The end of the first World War marked the time when the production of
saxophones went into high gear, especially in the United States and
Europe. From that era throughout the 20th century, the manufacture of
saxophones has continued unabated. But just like everything else, a wide
disparity exists in the quality of manufacture, from one maker and model
to the next.
Over many decades a few brand names have become best known,
including Buescher, Buffet, Conn, Holton, King, Leblanc, Martin, Selmer,
Yamaha,
Yanigasawa, etc. In addition to these are perhaps hundreds of minor brand
names which appear on instruments that have simply been custom labeled
(engraved) at the point of manufacture by the leading makers. Most of the
saxophones in that category were (and still are) marketed as "student" or
"marching band" instruments.
Regretfully, many of the so-called
"student-line" saxophones are of poor quality, especially the older
instruments. Inconsistency in bore, tone hole placement and elevation,
quality and gauge of brass, keywork, etc. - all of these may cause
significant difficulty and frustration for beginners or intermediate
players. We should wonder how many potentially fine players give up
because of the problems in getting a poor instrument to respond. (A very
good argument can be made that the most important time for a player to
have a fine instrument in hand is during his/her very first lessons.)
However, with assistance from an experienced teacher and/or professional,
a good, used "student-line" instrument can be found which meets all of the
essential requirements. At the same time, such an instrument usually
represents a considerable savings in cost. Also, if the instrument has
not been abused, even a heavily-used but well-maintained saxophone will
play as it did when it was brand new.
Points to consider:
As mentioned above, thousands of saxophones were produced just after
1918 and through the 20s and early 30s. The later trend was for
manufacturers to produce saxophones in lacquered brass, the finish that is
by far the most popular today. On occassion one can also find rareties
plated with chrome or, in special cases, plated entirely with gold. But
of the first group, a few distinctive features are common:
- Virtually all are silver plated (some with a gold plated inner
bell)
- Many have the words "low pitch" engraved on the back below
the thumb rest
- Many are marked "patented 1918" (though most were
manufactured in the 20s)
Caution No.1: Do not buy the
instrument if it has been "modernized" by the removal of the silver
plating. This practice is intended to give the instrument an up-to-date,
glossy brass appearance. The problem is that removing the silver plating
via electrolysis and buffing means the resulting thickness of the
remaining brass is too thin, especially in the lower register. An
instrument with original plating will usually play fine in the low
register from Db to Bb. But most often, after the plating has been
removed a tell-tale "wolf" or two will be heard as a gurgling or slightly
growling tone in one or all of the lowest notes. It means the walls of
the saxophone are vibrating spuriously along with the air inside the
instrument bore. It also means the instrument should be made into a
lamp or lawn ornament (paint it pink for a flamingo
motif). Again -- DO NOT BUY a saxophone that has been stripped of
its silver plating. Accept no explanations. Accept no discounts.
Caution No.2: Be careful about buying an instrument that
has been "newly overhauled" or "reconditioned" Ä which most often means
the original lacquer has been removed and a hard-won collection of nicks
and scratches in the brass has been polished off. N.B. When an
instrument made of brass is polished, the work is almost always done on a
buffing wheel which, with various applied compounds, will remove some of
the brass from the body of the instrument (same problem as in Caution
No.1). Buffing wheels also can cause other problems if they pass too
closely to the edges of tone holes, making them irregular or even slightly
warped. Although new pads can temporarily disguise this problem, any such
affected tone hole will invariably require frequent repadding, in addition
to the problem of the change in intonation caused by the tone hole
disfiguration from a careless buffing wheel.
It is for these
reasons that a saxophone with its original lacquer is usually best (even
with a patina darkened from age, with all the small blemishes and
scratches intact). Remember, all the pads and corks can be replaced many
times with no ill effect on the instrument. Remember also that excessive
polishing will cause the same problems as the removal of silver plating
(e.g. low register growling et al referred above).One way to determine
if an instrument has been overly polished is to closely inspect the
engraving on the bell, the serial number, and the regions right along the
post work. If it all looks too smooth or rounded, or if the engraving
looks a bit worn off, chances are very high that the instrument has been
overhauled either badly or too many times. In sum, a saxophone should
NEVER be relacquered except in the case where all polishing is done by
hand, and where polishing is intended only to remove the discoloration
which usually develops on the surface of natural brass. Polishing should
NEVER be done to remove harmless nicks or scratches. One can imagine what
would happen to great string instruments if, every time they received a
little nick or scratch, the body of the instrument were sanded down and
revarnished to make it look smooth and shiny in the show window.
Preposterous. But that same has happened to the ruination of many fine
saxophones. Therefore, with regard to condition, the best choice is a used
saxophone which:
- has NOT been buffed and relacquered
- but HAS
been cleaned, repadded, recorked, lubricated and adjusted
Caution
No.3: Brand recognition. Some brand/model names offer a good guide to
what can be expected, e.g. a Buescher "Aristocrat", a Conn
"Constellation", a Selmer "Mark VI", etc. But even in those cases, an
experienced player should be consulted to audition the instrument and
evaluate its overall history and condition. Sometimes an old, silver "no
name" saxophone can score as highly as a famous brand/model in similar
condition. The primary differences between instruments under
consideration will have to do with tone quality and intonation. It is
here where the better known brands and models usually have the edge. And
that is why those instruments often command a considerably higher price.
Advice from an experienced professional is again highly recommended.
Caution No.4: Make sure the instrument has a proper case.
The saxophone should fit snugly in the case padding, with contact support
along the full length of the instrument. "Gig bags" & other sleek
carry-on, zipper cases are convenient and chic but also very hazardous to
the instrument. For beginners a solid, no-nonsense case will save many
trips to the repair shop. They also are perfect for showing off favorite
decals, labels and stickers.
Excerpted from Saxophone
Germaniums by E.Yadzinski, copyright 1994, Plume d'Esprit, Snyder,
NY
segue to the: UB
Saxophone Ensemble
send: ANY QUESTIONS to the SUNY-Buffalo
Saxophone Faculty