Klarinet Archive - Posting 000445.txt from 1998/07

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Good cheap sax
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 13:06:10 -0400

Chris Hoffman said:

> I was pondering the concept of actually buying my own
>saxophone. I think I'd like to purchase an alto. I know I don't want
>student line. I'd like a professional horn, but with a price tag lower
than what I
>see on some Selmer models (egad!). I would like to find a saxophone with a
>big, dark, sound that is more suited to classical, but that I can also do
>jazz, etc. on it.

Don't put down "student line" instruments on the basis of the assembly-line
jobs we're getting nowadays. Low end of the line saxophones used to be much
better instruments than today's are, and some brands that are now out of
fashion used to be highly esteemed. Buescher and Conn, for instance. Pick
up a well-cared-for forty or fifty-year-old Conn and you'll notice for
openers that it's much heavier than you expected. Then check out the
mechanism. It will be both rugged and easy fingering. Then experiment with
mouthpieces as you try it out. You may discover that you can get an alto
that will do everything you want for well under $500, and be able to buy a
sharp-looking gig bag to replace the beat-up case.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>

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