I know they are both low brands but which is better between the two and why so? I see that Mendini gives a 1 year warranty against manufacturer defects which is a plus. But yea I don't plan to be a pro at sax, I just want something to mess around as a hobby in my list of instruments I play.
Merano vs Medini Alto Saxaphone?
- Thread starter Jrock
- Start date
We can do better than a no-name instrument if you give us your price range and location (on this planet). Friends don't let friends spend good money on bad products. And there are sooo many bad products out there accompanied by stories of woe. I'm just sayin'...
Gandalfe speaks truth, thus he is quoted.
yea pretty much since I just got out of college with no job and don't want to go overboard on something I might play once a week or so. If the eco was better that can give jobs out to college grads than you bet I'll get me a nice one around 600+ but since Its really and I mean really hard to get a job that actually pays well... under 280 is my budget. But I believe you guys are pro sax players and wouldn't even dare mess with these low cost bad brand names. But yea I just want something that will sound decent for solo to mess around.
Hey, we all had to start on something.
Please check out http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2547. That'll give you some info and some places to check out.
You have to ask yourself, "Do I want to waste $300 on a saxophone that no one else has ever heard of and might be of questionable quality or should I save up the $500 or so to buy a good, used Yamaha? Or maybe save up $600 for a relatively decent new student horn from a respectable dealer?"
My opinion is to call up either JunkDude or Kessler Music (the places I mention above) and see if you can work something out. Maybe a lease-to-own or something. Or maybe they have a really beat looking student horn that they know plays well lying around.
Please check out http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2547. That'll give you some info and some places to check out.
You have to ask yourself, "Do I want to waste $300 on a saxophone that no one else has ever heard of and might be of questionable quality or should I save up the $500 or so to buy a good, used Yamaha? Or maybe save up $600 for a relatively decent new student horn from a respectable dealer?"
My opinion is to call up either JunkDude or Kessler Music (the places I mention above) and see if you can work something out. Maybe a lease-to-own or something. Or maybe they have a really beat looking student horn that they know plays well lying around.
FWIW, I have heard of Cecilio. They are a brand of questionable quality. I have actually played on of their tenors that belonged to a friend of mine, and it was bad. Spotty intonation, uneven scale, and quite questionable build quality. Quality assurance is not something that the company appears to focus on in their lower-end models.
The problem with buying a cheap sax to learn on is that it won't be long before the limitations of the instrument become obvious to you, and become a barrier to your learning. If you are serious about learning the sax, these limitations will frustrate you, and will have you searching for another, better quality instrument to buy. This of course costs you more, because you lose money on the purchase of your first horn -- which is exactly what happened to my friend who got rid of his Cecilio for a Yamaha YTS-23. Had he just spend the money on the 23 to begin with, he would have saved himself nearly $250 -- approximately the amount he lost when he sold the Cecilio.
And while yes, I'm a pro, I'm writing this as a saxophone teacher who has worked with students for well over 20 years.
The advice given in this thread has been sound. Pete has given you a couple of good places to check out. Definitely give Kessler a call and find out what you can arrange around payment options for one of their lines of horns. They are a stand-up business, with a good, solid reputation, who by all accounts treat their customers well.
The problem with buying a cheap sax to learn on is that it won't be long before the limitations of the instrument become obvious to you, and become a barrier to your learning. If you are serious about learning the sax, these limitations will frustrate you, and will have you searching for another, better quality instrument to buy. This of course costs you more, because you lose money on the purchase of your first horn -- which is exactly what happened to my friend who got rid of his Cecilio for a Yamaha YTS-23. Had he just spend the money on the 23 to begin with, he would have saved himself nearly $250 -- approximately the amount he lost when he sold the Cecilio.
And while yes, I'm a pro, I'm writing this as a saxophone teacher who has worked with students for well over 20 years.
The advice given in this thread has been sound. Pete has given you a couple of good places to check out. Definitely give Kessler a call and find out what you can arrange around payment options for one of their lines of horns. They are a stand-up business, with a good, solid reputation, who by all accounts treat their customers well.
Last edited by a moderator:
as mentioned in the above posts those would also be my main concerns.
A low quality horn will impede your ability to learn the basic things and in the end, will be a throw away (both in the money and the instrument).
I've learned this myself too when I didn't have the money years ago when I needed to replace my pro tenor that I sold.
I bought a low end tenor only to find it didn't really work in every way imaginable - luckily i was able to return it and get my money back.
Then I tried a intermediate tenor from Kessler which played great but let's say a pro and an intermediate tenor back then was worlds of difference in tone. I ended up just waiting and saving up money to get back into a pro tenor and it was well worth it.
Granted, the low end horns (some of them) nowadays are much better than what I got about 5 (?) years ago but you really are taking a gamble nontheless.
So I don't want to discourage you from a goal of yours but we just don't want a low end horn to discourage your goal !!
A low quality horn will impede your ability to learn the basic things and in the end, will be a throw away (both in the money and the instrument).
I've learned this myself too when I didn't have the money years ago when I needed to replace my pro tenor that I sold.
I bought a low end tenor only to find it didn't really work in every way imaginable - luckily i was able to return it and get my money back.
Then I tried a intermediate tenor from Kessler which played great but let's say a pro and an intermediate tenor back then was worlds of difference in tone. I ended up just waiting and saving up money to get back into a pro tenor and it was well worth it.
Granted, the low end horns (some of them) nowadays are much better than what I got about 5 (?) years ago but you really are taking a gamble nontheless.
So I don't want to discourage you from a goal of yours but we just don't want a low end horn to discourage your goal !!
The thing about some of these Asian saxophones is that some are very decent and can be great for a beginner and some are so bad they are just a big mistake.
Some names are more known on forums, mainly because the importers are louder on the forums. Some importers invest just as much in finding a very good model to import, but they only sell in a local area so you are unlikely to find any info online. The Merano and Medini models you mentioned could be that. Or they could be very bad, if the importers just got the cheapest they could. So there is no way to know without trying.
Re the YAS-23 that was mentione, I really like that sax. It plays great IMO and is very comfortable (to me at least). However I gradually lose my recommendation of student Yamahas and consider some of those importedChinese models a better value. There are models with good intonation, good sound, decent design and build quality, but cost significantly less than student Yamahas.
Problem for me with student Yamahas are very non-level tone holes and rod screws loose inside posts and keys. These problems aren't especially important when the sax is new, but once it's used at some point they really handicap the sax, then fixing them is not cheap at all.
Some names are more known on forums, mainly because the importers are louder on the forums. Some importers invest just as much in finding a very good model to import, but they only sell in a local area so you are unlikely to find any info online. The Merano and Medini models you mentioned could be that. Or they could be very bad, if the importers just got the cheapest they could. So there is no way to know without trying.
Re the YAS-23 that was mentione, I really like that sax. It plays great IMO and is very comfortable (to me at least). However I gradually lose my recommendation of student Yamahas and consider some of those importedChinese models a better value. There are models with good intonation, good sound, decent design and build quality, but cost significantly less than student Yamahas.
Problem for me with student Yamahas are very non-level tone holes and rod screws loose inside posts and keys. These problems aren't especially important when the sax is new, but once it's used at some point they really handicap the sax, then fixing them is not cheap at all.
Well I got my sax the other day and I'm loving it! sounds nice when I randomly get the sound out right. I'm having a hard time producing the right sound. If someone can direct me to the right thread on learning I'd appreciate.
My problems:
Saxophone embouchure: I might not be doing this right because my lower lip gum (right in the center) is cut from my two bottom tooth sitting on it. I'm told that the lower lip suppose to go on top of my lower teeth but maybe I'm doing this wrong.
Blowing Air:
When I get sound I get alot of air sound with my sound, sometimes I have to move around to eliminate that air sound giving me that wonderful sax sound. Having said that my lower right incisor tooth was chipped a few years ago and was bonded. Should I be concern? or does the lower teeth not suppose to be pressed that hard when applied to the mouthpiece? I watch a few youtube but idk if they know what they are talking about. I want the facts from pros like you guys. And also while playing a sound it sounds like its at a high octaive when I'm not even pressing down (thumb) high octave key. Somehow the way I blow air it makes the high octave sound. Why is this?
If possible I'd like to gather as much information needed to understand how to play.
thanks guys!
My problems:
Saxophone embouchure: I might not be doing this right because my lower lip gum (right in the center) is cut from my two bottom tooth sitting on it. I'm told that the lower lip suppose to go on top of my lower teeth but maybe I'm doing this wrong.
Blowing Air:
When I get sound I get alot of air sound with my sound, sometimes I have to move around to eliminate that air sound giving me that wonderful sax sound. Having said that my lower right incisor tooth was chipped a few years ago and was bonded. Should I be concern? or does the lower teeth not suppose to be pressed that hard when applied to the mouthpiece? I watch a few youtube but idk if they know what they are talking about. I want the facts from pros like you guys. And also while playing a sound it sounds like its at a high octaive when I'm not even pressing down (thumb) high octave key. Somehow the way I blow air it makes the high octave sound. Why is this?
If possible I'd like to gather as much information needed to understand how to play.
thanks guys!
Jrock, the best advice I could give you is to find a local teacher and take a few lessons to get you started. This will help to ensure that you don't develop too many bad habits early on that once you've learned them, become much harder to unlearn a few years down the road.
Much of what you're describing is often caused by biting too hard. However, without actually seeing what you're doing, I can't really help you. The saxophone embouchure really needs to be taught in person, and not over the Internet. Find a teacher. I promise you that you will improve a lot faster, and get less frustrated as time goes by, if you have someone to help you.
Where abouts do you live? Is there a teacher you know locally? Perhaps we can help you in finding someone.
Much of what you're describing is often caused by biting too hard. However, without actually seeing what you're doing, I can't really help you. The saxophone embouchure really needs to be taught in person, and not over the Internet. Find a teacher. I promise you that you will improve a lot faster, and get less frustrated as time goes by, if you have someone to help you.
Where abouts do you live? Is there a teacher you know locally? Perhaps we can help you in finding someone.
Helen speaks truth, thus she is quoted.
Move thread to Beginner's area. Expiring redirect left.
Regarding embochure, I have full, pouty lips. Don't hate me because I'm beautiful! Anyhow, throughout my sax playing career, that meant that I either had a callous under my lip or a little bite mark. That being said, there are other embochure styles that can vary depending on what kind of mouthpiece you use, what music you play and what school of saxophone methodology you (well, your instructor) agrees with.
I'll also mention that another reason that your horn always sounds like it's an octave too high can be a mechanical one: most instruments, even if brand new, can require tweaking. Instruments of questionable quality can need a LOT more to get them to play decently. That being said, and no offense at all given, an appropriate instructor can take a look and listen to you and say that it's either your fault or the instrument's fault.