Re: Suggestions, please.
OK, I can make one suggestion. Start with the mouthpiece. The Selmer c* is kind of a small chambered piece with a small tip, designed for purity of tone in classical playing. A larger chambered piece such as a Meyer or Otto Link will allow a deeper and richer sound. An intermediate tip opening, somewhere around .090 -.100 (6 to 7 in the Link system) will allow the greatest choice of reeds for tone, projection, dynamic control, and so forth. Hard rubber Meyer and Link pieces can be bought for around $100. The "saxophone sound equation" is 90% player, 6% mouthpiece, 4% horn. You can avoid the trap of considering the 4% for $1000+ before the 6% for $100. The other side of coin is that more power from the mouthpiece can accentuate the crappy sound characteristics of a horn - although I don't know if that applies to your daughter's case or not. If that does turn out to be the case, there are good Asian-made intermediate horns offered between $1000 and $1500. Chateau, Antigua, Kessler, and Saxgourmet offer good deals in that range. If you go the used route, there are some good older American professional horns to consider. Life in vintage world is more complicated than in modern world, but can also be quite rewarding. What horn does your daughter currently play?
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