Saxophones that inevitable bari-itch...1

[Kumimajava]

hi guys,

so it seems that almost in every sax player's life there comes a time when the itch to try a baritone becomes quite intolerable. this is not to say that i've perfected the tenor (or, indeed, gained respectable proficiency in it), but still i'd like to try playing the bari occasionally. the problem seems to be that at least in the UK, there's not that many affordable bari's around - most of the 'good vintage deals' are based in the US.

So it seems that at the 'budget' end, there's two main choices - either the Gear4Music bari around 900, or the BW around 1500.

Would any of you guys have tried both - and if so, could you please share your experience. I've heard a lot of good things about the BW (and i have some hands-on experience of their soprano & alto), but not much about the G4M, especially as to how they compare... is the BW worth the extra cash?

thanks in advance,
Daniel

 

[Morgan Fry]

I've only seen one gear4music sax, it happened to be a bass. It was the worst made saxpophone-shaped object I have ever seen. Barely played, thumbrests were in the wrong places, ergonomics was impossible (not just bad, you couldn't reach some keys). In perfect condition, it still didn't play -- it has serious acoustical problems with the body taper and tonehole layout, and I am very sceptical whether any gear4music gear plays at all.

Don't know anything about the BW, I'm afraid, but if it plays at all it's worth the extra £££. The other one is just giving money away.

 

[dooce]

John Packer have had a mention in another thread, but my teacher bought a basic own-brand JP baritone and is chuffed to bits with it. I think they sell for about a grand.

 

[c9off]

I too have that itch, and a workshop I could play in... Interesting to note Dooce's teacher rates his.. and the next JP model up also has been recommended..

The question is cheap model new, or second hand?? (within modest budget..)

anything else in the mix?

 

[ByteOfTheCherry]

John Packer have had a mention in another thread, but my teacher bought a basic own-brand JP baritone and is chuffed to bits with it. I think they sell for about a grand.

Well I play a yam32 Bari, excellent instrument which a couple of years ago set me back £1500.00 used, but almost unused...I spent about a £100.00 having it really tweaked/setup and recently really sorted the mouthpeice(by Ed Pillinger, can't speak highly enough of the man)I am west country based and have just started playing in a couple of concert bands in Taunton/Tiverton. Most of the instruments have been supplied by John Packer and the newer ones are JP branded. The bloke in the tiverton band next to me plays a JP Bari, to all intents it could be the Yam32's twin....blows really well and speaking to all the other Brass that blow the JP stuff they are really pleased with the quality/response of their instruments. I suspect that the packer stuff comes from the Walstien/Hanson group of china factories and it make the Yam32 look really poor value for money

 

[Pete Thomas]

I suspect that the packer stuff comes from the Walstien/Hanson group of china factories and it make the Yam32 look really poor value for money

I don't think there is such a thing as the Walstien/Hanson group of factories.

I have tried a Hanson baritone though, which was quite good.

The Gear4 music baritone is not a patch on the new bauhaus walstein bari. Stephen Howard has played both, his opinion is similar I believe. The BW is so good, I bought one.

 

[c9off]

[ The BW is so good, I bought one.[/QUOTE]


Pete, would I be correct in assuming that your bari is the same as currently being sold by eddie woodward (WWAB)?

 

[c9off]

The bloke in the tiverton band next to me plays a JP Bari, to all intents it could be the Yam32's twin....blows really well and speaking to all the other Brass that blow the JP stuff they are really pleased with the quality/response of their instruments.

Would you know which JP model it is by any chance?

tia

 

[Pete Thomas]

[ The BW is so good, I bought one.

Pete, would I be correct in assuming that your bari is the same as currently being sold by eddie woodward (WWAB)?

I don't know. I bought mine from martin at Woodwind and Brass Ltd.

 

[c9off]

Pete, would I be correct in assuming that your bari is the same as currently being sold by eddie woodward (WWAB)?

I don't know. I bought mine from martin at Woodwind and Brass Ltd.

Martin has confirmed it is indeed the current model, of which he is currently out of stock awaiting a further delivery (at least 4 weeks).

Don't forget that if you open an account, buy anything, then subsequent purchases will receive 10% discount automatically.

 

[ByteOfTheCherry]

Would you know which JP model it is by any chance?

tia

Think they do only the one, see the web site

 

[c9off]

Think they do only the one, see the web site

they do a standard model plus this one: http://www.johnpacker.co.uk/instruments/101793.htm @ £1710

 

[Pjonah]

I don't know what the G4M bari is like, other than that written by SH, but by all accounts the JP Cadence is the dogs nadgers, the basic JP Bari is pretty good too, as Dooces teacher will testify.

The Walstein of Col9 is a nice tool too, well worth the money and with a lovely tight action, no spongey low A!

 

[ByteOfTheCherry]

they do a standard model plus this one: http://www.johnpacker.co.uk/instruments/101793.htm @ £1710

oh..wow...think the one I've handled is the standared one...that was good

 

[c9off]

whoops.. just bought a s/h 901.. picking it up Sat week.... so I guess that is my itch scratched....

 

[Pjonah]

whoops.. just bought a s/h 901.. picking it up Sat week.... so I guess that is my itch scratched....

Nice one and welcome to the "not so exclusive" Bari Owners Club of GB!

;}

 

[Lupifaro]

I have a Bauhaus-Walstein Low A Baritone for sale in my showroom in Abergavenny,if you want a trial blow give me call.
birdman

www.studiosaxophones.co.uk

 

[Kumimajava]

whoops.. just bought a s/h 901.. picking it up Sat week.... so I guess that is my itch scratched....

congrats, nice one !

i somehow keep missing all the deals on nice secondhand kit - not much around locally 🙁

 

[Linky Lee]

I too have the itch on and off.
I'd love to play tenor or bari (or both!) in a reggae/ska/motown kind of band and it's that which drives the itch. As well as Gerry Mulligan playing Capricious I believe it's called. What a great bit of bari playing!

I used to borrow my music centre's B901 bari which was a fantastic horn, the only thing that puts me off other than the price is that I know what it's like to carry a baritone around all day.

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

I bought a JP 044 Bari on a whim when it was "on offer' last October. Rose brass bell (phosphor bronze?) the keywork, the double armed low C and A thumb lever it is very much a Walstein hybrid. It played above my expectations. I was fortunate enough to get a Yani bronze neck from the devil's junkyard for £90 from a guy who had just got a silver one. It has improved the sound beyond belief. I haven't put it down since, my sop is gathering dust and my alto gets used for a quick 30 min practice during the lunch hour. Even with two mouthpieces a Yani ebonite for group work and a Dukoff for letting rip the cost was way under £1k for a very playable sax. Looking at the current price around £980 buy a decent MP and you will have a very playable Bari!