Saxophone

[Phoenix]

I played from age 10 to 18. Thank god I played football so I never had to sport the ridiculous marching band gear and prance around. I was in concert band and jazz band though and picked on all the other "marching band nerds."

It's been about 15 years since I touched a sax but I'm getting the itch. I'm thinking about droppin' some coin a nice professional grade model ($ 2000 - $ 4000, alto or baritone) and getting back to it as a hobby/stress reliever.

Any sax players out there? If so, what kinda tips you got on picking up a nice horn?:cool:

[SlapBone]

I'm lysdexic. I thought this post was about me.

Carry on...

[Qwikshot]

Homer Simpsons' attempt at playing Lisa's sax...

"Saxamaphone, saxamaphone..."

[tucker342]

I don't know jack shit about the Saxophone. But my brother is incredible. I think his was about $6,000. Of course he's a music major....

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Phoenix
I played from age 10 to 18. Thank god I played football so I never had to sport the ridiculous marching band gear and prance around. I was in concert band and jazz band though and picked on all the other "marching band nerds."

I'm sorry, but as a former band nerd myself, I find it beyond funny that someone who was in concert band would think he wasn't a nerd simply because he wasn't in the marching band.

That's like having sex with your best friend while adamantly denying that you've had a homosexual experience. I give you a 94 on the UIC scale.

Anyway, I haven't touched a saxamaphone since I graduated from high school. Too one-dimensional an instrument for me.

Carry on.

[alterra]

Originally posted by Qwikshot
Homer Simpsons' attempt at playing Lisa's sax...

"Saxamaphone, saxamaphone..."

That was my first thought when I saw the title of thread. Saxamaphone!

[kingnebwsu]

I majored in music in college...I can't even remember what kind of sax I had. Haven't touched it in 2 years. Maybe you could have mine? ;) J/K

Mine was a solid instrument and it was like...$2000 in '97. Make sure you get a solid mouthpiece, though. The generic ones are pieces of crap. Also, Vandorren reeds are the best...I like to use a #3.

Damn, what kind of sax do I have? Too lazy to check.:o

[MJ4H]

Originally posted by Phoenix
never had to sport the ridiculous marching band gear and prance around.

weak

[Poli]

I actually marched two years and played football two years. Of course, I had concert band all four years (all though, how much concert playing do you do during football season?), and I played in the jazz band my senior year. By the way, I played trombone.

My wife played concert and jazz, as well as marched all four years. She played the saxaphone. I've no clue what type she had, but I'll see if she can tell me. I do know she still has it and it's a treasured item to her, though I also know she hasn't played it in four years.

Me, on the other hand, I lost my trombone to the great flood of 1993 (shows you two things: The importance of my trombone, and where I stored it over the summer; in the basement). It's amazing what a trombone looks like without brass. I ended up playing a school owned bass trombone my senior year.

I played a little, emphasis on little, up here in Great Lakes my first time through. My time was pressed and they wanted my weekends. My weekends go to driving to see my wife, so that didn't work out. Too bad. :)

[revrew]

Sax player here. Own an alto, but played the baritone through high school. Am a bit confused by your post, though.

"Nice coin" for a bari will run waaay over 2-4 Gs. A cheap bari will top $2000.

But an alto? Always thought that was the "learner's" instrument. Play it until you graduate up into a real saxophone. Soprano, tenor, or baritone.

Sorry I can't help you with finding a good deal. Haven't been in the market.

And as for ksyrup's comment about "too one-dimentional". HAH! Squeel it, growl it, seduce it, jazz it, dixie it--the saxophone is only one dimentional for people who don't know how to play. :D Carry on.

[SnDvls]

Former Sax player here too, Tenor actually switched from the alto my second year at ASU. Hey if it weren't for us "marching nerds" there would be no Rose Bowl parade! And if it weren't for the marching band I would not have gotten to march in that parade and see my team come within 19 seconds of a N.C. or get a free trip to Hawaii out of it....or lastly my wife who I ment in the marching band.

Anyhow, check e-bay for a good buy. Get a used one and have a local music store clean it up and put new pads on it then see if you still want to play it before laying down a ton of cash on a new one. Just my 2 cents though.

Travis

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by revrew
And as for ksyrup's comment about "too one-dimentional". HAH! Squeel it, growl it, seduce it, jazz it, dixie it--the saxophone is only one dimentional for people who don't know how to play. :D Carry on.

Yeah, I guess I should have added that I don't really like the kind of music it's best suited for as a reason I never really enjoyed playing it. I guess that's what happens when you show up for school one day in 5th grade and they make you choose an instrument on the spot - shoulda gone with drums.

[QuikSand]

I would have been greivously disappointed had there not been a mention of "sax-a-ma-phone" in the first ten response here. Glad you didn't disappoint.

[SplitPersonality1]

Originally posted by ardent enthusiast
I actually marched two years and played football two years. Of course, I had concert band all four years (all though, how much concert playing do you do during football season?), and I played in the jazz band my senior year. By the way, I played trombone.


A fellow trombonist. Excellent.

I was a band geek and did the marching band, pep band, concert band, jazz band Superfecta all four years of high school.

As far as purchasing a new professional quality sax, you might want to look a high-end Yamaha or a Yanagisawa. Check out interstatemusic.com for more info. They are located here in Wisconsin, but they ship anywhere. I think they still offer free shipping if the purchase is over $100.

Out of curiosity, why are you looking at an alto or a bari. What happened to the tenor sax? Just curious.

Good luck in your search for a good saxomaphone.