Forum of the Saxes

Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

Can anyone tell me about it? Never heard of it, and am having trouble fining it over the net.

Someone is selling me a Montana Sax which is blue in colour for about US$240 or S$400. Is it worth it? I am going to learn to play the sax soon. Smile

reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

I have yet to find a good sax that has anything but clear or black lacquer (that's not a novelty item). Black only because Keilwerth or somebody decent offers it.

Never heard of Montana, either, but if you're just starting out, a cheap sax is the way to go (as long as it plays properly). If you can, I suggest you take it to a music/sax shop or a pro sax player (someone not the person selling it), have them play it and ask their opinion of it. Ask if it's decent enough to start on. If you've heard it played (in person) and thought it sounded fine, then that's probably enough to justify purchasing it (assuming you have an idea of the many types of sounds different saxes/player can produce).

I'd offer to do it, but as we know you're a bit far away from me :p (and I'm poor).

JPSaxMan · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:31 pm Post subject:

LA Sax has different color lacquers, reisio.

Most likely, it's just another cheapo run of the mill horn. It will last for about 6 months before little things start to happen, then it'll fall apart Crying or Very sad

I would stay as far away from it as you would from gueber cheese Laughing

_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

Thanks for the advice!!!

Hmmm..... its alittle too cheap to be true, yet expensive enough to be risky. I'll ask my teacher(which I have yet to get)

reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

JPSaxMan · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:42 pm Post subject:

Ah...I dunno, I saw a kid at Districts with an LA Sax (didn't make it) but it still looked like a nicely crafted horn Very Happy

_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

altosax4ever · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:25 pm Post subject:

Looks ain't everything...
_________________
Music IS Life

(and the saxophone is breathing)

Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

What's the difference between a good and bad sax?

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

Everything

Stay out of any colored saxes..they sound horrible.

Once you've been playing sax for a little while you're realize the difference between good and bad. It is quite apparent, especially when you have to go get the bad sax repaired and the repairman goes 'It's too cheap to repair, repairing it may actually break it further'. If you go to www.wwbw.com and search for their 'BandNow' instruments those are pretty good. For the small price tag, their very good and the support at WWBW is very very good. I got a BandNow trumpet and even though it had it's problems, for only $150 it was a very nice instrument to learn on and when it broke WWBW fully paid back the repair when I told them what exactly broke.
If all your looking for is a simple instrument to teach yourself with than their the way to go. I don't think they are very suitable for playing in an ensemble though =/
I am considering buying a Sop. from them as just a kickaround though

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject:

And even better than the BandNow ones are the Barrington horns (a lil better priced and look a lil more quality built). Of course considering I'd upgrade to a better horn down the road, I'd rather wait till then to buy a good soprano Cool

_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

Either that, or getting an old Sop. and fixing it up Cool

Like my tenor!