LA Ripamonti

[pete]

Which I've also seen as "Rigamonti." Website. Hey, Helen ...

These folks have a bass sax (link to a picture gallery). It looks like a modern clone of a 1920's design. First, an Italian eBay'er has one of these for sale at about $4K US. The list for new is $8600 US. They also say that they have some sax patents, but their patent link is broken and I'm currently too lazy and medicated to check on 'em. Have you heard of these?

 

[Helen]

Nope, I haven't heard of them, but at first blush that bass looks like the Jinyin-made stencils that we see everywhere. Have you carefully compared it to any of them? I have a bunch on my website and in my gallery, so I'll check it out and see how different they are from the Asian-made horns.

 

[Helen]

Well upon gazing upon the pics of the Ripamonti bass pics in their gallery, and comparing them to the fairly extensive stencil horns I have in my gallery, I'd say they ordered their bass from Jinyin. That's kinda' surprising, since most companies have switched their bass sax orders to Jinbao--the Selmer-style bass--due to the quality issue problems at Jinyin. Jinbao by all accounts is the better-built Taiwanese bass saxophone. I can't remember when I saw a new bass sax from Jinyin. It has been at least a couple of years.

Edit: I just noticed the bass was used, and didn't come with a case.

 

[clarnibass]

I have no experience with their bass saxophone, but I liked their clarinets when I tried them a few years ago. All made in Italy by them. Their contrabass clarinet had the nicest sound and response of any I've tried (Selmer Paris, Eppelsheim, etc.). Unfortunately it also had the worst intonation and ergonomics, so much that I wouldn't really consider it in spite of the great sound.

 

[pete]

I can't remember when I saw a new bass sax from Jinyin. It has been at least a couple of years.

I checked. They do have a website, but it doesn't look like they still sell basses. They're out-of-stock on Amazon. Their old website has them listed, but the links don't work. It looks like the last major 'site update was in 2010, so that'd corroborate your memory.