THIS PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND IN TRANSITION!

OK…a longer, more formal “Introduction” text is forthcoming, but I’ve put off the web rollout for this line for a few years now, just because of the daunting project of making all the webpages.  In the interest of speeding things along until I can find more time, for now a quick, bare bones is below.

The nitty gritty: these are simply top-tier saxophones at a very friendly price.  That was my goal in committing to presenting this new line, and I believe I can satisfy any player with an NOS in the desired pitching with the right neck and set-up.  I’m totally, completely behind these lines.  If we discuss your wants and needs I’m confident that I can match you to a new horn that matches you better than your next favorite option, and at a much more modest price with a lower bottom line “out the door” resale markdown. 

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’re curious about the NOS line.

• The soprano has excellent intonation, and is a sort of “tweener” — in between Yamaha and Yanagisawa on the two primary, important fronts.  To me, Yanagisawa sopranos have a preferable tone to Yamaha, because Yanagisawa sops have a heavier, denser, thicker core and more ring and vibrance.  To me, Yamaha is lighter and more lyrical.  For the same reasons I prefer Yanagisawa, i.e. due to an opposite preference regarding the same differences, some may prefer Yamaha.  The “New Ol Skool” two piece soprano is in-between the two, tonally, but the same goes for intonation.  To me Yamahas’ intonation is significantly more user-friendly than Yanagisawa, though the latter is by no means difficult relative to other sopranos.  Both have excellent intonation, but to me the NOS’s intonation is in between the two — not as easy as Yamaha to control, but easier than Yanagisawa.

• The alto is a very modern alto, but it has the depth for “be-bop and beyond.” What makes it modern:  a very definite, concrete floor to the core of the sound, and a smooth, round feeling under the fingers — it feels physically more like a Keilwerth than a Selmer, I think, because of the characteristics of the keytouches.  They don’t feel more or less accurate than either, but they feel larger than Selmer, like Keilwerth does, without being cumbersome.  Again, like the soprano, the altos are user-friendly — they do not feel “not quite fully evolved” the way some older makes and models do.  They’re ergonomically very much like a sort of Lexus of saxophones:  smooth, efficient, predictable, comfortable, not temperamental — almost boring in their stability and smooth performance.  That last part is significant, because some people like temperamental.  The altos are not that.  They are very, very user friendly, with accurate intonation, and deep but projecting tone.
  

• The NOS tenor is a great modern horn for tenor players whose “holy grail” is the Selmer SBA.  It has a natural punchiness and spreadness and breadth to its sound that just feel good, and like home.  If you’re a traditionalist that wants a slightly brighter and more naturally forward sound than most vintage Selmer tenors offer, the NOS tenor is likely for you.  If you’re a rock, R&B or inherently brighter and edgier player than a more traditional jazz player, the NOS is up your alley but you might prefer a custom version of the bare brass tenor.  The bare brass can be brighter and louder, but if you’re going to custom order one you might as well have me prepare it for professional duty by lacquering it by hand and upgrading the pads while I’m at it.  You will still get in at a price lower than any other offering of equal quality, anywhere, and you will save on having similar work done later because I have no mechanical work to do (over and above normal set-up, which is considerable, I just don’t have to do more than that).

• The baritone is very similar to the Crescent bari, just finer.  The construction is subtly finer.  The tone is subtly more sophisticated.  The response is subtly finer so that the NOS bari is subtly easier to play.  The Crescent bari is to the bari marketplace overall what the old custom 130/0 rubber Berg was to the bari mouthpiece market, once upon a time.  It has a live, forward sound, but with deep character and guts, still, and it is about crackle and drive.  I think some vintage baris may be a bit rounder, but they do not have the crackle and drive.  A good shorthand for talking about the baris, because many may already be familiar with chatter about the Crescent bari line, is that the dollar for dollar value is about the same.  The Crescent is a hard-to-fathom value at its price.  To me the NOS bari is a parallel value, dollar-for-dollar.  The extra cost is worth it, it’s just a question of how much of your income you want to have invested in a bari.  I keep a “scratch and dent” NOS bari for myself.
  

The goal here is to present saxophones that are modern — capable of greater brightness and edge than older makes — but classic in their basic character and dynamic range.  That’s the idea in the name:  new, contemporary, but fundamentally “ol skool,” no matter how modern (or “post post-modern”) the lines’ place in the marketplace today.

(Under construction!  This page is temporary — full, final text to be added here later, so please check back….)