Ok. Rather than use this bit of blog to come to any conclusions, I'll just share my own experience with it all. It's a point people seem to obsess over so maybe this will be helpful to those on this journey.
I started playing saxophone about 21 years ago. My first horn was an old Holton Collegiate. Since then I've owned way too many horns, never settling or becoming too attached to any of them. But the one model I've had the most experience with is the famous Conn Chu Berry from the 1920's. There were 2 that lasted the longest, one was a silver New Wonder series one from 1921, the other was a 1928 model in bare brass and for about a year I had a gold plated portrait model from 1928 that was about 25 numbers away from my brass one.
The bare brass model I played for about 9 years. I don't regret selling it, I do miss my 1921 model, that was a great horn.
So for the sake of not confusing this I'll focus on these 3, or really the 1928 models cause they had the same bore, neck etc. The early ones were different.
So my main tenor, the brass 1928 model I fought a lot. It was rather spread and had a kind of dry sound. I did all manner of experiments on it, reading SOTW more than practicing and at the end of the day it simply wasn't the right horn for me.
One of those experiments was to nickel plate the neck. Something like 5 platings. I had this done for a whopping $35 at Anderson plating. The idea was to give it more 'focus' through adding weight and 'cold it up' a bit by using nickel. When I was researching this I asked a lot of folks, Sarge at Worldwide Sax was one of them. He was generous with his emailing back and forth. He said the only plating that makes an even minor difference is nickel. And he stressed minor.....
So I got it back. It looked nice, mirror like. I had my tech cork it and pad it up and wow! We both heard the difference. More focus, a bit darker and colder. Yes!! Success!!
6 months later I was still trying to solve the same problem. I've come to determine the actual problem is most likely not accepting my own sound.
So one day I tried out a gold plated, super fancy King alto from the 20's. The sound was bright, wild, fantastic, aggressive! So I got this in my head that gold is the answer to my problems. I ordered a gold plated Chu from about 1926 from Saxquest. Dull as dishwater...... I played a few more, meh.....
I even played another King alto in gold from the 20's. Nothing like that fancy one.
It's nuts to not notice that a King is a very different horn than a Conn.
I found a gold portrait Chu that was close to mine. I bought it from Theo Wanne. Horn was a beast. It behaved close to my own. Both were very spread. I recall selling it only cause I was broke and I could get a lot for it. But overall I found I simply liked my bare brass one better. I think I changed mouthpieces around this time.
So like I said, I'm not here to draw any conclusions. I would like to add this. There is the element of the brain which can see what it wants to see, or hear what it wants to hear. The incident with my tech and I being swayed by my new shiny neck is just that.
Example: I bought a 10M from a friend 3 years ago. An ugly re-lacquered 1936 model. I hated the way it looked but loved the sound. The lacquer to my eyes was that horrible looking 70's Yamaha bright color. It bothered me. Had to play with my eyes closed. Till one day it sat next to a 70's Yanagisawa which has that cheap looking yellow lacquer. My ugly 10M took on this honey hue and became beautiful in an instant. I could not for the life of me see how I saw it before, the color was nice on my eyes. I don't know what that's about except my perception had shifted entirely.
Perception or truth #2.....
I've owned a number of silver Chu tenors from different eras, including my 1921 model. I found something harsh about the tone no matter what. They didn't stick around. They lacked the warmth I need. Hence, the bit about "colding up" my tone by nickel plating the neck. I figured the combination of bare brass with a silver or nickel neck would balance the whole matter out. It didn't......
The 1921 model had about half the silver gone and that was a favorite. So that must be why right? No silver left???
Last year at KB Sax I tried 2 of his tenor madness horns. An employee pointed out his favorite which was a silver one. I found it harsh, cold. I tried the bare brass one and found it warmer. I didn't really care for either. I did try one of his necks on the bare brass one and said "now we're making music!!!"
Yet, one of the warmest tenors I've played was a silver Balanced Action. I have played a Silver Martin that was just sweet and warm.
So is this just my perception? Or is there any truth to it? I like the way silver looks and, my alto and soprano (Buescher and Martin) are silver. I can't seem to beat them at all. They are warm, dark, beautiful sounding instruments.
I do know this. This part of the journey ended for me a while ago. When I switch brands of reeds or a mouthpiece the sound dramatically shifts. I either get what I want or not. Play on this brand or that and in a few weeks I sound like I usually do with maybe a slight improvement probably due to practice and a different reed. Rather than chase plating theory or whatever, the things that I look for in a horn is how do I connect to it? I need a bit of resistance (the 1921 had that, the 1928 ones were simply too free blowing for me, that was the problem all along!). How well does it work in a recording situation? A live no microphone situation? How does it sound through a PA? How good of a tool is it for me to achieve my goals? Do I have fun playing it or does it feel too serious? Do I want to practice on this horn or not? If not, why? Can I have faith that there is a better horn out there for me if it's a drag? If I'm not working on my ideas and distracting myself with plating questions, why am I doing this?
I find all of those questions more valid than 'how does the plating affect the sound?'
I'm not here to say it simply doesn't. I am saying I've had so many opinions get into my head that have gone deep in there, enough to keep me distracted and confused. Weights, plating, big brass strap hooks, gizmos and gadgets. I think they are fun to try, but if I have any conclusions it's this: try it today and tell me how you feel after a year. Is it making your playing life easier? Or are you still struggling with the same thing?
JB
I started playing saxophone about 21 years ago. My first horn was an old Holton Collegiate. Since then I've owned way too many horns, never settling or becoming too attached to any of them. But the one model I've had the most experience with is the famous Conn Chu Berry from the 1920's. There were 2 that lasted the longest, one was a silver New Wonder series one from 1921, the other was a 1928 model in bare brass and for about a year I had a gold plated portrait model from 1928 that was about 25 numbers away from my brass one.
The bare brass model I played for about 9 years. I don't regret selling it, I do miss my 1921 model, that was a great horn.
So for the sake of not confusing this I'll focus on these 3, or really the 1928 models cause they had the same bore, neck etc. The early ones were different.
So my main tenor, the brass 1928 model I fought a lot. It was rather spread and had a kind of dry sound. I did all manner of experiments on it, reading SOTW more than practicing and at the end of the day it simply wasn't the right horn for me.
One of those experiments was to nickel plate the neck. Something like 5 platings. I had this done for a whopping $35 at Anderson plating. The idea was to give it more 'focus' through adding weight and 'cold it up' a bit by using nickel. When I was researching this I asked a lot of folks, Sarge at Worldwide Sax was one of them. He was generous with his emailing back and forth. He said the only plating that makes an even minor difference is nickel. And he stressed minor.....
So I got it back. It looked nice, mirror like. I had my tech cork it and pad it up and wow! We both heard the difference. More focus, a bit darker and colder. Yes!! Success!!
6 months later I was still trying to solve the same problem. I've come to determine the actual problem is most likely not accepting my own sound.
So one day I tried out a gold plated, super fancy King alto from the 20's. The sound was bright, wild, fantastic, aggressive! So I got this in my head that gold is the answer to my problems. I ordered a gold plated Chu from about 1926 from Saxquest. Dull as dishwater...... I played a few more, meh.....
I even played another King alto in gold from the 20's. Nothing like that fancy one.
It's nuts to not notice that a King is a very different horn than a Conn.
I found a gold portrait Chu that was close to mine. I bought it from Theo Wanne. Horn was a beast. It behaved close to my own. Both were very spread. I recall selling it only cause I was broke and I could get a lot for it. But overall I found I simply liked my bare brass one better. I think I changed mouthpieces around this time.
So like I said, I'm not here to draw any conclusions. I would like to add this. There is the element of the brain which can see what it wants to see, or hear what it wants to hear. The incident with my tech and I being swayed by my new shiny neck is just that.
Example: I bought a 10M from a friend 3 years ago. An ugly re-lacquered 1936 model. I hated the way it looked but loved the sound. The lacquer to my eyes was that horrible looking 70's Yamaha bright color. It bothered me. Had to play with my eyes closed. Till one day it sat next to a 70's Yanagisawa which has that cheap looking yellow lacquer. My ugly 10M took on this honey hue and became beautiful in an instant. I could not for the life of me see how I saw it before, the color was nice on my eyes. I don't know what that's about except my perception had shifted entirely.
Perception or truth #2.....
I've owned a number of silver Chu tenors from different eras, including my 1921 model. I found something harsh about the tone no matter what. They didn't stick around. They lacked the warmth I need. Hence, the bit about "colding up" my tone by nickel plating the neck. I figured the combination of bare brass with a silver or nickel neck would balance the whole matter out. It didn't......
The 1921 model had about half the silver gone and that was a favorite. So that must be why right? No silver left???
Last year at KB Sax I tried 2 of his tenor madness horns. An employee pointed out his favorite which was a silver one. I found it harsh, cold. I tried the bare brass one and found it warmer. I didn't really care for either. I did try one of his necks on the bare brass one and said "now we're making music!!!"
Yet, one of the warmest tenors I've played was a silver Balanced Action. I have played a Silver Martin that was just sweet and warm.
So is this just my perception? Or is there any truth to it? I like the way silver looks and, my alto and soprano (Buescher and Martin) are silver. I can't seem to beat them at all. They are warm, dark, beautiful sounding instruments.
I do know this. This part of the journey ended for me a while ago. When I switch brands of reeds or a mouthpiece the sound dramatically shifts. I either get what I want or not. Play on this brand or that and in a few weeks I sound like I usually do with maybe a slight improvement probably due to practice and a different reed. Rather than chase plating theory or whatever, the things that I look for in a horn is how do I connect to it? I need a bit of resistance (the 1921 had that, the 1928 ones were simply too free blowing for me, that was the problem all along!). How well does it work in a recording situation? A live no microphone situation? How does it sound through a PA? How good of a tool is it for me to achieve my goals? Do I have fun playing it or does it feel too serious? Do I want to practice on this horn or not? If not, why? Can I have faith that there is a better horn out there for me if it's a drag? If I'm not working on my ideas and distracting myself with plating questions, why am I doing this?
I find all of those questions more valid than 'how does the plating affect the sound?'
I'm not here to say it simply doesn't. I am saying I've had so many opinions get into my head that have gone deep in there, enough to keep me distracted and confused. Weights, plating, big brass strap hooks, gizmos and gadgets. I think they are fun to try, but if I have any conclusions it's this: try it today and tell me how you feel after a year. Is it making your playing life easier? Or are you still struggling with the same thing?
JB
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