Saxophone Forum


by Lexter
(1 post)
19 years ago

Cannonball Mad Meg

I currently play on a student level Keilwerth Tenor. I have been playing it for four years now and I need to make an up grade. I tried out some horns and did a little searching around and I ran into a Cannonball Mad Meg no laquer. I liked it, the horn had a big tone and for the price I thought it was a good deal. What is the word about Cannonballs, if you own one please give me some feed back. Thanks.

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  1. by connsaxman_jim
    (2336 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

    You want to upgrade to a Cannonball from a Keilwerth?!?!?!? Stick with your Keilwerth. Much better horn. If you want to upgrade, look at a Keilwerth SX90 or an SX90R

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  2. by sirmarkus2
    (11 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

    I dont know about your playing style or such, yet I do know the nature of the Cannonball Saxes. I sell them. I am not one to push into a sale though. Having met with the pwner of Cannonball and heard him play I trust his horns. I also have been in a number of bands that have Cannonballs in them and all the best players that I have met have been playing on the Big Bells. I would recommend the Mad Meg, it is my favorite of the finishes. I my self play in a top college jazz band on bari. I play on the Black and silver Cannonball and it is really lovely! In that same band there are 2 others playing on cannonballs, both tenors. One has an all silver and the other has a mad meg with lacquored keys. The first tenor is also in a traveling jamacian ska band playing tha meg. I know that the keilworth saxes projection is nothing like the cannonballs. In this jazz band I play in the first alto plays on a keilworth. he can never project loud enough to compensate for the yamaha 2nd alto and the other cannonballs around him. needless to say, he was kicked out due to his lack of performance. My Bari has been the best investment that I have made, it is going to take me far and I have a reasurance that I have not paid tons for it. I also know many people that are recording on the Big Bells, even big name people. All in all, with the experience that I have had with both keilworth and cannonballs, yamahas and yanigisawas, and conns gallour, I would choose, and have, the cannonball for the intonation projection and price.

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    1. by definition
      (963 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

      Basically, I'm gonna ehco what sirmarkus2 said, i alos play the bari, and its better by far the otrher baris I have available to play. The CURRENT production horns(the big bell series) are great pro horns. But I'm not gonna push it on you, I would suggest you try as many different horns you can put your hands on and go with the one that sounds right to you. Look at the new Yamahas, Selmers, Keilwerths, and Yanigisawas. And if you like vintage horns, look into the Conns, Kings, Martin, Selmers, and Beuschers for starters. Go with the one that sounds right for you.

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      1. by connsaxman_jim
        (2336 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

        I tried the cannonball Knight alto a couple years ago and didn't like it at all. I tried another big bell global series tenor a few weeks ago. Slightly better, but still sounded a little thin to me. It had lots of power though. It cut pretty good with an old Meyer piece I have. I thought the action and the keywork was pretty good. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it at least a 7. For the money, I guess it wasn't too bad. What is the Mad Meg, exactly? I've yet to see one. I'll have to check around. I would like to try a tenor just for curiosity.

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        1. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

          the mad meg is the same finish you find on an 82Z UL looks pretty cool

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        2. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

          Ahhh, so it's unlaquered? Hmmm, not sure I would like an unlaquered finish. Any other differences between the Mad Meg and the Big Bell Globals?

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        3. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

          the Mad Meg is a Global series horn, its just the unlaquered finish, sorry for the confusion there. I also dont really like the intenionally UL finish like that, I prefer a plated horn mostly but wont object to laquer by any means! consaxman_jim, you should take a look at Cannonball's sight, they have a chart that shows when they made what changes to their horns, and a bunch of good info about them. Of course you should give the Big Bell horns a good try! the Cannonball site is: cannonballmusic.com

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        4. by sirmarkus2
          (11 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Cannonball Mad Meg

          The things being said about the cannonball horns are very true. As I have said in a previous posting, I have sat down with the owner Tevis Loket and heard is stories about the horn. The older additions of the Cannonball have stainded the name a bit. the royal crowns, 96's 98's and excaliburs have been a weak horn, but like with what happens with any trial and error, progress is made ver time. The big bells are a great horn and match so well to a lot of different people. This is the story that tevis told me about his changes that he personally makes with each Big Bell horn. He is a religious man, and said that one night while working on his horns, he sat down after a long day of design and didnt really feel good about the horn. Then he said, that after carefull thought, an idea came into his mind which bassically said to change the air flow through the neck and the body of the horn. He did that, and on every Big bell, if you look inside the neck, you will see hte scratches and etching that tevis personally made on that horn. With the air flow, and 21 some odd different adjustments he personally makes, the Big Bells final product made a huge influence on the world. They have had huge sells and always run out of horns, like getting a fresh bari right now will take you about 3 months to get. I know a ton of poeple that love these horns, try them out.

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