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Forum » General Discussions » Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? by BlackEclipse (11 posts) 19 years ago Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? I'm sorda a noob to Saxophones and Reeds, In Fact i'm a noob to all Reed Instruments. So, I ask, What is a good starter horn (Tenor Saxpohone) to buy, that's good for a starting Sax player (Not Beginner musician) and good reeds to start with. I want to play the type of music that Ray Charles played; Jazz, Blues, and R&B. Take into consideration that I played a C Major scale on a Bari. Sax once using a 4 reed. My teacher, who is a accomplished sax player, said it would be hard for me to play, it did'nt seem that hard to me, hmm ! maybe im special ! lol. I play Baritone (Not Saxophone), Euphonium, Tuba, Trumpet, and Trombone, very well. So being able to play those instruments will that affect my saxophone playing for the better or worse ? I want to play Tenor Sax. not Alto. Could ya'll also educate me in playing saxophone. I also have a budget, so anything over $1500 is to much. Thanks in Advance. Reply To Post [Report Abuse] Report Abuse Web Address * Your Name Your Email Address Comment
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by 1saxcoconut (6 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Check out the DC Pro line at dominicmusic.com. Good prices.. Havent gotten one in yet but they sound impresive. I also played a Cannon Ball Big Bell Global Series they are way open.. Find one on ebay for around a grand.. read my post on DC Saxes in General discussion Reply To Post by rosscoe88 (5 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Not sure whether you've heard of them, but Temby saxes are great value, and suitable for beginners and are still great as you develop. I played a Yamaha Student tenor before moving onto a Yahama YAS-23 alto, now I've got my own Temby Vintage Alto. They're about 3,000 Australian dollars (around 1500 US, i think). I played the basic Rico reeds for two years, and they're ideal, there's a basic Temby mouthpiece that comes with the instrument that's good for starting out, too. I go by a Rovner lig, too. Have a look at them! :) Reply To Post by connsaxman_jim (2336 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? If you can play a C scale and have had some music training, you should be able to learn sax easy. I really think it's easier to play than baritone horn, Of course, I don't play brass! A yamaha YTS 23 would be a good starter sax. If you're looking for a great r&b sound, I would recommend and older Conn 10M or a King Zephyr or Super 20. These horns have a great r&b/blues sound. I think you should be able to find a 1948-1962 10M in good shape for around $1500. The earlier 10M's with the rolled tone holes are usually more expensive, but those made from 1948-1962 are the best players. Start out with a fairly basic mouthpiece, like the Rico Royal Graftonite B3 and a # 2-2 1/2 reed. Maybe a Rovner lig. That's the set-up I use. Reply To Post Yahoo! by BlackEclipse (11 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Thanks, My teacher told me what to push down and well thats how I did it, she said i had good tone though. Thanks for the info Reply To Post by johnsonfromwisconsin (767 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Yamaha makes some pretty good saxophones, even in it's Student Yx23 line, but even used they are quite pricey for non-proffesional horns. A new YTS-23 costs nearly what a proffessional YTS62 Mk II at www.wwbw.com and more than the intermediate 475! I don't know why this is, but I expect it's because the YTS and YAS-23s are in high demand due to almost universal praise and recommendation from instructors who might be unaware of much else. I would suggest going over to www.kesslermusic.com and look at what they offer. As far as online shops go, his reputation is about as good as I've heard. Reply To Post by johnsonfromwisconsin (767 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Anyway, i don't do much R&B, but it sounds like other people typically suggest a Meyer 5 or Otto Link for that sort of thing. I'd recommend resisting large openings at this point, personally. For reeds, I would suggest trying something basic like Ricos until you establish yourself and your tonal concept on saxophone, then I'd say try just about anything from there to see what you like. Reply To Post by BlackEclipse (11 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Thanks for all the info. I was thinking about the 10m or the Zehpyr (or how ever you spell it, lol) I played the Baritone, Euphonium, Tuba, Trombone, and Trumpet. So ya, I have musical training, I've been in band since 6th Grade and I'm in 10th ATM. I can sight read well. Hopefully Tenor Sax is'nt that hard. Thanks again for the info :) Reply To Post by connsaxman_jim (2336 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? Just to comment on what Johnson said. The Yamaha YTS 23 is a good beginner horn, but although you are new to saxophone, you obviously have some musical ability. Why buy a horn that you're probably going to want to upgrade in a couple years? You're going to grow out of that 23 soon! The Meyer 5 or Otto Link 6 are great suggestions for mouthpieces. I just want to clarify something about large openings. You want a mouthpiece that has a more open chamber, but you want a medium facing. I'd start with a Rico Royal Graftonite B3. They're cheap! Under $20 through wwbw. Get a Rovner ligature, and try a 2 1/2 reed. The basic Rico's are actually pretty good reeds. I bought some Vandoren V16's and I was having some intonation and altissimo problems with my 10M. I tried a couple different reeds out of the same box and had the same problem. I took my sax down to my tech and asked him what he thought the problem was, and he just smiled and handed me a cheapo Rico reed! I laughed and put it on....problem solved! Some people complain about Vandorens being inconsistant. They're consistant, CONSISTANTLY BAD! Reply To Post Yahoo! by BlackEclipse (11 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? I was thinking about getting the YTS-62II, It's a Yamaha. It looks like a good starter horn and one i'll be able to use till college. Thanks for all the info guys :) Reply To Post by connsaxman_jim (2336 posts) 19 years ago Re: Whats a good horn and reed to start with ? YTS-62II is a good choice. They have a well-centered tone that is suitable to just about any type of music, while the Custom Z is brighter and more appealing to jazz players. It'll definately get you through college. Reply To Post Yahoo!