I don't often get to go to the music store, primarily because I either a) spend way too much time looking at things and b) it's 20 miles away, but I had to return my wife's rental soprano sax today, so I went to the "local" music store, Milano's Music out in downtown Mesa.
The interesting thing about Milano's is that they have a large percentage of the instruments that they sell on display. We're also not only talkin' student horns, we're talking top-of-the-line, like the Buffet R-13 Greenline clarinets and Selmer Reference saxophones. I'm extremely surprised that more of their instruments don't get damaged!
Anyhow, I got to get up-close and personal with several horns I was interested in looking at, the Cannonball "Stoned" horns. They had two of the bari saxophones on display, a "Brute" finished horn (i.e. "vintage brass") and a "Raven" (i.e. "black nickel") one. The thing I found interesting is how ... unappealing the "Brute" finish is, in person. I've owned several bare-brass horns that had been "naturally aged" and the "Brute" finish looks like a darker version of that. I'm not quite sure why anyone would really want that. Now, the horns also had the "semiprecious stones" scattered over them, but they were quite understated: the "Brute" horn had brownish stones that blended into the horn and the "Raven" one had black-ish stones that blended into the horn. Hey, I'd like a little pop if I'm gonna spring for a horn in the $6K range.
The other interesting thing is that you'll see that the horns are stamped, "Designed in USA. Made in R.O.C."
(Oh. The "big bell" isn't all that large, at least on the baris.)
The other thing is that there were some Selmer Soloist saxophones behind the Cannonball baris. It was interesting how similar that the horns looked.
The one thing that I thought was better looking in person than online was the Cannonball clarinets with their selection of "exotic wood" barrels and bells. Very pretty and much nicer looking than the Buffet horns and Selmer Soloist clarinets.
Now, this is all just "looks." I've no idea how any of these play or sound. But, y'know, if it looks good, chances are that you'll play it more!
The interesting thing about Milano's is that they have a large percentage of the instruments that they sell on display. We're also not only talkin' student horns, we're talking top-of-the-line, like the Buffet R-13 Greenline clarinets and Selmer Reference saxophones. I'm extremely surprised that more of their instruments don't get damaged!
Anyhow, I got to get up-close and personal with several horns I was interested in looking at, the Cannonball "Stoned" horns. They had two of the bari saxophones on display, a "Brute" finished horn (i.e. "vintage brass") and a "Raven" (i.e. "black nickel") one. The thing I found interesting is how ... unappealing the "Brute" finish is, in person. I've owned several bare-brass horns that had been "naturally aged" and the "Brute" finish looks like a darker version of that. I'm not quite sure why anyone would really want that. Now, the horns also had the "semiprecious stones" scattered over them, but they were quite understated: the "Brute" horn had brownish stones that blended into the horn and the "Raven" one had black-ish stones that blended into the horn. Hey, I'd like a little pop if I'm gonna spring for a horn in the $6K range.
The other interesting thing is that you'll see that the horns are stamped, "Designed in USA. Made in R.O.C."
(Oh. The "big bell" isn't all that large, at least on the baris.)
The other thing is that there were some Selmer Soloist saxophones behind the Cannonball baris. It was interesting how similar that the horns looked.
The one thing that I thought was better looking in person than online was the Cannonball clarinets with their selection of "exotic wood" barrels and bells. Very pretty and much nicer looking than the Buffet horns and Selmer Soloist clarinets.
Now, this is all just "looks." I've no idea how any of these play or sound. But, y'know, if it looks good, chances are that you'll play it more!
