Saxophones Which is the better Alto choice: Couesnon Monopole II or Hammerschmidt Klingson?

[thomsax]

My Klingsor is from 1956. I think they did some work on the necks. With a small/medium chamber mpc wo baffle it's ok. The tech that did the renovation had to spend lots of hours on the set up. With lower key heights the pitch/intonation became better. But it don't sing so load.

 

[Woodpad]

With lower key heights the pitch/intonation became better.

Thanks for the info. I have a Klingsor alto that needs work. It is a very quirky design with one roller on the second and third octave key cup. I noticed that the connection between the low C# key cup and the rod is a bit long. So at the moment a pad can only close this tone hole when it goes over the edge of the key cup. I think that the best solution for the long term is to re-solder this key.
I agree that the Klingsor is much darker in sound than the Couesnon Monopole ii. Clear would be a better description of the sound of the Monopole than bright

 

[peterpick]

ah, yes, 'clear' is good.

 

[peterpick]

the tenors are really good. they almost sound german.

 

[DesertRoads]

I'm surprised you think the Couesnon Monopole II alto is bright? I find it quite dark in respect to my Yamaha YAS62IIIs alto. I have a 1956 Monopole II alto, and have kept it because it's much darker than my Yamaha.

 

[Woodpad]

True, the yas62 is brighter than the monopole ii. It is also true that a lot of saxophones are darker than a monopole ii. Can you describe which reflectors are used on you monopole?

 

[DesertRoads]

True, the yas62 is brighter than the monopole ii. It is also true that a lot of saxophones are darker than a monopole ii. Can you describe which reflectors are used on you monopole?

Not sure what you mean by reflectors? But I am using a Selmer S80 mouthpiece with a Hemke 2.5 reed.

 

[PigSquealer]

Not sure what you mean by reflectors?

Resonators, boosters, reflectors.
Reflectors or boosters is technically more accurate.

 

[Woodpad]

I meant the metal or plastic discs in the middle of the leather pads. The size affect how dark or bright the saxophone sounds.

 

[PigSquealer]

Not sure what you mean by reflectors? But I am using a Selmer S80 mouthpiece with a Hemke 2.5 reed.

See post #24 here.
Post in thread 'Repair threads and links by PigSquealer'
Tech/maintenance - Repair threads and links by PigSquealer

 

[thomsax]

The size affect how dark or bright the saxophone sounds.

I think oversize reflectors/resonaotors reflects more sound. Big reflectors/resonators gives a bigger sax sound/more volume. A loud sax is not the same as a bright sax. I would say "piercing" is more connencted to "loudness". Metal reflectors is louder than plastic reflectors. Not much, most of us don't hear the difference between metal and plastic.

 

[Woodpad]

I think oversize reflectors/resonaotors reflects more sound. Big reflectors/resonators gives a bigger sax sound/more volume. A loud sax is not the same as a bright sax. I would say "piercing" is more connencted to "loudness". Metal reflectors is louder than plastic reflectors. Not much, most of us don't hear the difference between metal and plastic.

Leather and resonators reflect high frequencies different. This gives a difference in sound besides the difference in volume.

 

[JayeNM]

Whatever happened to @Jazz Is All ? He was quite the colorful commenter....sorta miss him..

 

[PigSquealer]

I think oversize reflectors/resonaotors reflects more sound. Big reflectors/resonators gives a bigger sax sound/more volume. A loud sax is not the same as a bright sax. I would say "piercing" is more connencted to "loudness". Metal reflectors is louder than plastic reflectors. Not much, most of us don't hear the difference between metal and plastic.

There’s four or five technical articles in this post.

Tech/maintenance - Repair threads and links by PigSquealer

 

[thomsax]

Leather and resonators reflect high frequencies different. This gives a difference in sound besides the difference in volume.

Yes, a plain lether pad absorb energy while a letaher pad with a "reflector" reflects the energy better. A big (oversized) reflectors/resonator/booster reflects the energy better compared to a smaller reflectors/resonator/booster . They have higher efficient.

 

[PigSquealer]

Whatever happened to @Jazz Is All ? He was quite the colorful commenter....sorta miss him..

The last PM conversation I had with Mike was April 15, 2022. He stated that after Covid the group he played with disbanded. The next closest option was a long miserable commute. He was only playing for fun and not much at that. Largely he had lost interest in playing. Took up gardening. He’s still in Barcelona that I know of.

 

[DesertRoads]

See post #24 here.
Post in thread 'Repair threads and links by PigSquealer'
Tech/maintenance - Repair threads and links by PigSquealer

Understood. Thank you for the clarity.

 

[DesertRoads]

True, the yas62 is brighter than the monopole ii. It is also true that a lot of saxophones are darker than a monopole ii. Can you describe which reflectors are used on you monopole?

Yes, I am using flat metal resonators/reflectors on my Monopole II alto.

 

[Woodpad]

Yes, I am using flat metal resonators/reflectors on my Monopole II alto.
View attachment 35526

About the same size resonators as the one I played. J wondered if it was equipped with very small ones.

 

[DesertRoads]

About the same size resonators as the one I played. J wondered if it was equipped with very small ones.

When I purchased the horn last year, the previous owner had re-padded it. So that's what he went with. If that's what the horn originally came with, I am uncertain.