I`ve recently been looking at a professional straight alto saxophone and I was wondering if anyone has ever played on one or owns one. How is the sound compared to the traditional curved alto? What brands make a professional straight alto that are high quality and can take the usual wear and tear? Is it comfortable to play while sitting down for concert or standing up and even marching? Any information is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

it sounds better than you would think for the simple reason that it is liturally straight, so the tone goes straight out .
think about a water wave that roles behind a ship as soon it hits the shore it goes back towards the center of the river.
now then, a curved sax is like a river with a lot of bends in it the tone of this sax will be distorted in some kind of way, for the good or the bad......

many greetings a soprano player (41 yrs old)
Jurrie Eisinga Oxford

curved saxophones of any type are easier to aplify with a microphone then curved ones

The LA Sax Co. Makes a straight alto that is very playable and sounds great as well! I do not know how well it would work for marching but, for gigs it is an eye stopper! many will first ask you what it is. The sound is great the only thing players have a hard time adjusting to is the fact that the sound does not come out directly towards them. cause it comes out by the floor. But too the audience it comes out blaring. hope this has been helpful

Hmm... straight? I know most sops are straight (mine is cirved though) but alto? I guess it might be easier to tune. It doesnt seem right though, you know? I mean, its a sax! Saxes are known for being the coolist looking curved instruments. It just doesn`t seem right to have a straight sax... like a clarinet... espeacially the metal ones the army had made way back.

LA Sax ibelieve also makes straight tenors

Keilwerth makes straight SX-90R`s that are supposed to be great. I wouldn`t bother, though. Curved altos have more of a saxophone kind of sound. Kind of like how many straight sops are confused by sound with oboes, and the curved ones are easily recognizable by sound as saxophones. I guess the straight ones would be good for legit, but for jazz, i don`t think so.

There is also straight Tenors by Keilwerth.....I recommend curved, because I like the sound better, but it is definitely eye candy =P

Are straight altos lighter than the curved?

Well, idk how well a neck strap would work with a straight alto compared to a curved, so that might effect weight

hoi,

I am intterrested in your genilogical tree jurrie eisinga can you tel me where your from.

Greetings jurgen eisinga