Which Saxophone Sounds the Best to YOU???

#bettersax #saxophone #tenorsax
Jay Metcalf plays and compares 4 tenor saxophones to see what viewers like best.

The Saxophones heard are (not in this order):
➤Buescher Big B Aristocrat (built in USA 1940s)
➤Selmer Mark VI (built in France 1960s)
➤Yanagisawa T880 (built in Japan 1980s)
➤Yanagisawa TWO2 (built in Japan 2010s)

Mouthpiece played in this video: Phil-tone Intrepid 7*
Reed played in this video: Rigotti Gold Jazz 4S

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[nhr]

A and D were my favorites. They just sounded warmer.

[BSMElderScrolls]

I liked B the best, not much of a difference really but I think it stands out because its a bit darker. Plus I have a Buecher.

[ethanhui]

In my opinion, the best sound is :
1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B

[steverackley]

"You're gonna sound like you" ... I think that just about sums it up!

[richsteevo]

Didn’t like B. A was ok. D sounded dull but I loved how rounded and “classic” horn C sounded - beautiful man !

[johnwhitehead]

I've been playing alto since 1966. I've owned a Selmer Mark VI up until just a few weeks ago that I purchased new in 1973. I earned a degree in saxophone performance in 1980. I've been a band geek all those years in one form or another, the most recent in a National Guard Army band from 2005-2016. I honestly could not tell enough of a difference to decided that one sounded "better" than another. It's all about the person standing behind the horn. Very nicely done.

[jasmineduran]

“If you can’t be with the one you want, love the one you’re with. If you can’t have the saxophone you want, love the saxophone you got.”
I’m gonna remember this when I get my saxophone in the future. I was wondering which one I should get, whether Tenor or Alto, and I think Saxophone A will work best for me. Thank you for posting this! 🙏🏼❤️

[colinevans]

It's A and D for me. The older Yanni sounds much better the the new one, and as a MKVI player myself that subtle sizzle in the upper mid is recognisable. You sound great on all of them.

[robwood]

A was my favourite, followed by C/D with equally nice tones, and bottom was B.

[TownHouseFilms]

I loved B the best. A smoky warm earthy sound. Lovely!

[rautibo]

i instantly said WOW when B sounded. nice round sound... so, i guess first impressions matter

[tlahnala]

They all sounded great. This is a testament to Jay's playing. Nice job. I selected A and D as the best sounding horns and chose as a wild guess D as the Mark VI.

[Baboon]

Nice demo, thanks for posting :) He sounded pretty much the same on all 4 Saxophones. It's all about the concept of sound, our internal anatomy, our embouchure, & the MP/Reed set up that affects our sound. I don't know how much more proof you need than this video.

[ralfputz]

Hey Jay, thanks for this timely video, made 4yrs ago, as I’ve been looking at a Yanagisawa tenor T880 in mint condition for $3000aud, and I think I’ll be going ahead with the purchase. Love your work. 👍

[mikebotton]

I picked D first as the one I preferred and then as the MkVI. The differences are subtle but the Yanagisawas definitely sounded a bit brighter to me. The MKVI just has that unique timbre especially in the low register. Great stuff, Jay, you sound brilliant on all of them.

[Thedondurrett]

I liked "B" the best for the overall range of the horn. Sounded great on low and high range. I'm currently playing a Vito student horn which was all I could afford. I still had my OttoLink Super tone master 5 with Java 21/2 reed. had a T901 Yani years ago and was playing an Armstrong Kielwerth that my teacher who played a Mark VI said had a great sound. Looking to upgrade as soon as possible to at least a solid intermediate horn. Just started playing again after several years and never really got beyond the intermediate level. Love your play sax by ear series.

[timobesamusca]

Man you sound great on each of them! But I liked C the best.

I think you are right in that you will always sound like you, no matter what horn you play, and do agree that responsiveness of a horn is key.

BUT I do think the build quality and blue print of a saxophone can influence its responsiveness. I asked my SuperGuru repairman to set up my Mauriat the same way he had set up my Selmer (which is freaking excellent), but “there was only so much he could do” (his own words) given the way the Mauriat was built.

[r.g.saxone]

Excelente comparación ! Thanks for sharing ! It’s not about the gear, it’s about how much time you spend with ! 👍🏼

[paulready]

Thank you very much for this video. As a person in their 60’s with no music background what you said about the mouthpieces and reeds makes a lot of sense. At first I liked the sound of the Big B and the C, but after the second play through they all sounded similar. I was interested in getting a Yamaha or a Selmer, but now I know it doesn’t really matter as to the brand, so I will get one that I can afford. I do like the deepness of the sound that a Tenor makes over the Altos.

[MattWillisBagpiper]

C has my vote. Wow. It's both present and full. Thanks for doing this!