I am an eight-year flute player, with one summer of alto sax under my belt. Now, I`m looking for a high-quality alto sax to learn on and play in orchestra pits (most orchestra pits have a woodwind book, which mixes flute and sax). With only one summer of sax, I`m not sure what qualities to look for in a good (intermediate or advanced) alto sax, or what brands to go for. This should last me through my entire orchestra pit career (aka, until I die). What would you recommend?

Any advice would be appreciated,
Gumdrop

Just like you can spend $100 up to $8,000 for a flute you can spend $500 to $10,000 for a sax. So the first question is what is your budget?

Best bet though would be to stay with the top 4 sax makers, Keilwerth (not their (ST)udent line though), Selmer (Series 2 or maybe 3), Yamaha (62 or 875) or Yanagisawa.

IMHO I woud pick Keilwerth first because their horns are really good and blend well for pit orchestras. Then the Selmer series2, then Yamaha 875. But i could easily have a different list order if the wind was blowing in a different direction YMMV.

Thank you!




Gumdrop

id go for a saxaphone that was made in the 50s-70s because they have a heavier horn wich make them prodes a better sound and have a much better tone then most other saxaphones..... i wouldnt get any sax brands that are somewhat new like sony because they dont make saxophones the way the used to,,,, but, the older saxophones are ALOT more expensive,,, but it would pay of.... i have a accadamy (brand) and it was made in like the 60sish and i really like my tone more thenn alotn ather saxophone players who play the newer ones or rent them..( for renting they use the newer ones)
jen

as good as a vintage saxophone can be, more often than not, less experienced saxophone users tend to get misled by the mystique and aura surrounding them (the famed selmer mark vi) and end up getting a bum deal. even though you only have one summer`s worth of experience with the saxophone, i commend you on willing to shell out for a professional saxophone. like paul coat`s said, no such thing as a saxophone good enough to learn on, it should be good enough to play well on. however, i sincerely believe that you should favor the new models by the top manufacturers like selmer and yamaha instead. this is because more often than not, vintage saxophones have little quirks which will hamper your progress. speaking from a technological standpoint, a new model is the safest bet. my recommendations would be the selmer reference 54 or series 3 or yamaha 875 custom series for a definite one time purchase. otherwise, you might prefer something cheaper such as the selmer series 2 or yamaha 675 series.as for the vintage sax, well, when the time comes, your heart and playing abilities will automatically let you know when you`re ready.

Sony? I didn`t know Sony made horns - i thought they made televisions.

My vintage horns are great - Couf Royalist, Couf Superba 1 (Keilwerth stencil) and Selmer mk VII. But I also love the Yamaha 875 too. So many horns, so little play-testing time and $$$.

The player and mouthpieces really make the difference. I sound so diff with a Selmer C* vs. C** vs D vs a Solist (in various tip openings)due to all the differences various mpc have. The yamahas are very neutral and you can modify that tone easily by mpc. Mouthpieces can really have a dramatic effect on your tone, and there`s alot of research you can do to help get that *perfect* tone.

When he asked which would be "blend" with a pit orchestra I thought the tone of the Keilwerth would be best. Normally a deeper tone with very good projection.

Vintage horns are great, but unless you know how to check them out you could end up with a money pit.

i agree with steve`s recommendation for a keilwerth saxophone for orchestra. also remember that you`re probably gonna need to use mouthpieces and reeds suited to orchestral/classic playing styles.

And that mouthpiece would normally be a common Selmer S80 C*. There are other solutions but the Selmers are easy to get about anywhere.

Reed wise I`d probably go with a Hemke 3 or 3.5 dependent upon you chops. Rico Royal or Vandorens, Superials, etc. prob would all work .. but that`s getting really picky now.

The keilwerth mpcs are really nice though may give you a little too deep of tone for pit orchestra.

yup steve, your suggestion for a standard selmer mpc would probably do the trick better than most mpcs in it`s price range. the only other mpc i would recommend would be the hard rubber yamaha custom. pretty much underrated, haha. for some reason, we just don`t hear of people talking about yamaha mpcs at all.

i use a metal yanagisawa mpc for the style of music i play. and i`m not ashamed to admit this, but i play smooth jazz. even worse, i love kenny g and his music (some of u will call it sh*t instead of music, i know). haha, i guess there goes my credibility after i just admitted to that. as much as i enjoy playing classical and jazz, i`ve found a better home in smooth jazz.

anyhoo, the reason i use a metal yanagisawa mpc is because i find that when i couple it with a harder reed, i am able to achieve the centered tone of classical with the flexibility of jazz. there will probably be disagreements, but my assessment of smooth jazz would be that it possesses those 2 qualities.

what kinda music do u play?

Yamaha Customs are good mpcs. Just not everywhere like the Selmer S80s. I use one on my sop, not much, but i have one.

And the metal Yanis have a good following for sop, alto and tenor. I tried to get one off of eBay a couple times ... lost the auction.

I play about anything. Classical, Smooth jazz, R&B, whatever. KennyG makes more money than us, so he must be doing something right.

haha. i pretty much try to do anything i can think of with my sax too. it`s like the human voice, but with a much wider octave range.

i have been trying for ages to try and look the way of hardcore jazz-ers and appreciate the stuff of sue terry, coltrane, brecker, etc but to no avail. i can appreciate the technique and the beauty of their sound, but maybe it`s because of my background as a singer, pianist and guitarist that i lean towards the more melodic appeal of kenny g.

anyway, i wanna ask you something regarding beechler mpcs. i lost my Beechler Hard Rubber Diamond Inlay Alto S7S, and when i went to check the online dealers, all i can find is the S7. do you have any idea if they`re the same? i emailed beech but judging by their very very horribly maintained (if even) website, i doubt they`ll be replying anytime soon. it`s a sad sad situation without it around. haha.

i`m seriously contemplating purchasing a JodyJazz Alto mpc after what i read. i dunno, it just gives me a very good feeling. haha. who knows, my loss may be a blessing in disguise.

I`ve never tried Beechler .. heard their good but .... I`ve played mostly classical stuff and when i`ve done jazz i`ve preferred the darker tone and mpcs without big spoilers, etc. I`m able to project good enough as it is from what ppl have told me in crowds so no need to high projection mpcs. Too many mpcs and not enough $$$

As to the Beechlers .. they make at least 2 HR mpcs. So if it only says 7S be careful ... but, get your mpc here (i`ve never bought from them but it shows you what you want).
http://www.weinermusic.com/MOUTHPIECES/SAXMPCFrameSet1.html

Also I like some hardcore stuff. Certain songs from Sanborn (and other artists) i really like, whereas others are like "huh?" to me. But, just like you, the ones with more repititious melodies I prefer. I can play the other stuff but it means less to me.

Thank you everyone! My Yamaha 62 arrived yesterday, and so far I am very happy with it. Once I`ve improved a bit more, I`ll start looking into the mouthpieces you have been suggesting.

Thanks again,
Gumdrop

yamaha 62 series!

you couldn`t have made a better decision i say! i have a very weak spot for it, because in a way, i feel that the 62 series have always managed to provide the very best yet not get caught up in the hype generated in more recent sax models. understated elegance is the term i`d used to describe it. it`s not exactly sh*t either, afterall, they were the ones who put yamaha on the map. so best of luck in your sax journey!!!