9/05/2014

Choosing A Custom Built Saxophone

By Marlene Blevins


Any company that makes custom built saxophones will have many years of acoustic research and feedback from professional saxophonists. A good custom built saxophones should have a wide dynamic range, immediate response and be comfortable to play with ergonomic fingering. There are many excellent companies that have custom built saxophones for sale.

A good quality saxophone should be manufactured to high mechanical standards, and be acoustically refined with precise testing. The saxophone's craftsmanship should also be at a high standard so it will play perfectly and sound beautiful throughout the saxophones long life. Saxophonists that play a custom sax tend prefer them over established saxophone brands. The difference is sound can be amazing with a complex tone, response and intonation. Any superior woodwind instrument should excel in all of these areas.

The mouthpiece, ligature (the device that keeps the reed in place) and the neck are the most important parts of a saxophone. A mouthpiece should be able to produce a wide variety of tones and give the saxophone a wide dynamic range. A good mouthpiece will also make the instrument easier to play at all registers. It should also have an immediate response and stay in tune at all times with all types of embouchures.

The device that keeps the reed in place, known as the ligature is another very important part of a saxophone. The ligature should be springy in order to enhance the reed's vibration without dampening. This increases the timbre, intonation and responsiveness of the instrument enabling playing to create a wide range of emotive playing techniques.

The neck of a saxophone is the heart and sole of the instrument and is responsible for all of its sound characteristics. A high quality neck should have excellent pitch definition, evenness throughout all registers, immediate response and provide the saxophone with a rich, resonant tone.

Any decent custom sax maker will have years of experience and expertise in psycho and saxophone acoustics. This way they can help saxophonists find their ideal sax sound for their particular style of playing and music. A consultation should be provided where they ask and answer questions. They should also hear the musician play so that they can make suggestions regarding the saxophone's mechanics and acoustics.

A good quality case is an essential requirement for any saxophone and a custom saxophone maker should provide your saxophone in a case that is designed specifically for your sax. A saxophone can become damaged if it is not 100% secure inside the case, as it will move around inside the case causing wear and tear. The case should be made to high quality standards using high quality materials so it will last as long as the saxophone.

For most professional saxophone players owning a custom made saxophone is incredibly rewarding and they are a joy to play. This is because they have been designed according to the musicians specific style of playing. A high quality custom made saxophone will also last for generations and carry a lot of history. If you are a saxophonist why not consider getting a saxophone made specifically for you? You can enjoy playing an instrument that is tailored to your needs and your style of playing.




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