XPost: alt.music.saxophone

Can anyone recommend decent brands or sources for an economical alto
sax for a young student?

Also if anyone in NYC/Brooklyn area is selling a decent instrument,
please let me know.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.music.saxophone

"Eric" <Eric@spamspamorspam.com> wrote in message news:eet0ibtheggfhjhs3tdhj6gvpo7mo1plh9@4ax.com...

Can anyone recommend decent brands or sources for an economical alto
sax for a young student?

Also if anyone in NYC/Brooklyn area is selling a decent instrument,
please let me know.

I asked the same question when I started to play saxophone five years
ago. My teacher recommended a student Yamaha. It proved to be a
excellent choice with easy ergonomics and good intonation.

Chinese saxes have attractive price tags, but are sometimes difficult
to play in tune.

Iain

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.music.saxophone

Eric wrote:

On Tue, 3 May 2016 20:31:20 +0300, "Iain Churches"
<IainNG@kolumbus.fi> wrote:

"Eric" <Eric@spamspamorspam.com> wrote in message
news:eet0ibtheggfhjhs3tdhj6gvpo7mo1plh9@4ax.com...

Can anyone recommend decent brands or sources for an economical alto
sax for a young student?

Also if anyone in NYC/Brooklyn area is selling a decent instrument,
please let me know.

I asked the same question when I started to play saxophone five years
ago. My teacher recommended a student Yamaha. It proved to be a
excellent choice with easy ergonomics and good intonation.

Chinese saxes have attractive price tags, but are sometimes difficult
to play in tune.

Iain

Thanks for the reply, Ian! I didn't know if there was still anyone
here.

Yeah, I was coming to the same conclusion about Yamaha. I just talked
with one of my favorite sax players, Willie Williams, and he loves
Yamaha.

Seems like people who become interested in playing the sax start out
buying a student model sax. I've been playing an alto sax for quite some
time and I often recommend staying away from buying a student model. I
would recommend considering an Intermediate model to start with 'cause
the pads and springs just might be better on an Intermediate than on a
student model and you will keep an intermediate model a lot longer than
you would keep a student model.

Take a student model hold it on its side, parallel to the ground and
moderately shake it. If the keys plop up and down the springs are weak.
Such springs could cause a problem as you improve your playing. Consider
also, as you improve you may well begin to start thinking about buying a
better model so....., more money will be invested and you may take a considerable loss on the student model.


Yamaha makes a good instrument. I play a Yamaha Custom Z with a V1
neck and a Vandoren AL3 mouthpiece and I'm 88 years old.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.music.saxophone

On Fri, 13 May 2016 23:38:22 -0700, nick c <nchen711@ontheverizon.net>
wrote:

Eric wrote:

Yeah, I was coming to the same conclusion about Yamaha. I just talked
with one of my favorite sax players, Willie Williams, and he loves
Yamaha.

Seems like people who become interested in playing the sax start out
buying a student model sax. I've been playing an alto sax for quite some
time and I often recommend staying away from buying a student model. I
would recommend considering an Intermediate model to start with 'cause
the pads and springs just might be better on an Intermediate than on a >student model and you will keep an intermediate model a lot longer than
you would keep a student model.

Take a student model hold it on its side, parallel to the ground and >moderately shake it. If the keys plop up and down the springs are weak.
Such springs could cause a problem as you improve your playing. Consider >also, as you improve you may well begin to start thinking about buying a >better model so....., more money will be invested and you may take a >considerable loss on the student model.

Yamaha makes a good instrument. I play a Yamaha Custom Z with a V1
neck and a Vandoren AL3 mouthpiece and I'm 88 years old.

Thanks for the follow-up, Nick! I'm a guitarist, so I don't know much
about testing the mechanism of a sax. Good point about looseness in
the springs. I wish I had a better idea of what to look for.

I'll keep looking at Yamaha models then, and consider your advice
about moving up from the student versions. How much was your
Custom Z?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.music.saxophone

v
Eric wrote:

On Fri, 13 May 2016 23:38:22 -0700, nick c <nchen711@ontheverizon.net>
wrote:

Eric wrote:

Yeah, I was coming to the same conclusion about Yamaha. I just talked
with one of my favorite sax players, Willie Williams, and he loves
Yamaha.

Seems like people who become interested in playing the sax start out
buying a student model sax. I've been playing an alto sax for quite some
time and I often recommend staying away from buying a student model. I
would recommend considering an Intermediate model to start with 'cause
the pads and springs just might be better on an Intermediate than on a
student model and you will keep an intermediate model a lot longer than
you would keep a student model.

Take a student model hold it on its side, parallel to the ground and
moderately shake it. If the keys plop up and down the springs are weak.
Such springs could cause a problem as you improve your playing. Consider
also, as you improve you may well begin to start thinking about buying a
better model so....., more money will be invested and you may take a
considerable loss on the student model.

e

Yamaha makes a good instrument. I play a Yamaha Custom Z with a V1
neck and a Vandoren AL3 mouthpiece and I'm 88 years old.

Thanks for the follow-up, Nick! I'm a guitarist, so I don't know much
about testing the mechanism of a sax. Good point about looseness in
the springs. I wish I had a better idea of what to look for.

Eric, It's not looseness of the springs, it's the quality of the
springs. Pro quality saxes have tempered blue steel springs. They are
quick and responsive. Student model instruments are designed-to-cost. In
other words, they are "value engineered" so they cost less and therefore commercially attractive. Consider renting before buying.

I'll keep looking at Yamaha modele. s then, and consider your advice
about moving up from the student versions. How much was your
Custom Z?

My Custom Z Yamaha cost me about 4 big ones and it came with a G3 neck.
I've since added the V1 gold plated neck 'cause it seems to play easier
(as in less wind). I'm not recommending you get a Custom Z sax, I'm recommending that you bypass considering any student model sax and look
at Intermediate model saxes.

It's been my experience to think of a happy student model instrument
owner to be likened to a happy boat owner who just sold his boat.

As for me, I'm partial to Yamaha. Never met a Yamaha I didn't like. :)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.music.saxophone

On Tue, 3 May 2016 20:31:20 +0300, "Iain Churches"
<IainNG@kolumbus.fi> wrote:

"Eric" <Eric@spamspamorspam.com> wrote in message >news:eet0ibtheggfhjhs3tdhj6gvpo7mo1plh9@4ax.com...

Can anyone recommend decent brands or sources for an economical alto
sax for a young student?

Also if anyone in NYC/Brooklyn area is selling a decent instrument,
please let me know.

I asked the same question when I started to play saxophone five years
ago. My teacher recommended a student Yamaha. It proved to be a
excellent choice with easy ergonomics and good intonation.

Chinese saxes have attractive price tags, but are sometimes difficult
to play in tune.

Iain

Thanks for the reply, Ian! I didn't know if there was still anyone
here.

Yeah, I was coming to the same conclusion about Yamaha. I just talked
with one of my favorite sax players, Willie Williams, and he loves
Yamaha.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)