The Bassic Sax Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Alto Saxophone’

Have you ever considered what might happen to your carefully collected and maintained saxophones upon your death? If you’re like most people under the age of 30, it most likely hasn’t even crossed your mind.

However, once you’ve hit 30, or once you’ve experienced the loss of someone close to you, you suddenly realize that after you’re gone someone has to deal with all your stuff. Such is the case with these 2 fine vintage saxophones currently listed by a seller on eBay.

     Source: eBay.com

The Conn curved soprano on the left is described like this:

This auction is for one saxophone. Up for your consideration is a Conn LTD Soprano Saxophone. I don’t know much about musical instruments as I am selling this for a friend who’s husband passed away. He was playing this and other instruments up until two years ago. I have another saxophone listed that was also his. This saxophone looks to be in wonderful condition. Some of the pictures have reflections that may look like dents. THERE ARE NO DENTS TO BE FOUND. I believe there is a guard piece missing from a bottom valve. I have shown this in my pictures. Other than that, it’s a beautiful looking instrument. It has a great patina which we will not touch. It is silver in color. I’ve never seen a saxophone this small before. On the front of the bell it says “MADE BY CONN LTD ELKHART IND.” On the back it says “PATD. DEC. 8, 1914. 1119954 S 51073 L.” I would guess that the buyer would be doing the usual upgrades that an older piece like this may need. Even if you don’t play a sax, this would make an outstanding display. It comes with a hard case that’s in good condition for it’s age, but it does have that old smell to it.

        Source: eBay.com

The Buescher True Tone alto on the right is described like this:

This auction is for one saxophone. Up for your consideration is a 1914 Buescher Tenor or Alto Saxophone. I don’t really know much about musical instruments as I am selling this for a friend who’s husband passed away. He was playing this and other instruments up until two years ago. I have another saxophone listed that was also his. This saxophone looks to be in wonderful condition. Some of the pictures have reflections that may look like dents. THERE ARE NO DENTS TO BE FOUND. It’s a beautiful looking instrument. It has a great patina which we will not touch. It is silver in color. On the front of the bell it says “THE BUESCHER ELKHART IND.” On the back it says “1 7 2527 TRUE-TONE TRADE MARK REGISTERED LOW PITCH LICENSE PAT. DEC. 8, 1914.” I would guess that the buyer would be doing the usual upgrades that an older piece like this may need. Even if you don’t play a sax, this would make an outstanding display. It comes with a hard case that’s in good condition for it’s age, but it does have that old smell to it.

On Sep-02-10 at 09:09:07 PDT, seller added the following information:

I’ve been told by a kind ebayer that this is a very fine alto sax.

        Source: eBay.com

I personally find it sad that the widow of this sax player has to have a friend sell these 2 horns for her, since neither seems to know anything about saxophones. For example, saxophones don’t have valves. 

I guess they didn’t take them to a music store who knows something about vintage saxes for an appraisal either. Although I am curious to know how they knew that the Conn is a soprano, since it is more difficult to ID than the neck difference between an alto and a tenor.

In any event, had they taken the horns to a music store for an appraisal, they might have been told these instruments are in fact somewhat valuable even in their current state, and that a reserve auction, or an auction with a pre-set starting price might be in order. As it stands right now, vintage sax lovers have a chance to bid on a couple of classic vintage horns that currently have extremely low prices.

The auction for both of these classic vintage saxophones runs until September 11. The Conn curvy currently has 12 bids on it, and the price is $208.05. The True Tone alto has not seen as much action. Only 2 people have bid on it, with the high bid being $60.32.

So if you have a saxophone, or a saxophone collection, perhaps this will give you pause for thought. What have you done to help your loved ones with regards to disposing of your horns? And if you an extensive gear collection—things like expensive vintage mouthpieces—that’s something else to consider.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Well according to British, classical composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, unless you’re playing classically—and even then you’d have to keep a pretty tight rein on your axe—there’s a pretty good chance it does.

Williams’ last composition, Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, was written between 1956 & 1957, and was performed publically for the first time in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in April 1958—just 3 months before the composer’s death. It was for this symphony that Williams incorporated the seldom-used saxophone.

In the program notes for his Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Williams made the following comments:

The usual symphony orchestra is used with the addition of three saxophones [2 altos and 1 tenor] and flugelhorn. This beautiful and neglected instrument is not usually allowed in the select circles of the orchestra and has been banished to the brass band, where it is allowed to indulge in the bad habit of vibrato to its heart’s content. While in the orchestra it will be obliged to sit up and play straight. The saxophones, also, are not expected, except possibly in one place in the scherzo, to behave like demented cats, but are allowed to be their own romantic selves. Otherwise the orchestra is normal, and is, the composer hopes, sound in wind and strings.

Source: wikipedia.org

Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, here is the third movement of William’s 9th symphony—the scherzo—where you can can hear for yourself how saxophones sound when they sit up and play straight.

Can you hear them behaving like demented cats in this movement? I’m not sure I even know what means. Do you?

For more information about this famous British composer, check out the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society website.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Like many musicians who play live, I tend to have a love/hate relationship with those who spin vinyl for a living. Then this morning I happened to come across an alto sax player from Moscow who seems to have very successfully combined playing live, with the sounds of club music.

The YouTube channel for Syntheticsax—who’s real name is Mikhail Morozov—is an interesting mix of electronica, smooth jazz, funk, and a number other genres all mixed together, that provides the listener with an eclectic potpourri of saxophone-driven music.

By watching a few of his videos it’s obvious he performs at dance clubs regularly—makes sense, since some of his music is very club oriented. Check out his rendition of Baker Street.

Other videos show him working with singer Laura Grig, while still other videos—presumably shot for music channels—are typical of smooth jazz videos that feature sax players walking on a beach or in other scenic settings, contemplating life.

Since I don’t read Russian, I don’t really know what people are saying about Synthetic sax, but based on the number of smilies and thumbs up he’s receiving in his comments, and the number of people who seem to like what he’s doing in the clubs, I’d say he is a pretty popular saxophonist in Russia.

To find out more about Mikhail Morozov—AKA Syntheticsax—check out his MySpace page.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.