Saxophones Stephanhauser

ProfJames

Elementary member
12,164
Berkshire, UK
step7.JPG
step5.JPG
step4.JPG


Stephanhauser 1500
 
It looks like a lot of sax for the money. Definately a keeper. here is a review off SOTW for the Step 1500

Review of SAS1500-LQ Retail: $1695 (Sale: $995)
Same overall horn as the SAS2000-SE again with same issues but being at the $1000 price point makes it attractive. This is the main design model that all of these other horns are based on featuring the 3 US Patented designs.

This horn is above and beyond ANY Taiwanese horn on the market. The sax is a greal blowing and sounding horn that will fit pretty much any style of playing.

Overall, the only major complaint that I have is the mouthpiece. It is terrible! But appearantly there are plans to switch to a 50/50 (Hard Rubber/Plasitc) compound and should be a better piece.

We are currently working with Stephahouser trying to see if they will sell the Sterling Silver neck seperately. We feel that the SAS1500-LQ with a second sterling silver neck will be an affordable and great playing combination.
 
Stephanhöuser Saxophones
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Distributed by the Elkhart, Indiana-based Gemstone Musical Instruments, Stephanhouser creates alto, tenor, soprano, and baritone saxophones for musicians at all levels, from student to professional. Stephanhöuser received three United States patents in less than five years of operation. The Stephanhouser innovations include the ScrewLess pin design, which eliminates pivot screws in post rods and enhances instrument durability, a procedure for creating a saxophone bow out of a single piece of brass for a more resonant sound, and a more precise octave key design. The Stephanhouser brand was created and developed by Dane Scott Stephens of Castroville, Texas in 2001.

Jazz saxophonist Shawn "Thunder" Wallace plays Stephanhouser instruments.
 
Stephen Howard email from 2001........


Stephen Howard <sees...@email.uk> wrote in message
news:9bamstslssa10s153jo1h4v0ehrja43g2c@4ax.com...


> On Mon, 15 Oct 2001 11:04:36 -0700, "Mark Bushaw" <MBu...<<at>>aol.com>
> wrote:
>
> >I think they say it's a screwless pin design, not a screwless sax. If
you
> >look, you can see screws for the bell/body band, and at the neck tenon as
> >well as the key guards.
> >And just how do you oil the thing? dis-assemble for repair?
> >Guess I'll have to email them to find out.
> >Mark Bushaw
> >
>
> I'm guessing that the key barrels contain a pivot pin backed by a
> spring, which forces the pin into a corresponding hole in the pillar.
> To remove the key, insert a pin into the pillar to push the sprung pin
> in and thus allow the key to be removed.
> It's a kind of a variation on the appalling sprung bush that Selmer
> use on their saxes - which never allows you to achieve that rock-solid
> feel of the old horns.
>
> Wonderful - banishes end to end play at a stroke.
>
> Big problem is - a lot of play is side to side. Not so much a problem
> when the play is on the pillar, but I wonder what happens when lateral
> play pops up in the key barrel when the pivot wears the walls.
>
> I see 'oversized sprung pivots', I see 'key barrel reaming' - but best
> of all I see a couple of noughts on the invoice!
>
> I LOVE this new design - buy one now...please!!
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
> Emails to: shwoodwind{who is at}gmx{dot}co{dot}uk
 
I`ve never seen the 500, 1000 and 2000 even mentioned before, I got the feeling that only the 1500 hit hte UK
Not sure Ads. You could be right. There was an official Step website but that appears to have disappeared, not sure if they signed any dealers in the UK. Look on eBay and you will still see the other models for sale but mainly in the USA.

Greg - I bought Davey's 1500. It is one heavy alto sax and loud with any mouthpiece
 
I spotted that one, he`s a few cheap Altos for sale also on Preloved, he`s retired / pensioner and likes trying them for a while and moving them on . I can understand the Step but not all the no-name chinesers he has collected .... I rang when I spotted a pic of a Bari in one of his ads he had for the Altos , the Bari wasn`t for sale, it happened to be in the background . (I`d still like to try a Bari at some stage)
 
I`m just playing / gigging Tenor as usual, otherwise Concentrating on improving my sound on Alto which I`m still relatively new to, only 8 months into it as opposed to 30 years on tenor so Bari isn `t a high priority here either ..

Back to the subject - were there Step Tenors, Sops and Baris ? because again, I`ve only seen altos for sale or mentioned .
 
Do you still play yours or have the Martins pushed it under the bed ? . I have to say that I`ve an interest in spending some time with one , probably moreso than the half Chinese half German Hanson SA8 or the numerous Hotrodded Taiwanese Altos from TJ, Cannonball, System54, Mauriat, Viking etc (most of which are out of my reach pricewise anyway not being an Alto Major) ...... I don`t want to end up another Saxgirl22 (gigging tenor but a housefull of altos - LOL) but there`s a lot of variance out there .
 
Last edited:
I play all of my horns! I default to my 875 Ex and Roy Benson sop. Then come the Step and the Martin Master. However the Step is noticeably the heaviest alto I have had draped around my neck. It's sound is huge. I use a Selmer C** and it is an easy alto play with slick keywork. Davey has posted some tunes on the forum with the Step before I bought it. Worth listening to if you get the chance.
 
I`ll have a listen . I`ll aways default to the Yam also (21 now, hopefully a 61 in the future) as I like that brash attitude 1st generation Yamaha sound in an Alto more than anything but the softer, deeper alto appeals too as a contrast and the more selmer-like Sakkusu Deluxe works well for this (more so than the Conn which is in the middle between that and the Yam21) , if that Step sounds huge with a C** (about a 4* tip) then it`ll be heard across the country with the Large chamber LAW 7 😀
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

Members' Blogs

Trending content

Forum statistics

Topics
29,587
Messages
513,059
Members
8,736
Latest member
Fitzon_cider
Back
Top Bottom