is?

 

[milandro]

76

 

[jbtsax]

My interpretation of that statement is that even the factory at which P.Mauriat outsources their instruments makes them to the specs of the exclusive P.Mauriet which leads one to conclude that the "body tubes" of P.Mauriat saxophones are not necessarily the same as other Taiwanese made saxophones.

Thanks for sharing your expertise on this topic, which is impressive to say the least.

 

[milandro]

As I said, the very revealing accounts and pictures were contained in the videos now removed.

However I personally have no more energy to discuss ( done that many other times) who owns what on Taiwan or China.

This is an industry where not even horns that are surely made on Taiwan are marked with “ Made in Taiwan” on the horns let alone say where they are made with the address of the plant where they are truly made.

 

[jbtsax]

I'm not trying to be argumentative here---just trying to determine if there may be exceptions to your statement:

Indeed several factories offer the customer many options and, whilst the body tube, despite assurances of the contrary, is always the same (unless the customer is prepared to pay the considerable expense for what in Taiwan is referred as “ the mold “)

 

[milandro]

good, now back on topic, nice horn Colin!

 

[Colin the Bear]

I've just realised this is the firm that does the animal finshes, Tiger, Zebra etc and lots of colours. I have to stop looking now. I may go blind lol

 

[milandro]

They did but many years ago. This is, to all intents and purposes, a different company.