Bauhaus Walstein
Alto Saxophone
....
....
$899
(New
2010 Model with updated pivot screws)
Bauhaus Walstein
Alto Saxophone
........
$899
(New
2010 Model with updated pivot screws)
The Bauhaus Walstein alto is an excellent instrument -- a legitimate saxophone. Its keyboard is considerably slicker and more comfortable than my Super 20 -- it's mechanically just designed correctly, with both hands spaced and angled comfortably, and the spacing very apt, keytouch to keytouch. The keyboard feels soft (i.e. round, without awkward angles) and fast under the hands. Intonation is good, exceptionally so from Eb2 on up through F3 and tone is good (not "tinny" -- please see sound samples below).
After adjusting, I find the alto to be very easy to play, and responsive, and the tone exceptionally even from top to bottom.
The design has all the same features as the tenor -- the phosphor-bronze body, "custom" keywork touches, high F#, doubled keyarms -- but I would argue on the whole the alto is slightly more refined; it feels a bit faster and slicker, and its tone is a touch more even when moving from bottom to top.
For a virtual playtest, please click here:
The recording is definitely "low fi", as once again these clips were recorded by the on-board mic of my MiniDV cam, but they give some idea of what the horn sounds like and what the intonation is like. So that you can see what part of the horn is being played (the clips include playtesting of low Bb to F3 -- apologies, but I just didn't think to go to F#3 when recording), I've also mounted a video snippet on YouTube of the first clip from the sound sample, which illustrates that the horn is being played down to low Bb in that segment.
I'll mount a "before" playtesting, from when the alto was straight out of the box, as well. The main change was that the keyheights were a bit uneven, and there were some minor corrections that were keeping the bottom of the horn from speaking readily when played from a standstill.
(Underslung neck-octave design)
....
(Teardrop Front-F; doubled
low C and low B keyarms)
(Very slick, fast upper and
lower stack ergonomics & mechanical design)
(F# helper bar adjuster highlighted)
(etched engraving)
(Pisoni pads)
(Screw foot adjustments,
lower stack; blued needle springs)
(Screw foot adjustments,
upper stack)
(Screw-in floating LH table
arch)
(pre-fitted tenon -- factory
done, prior to Just Saxes snug-up of upper tenon)
in stock (update 1.18.2010)
(Please note: PayPal purchases will automatically add shipping and a 3% surcharge to cover PayPal's commission -- to omit the PayPal fee, please email to purchase by check or money order)