I am home now. Because I have a gig today down south, I left after yesterday's morning sessions to drive home. We drove all day and into the evening and got home about 2 am.
I attended Mojo's mouthpiece lecture on Friday. It was technical and informative. We learned how Mojo (Keith) uses spreadsheet technology to calculate mouthpiece dimensions among other things.
The only session I attended on Saturday was a repeat of one I saw last year. Jim Carroll has a warm teaching style and an infectious love for the saxophone and for jazz.
The dealer's room got most of my time. I tried out several tenor saxophones. Here are some brief reviews.
Washington Music Center had a Reference 36 displayed next to a Reference 54 LE. Since I own an LE, I was happy to have the opportunity to compare them. Their LE, however, badly needed a setup. The notes from F1 down were unplayable. A young salesman came by to answer questions. I told him about the horn. He said maybe I need to get used to it. I explained that I already have one. He said sometimes it's the neck. I wondered whether this kid knew anything at all. I suggested he try the horn himself. He said he could not because he is a trombone player. That solved that. Another salesman came by and explained that all of the horns on display are "out of the box."
Why do they do that? Why send unplayable saxophones to a Saxophone Symphosium? Why send a trombone player to sell them? I'll never understand it.
The Reference 36, however, had no such problems, is a sweet-playing horn, and I'd love to have one.
I played a Buffet 400 tenor. What a nice-playing horn for my kind of music. Easy low tones, effortless subtones, and perfect intonation up and down. I could have played that thing all day. That could easily be my main tenor. The salesman is from Music & Arts Center in Jacksonville and is a saxophone player. We know a lot of the same players, so we had that to talk about, too.
Next up was the Cannonball Vintage. I forget the name of the dealer. I've been wanting to try a CB Vintage since I read all the debates on sotw. This horn is definitely not for me. The tone is harsh and abrasive, and the action is clattery and loose. They said it had been set up.
I have to leave for now, but if I think of more, I'll return.