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What tenor would you buy with £2500

Taz

Taz

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You've got £2500 burning a very large hole in your pocket and your suffering from GAS, without including mouthpieces, ligs, mic's, pedals and new cases, what TENOR would you buy and why?
 
Smugness rules supreme. (Its all tongue in cheek you know)
As to the M2, its just too bright for me personally although I agree, its write up is great. All in all, a good horn for the cash!
 
I assume you mean 'bright' as in 'garish', not tone? Have someone spray it with gold/black/whatever lacquer :D
That (an M2 and lotsa change) was certainly my immediate thought.
And even 15% off M2s at ww&b this month, so you could get one and your Hiscox, too, for less than the RRP!
 
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If you are seriously asking for advice, Taz, then, as Stephen Howard says (more or less) in his website('Buying a pro sax'), asking a group of 'strangers', of widely varying musical tastes, playing abilities and prejudices, is probably not going to provide you with much useful data....... unless, perhaps, you get several people saying "Don't waste your money on (for example, Borganis)...they all fall to pieces in 2 years ...(I am sure they don't, but you get the idea). There are, I'm sure a few cr@ppy makes/models around which you should be warned-of, but most will, in the right hands, play 'well-enough' to suit at least a few people. I may be very wrong, but I'd guess most of us, will never be really good enough to truly reach the limitations of what we have. The rest is GAS, but it can be fun....if we realise that we won't sound even nearly twice as good on a 2.5K horn as we would on SOME which you can now buy for half the money:)

Most teachers seem to be conservative and recommend what they themselves have played for 30 years, and view any new-fangled manufacturers with grave suspicion (sweeping generalisation, but I have often seen it written in the forums).
Most of us like what we have settled-on, just because it suits US ....or we cannot afford an Inderbinen :D )

As a raw beginner, I found someone whose advice I trusted and followed it.....when I 'upgraded' I did the same (with Pete), because a) I wasn't skilled enough to trust my own selectivity, nor b) was I in a position to try-out several different makes and models. It's worked well, for me.

The alternative, if you are not as constrained as I, is to make a 'short list' from the many recommendations you will probably get, then try to find somewhere where you can try-out most / all within a shortish space of time, and make your choice of what seems to suit YOU.

It is all very subjective..... I believe my teacher sounds just as good on my BW as he does on his 50+ yo MkVI, for which he's turned down offers of nearly five times the money I paid :) .... but I doubt he'd agree.
 
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Rogerb said:
I assume you mean 'bright' as in 'garish', not tone? Have someone spray it with gold/black/whatever lacquer :D
That (an M2 and lotsa change) was certainly my immediate thought.
And even 15% off M2s at ww&b this month, so you could get one and your Hiscox, too, for less than the RRP!
Click to expand...

Yup, I know that sax players are supposed to where sun glasses, but so would the front three rows of audience at any gigs I did. I'm not into bright and shiny. I don't mind the "vintage" look and I'm quite keen on the matt or brushed finnish.

tenorsaxman said:
If its not banter, then there's little point. Let's squeeze that £2500. What about a Borgoni. My teacher Harry Fulcher swears by his!
Click to expand...

Now there's something I hadn't thought about...Going Italian! That's a very good point so I'll have a browse.
Thanks Saxman and Roger. ;}
 
Ah, that's where we differ...I like 'bright and shiny' and not 'brown and crusty' (ie 'vintage', unlacquered) Sandpaper and wire-wool are very inexpensive, too (and, as my late wife proved, even Brasso takes the shine off silver-plate quite fast :eek: :) )
 
Thanks for your very subjective post Roger. I have the opportunity to upgrade my sax from the ageing and very basic student model Amati that I currently play. I love this sax and it has served me very well over the last 4 years or so, but I believe it to be a somewhat limiting horn. Its a little agricultural and a little slow. Don't get me wrong, as you correctly point out, I will probably never "out play" this sax. I think your right, I'm probably hopping to form a short list from this post. I already have an idea of what I want in the form of the Mauriat Swing 55 brushed matt finish, but I'd still be interested in other peoples views, and why.
 
Back to the original theme- either a bronze Yanagisawa 902 or a Mauriat 66R (preferably unlacquered). Can't comment on the M2 as i've not got my paws on one but either of the above are great horns with a good full tone, not too bright and- as you're a bit of an R&B/rock & roll man- loads of umph if pushed.....
 
ahh.. thought that hole was developing.... so cash inn hand eh?

Well I bought a 66R so that would be my answer, but I would add that given time, a used T902/992 - so long as you can play in advance. I like the idea of someone else loosing the inevitable 25-40%!

case in point: http://www.musicalinstrumentsales.co.uk/saxsales.html T902 in Shropshire for £1500.... plenty left for GAS

Or even that T992 in Worthing as you were often down that way?.... 12 months old for £2100....

good luck
 
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Whatever suits you Pete. You won't know till you spend half a day in Jools emporium of saxophony (or a very similar one) blowing a load of the things. Having had the opportunity to do it myself, I know it's the only way. I suppose you then have to somehow lock that experience away to go and test the M2, or some of the more esoteric bits of kit like Borgani (I think Allegro in Oxford do them).

If you're thinking Italian, how about a "Rampone e Cazzani". I know nothing about them, just love the name! And don't forget Cannonballs - Sheehans in Leicester have got a selection. Have fun. (I think that is possibly the most unneccessary thing I could have said.) :)
 
Just about to get in the market for a new tenor myself. All indications are that I am going with the Mauriat 66 Rolled Unlaquered. Though I would like to try a vintage finish one side by side and judge the difference.
 
Alan said:
All indications are that I am going with the Mauriat 66 Rolled Unlaquered. Though I would like to try a vintage finish one side by side and judge the difference.
Click to expand...

I think this may be the path I take, but I won't be sure until I follow Dooce's advice and force myself to a day of misery, having to put myself through the ordeal of actually having to play those retched things! :D:D
 
I would Pick the same choices as Jules

Yanni 902 or a Mauriat 66RUL

You could also consider:

Keilworth SX90 - Ex demo - £1990 ( Retails at over 2600 from sax..co.uk)

Yamaha YTS 62 - Pre owned but immaculate and as new £1895

or add another £400 and get yourself a brand new Yamaha YBS 32 for a fiver under 3k
Theres a secondhand one on ebay with a buy it now of £3500 - thats what I call abargain!!

all available at www.justflutes.com ( where I repair one day a week)!
 
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