Saxophones The Bauhaus Walstein Sax Owners Thread

[Pete Thomas]

Hmmm, I can make a crap saxophone sound crap.

Almost a PRC, the mouthpiece is a RPC

 

[Chris98]

Hi Pete,



All the best,

Chris

 

[Col9]

Pete Thomas wrote:
Hmmm, I can make a crap saxophone sound crap.

So can I! I knew as players we had more in common than I first thought.
:laugh: :whistle:

Col.

 

[TomMapfumo]

[No message]

 

[snatch182]

I feel for martin. With the great success of the Walstein model saxes, he is going to have a hard time stepping it up even more with the top-line pro Bauhaus models and at the same time compete with other reputable pro-line model saxes. But i think he's balancing it really well. I really hope these pro- models become just as successful.

Looking at the description on his site; natural pearls, blue needle springs, black real 'kangaroo' pads and (even something i've never seen before) porcelain resonators..... I don't think there is anything more he could have done to add on the sax (without blowing the cost out of proportion of course).

 

[rhysonsax]

http://tinyurl.com/2k8ma5

The finish shown is the "antique brass" that is quite popular but I really dislike, rather than the lovely looks of the prototype alto that Pete showed. But it does say "Antique brass finish, this is just a sample for the future professional range of saxophones from Bauhaus".

The Bauhaus is made in Taiwan - wasn't the Walstein model made in China ? Possibly a change of factory.

Rhys

 

[old_git]

Follow the Pete Thomas demonstration, Old Time Blues, we've already heard but Uncle Phunk is very newish. Enjoy.
Pete, is that all on Logic, please?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yes, recorded with Logic.

clips on my youtube site:

http://www.youtube.com/petethomasdotcodotuk

 

[Linky Lee]

aren't the Mauriats also made in Taiwan?

I quite like the look of that. I'm not even that fussed with the pearl keys, they're ok with that finish. Just look odd over silver plate.

 

[visionari1]

Snatch182 wrote:
I feel for martin. With the great success of the Walstein model saxes, he is going to have a hard time stepping it up even more with the top-line pro Bauhaus models and at the same time compete with other reputable pro-line model saxes.


I think when it comes out for real in September i'll have to e-mail him and see if i can make a trip down there. Not ideal, as i live up north, but worth the trip if i want to find a sax that i can admire for years to come. Not sure. I'll wait and see.

Look is nice, but for me it's all about the sound and feel....... and.......

well what about New Zealand, just get on the bus & pop over for the afternoon!

Cheers

Jimu 🙂

 

[snatch182]

Yeh, true. Sorry about that visionari1. I've been a bit narrow minded. I will be making a trip over there some time in the future. But probably not anytime soon though.

I think its probably better for me now if i try and get everything out of my walstein firs, which is doing fine for me at the moment. So don't see the need to upgrade yet. But i am so tempted to see how the pro-bauhaus fares in comparison to my walstein or even..., should i say how much BETTER it is in comparison.

rysonsax wrote:
The finish shown is the "antique brass" that is quite popular but I really dislike, rather than the lovely looks of the prototype alto that Pete showed. But it does say "Antique brass finish, this is just a sample for the future professional range of saxophones from Bauhaus".

I'm not to keen on the 'antique' body finish either. I gotta say the silver finish looks much better with the gold keys. I'm not saying that because i'm not keen in general with that kind of antique finish. because I really like the kind of vintage finish with the P.Mauriat saxes, which i've had my eye on for a while. So i hope they will be able to have that level of finish also. Does anyone know whether they will have rolled tone holes like the P. mauriats as well?

Linky wrote:
I quite like the look of that. I'm not even that fussed with the pearl keys, they're ok with that finish. Just look odd over silver plate.

Hey Linky. I think the pearls look quite good with the silver finish. It's a good contrast and quite unique. But i think thats down to preference really. I have noticed that you own the Walstein tenor. Do you think you would ever consider swapping for the pro-Bauhaus?

 

[greg_strange]

Are the new Bauhaus-Walstein saxes made in the same factory as the P Mauriat instruments, or perhaps use the same or similar componets? I believe the Phil Barone branded saxes are made in the same factory as the P Mauriats, which appear to be very similar to look at.
Whoever or whatever produces this horns they all look very nice horns and appear to be very well constructed.
Regards,
Greg Strange.

 

[Pete Thomas]

They could well be, they seem to be almost identical. They play the same as the very top end mauriat

 

[Linky Lee]

Snatch182,
In a nutshell, no.

I wouldn't get rid of the Walstein even if I found a superb horn because it would be an ideal back-up. Mine is also one of the last prototypes, so in that way very special too as it doesn't have a serial number. The way the saxes are selling and the company is going it'll be a nice piece in a few years to come.

You can pick up a YTS 62 for a similar price in good nick and arguably one of the best horns ever, though obviously you'll have to hunt.

I can't really give a 'proper' answer until I've tried one. I've played Mauriats when they firs started making an impact and I really, really didn't like them. As I understand it their quality control has improved drastically over the last few years, and I'm sure they're great horns now. The one thing I did notice was that they seemed very brash, but then I had just played some lovely smooth Yanis only 5 minutes before so judgment a bit warped I think.

The over riding feeling and thought I have though is that I was more than happy with my Walstein before these were in process and a few of the things on there like kangaroo pads and porcelain reflectors (or whatever they were made from) aren't something that is going to entice me.

I'm still over the moon with my Walstein over a year on, it's the most reliable horn I've ever had. Not one problem, even minor.

If I were to change anything on the Walstein I'd get some new touchpieces that were more dished and mother of pearl, not plastic. I'd also put some different springs in to make it a tad snappier and bend the top F key over a bit to make it that bit more accessable. All things I could do or have done at a rather low cost.

 

[c9off]

"I'd get some new touchpieces that were more dished and mother of pearl"

Ebay item 270196346668 real mother of pearl inlays, dished, about 16 quid deld...

apologies for off topic

 

[Pete Thomas]

When I was at the Musikmesse, there was a company there that just sold MOP touchpieces. They had some really beautiful stuff. I asked if it was cultured, they said it was all wild caught Abalone. It did get me wondering how eco friendly that is, whether catching such things is bad for coral reefs etc.

 

[Linky Lee]

interesting point, that's really a very expensive way to do it. Natural mother of pearl is very hard to find.

Thanks for the tip C9.

Just shows how little it would cost to make a few changes to a Walstein to alter it to your liking a bit more. If you're lucky you wouldn't even need glue.

EDIT: also shows how little there is that could be improved with the walstein when you're reduced to touchpieces and bending a key a bit.

 

[nick_cook]

[No message]

 

[snatch182]

Linky wrote:

You can pick up a YTS 62 for a similar price in good nick and arguably one of the best horns ever, though obviously you'll have to hunt.

I suppose we'd all have to try one ourselves before we can pass any judgement on these saxes. I think the only person who can make any informed opinion on these saxes would be mr pete himself and he seems to favour it over the rampone and cazzani (so there must be something special about them :erm: ).


I think the main point is, that the pro-Bauhaus is going to be against some hard competition. Now against some companies, which have had decades to develop their name and spend a lot of time and money to better their products. (Although i'm not sure how long P.Mauriat has been out). And i say all the best to martin and WWB. I'm sure it'll play great. I love my Walstein. And if this makes as big an impact as the Walstein did then he should be on to something good.

If I were to change anything on the Walstein I'd get some new touchpieces that were more dished and mother of pearl, not plastic. I'd also put some different springs in to make it a tad snappier and bend the top F key over a bit to make it that bit more accessable. All things I could do or have done at a rather low cost....Just shows how little it would cost to make a few changes to a Walstein to alter it to your liking a bit more. If you're lucky you wouldn't even need glue.

How much do you think it'll cost for a repairer to get the springs and touchpieces changed? I've been thinking about improving my Walstein a bit too. But i wouldn't want to spend 100s for my sax that cost me 100s anyway. I'll be getting mine serviced soon, so i'll ask the repair guy whether he thinks it's worth it first.

 

[Linky Lee]

first of all you need to ask yourself if that's what you actually want to change.

changing touchpieces is easy peasy, heat them up to melt the glue, pop them out and pop the new ones in, hopefully managing to recycle the glue.

The springs are fairly easy too. Dismantle the sax, pop the springs out, put the new ones in.


Changing the springs isn't really neccesary, unless you want to start from scratch with a the feel, or something is wrong with the springs you've got at the moment. i.e one's broken.

Nick, the sax I have is a Walstein, pre the Bauhaus name/merging whatever. I got it just over a year ago now, has been my main tenor ever since nd doesn't look like changing in the forseable future.