Soprano Saxophone

Yamaha 82zR

This is the one with the curved neck like the old YSS62R but this is even better, the best soprano I have played.

Mouthpiece - Gottsu Sepia Tone 5. Made of Silicon Rubber. This is a great mouthpiece but it seems to be a bit of an anomaly, the Gottsu website says they don’t do a Silicon Rubber Soprano.

Anyway it is great, really easy to blow and a creamy sound, not too dark but not too bright.

Reeds: Vandoren Green Java No3

Alto Saxophone

Yamaha 875ex ii

with V1 neck

This is another stunning saxophone to play. Sound is rich and complex. It can be dark but it can be bright too. It is claimed that it is for classical players but this is simply not correct, it does have a darker sound, but it has so much more. When I started using Yamaha’s I had an 82z at first as I felt I wanted to get that Mk6 sound more often, the sound was great but just too bright overall, going dark was always a bit of a push. I went back to Yamaha and tried the 875ex once more and realised what a dream of a saxophone it is. Intonation is hard to fault, ergonomics are great.

Mouthpieces:

For Jazzwork - Gottsu Sepia Tone 6 with Vandoren Green Java 2.5 or Boston Sax Shop 2.5

Classical - SelmerS80 C* with Peter Leutner Paris Cut 2.5

Ligature: Silverstein

Tenor Saxophone

Yamaha 82z Unlaquered

with G3 Gold plated neck

The unlaquered body gives a more spread sound. It could be too much with an unlaquered neck too but the gold plated G3 neck tones that down perfectly. It is quite light too and the sound is pretty close to a Selmer SBA.

Mouthpiece: Theo Wanne Metal Gaia mk1

Reeds: Vandoren Green Java 2.5

Ligature: Silverstein

Baritone Saxophone

Keilwerth SX90

Not a Yamaha! This is a Keilwerth SX90 in black lacquer. It is my oldest saxophone. It is somewhat customised now, I have added some crescents in some toneholes to even out the intonation and bent and extended the palm keys. I used to play a lot of baritone when Saxtet was busy and I started on Selmers or Selmer copies. I found the sound in the second register from D to G was very disappointing, very spread, and it wouldn’t project. When I tried older designs like the Conn 12M without the Low A the sounds in this region suddenly improved. Was it the overall tube design or was it the Low A that got in the way? Keilwerth was the only baritone at the time that I could find that had something like a good sound in that register but also had a low A which I really needed.

Mouthpiece:

1990’s Link Tone Master HR no7. This was my original baritone mouthpiece, not a vintage piece but it has a really low baffle and a decent facing. I use D’Addario Jazz Select 3s reeds

Vandoren Optimum BL4 for more classical work. With Vandoren Blue Box No 2.5

Clarinet

An old 70’s Buffet BC20 with Backun barrel and a Backun Moba Mouthpiece.

Bass Clarinet

Buffet Prestige Greenline low C with a Fobes Mouthpiece

Flute

Yamaha 677 its a flute, a nice one but it’s a flute…which I find hard to play.