Adam,

I did not mean Evette, the saxes are vintage Buffet-Crampon saxes from the 50`s-70`s. Models are Super Dynaction and S-1. These were professional saxes designed to compete with the Mark VI. They are noted for some innovative design and "dark" sound.

Buffet has always been considered the best maker of clarinets and some other reed instruments. They made saxes for many years and the SD and S-1 models were great saxes. Like several other manufacturers, they got out of the "Pro" saxes in the late 70`s-80`s as the market size declined for saxes and concentrated on their other lines where they were more dominant.

The Evette saxes are student saxes. Buffet no longer makes professional models. From the 30`s to the early 70`s there were three French Companies - Selmer, Buffet, SML, and 4 American Companies- Buescher, Conn, King, Martin- that made the great saxophones. The last American Pro sax was the King Super-20, which made it until about 1990. If you listen to the recordings from these times- these were the brands played by everyone from Charlie Parker to Sidney Bechet. Keilwerth came in in the 70`s with the "H. Couf" model and Yamaha and Yanisagawa did not arrive as pro saxes until the late 80`s.

Then names Conn, Buescher, King are now owned by Selmer and they are student saxes. Evette Buffet Crampon is a student sax. The Martin and SML names are gone from the sax world.

The vintage saxes are still great instruments and tend to be better jazz instruments than most new saxes because of better overtones. My son just gave up a new Selmer Serie III, black lacquer tenor- replacing it with a 35 year old Mark VI with half the lacquer gone. It had better sound quality.

At one time we had a Buescher 400 alto, which was a better jazz sound than his Serie III alto.

The new saxes tend to be more precise for classical, but don`t have the fullness of the old saxes for jazz.

Thanks Keith. I was just kind of confused.

I last year I bought a Yanigasawa, and I have to say it is the most beautiful saxophone (tone and looks). Now I didn`t just go out and buy it, believe me , I tried LOTS of different brands. mine is a model 90. it has the high F# key, and some other stuff (I forgot what) and everyone that hears me play it says that I have a beautiful tone. and as soon as I got it, I went to 1st chair.

Conn-Selmer USA`s website will show you that a few of the companies that have the better reputations are affiliated with them.

Selmer USA only distributes Selmer Paris saxophones (doesn`t make them), or so I`ve heard.

Jupiters have had a bad reputation in the past but have stepped it up. I guy who worked with my shool`s band director didn`t think I should risk it.

Conn`s are good and I got my conn 21M alto for $345 used but in really good condition.


Anyway, ask around and check out a local dealer`s used selection.

I got it from a local dealer and not on ebay or an internet so I could actually see and hold what I was getting, not just a picture that I could barely make out.

The julius Keilworth is gotta be the best sax ever! I have the professional model. This sax comes in gold or black nickel. I have the black nickel one. It plays awesome. The sound is dark, becuz of its laquer. The bell is huge on it, so it`s really good for jazz band.

Get a Yanagisawa, Selmer Paris edition ( Mark VI), or Cannonball(pro series please) hands down those are true tenors with good mouthpiece and reed and maybe a YTS-Custom. As long as it feels good to u then its a`ok.

Hi guys! when I first moved from clarinet to alto, my first sax teacher told me not to actually look at the makes of the horns, but to look at where it is originally made and on the 3rd generation saxes (the builds of today) he says look at it like a podium in 3rd place you have Taiwanese, middle eastern made saxes; 2nd place is Japanese and USA made saxes; and the ultimate in 1st place is the french made horns. And since then, rather than look at the brands when I buy a new horn, I look at where they are made - just a personal thing but so far (touch wood) I havent gone too far wrong!

Hope this helps

Wayne

----------
Krys Mach Rocks!

i need help on buying my second saxophone i am having a very tough battle between the Yamaha YTS-62 and the Yanagisawa T901 please help me i need a new sax to advance on.

Thanks in advance
Sam

Hi, I bought my son a Helmke alto sax thru ebay
3 months ago. He loves it and plays his sax in his
school band. He is taking a private lesson because he is new to saxophone planing. His music teacher
didn`t say anything negative about it. So, so far so good.

But I have this problem with the hole for a lyre. The hole is circular, not a square one like
with other typical saxophones.

I called many music stores and they only carry
lyres for the square hole. I am thinking of grinding
the square end of the lyre into a circular shape.
Or I guess I can bind the lyre with the steel rod that has a circular end so that it will fit into the hole.

Does anyone know where I can find a lyre with a circular end to avoid forementioned hassels? If you own a Helmke sax, how did you
handle this problem? Any suggestion?

Thanks.

Yeah, I just bought a helmke off of ebay. I also really need to know if it is any good. Thanks.

To anyone buying any saxophone: It doesn`t matter which brand of saxophone you buy. I have tried out Keilwerhts and Yanigasawas that played horribly. There are just some saxophones, expensive and inexpensive that play horribly and some that play good. You just have to try out the horn befor you purchase it because I have come to find out, you might get lucky and find a cheap horn that plays well. I have played on a Vito (which I think are the worst horns ever [except those things from Sam`s Club or K Mart]) that played better than some of the more expensive and well know horns in the world. By the way, I play tenor. But when you go to get a saxophone, try out the bowling ball... it is really good.

hi, i am playing a selmer paris series 3 flat mat finished alto sax! these are great and will only cost you around $3500

I may not play tenor....but I do play alto...anyways....I just purchased a Schill (Same Company that makes Helmke) and the soud the sax produces is amazing...sooo much better than a Vito (which my old Vito is a POS). Good luck and I give Schill(Helmke) an A++++++.

are schill and helmke the same company? why is there no web site? just purchased a schill on ebay for my 4th grader. getting a little nervous now because of the postings i am reading. is this a decent sax to begin on or will my child get frustrated with the quality? help, before it is too late to return to seller!!!