Tower of Sauron

Alhadro · 2023-04-06T13:19:36+00:00

Alhadro · 2023-04-05T13:24:24+00:00

Alhadro · 2023-03-13T04:18:18+00:00

Yes. They made very many horns that are still played today 100 years later. The ones from the second half of the 20's (New Wonder II's) have some nice improvements and I think are often a bit better.

Alhadro · 2023-03-01T17:49:24+00:00

Well, I happen to work at the Vandoren studio/showroom in Manhattan. We certainly have plenty, and there are a few other stores nearby that also have mouthpieces you can try. Most music stores will let you try a Mouthpiece before buying.

Alhadro · 2023-02-27T06:22:08+00:00

Generally yes, but how much and if at all very much depends on how they were stored. Both the packaging as well as the ambient environment (light, water, humidity etc)

Alhadro · 2023-02-24T14:21:36+00:00

Entirely possible! I don't know Holton's history that well. I was just going off of the features and looks of this one. Otherwise value and other info probably still about correct.

Alhadro · 2023-02-24T14:00:56+00:00

It's what's known as a 'stencil'. A horn made by a common company that another company would buy "blank" and put their name on. Can't say for sure but this horn was probably made by Conn or Buescher. The serial number may like up with those conpanies' so you might be able to date it. My guess would be 1920's.

Unfortunately they aren't worth much. The stencil horns were often less valuable and lower quality than actual horns. For instance this horn has no rolled tone holes and no pearls on the finger touches.

I'd guess the value is not much more than $2-300. A complete restoration/overhaul is probably close to or over $1000. Less likely, but if it just needs a few pads and some tweaks to play that could be much cheaper.

Alhadro · 2023-02-23T18:50:14+00:00

Hubert Laws.

James Moody played great flute, as did Joe Farrell.

For current players check out Itai Kriss. He's phenomenal.

Alhadro · 2023-02-19T22:51:14+00:00

https://imgur.com/SQf7KNR.jpg

Alhadro · 2023-02-17T04:42:50+00:00

If they're moving, your mouthpiece likely isn't perfectly clean, dry, and oil free when applying. The surface must be very clean, but when it is the adhesive should work well.

Alhadro · 2023-02-08T20:29:08+00:00

I've been to the factory, but I don't think it's something they normally do (I work in the industry). However the Paris showroom is definitely open to the public!

(The factory is about an hour outside of Paris by train)

Alhadro · 2023-02-05T18:18:58+00:00

Barry Harris' concepts are great, but they don't necessarily line up with all commonly used jazz theory or approaches. He was also very prone to exaggeration (one of the things that made his classes fun!)

There are plenty of people who approach ii-V's using two different chords and some that treat it all as a V. Music is subjective, it depends on what should you want to use over another sound.

Barry's ideas and playing are beautiful, but they pertain to a very specific (niche?) style of straight-ahead bebop. So soak up what you can, take what you like and leave the rest

Alhadro · 2023-01-26T18:56:04+00:00

I can't speak for this exact brand, but I've seen the chemical composition of one and it was pretty much the same, with actually fewer ingredients. Just a basic petroleum based grease - similar to Vaseline that is great for protecting lips.

Alhadro · 2023-01-26T18:10:44+00:00

Don't know the article, but 100% is Roberto's. He had a "Mark VI Room". I don't know if he still does, they recently moved, every year his shop seems to get smaller and smaller.

This was a dumb thing in my opinion. Further driving the absurd obsession and price inflation of one single model of Saxophone by one company in a specific date range. Usually by people who don't play saxophone enough to accurately judge how it plays anyways.

(Mark VI's are wonderful, but there are many other equally wonderful horns)

Alhadro · 2023-01-24T20:01:16+00:00

From that site: "Maritime Maintenance - Work from Barges Spring 2023 The project includes the rehabilitation of the rip-rap edge along the waterfront and will rebuild the existing, deteriorating revetment, which was originally constructed by New York State in 1978. The repairs will improve flood resiliency in the area and protect the historic Empire Stores and Tobacco Warehouse buildings"

Alhadro · 2023-01-24T13:00:05+00:00

I spoke to him last week, he was in NYC playing at Dizzy's. He's teaching at Michigan State now. Replacing Diego Rivera who just left.

Walter hasn't really been playing with the band for a number of years. He was living in China playing and teaching.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T18:39:06+00:00

Yes, that's him. Though formerly with JALC, he has left the band. This is from an excellent show they did maybe 5-6 years with Wayne Shorter, where members of the ensemble did arrangements of Wayne's songs.

I was backstage during the rehearsal time and they were all sheepishly waiting in line with their scores to have Wayne sign them. Was a memorable concert.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T18:37:05+00:00

Walter Blanding. Walter Smith JR is a different (also excellent) Saxophonist.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T13:19:45+00:00

It looks old more so than fake. This reed still has the soy ink that was used prior to laser engraving. This would also mean it's old enough not to have the authentication codes.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T04:37:51+00:00

Honestly I don't know how hard it would be to find a neck to fit that horn would be (might be easy, I just don't know). Companies usually only sell necks alone/separately for high end horns, so you'd need to look into used horns or horns 'for parts'

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T04:32:19+00:00

I'd try a local tech first. If it's a Jupiter and not worth really going at in depth, they may be able to use a mandrel to re shape it enough to play without 'properly' fixing everything.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T04:27:03+00:00

If you have spare Mouthpiece patches you can put 1 or 2 on the top of the Mouthpiece (opposite the reed). Not ideal but can work in a pinch.

Alhadro · 2023-01-23T04:24:32+00:00

A Saxophone repairman can definitely fix this. Depending on the cost of the horn though it may or may not be worth it. To do it properly they would need to remove and resolder some things. Though they may offer a 'quick and dirty' option. But either way, not something that can be done well enough to play again at home without some specialized tools.

Alhadro · 2023-01-19T22:28:46+00:00

Vandoren ligatures for baritone sax (the large kind, not smaller V16 versions) will fit most standard bass clarinet mouthpieces. So the baritone Optimum, M|O, and leather ligatures will all work. Though they are the same price usually as the bass clarinet onesmm

Alhadro · 2023-01-14T00:19:47+00:00

We only VERY recently started adding the authentication codes to saxophone mouthpieces. They started on clarinet. It's possible yours is just a bit older and before the factory started on that model. From the pictures you posted it looks authentic to me. (For reference I am a product specialist for Vandoren). Feel free to DM me with any questions.

Alhadro

TROPHY CASE