Favorite Saxophones?

[JazzBariSax]

What are your favorite brands and models of saxophones?

[refchef]

My current favorite is my Yani but I have found low B-flat Mark VI's to be very fine horns.

[alhadro]

I use a 1952 Conn Naked Lady - I love the big low end and the beautiful rich timbre.

I keep in the closet a Low A mark VI though, also a really nice horn.

Has anyone ever tried playing without the octave key? - i disabled the octave key (the one on the body, not the neck) I think it really deepens the sound. Takes some getting used to, but i love having that little bit of the low overtone in there.

-As far as new horns go, Yani's are great.

[LoBoy]

LoBoy
I play an H. Couf Superba I low A that I really love. I've owned Selmer, Conn and Yamaha baritones and the Couf does it for me. It has a big, fat sound, the intonation is excellent and it can be "worked" to get a nice edge or played with a very mellow sound. It's a real workhorse that doesn't need to go into the shop very often. I play on a Meyer 5MM or a Berg Larsen 95/3SMS in grained ebonite and use Gonzalez 1.5 or LaVoz soft reeds. The Coufs are available on the used horn market but you need to keep an eye open for them as there aren't very many and they seem to go fast. Mine is a 1971 vintage.

[onebarisaxydude]

I'm playing a Yani 991. I love this horn. The low register is full and robust. I do have some major intonation issues with my playing in the upper register. Most of the upper register is very sharp. But, regardless of the intonation issues, I love the sound this instrument.

Chris Bucher

[BruceJohnstone]

I have a French Selmer MkVI low Bb 134000 (different engraving than the American horns) which I bought virtually new in 1966.

It's been good to me through the years.

Bruce Johnstone

[jmathesonjr]

I love my Yamaha 62. It is about 16 years old and does what I want it to when I want it to. It fits in well with a big band, combo, pit orchestra, symphony orchestra, concert band, you name it. It is a Low A horn. I truly would not trade it for anything out there.

[bariaxman]

I have found the Grail of Baris ... The Steve Goodson Model ... It is outstanding and sounds the same from low A through F#3 ...My son now has the Unison.

[Gizmo]

I recently made the purchase of my life, a new professional bari. It's a P. Mauriatte low A unlaquered. It is by far the best horn I have had the privilege of playing. It is in tune throughout the horn, and has a lovely altissimo. It is a naturally warm sounding horn (almost too much for my tastes), a is a perfect match for my Runyon mpc. I get alot more of the lower overtones in my sound that I had with my last horn, a Yamaha 62, as well as a smoother action, especially in the spatula and lower stack keys.

[ant601]

I've played a yani, a yamaha, a conn naked lady, and a whole bunch of low end copies like holton, vito, and signet. My favorite by far is Yani. I've played a whole bunch of saxes from their particular brand, and I love them. Amazing sound, stays in tune, not harsh in the upper register, well made, cheaper than other saxes in their range, and vbery reliable. Never had a problem with them and I don't anticipate ever having one. I will never play anything else.

[Friendly Sean]

Well I'm in Australia so I didn't get to try out huge numbers of baris before I bought one. I personally dislike the Jupiters. I went with a Yamaha YBS-62, she's called Allison and she's fabulous. I get to deliver great performances in a variety of styles. I wish that my technique was even better to match her superb characteristics. I have to have a low A for so many pieces that I come across, so definitely don't agree with this low Bb only notion.

The sound that Gerry Mulligan got out of his horn was on the thin side. Brilliant player obviously, no doubt, but I didn't like his set up and I would've liked to hear him on a modern horn before he passed away.

On another note, if anybody has had a problem with the YBS-62 and you're only using that standard mouthpiece that comes with it, then that's why.

[blackbarrysax]

i`m playing on a black lacquer french selmer super action serie II its 6 years old..and i love it ..so nice to play on.

[slingle]

About four years ago I was in Japan and went to the Yanni factory for a visit. The tour was very impressive but not nearly as impressive as the 992 (Bronze) I bought. This horn has a great sound and really speaks. I am using a Yanni 9 metal mouthpiece with 3 1/2 Hemke reeds. With this setup you have all the control in the world and can change the sound to fit the chart.

[JSaxMiller]

My Conn M series is getting a little long in the tooth, so I am currently playing a Cannonball Stone Series Raven. It's the only horn I've found that comes close to the Vintage sound of the Conn.

[saxy82291]

my bari is a 1925 Buescher true tone! it plays so well on the bottom and its a lov Bb

[Masjo]

Currently, I'm playing a Yamaha YBS-52 (it has a low A) and it sounds good, though my low A is abnormally sharp and my upper register can be sharp, too. I'm in the market for a vintage horn though - I've been drooling over Conn 12M's and King Zephyr's, but I have yet to find a good deal on one that can be shipped to Canada

[nnb]

i got a 1962 Martin and love it, it's got a big sound and beatiful low end!!!!

[barimol]

YBS ALL THE WAY

[toolaholic]

I have a Selmer Super Action 80 series I (334xxx circa 1982) bought in 1984. Excellent intonation and reponse. I purchased a Rampone R1 jazz low Bb(no high F#) baritone october of 2008 to explore the low Bb thing. The sax plays quite well now but didn't at first. It needed a new neck(the original neck made high F3 really flat and restricted). It is a long neck bari w/ octave key on neck.Plus set up wasn't all it should be. It was recently set up by Mike Hammer of Hammer woodwinds in Bensalem PA. Plays much better now!!!Great warm fat tone w/ a very full low register. High G/G# can be a little tough to voice. It has a double octave pip on body. Mid C and C# flat while high G through C# slightly sharp. So the Selmer sounds alot like Ronnie Cuber's tone and the Rampone has a Mulligan like tone.

[toolaholic]

last week I purchased a Buffet 400 series lacquer baritone sax for my daugher she wants to play bari in jr high stage band. It was only $2500 on clearance,reg $3600 from Samash.com. I figured it was worth a shot since Lauren Sevian endorses these saxes.Plays remarkably well escpially for only $2500. I still like the Selmer S-80 series I better but the Buffet comes very very close.Spot on intonation,great reponse amd solid low A mechanism. Super buy in my book.

[drmccarty]

Ok, I've got a question and I understand I might get many different opinions, but that's what I'm wanting. First, I play/and played both altos and tenors but am new to the baritone. I play in my church big band and would also like to venture out into some jazz gigs. My current alto is a Keilwerth SX90-R. I've been playing on a school model Bundy with a Rico Grafolite 7 MP with the band. I'm wanting to move up and don't know really what direction to go. The sax player that leads our band is a died-in-the-wool Keilwerth fan across the board. One of the tenor players loves his Cannonball Big Bell Stone series, while another tenor player prefers his vintage Mark VI. I've been taking in all of the information I can find but still haven't been able to make a decision. Money is not necessarily an object (although it's always a consideration). So, that being said, any advice or recomendations would be greatly accepted and appreciated. I understand that ultimately I'll have to be the one to decide based on what works for me, but some guidance will be nice.......also, any suggestions on mouthpieces will also be appreciated. I play big band and jazz. Thanks, Robin

[jthole]

i got a 1962 Martin and love it, it's got a big sound and beatiful low end!!!!

Mine is a bit older (1956) but I agree, especially about the low end!

The ergonomics are quite good for a vintage USA saxophone as well.

[loomis]

My son just got a Selmer Series 3 black lacquer. Its an amazing sound and looks brilliant. The low end makes hair stand up.

[ladyhihi]

last week I purchased a Buffet 400 series lacquer baritone sax for my daugher she wants to play bari in jr high stage band. It was only $2500 on clearance,reg $3600 from Samash.com. I figured it was worth a shot since Lauren Sevian endorses these saxes.Plays remarkably well escpially for only $2500. I still like the Selmer S-80 series I better but the Buffet comes very very close.Spot on intonation,great reponse amd solid low A mechanism. Super buy in my book.

[bigsax]

I just get my new bari, it is an early SA80 (1986) silver plated, and very special: body, upper bow and neck are from MKVI, keyboard are from SA80, bell is engraved SA80II
this horn came from Afrika (Niger) in a pretty bad state, my favorite repair techician (a former member of the Selmer factory) did a wonderful work on it (it lasted almost one year) he made bell, body, bows and neck sand blasted and keys and guards shiny

besides that it sound very well

[Meyer]

My main bari is a Buescher "Big-B", warm beautiful tone.
I am currently rebuilding a Conn 12 M, so I might change my mind

[satbwinds]

I too play a Couf Superba 1 low A Bari. I fell in love with them back when Kenton's sax section was playing all Coufs. I use a HR Runyon Custom #10 for big band work and a Lawton 8*B for anything that needs more punch. I bought the Lawton directly from Geoff for $75 back in 1975. Waited forever for it to come. I normally play Gonzalez reeds but recently decided to test out Forestone reeds for a friend of mine who's considering selling them.

I also own an old silver Buescher low Bb model that I use for quartet/legit work. I actually use the Couf Artist 5* that came with my Bari on this horn. It has been "perfected" by Paul Coats.

For those having high pitch problems on older Baris, I suggest the Runyon Custom. Get it from Paul Coats and he'll make sure it damn near plays for you when you get it.

If the unthinkable happened and I HAD to replace my horn, I would go for the Steve Goodson bari. Thumb & pinkie low A triggers, double bell braces, double key arm braces on everything low C and below and lot of other great ideas. Imagine, a bari designed by a bari player! Second choice would be the Oleg custom.

[martinmods]

Pre-Committee Martins - Handcraft, Imperial, Troubador, and stencils. Intimate is how I would describe them, in tonal quality and response. It's as if you are inside the center of the horn and the sound. It surrounds you when playing. There's nothing like it. By comparison, playing a Committee after the Pre-Handcraft, I had the sensation the sound was coming from in front of the bell, much further away. I had to make a conscious effort to connect to it.

[martinmagna]

I play a Martin Magna Low A with Jody Jazz ESP 7 mpc and Rico Royal reeds.

Mike

[jazzerwc]

So far my favorite has been my Selmer Serie II Super Action 80, plays BEAUTIFULLY and for jazz its excellent!

[zangsax]

I have owned A trutone, a Couf I, and a 10M. for the last 35yrs I play A low Bb 70K MK VI for Bebop. A 114K Low A MK VI with Roo pads and Oversize resotechs for many styles and a Serie II for gigs where eveness and intonation are hyper-critical. My mouthpiece is a Berg Hard rubber 130/2 that Charles Ponte in New York sold me in 1966 when he was the US distributor for Berg. He had many hundreds covering an entire wall. I was literally a kid in a "candy" store. John Z

[LisaSimpson]

Conn 12M and Naked Lady..... my dreams, and also my Yanagisawa