Being up in Saint Louis for the last week, we tend to monitor the local papers (both real and alternative) for information as to what's going on up there these days. My lovely wife Joyce Ann noted in a pass through the Riverfront Times that there was a place there in town called Saxquest.
While I had noted the name in the past, I had not paid it much mind as I wasn't looking for a new horn or to have any extensive work done on one of mine. However, we had enough free time to arrange to pass by the establishment, located in the Cherokee Street antique district on the south side of the city proper.
In keeping with the area, the exterior appearance of the shop is done up in traditional "gentrification" colors - rich deep green, red trim, and gold leaf where it mattered. Inside, the two bays of the commercial block that the firm occupies have been refurbished with an eye to the overall appearance as well as the practicality (when thinking of instrument repair). They had a nice open house when the place opened last year (a DVD of which festivities was picked up by yours truly), and it's obvious that Mark (the owner) put a lot of thought into everything about the place.
I didn't get to see much of the repair operations (we first arrived on a Saturday just as the shop was closing up for the day, and we only accidentally walked in through the repair area door), but half of the first floor is set up for the repairpersons to work their magic. This is no little workbench in a closet operation.
The offices were placed in the other half of the downstairs. Think old style music store with displays and cases and you've got the right idea. Mark sits there at a computer, talking to all and sundry while not wearing any shoes.
Upstairs over the office is the real treat. Here, Mark maintains what he calls his "saxophone museum". And, while there may be more comprehensive collections somewhere else, Mark's is one real eyeopener of a bunch of horns.
No contrabass, at least none that I saw. And, the horns present were only of the "classic" variety - as Mark says, the Yamaha line just hasn't been around long enough to qualify.
But, what has is the attraction. Mark has in his collection:
A SATB set of original A. Sax horns, all of which are in playing condition
A alto and tenor from the Leblanc "Starship" horns, the ones with the fabulously complicated mechanism
Odd little Lyon and Healy soprano looking things
A room full of everything Buescher
A wall of the good Colonel's products in all sizes and finishes. I saw horns of the same model and finish as my Helen Willson alto, but none with the same portrait in the cartouche. I told him that I would bring it by the next time that I came up.
Another wall of classic Selmer horns in all sizes. The gold plated horns were particularly spectacular, but the rest were worth the trouble as well. No low A alto, however.
A couple of Grafton altos, along with a stripped Grafton alto body. No Grafton baritones or basses, though...
Catalogs, ad spreads, marketing comic books and books on things saxophonic. (Particularly interesting were the comic book style presentations, one implying that a young man would become more popular by taking up the saxophone.) They even had the book on the Six Brown Brothers (That Moaning Saxophone - The Six Brown Brothers and the Dawning of the Musical Craze)
Two soundproof practice booths for those who want to try any of them out. (I had no mouthpiece with me, so I was unable to experience the Leblanc experience. Bummer.
Located in the eastern half of the United States, visiting Sax Quest is relatively easy for most. Just don't show up after 2:00 PM on a Saturday...
While I had noted the name in the past, I had not paid it much mind as I wasn't looking for a new horn or to have any extensive work done on one of mine. However, we had enough free time to arrange to pass by the establishment, located in the Cherokee Street antique district on the south side of the city proper.
In keeping with the area, the exterior appearance of the shop is done up in traditional "gentrification" colors - rich deep green, red trim, and gold leaf where it mattered. Inside, the two bays of the commercial block that the firm occupies have been refurbished with an eye to the overall appearance as well as the practicality (when thinking of instrument repair). They had a nice open house when the place opened last year (a DVD of which festivities was picked up by yours truly), and it's obvious that Mark (the owner) put a lot of thought into everything about the place.
I didn't get to see much of the repair operations (we first arrived on a Saturday just as the shop was closing up for the day, and we only accidentally walked in through the repair area door), but half of the first floor is set up for the repairpersons to work their magic. This is no little workbench in a closet operation.
The offices were placed in the other half of the downstairs. Think old style music store with displays and cases and you've got the right idea. Mark sits there at a computer, talking to all and sundry while not wearing any shoes.
Upstairs over the office is the real treat. Here, Mark maintains what he calls his "saxophone museum". And, while there may be more comprehensive collections somewhere else, Mark's is one real eyeopener of a bunch of horns.
No contrabass, at least none that I saw. And, the horns present were only of the "classic" variety - as Mark says, the Yamaha line just hasn't been around long enough to qualify.
But, what has is the attraction. Mark has in his collection:
A SATB set of original A. Sax horns, all of which are in playing condition
A alto and tenor from the Leblanc "Starship" horns, the ones with the fabulously complicated mechanism
Odd little Lyon and Healy soprano looking things
A room full of everything Buescher
A wall of the good Colonel's products in all sizes and finishes. I saw horns of the same model and finish as my Helen Willson alto, but none with the same portrait in the cartouche. I told him that I would bring it by the next time that I came up.
Another wall of classic Selmer horns in all sizes. The gold plated horns were particularly spectacular, but the rest were worth the trouble as well. No low A alto, however.
A couple of Grafton altos, along with a stripped Grafton alto body. No Grafton baritones or basses, though...
Catalogs, ad spreads, marketing comic books and books on things saxophonic. (Particularly interesting were the comic book style presentations, one implying that a young man would become more popular by taking up the saxophone.) They even had the book on the Six Brown Brothers (That Moaning Saxophone - The Six Brown Brothers and the Dawning of the Musical Craze)
Two soundproof practice booths for those who want to try any of them out. (I had no mouthpiece with me, so I was unable to experience the Leblanc experience. Bummer.
Located in the eastern half of the United States, visiting Sax Quest is relatively easy for most. Just don't show up after 2:00 PM on a Saturday...
Maybe the aliens abducted them. 
