Good intermediate / pro model for Soprano?

WoodwindDoubler

WoodwindDoubler

Hey all ... I'm in the "research" phase of finding a good soprano - not too expensive because I want to buy a bari this year too.

I had the Yahama 475II recommend to me a couple times ... but after trying it ... the left hand action is too spread out.



Anyways ... does anyone have any good suggestions or recommendations to try?
 
WoodwindDoubler said:
Hey all ... I'm in the "research" phase of finding a good soprano - not too expensive because I want to buy a bari this year too.

I had the Yahama 475II recommend to me a couple times ... but after trying it ... the left hand action is too spread out.



Anyways ... does anyone have any good suggestions or recommendations to try?
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Look for a used Yanagisawa S6. That's the sop they copied from the Mk VI. You can often find them pretty cheap. I sold one to a former Humber student about 3 years ago now.

I know we have one waiting to be prepped at Cosmo. Give me a call.
 
I also like the Yani S6. Nice horns. I played an Antigua Winds A590SPC for a couple of years and thought that was a nice horn as well. Now I'm playing a Rampone & Cazanni R1 in heavy silver plate. It's like playing a vintage Buescher with modern keywork. Huge sound.

I know a lot of guys who love their Yamaha 62 sopranos but personally I like the modern Yani's better.
 
I was not impressed with any of S-6 Yanagisawa sops I tried. I suppose it had to do with those VI-style palm keys, but overall the horns I tried weren't all that neat to have to put up with the palm keys. I know, I know, others love that design. I have a VI-clone soprano (non-Yanagisawa) that plays much better than any S-6 I've tried.

But the Antigua 586/590 series (the ones with the "YS" in the serial) are really nice. Even the 582 (fixed-neck like a Yanagisawa S901) are good players - and inexpensive. I have a 590LQ - very good for the price.

I'd rather have my Antigua than any Yamaha I've owned or tried. But that's just me.

And, if you can handle one, a late-model Buescher TrueTone is a superb soprano . . . I have two of those and they are among my all-time favorite sops. They may be seeing price increases recently, but they are GOOD. I bounce between my TT's and my S901 for serious work. DAVE
 
Thanks for the posts guys! ... i'll definately check em out.

Thanks for the heads up, Merlin. I'll give you a call on Tuesday.
 
I second Buescher, if you want good intonation and decent tone. A pre-1940 Evette-Schaeffer, if you want intonation and great tone -- and if you can find one. I, of course, prefer curved.

I know the keywork isn't as good, but they were pro-level horns and are a bit cheaper than a new 475 (around $1700). (Also note that these vintage horns essentially require large-chamber mouthpieces, so if you play some pea shooter, please disregard :).)

Hey, vintagesax.com's got a straight Buescher for $1250 (and a 5 day return policy). There's also an "85% plating remaining" horn with "new pads" that's supposed to be really cheap.

Junkdude.com's got a couple sopranos a that are bit more expensive, but he also has some interesting newer sopranos, too.

Compare a few :).
 
Pete: I know we've been over this ground before, but for the record here, I find no need for "large chambered" soprano pieces on any vintage soprano I've owned. Frankly, I don't know what a large-chambered piece is, unless one is describing the opening to the barrel. Vintage soprano pieces do not work for me.

My favorite soprano piece is the Super Session J, followed by Morgan Vintage (I have 6 and 7 and prefer the 7), STM Link 8* (I also have a 7* and prefer the 8*, although the STM Links play harshly for me), Runyon Custom 7, and S-80's in G and J come to mind.

The only problem I have on vintage sops is the length of the piece. For me to come to pitch (and not much beyond A-440) I need to shove on a fair length. The S-80's and Morgans were too long - so I had the end of the barrels shortened. Now they shove on far enough for me. The upper octave pip and its rib on vintage sops is what prevents me from shoving on far enough - modern sops don't present that problem.

So, my Bueschers have good scales with those modern pieces and my Conns had decent scales. A Saxello I owned was awful, though, regardless of what mouthpiece I sued. DAVE
 
The Saxello, etc. were not intended to be good players, they were intended to look good enough so you'd buy 'em :).

Mmm. There's a rather significant visual difference between the large chamber Rascher and a rather medium chambered one, the S80.

YMMV.
 
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