One take wonder in the building. Super impressive. You went from a thorough breakdown to playing the sax 🎷 (very well) and then right back into your review without skipping a beat. Respect ✊🏽
I jumped off the cliff figuratively speaking, and bought a cheap soprano. In fact, I jumped off twice. Once for getting a soprano, and twice for getting a lesser known brand. It is a Jupiter which is made in Taiwan. I have a Yamaha YTS-62 II, a Conn Vintage Alto Pam Am. Not happy with the Conn for its lack of a F# for altissimo range, I found and bought a Yamaha YAS 275 Alto. Then the seller mentioned that he also has a Soprano for sale, for a good price. My impulsive edge took over, and bought it as well. After three weeks of intensive learning, I actually found the soprano rather nice. A generous application of key oil on the joints, it feels easy to work with. Then after much digging around, to my surprise, it has a high G# key built in too. Altissimo G# is now easier to reach. Another nice surprise is I found the High F# and G# actually sound better than my Yamaha YTS-62 II. But that is purely subjective of course as I do not have a tuner to verify it. I think the major difference between an expensive unit and a cheaper one is the finish. I found spots of fading lacquer, especially on the soldering points. But the joints are solid. By the way, even my much more expensive Yamaha YTS-62 II has a few bare spots when new, and it is some 5 time more expensive. For people who are tossing between a straight and a curved soprano, I believe a curved one might be better if you practiced for more than an hour at a time. My straight soprano becomes heavier as I passed the hour mark into a session. Mind you, it is a piece of relatively heavy brass, and it's centre of gravity is some 30 CM away from you.
Thanks for the review. I was on the fence about the Lazarro or the Ammoon horn. I played for 20 years, broke my hand, stopped for 10, but thinking about getting back in the game recreationally. I'll most likely invest in a quality mouthpiece, but for this price point, I think I'm gonna get it.
Very well put together mate. I recently got a odyssey curved soprano and had the same tuning issue. Low end was fine but I was a half step out in the higher register! Got a Yamaha 4cm and pushed on as far as it goes it sounds great! Right now I'm feeling it's my favourite sax! I find you can whisper the notes effortlessly compared to alto or tenor.
Thank you! Yeah some tweaks on these lower end saxes really make a difference- and for the hobbyist it's a no brainer to get one in your collection. Thanks for watching!
The case and all the accessories smell so strong of that toxic "instant cancer" chemical that Chinese stuff always has. I had to put it all out in the garage to air out and I doubt that horrible toxic smell will ever go away. But the horn itself is surprisingly well made. Once you get the cork sanded down - I needed to get my Selmer S80 mouthpiece all the way against the octave pip to get it up to A=440 - and still the low D, C#, C, B are very flat. I was able to adjust those keys so they open wider and that helped a lot. Had to adjust the G# key to open wider too. Now it's playing pretty well in tune. Mine also had a big blob of solder inside the neck - I had to carve that blob of solder out of the neck. After all of that it plays pretty well in tune and the action seems to be a very good copy of Yanagisawa. Surprising how good the keywork is. Pads are really sticky though.
Greetings I'm always curious to ask people who bought inexpensive saxophones to hear how they hold up over time. I still believe that Chinese saxophones have become very capable instruments nowadays. I now have 5 Chinese made saxophones, and I like them a lot🎷😊
Yeah I can relate that to because i bought one from Temu app.which is golden laqaur and when i play it it sounds good when playing from bottom up to mid range and then when u hit hi notes its abit flat and sharp.
Hi, I have just bought a second hand Bentley curved soprano sax. I normally play the alto and occasionally the tenor sax, but I have been persuaded to buy this soprano. I must admit that I feel less deflated after hearing you play, because that is what I potentially COULD sound like. You have a great tone. Have you heard anything about the Bentley curved sopranos at all? I can’t seem to find any info on them, so wondering if they are vintage possibly? Thanks for the demo video. Very informative.
The Bentley brand I am aware of is produced in China, with modern keywork and is likely very similar to this sax. Are the low key holes on the inside, outside, or one on each side of the bell? For a doubler, it’s really hard to beat these inexpensive reproductions- vintage sopranos are cool but honestly the modern keywork is better to have in my opinion. Thanks for the watching my vids!
@@GarageMaxedOut I don’t know about the key holes, as I don’t even know what you mean? I have felt disheartened because I paid a lot of money for this. I will check tomorrow as it’s late here and it is in its case. Thanks for getting back to me.
My dad recently bought one from a yard sale for 40 dollars, it's black and gold curved sax and it has the MBAJ initials.. anybody will know the price of this things? Looks pretty expensive it comes with the case and looks like everything is in there will appreciate any feedback thank you in advance
I have found a few pieces of info on it- looks like a modern keywork student stencil. Any model number or other marking on it? As far as pricing goes, shine a flashlight down the sax (neck off) and see if any of the pads have visible leaks. If not, you definitely got a good deal- I sold a similar stencil for $200 last year.
@@GarageMaxedOut that's the only thing I've seen around so far (by glancing at it) but I'll definitely check it out, and thank you for the info i appreciated i love your videos by the way
Yani 991. If it needs to be new, Kessler or Antigua. If you are looking for one you can buy online with a good return policy, the 280R is a great choice if you can go a bit higher- amzn.to/3aSc67M
Hello, man. I'm just wondering if you could help me. I learned how to play sax with my cheap alto Global Saxophone. I did pretty well with my playing. Then, at some time, a friend offered me her Curved soprano Fernando Sax because she wants to buy an alto sax for her daughter. So i decided to swap our instruments. We swapped. Now, the problem is, it really gives me a very hard time to give a decent sound. And when I make one, I just don't like the sound of it. The way your sax sounds is different from mine. Is it broken? Or does the mouth piece and reed matter? I have 2.5 in my previous sax as well as with this curved soprano. It sounds so deep. I really think it should sound sexy. Please help.
What kind of mouthpiece are you playing on? For sax more than other instruments I have found that they really make a big difference. If you are using the stock mouthpiece I would ditch it for something with a wider tip. If you are looking for a really bright sound, you can grab a metal mouthpiece. If you are looking for more air to move you can go with just a wider tip on a hard rubber piece. amzn.to/3d9YmGa
Hi -- I think this sax was made with the included mouthpiece in mind. I bought one of these and I noticed that the stock mouthpiece goes on well, nice and tight but not too tight. I tried a Selmer C* (metal one) and it was really tight, needing the cork shave that you talked about. Was yours the same way? (maybe you just tossed the stock mouthpiece... :) ) Its weird that they would make it thinking that anyone would want to use the crappy stock mouthpiece that comes with it! Nice video too and great playing!
@@houndz4175 Ah ok, that makes sense. Just poking around on the co.uk site, looks like several good black friday deals over on that side of the pond- you are lucky
Black Houndz with Amazon’s return policy there isn’t much risk. I watched a video of the Amoon/LADE saxes from another TH-camr and he was really impressed. Are you a beginner or pro doubler? If beginner, I’d say go for it- you can always return it if it comes with a defect, and for the price point I don’t think you will find that anywhere else (ie craigslist, Facebook, etc)
One take wonder in the building. Super impressive. You went from a thorough breakdown to playing the sax 🎷 (very well) and then right back into your review without skipping a beat. Respect ✊🏽
The Paul Orona Experiment thanks man!
Instablaster.
I jumped off the cliff figuratively speaking, and bought a cheap soprano. In fact, I jumped off twice. Once for getting a soprano, and twice for getting a lesser known brand. It is a Jupiter which is made in Taiwan. I have a Yamaha YTS-62 II, a Conn Vintage Alto Pam Am. Not happy with the Conn for its lack of a F# for altissimo range, I found and bought a Yamaha YAS 275 Alto. Then the seller mentioned that he also has a Soprano for sale, for a good price. My impulsive edge took over, and bought it as well. After three weeks of intensive learning, I actually found the soprano rather nice. A generous application of key oil on the joints, it feels easy to work with. Then after much digging around, to my surprise, it has a high G# key built in too. Altissimo G# is now easier to reach. Another nice surprise is I found the High F# and G# actually sound better than my Yamaha YTS-62 II. But that is purely subjective of course as I do not have a tuner to verify it. I think the major difference between an expensive unit and a cheaper one is the finish. I found spots of fading lacquer, especially on the soldering points. But the joints are solid. By the way, even my much more expensive Yamaha YTS-62 II has a few bare spots when new, and it is some 5 time more expensive.
For people who are tossing between a straight and a curved soprano, I believe a curved one might be better if you practiced for more than an hour at a time. My straight soprano becomes heavier as I passed the hour mark into a session. Mind you, it is a piece of relatively heavy brass, and it's centre of gravity is some 30 CM away from you.
Thanks for the review. I was on the fence about the Lazarro or the Ammoon horn. I played for 20 years, broke my hand, stopped for 10, but thinking about getting back in the game recreationally. I'll most likely invest in a quality mouthpiece, but for this price point, I think I'm gonna get it.
Get it! Glad to hear someone getting back into the game
Very well put together mate. I recently got a odyssey curved soprano and had the same tuning issue. Low end was fine but I was a half step out in the higher register! Got a Yamaha 4cm and pushed on as far as it goes it sounds great! Right now I'm feeling it's my favourite sax! I find you can whisper the notes effortlessly compared to alto or tenor.
Thank you! Yeah some tweaks on these lower end saxes really make a difference- and for the hobbyist it's a no brainer to get one in your collection. Thanks for watching!
The case and all the accessories smell so strong of that toxic "instant cancer" chemical that Chinese stuff always has. I had to put it all out in the garage to air out and I doubt that horrible toxic smell will ever go away. But the horn itself is surprisingly well made. Once you get the cork sanded down - I needed to get my Selmer S80 mouthpiece all the way against the octave pip to get it up to A=440 - and still the low D, C#, C, B are very flat. I was able to adjust those keys so they open wider and that helped a lot. Had to adjust the G# key to open wider too. Now it's playing pretty well in tune. Mine also had a big blob of solder inside the neck - I had to carve that blob of solder out of the neck. After all of that it plays pretty well in tune and the action seems to be a very good copy of Yanagisawa. Surprising how good the keywork is. Pads are really sticky though.
Never would have thought! Love it
Yes, awesome!
Greetings I'm always curious to ask people who bought inexpensive saxophones to hear how they hold up over time. I still believe that Chinese saxophones have become very capable instruments nowadays. I now have 5 Chinese made saxophones, and I like them a lot🎷😊
thank you for this video, i have always wanted to learn and now will get this
Glad it was helpful!
hows it holding up after 2 years?
Yeah I can relate that to because i bought one from Temu app.which is golden laqaur and when i play it it sounds good when playing from bottom up to mid range and then when u hit hi notes its abit flat and sharp.
Yup, sounds the same
Hi! What can you say about lazzaro direct soprano saxophone? Is it worth buying it for a small price?)
Hi, I have just bought a second hand Bentley curved soprano sax. I normally play the alto and occasionally the tenor sax, but I have been persuaded to buy this soprano. I must admit that I feel less deflated after hearing you play, because that is what I potentially COULD sound like. You have a great tone. Have you heard anything about the Bentley curved sopranos at all? I can’t seem to find any info on them, so wondering if they are vintage possibly? Thanks for the demo video. Very informative.
The Bentley brand I am aware of is produced in China, with modern keywork and is likely very similar to this sax. Are the low key holes on the inside, outside, or one on each side of the bell? For a doubler, it’s really hard to beat these inexpensive reproductions- vintage sopranos are cool but honestly the modern keywork is better to have in my opinion. Thanks for the watching my vids!
@@GarageMaxedOut I don’t know about the key holes, as I don’t even know what you mean? I have felt disheartened because I paid a lot of money for this. I will check tomorrow as it’s late here and it is in its case. Thanks for getting back to me.
@@GarageMaxedOut in reply to your question, it is exactly structured as the alto sax, only smaller.
sounds good, awesome!
Thank you!
How is it holding up?
My dad recently bought one from a yard sale for 40 dollars, it's black and gold curved sax and it has the MBAJ initials.. anybody will know the price of this things? Looks pretty expensive it comes with the case and looks like everything is in there will appreciate any feedback thank you in advance
I have found a few pieces of info on it- looks like a modern keywork student stencil. Any model number or other marking on it? As far as pricing goes, shine a flashlight down the sax (neck off) and see if any of the pads have visible leaks. If not, you definitely got a good deal- I sold a similar stencil for $200 last year.
@@GarageMaxedOut that's the only thing I've seen around so far (by glancing at it) but I'll definitely check it out, and thank you for the info i appreciated i love your videos by the way
Oscar Sanchez Thank you!!
What straight soprano saxophone would you recommend for me? I’ve been playing alto sax for a while. My budget is under $2000
Yani 991. If it needs to be new, Kessler or Antigua. If you are looking for one you can buy online with a good return policy, the 280R is a great choice if you can go a bit higher- amzn.to/3aSc67M
Selmer
Hello, man. I'm just wondering if you could help me. I learned how to play sax with my cheap alto Global Saxophone. I did pretty well with my playing. Then, at some time, a friend offered me her Curved soprano Fernando Sax because she wants to buy an alto sax for her daughter. So i decided to swap our instruments. We swapped. Now, the problem is, it really gives me a very hard time to give a decent sound. And when I make one, I just don't like the sound of it. The way your sax sounds is different from mine. Is it broken? Or does the mouth piece and reed matter? I have 2.5 in my previous sax as well as with this curved soprano. It sounds so deep. I really think it should sound sexy. Please help.
What kind of mouthpiece are you playing on? For sax more than other instruments I have found that they really make a big difference. If you are using the stock mouthpiece I would ditch it for something with a wider tip. If you are looking for a really bright sound, you can grab a metal mouthpiece. If you are looking for more air to move you can go with just a wider tip on a hard rubber piece. amzn.to/3d9YmGa
@@GarageMaxedOut Thank you so much, bro! Inspire more people.
Hi -- I think this sax was made with the included mouthpiece in mind. I bought one of these and I noticed that the stock mouthpiece goes on well, nice and tight but not too tight. I tried a Selmer C* (metal one) and it was really tight, needing the cork shave that you talked about. Was yours the same way? (maybe you just tossed the stock mouthpiece... :) ) Its weird that they would make it thinking that anyone would want to use the crappy stock mouthpiece that comes with it! Nice video too and great playing!
Yeah I did have to shave it to work, the cork pad is just so thick. Thank you for watching!
Why does the saxophone look so small
It’s a curved soprano
❤❤❤❤👍
Dump that 4C mouthpiece sounds very thin !!
Thank you
It is not the cheapest. LADE curved soprano saxophone is
What price is the LADE showing for you? It shows at $270 in my area- amzn.to/2L3s83x. In contrast, the Lazarro was $240- amzn.to/34EqFc1
There is a different LADE which costs £170 but I think in might only be in Europe.
@@houndz4175 Ah ok, that makes sense. Just poking around on the co.uk site, looks like several good black friday deals over on that side of the pond- you are lucky
@@GarageMaxedOut do you think I should buy it a it might not be good?
Black Houndz with Amazon’s return policy there isn’t much risk. I watched a video of the Amoon/LADE saxes from another TH-camr and he was really impressed. Are you a beginner or pro doubler? If beginner, I’d say go for it- you can always return it if it comes with a defect, and for the price point I don’t think you will find that anywhere else (ie craigslist, Facebook, etc)