Everybody has a new saxophone out today… They all claim they
design them, or re-work them in the US….. but if you really look at them, they
all look alike and just have different names on them…. It cost me
$100,000.00USD for the tooling to set up the Kenny G Professional soprano with
the Mark VI left had little finger keys and modern palm keys… that is before I
got 1 soprano…. It cost an average of $10,000.00USD to make the jig for a new
key….. most of these guys have the same key designs, same necks etc.…. anyone
can put their name on a saxophone… and add a lot of BS…. It is important as
always to consider the source…. Do they have experience in saxophone design?
Are they repairman? Who is their client list? Can they play the saxophones?
(and because they can pay does not make them a designer)
When you look at my saxophones you see unique key designs… designed to make
reaching them easier for the saxophone player…. Different necks… 1 with a
patented neck brace design with siding weights… I lived in Asia (Mainland
China, Taiwan, Vietnam) for almost 5 years studying the making of saxophones,
clarinets and flutes…. Ask these makers how much time they spent at the factory
making their saxes and just why and how they designed the saxes….. Why do their
keys look just like every other sax?
There is so much BS on the internet and at the trade shows it is very hard for
find the truth about anything…. It starts with the leadership of the country
and does have a “trickle-down effect” of stupidity and greed. Every US mouthpiece maker copy good products,
why shouldn’t the saxophone guys just use the same thing…. I am not
bad mouthing the saxophones… most of them play very good… I am just
disappointed in both the sellers and the clients in what they are doing and
believing…. BS seems to rule now days!
