Coming soon:
Just Saxes "Crescent" Saxophones
* Sopranos now in stock, first will be ready to ship on Aug 7-14 *
last updated: 7.30.10
 



 
 
 
 

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New Line of Retail Saxophones Forthcoming from Just Saxes

Reception of the Bauhaus Walstein bronze-phosphor line has been really excellent, and eye opening, but not surprising.  After first encountering them myself, and playing and getting a feel for them, it was obvious even prior to actually selling any that -- as the first truly high quality saxophones from mainland China in terms of performance and durability -- they marked a new era for the saxophone market.  At this writing, and at their current pricing (under $800 for the tenor), I still consider them to be the best value on the market, especially once the brand's service and warranty are taken into consideration.  I have been extremely happy with my own service from the Bauhaus Walstein brand, as my customers have been.  I have yet to see a bad word written anywhere on the web about customer service from the Bauhaus brand owner, and there are quite a few reviews, now, on the web for them.

While I only carry the bronze-phosphor models from the Bauhaus line, I have received many inquiries about other finishes, but I only carry what I have played, and what I can stand behind.  Having only played the BW line's bronze-phosphor models, I have only been able to offer those in the past.  Interest in the Bauhaus saxophones in other finishes did, however, inspire me to look into an affordable line of saxophones that I can offer under the Just Saxes name, providing the same kind of value with a saxophone I can make available in other finishes.

This led me to make inquiries and send for test samples from a number of manufacturers in mainland China.  I have found a maker who will make saxophones to my specifications that play incredibly well (I have already received, played, and taken apart samples), and that I can stand behind with my company name.  If there is a manufacturer making better saxophones in China, I don't think it has been discovered on the market yet.  These are great saxophones at previously unimaginably affordable prices, and I have asked for them to be made with certain materials -- and not with certain materials -- in order to address some of the issues that have come up from time to time for saxophone shoppers in the past.

The Crescent saxophones are currently in the process of finalizing features and final test sample approval, and should be available in April, 2010.  I will try to make them available at prices significantly under $1000, and I will do everything in my power to make the Just Saxes line the single best value available anywhere in the world.  That may sound like a bit of hyperbole (it would to me), but I would not bother to develop my own line if I didn't feel I could offer equal or better value, dollar-for-dollar -- and in a legitimately professional level saxophone -- than anything else available on the market at this time.

While detailed photos and sound samples will be up once all the details are final, for now, here are a few photos of the prototype soprano, laser engraved with my jiu-jitsu club's logo, just for fun (retail line will feature a different Just Saxes logo):

I have uploaded a couple of brief sound samples, as well, and will put more up as they become available.  The alto and soprano models are in their last stage of testing & of finalizing features.  There are still a couple of updates I want to make to the newest prototypes, but I did get a recording of one of our best young NOLA saxists on the alto, and one of myself playing the soprano.  I don't normally do this, but on the soprano track, since I'm playing with a backing track, I put some reverb on the soprano.  With reverb, it sounds a little corny (a lot corny), but that is probably better than the textural dissonance when the backing is produced and an overdub isn't.  I also mixed the soprano track down bare, with no effects, so the soprano's own sound can really be heard, which is the last file, below:

 
Just Saxes "Crescent" 
Sound Samples
 
soprano
alto
tenor
for .mp3 sound sample of 
Just Saxes Crescent soprano
(approx 1 min.)
click here
 
 

for .mp3 sound sample of
Just Saxes Crescent soprano
without backing track and effects (approx 1 min.)
click here

 
for friend's .mp3 "virtual playtest" of Just Saxes Crescent alto
(approx 1 min.)
click here

Update 1/18/10:  recorded a small file of the Crescent alto prototype in a "saxophone quartet" type of format, with all four saxophones being the same Crescent alto with a vintage Meyer 5M mouthpiece (bare saxophone, no processing or effects added):


 

for higher resolution .mp3 file of same clip,
Just Saxes Crescent Alto with Meyer mpc
(all four parts are Crescent alto with Meyer)
click here
(coming soon)
 
 
 
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Features:
 

* Gold plated finish *

Goldplate is for many the most durable, as well as the most attractive and desirable, finish.  Some argue that this finish is also the best in terms of sound; I don't know about that.  I only know it cannot possibly hurt to go with the same finish that vintage American saxophone manufacturers used on their finest saxophones.  I like goldplate from an aesthetic standpoint, and from the standpoint of doing everything it is possible to do in the service of the best possible practical results.
 
 

* True modern pivot screws *

The first high quality saxophones to come from the PROC and make a really large splash in the marketplace, the first Bauhaus Walstein saxes -- the ones that created the buzz for the BW line, had a pivot screw that was basically the same, mechanically, as the pivot screws on vintage Buescher and Conn saxophones.  While this has never been a major point of concern for vintage Buescher and Conn enthusiasts, the design did create a difference between those earlier BW pivot screws and the tapered variations found on most modern saxophones (this design has since been changed and updated with the new Bauhaus "Action Improved" 2010 model).

For the Crescent line, I have opted for a pivot screw design that is identical in its logic to Selmer's design.  In part this is because Selmer is rightly the industry standard, and in part it's because I wanted a self-locking tapered pivot screw.  While I did not find the older "peg" styled pivot point to any more logically a problem than on a Conn "Chu Berry" or early Buescher "400," certainly it does not hurt to update them, and a tapered screw does potentially make for better tightening up when the time for an overhaul arrives.
 
 

* High F# *

A handy edition for high notes, including a few altissimo notes, I had the choice of having these horns made with or without a high-F# key.  I chose to include the high F# as the only rational reason I have ever seen given -- or experienced -- as an argument against the high F# is that some vintage horns with a high F# key seem to have lesser altissimo response.  The Crescent line (much like the Bauhaus Walstein line) has exceptionally good altissimo response.  I don't think there is a saxophone being made today at any price that has better altissimo response, expecially on the sometimes challenging high G3, than the Crescent and Bauhaus Walstein (phosphor) lines.
 
 

* "See-saw" Low B - Low C# slider mechanism *

The left-hand pinky table design of the B&S and Yanagisawa saxophones has always been my favorite, and I believe it is inherently the slickest, removing the awkward slide between low B and low C# that most players find to be a sticking spot.  The see-saw linkage functions as, literally, a kind of slide for the pinky finger between the two keys.  I think this is the single best left hand pinky table design, and that is why I have made it standard on the pitchings where the factory has made it possible to do so.
 


* Doubled Key Arms *

For alto and tenor, the low C, low B and low Bb keys all feature doubled key arms.  The second keyarm prevents large keycups from twisting torsionally, by flexing at the keyrib, and give a surer, firmer feel.  They also protect the cups against knocks and bumps apt to upset the seating of a conventional, single key arm thanks to the larger leverages of these larger-cupped keys.  The second key arm provides a stability you can actually feel, especially when you close a doubled key arm with shorter key tubes, such as the low C.
 
 

* Real mother-of-pearl and abalone keytouches *

Plastic keytouches are fine, functionally, but where real, organic materials are available, I much prefer to use those.  They have a slightly finer feel, and a more familiar (as with classic saxophones) weight to them, and I just like them aesthetically.
 
 

* Brass thumbrests *

For years, I have been offering brass thumbrests for the left hand thumb rest as a custom option.  I prefer a brass thumbrest myself, for the left thumb, and a brass thumbhook for the right hand, so I have made these standard on the Just Saxes Crescents.  A brass thumbrest for the left hand feels better, for many, and it is very sturdy and won't crack; similarly, a brass right hand thumbhook won't break in the middle of playing the horn (a decided advantage).
 
 

* Custom, aftermarket neck options:  Yanagisawa & Yanagisawa-compatible necks *

While the original goldplated neck has its own unique character -- a professional line quality, with an unusually flexible pitch center for a modern production saxophone with modern intonational accuracy -- unlike many saxophones being made in Taiwan and PROC, the Crescent is compatible with Yanagisawa necks, and with any aftermarket neck made for Yanagisawa.  With a Yanagisawa neck, a Crescent -- including in terms of evenness of scale and in terms of exact intonational characteristics -- plays virtually identically to a Yanagisawa.  Both silverplated Crescent necks, and Yanagisawa aftermarket necks are available, fitted by Just Saxes, as custom options, and with a purchase price discount when purchased with a Crescent saxophone.
 
 

* Full Just Saxes set-up and regulation *

The finest saxophone ever made, in poor repair, will not be able to reveal its true nature to a player or buyer.  The comfort one feels, and the freedom one feels, when a horn feels just right relies crucially, and one could very easily (and accurately) argue almost completely, on its state of adjustment and repair.  While a saxophone with great acoustical engineering may reveal its basic voice without everything being right, responsiveness, evenness, intonation and tonal character are all dependent on proper adjustment and repair for their excellence or lack thereof.  The factory does a GREAT job of seating pads, and overall set-up -- I have sampled from several PROC factories, and the one making the Crescent is by far the best -- there are still a number of final touches, some more profound, some more subtle, that contribute to the final playing qualities of the saxophone.  Every Just Saxes Crescent is carefully played and attentively regulated before it is allowed to go out into the world.
 
 
 
 

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Artists:
 


Elliott "Stackman" Callier
(Just Saxes Crescent soprano prototype)
- Fats Domino Band, Lee Dorsey, Treme Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and many more -

Around New Orleans, everybody who knows music knows Stackman.  He is the voice of New Orleans soul, and can embarrass everybody on stage with three notes, when he's feeling his horn.  He has been a saxophonic landmark in this city for many, many years, and along with my old friend Frederick Sheppard formed half of the two-tenored nucleus that could turn any horn section into gold.  He is one of a dying breed, men that really know how to play in a section, and how to solo from the heart without every saying too much.  He is a professional musician from the time he wakes up in the morning until the time that he goes to sleep, and when I talk with him I often have the feeling I am talking to a national treasure.  I could not be more pleased that among his quiver is a Just Saxes soprano, ready for service in as a force for good.  That a Just Saxes soprano should share the stage with New Orleans musical patriarchs like Benny Jones (Treme Brass Band) at the Candlelight Lounge, in Stackman's gigantic hands, is a great honor.
 
 


Reggie Houston
(Just Saxes Crescent soprano prototype)
- Fats Domino, Charmaine Neville, Irma Thomas and innumberable others -

Reggie Houston is one of New Orleans' mainstays, an anchoring presence whether here or in Portland, OR, where he now makes his home and spreads the gospel of New Orleans and Jazz music.  There are few men who walk the earth with greater presence of mind, or devotion to music and culture.  Surely no one who has ever had the opportunity to hear him in an intimate setting, whether with Snug Harbor with Charmaine Neville or in his new home in Oregon, has ever forgotten the experience.  Reggie is downhome yet he knows and has seen all of the world, a citizen of the world without ever ceasing to be a living incarnation of New Orleans culture and music.  He is a personal hero of mine, and I could not be more pleased that he should find a saxophone with the Just Saxes name on it worthy of his esteemed chops and music.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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FAQ

Are these professional quality saxophones?

Yes.  Based on the major criteria -- intonation, tone and durability -- yes.  I have never bought or sold student line instruments, and I would not carry these if I did not feel they were up to the standards of quality Just Saxes has offered since 2001.  I think this is an area of some "cognitive dissonance," though, for many when it comes to saxophones being made in mainland China (which the Crescent line is), mainly because the price is so low.  I have these saxophones playtested by professional players every chance I get; I trust my own impressions, but it's just as important (more important, actually) to have a good feel for the impressions of others, especially others who are more skilled as players than myself.  No one has been unimpressed with these saxophones, although they are not to every single person's taste, any more than any saxophone is.  I always ask professional players what they feel the retail price on these saxophone is, and the guess is consistently in the $2500-$3000 range.  They are always shocked when I tell them the price, and frankly I think the price confuses most people.  It's too low.  It doesn't compute.  There must be a catch.  In fact there is a catch.  China's economy and labor rates are not like ours here.  Probably some day they will be, but right now, to a Chinese worker, literally 1/10th of what we in the US would consider poverty line wages nevertheless constitutes a good return on one's labor.  That is the catch.

The one legitimate knock separating the pre-2010 Bauhaus Walstein line (bronze examples) from "The Big Four" (Selmer, Yanagisawa, Yamaha and Keilwerth) is that compared to the top of the line saxophones from the most expensive makers the pivot screw design in the past has been better on saxophones by "The Big Four" and (this is my own hesitation) the cosmetic finishing work is not as fine as on makes costing $4000+.  This is more complicated, because (1) The Big Four, with the exception of Selmer, have never been quite as fine in their finishing work as we sometimes think -- if one scrutinizes their manufacturing as closely as people tend to scrutinize saxophones that cost less than $2000, one discovers toolmarks on posts, and so forth, retained from the manufacturing and set-up process -- but on the most expensive saxophones it is a reality that the handfinishing of keywork is finer; and (2) the pivot screw design from Bauhaus is about to change, and on my own "Crescent" line I will be replacing all of the factory pivot screws with top of the line "true" pivot screws.  Having received the prototypes, I have found a pivot screw that is not only a perfect fit to the Crescent's posts, but that is a perfect fit to the hinge tubes (the keytubes) as well.

As far as sound, a comment on some of the A/B comparisons I've done is a good point of reference.  I have a Yanagisawa SS992 here at the moment -- a good one -- and I have compared it side-by-side to the Crescent prototype.  The Crescent, while subtly lighter in tone, actually has more accurate intonation and speaks significantly more easily in the palm keys and altissimo.  Not coincidentally -- since the Crescent is effectively copied from Yanagisawa (which was originally engineered after Selmer, with improvements in intonation over Selmer) -- the neck from the SS992 can actually be substituted directly onto the Cresent soprano; it is a perfect fit, in fact.  With the SS992 neck, the Crescent soprano changes to play *exactly* like the SS992, with the exact same tonal core (a slightly heavier bottom to the sound, and a bit more compactness) as well as the same resistance; with the Yanagisawa neck, the Crescent prototype has the exact same intonational tendencies as the SS992 (some flatness in the bell tones), and the same slightly more reticent high note response.

The most common response from a professional saxophonist when playing the Walsteins has been along the lines that, "It plays like a pro horn, but the price is a student horn price."   That's the cognitive dissonance I originally underlined.  As the A/B and neck swapping comparisons with the SS992 point out, the biggest differences between the Crescent line and the Yanagisawas from which they take their cue are subtle enough that a neck change makes them virtually indistinguishable.  There are areas where "The Big Four" are still leading the Crescent line -- mainly in the neatness of finishing work, cosmetic considerations -- but I do not claim the Just Saxes lines to be the best saxophones in the world; I do, however, claim them to be among the best values available, dollar-for-dollar, on any saxophone available anywhere.  Moreover, it's not unusual for professional players who play Selmer or Yamaha in particular to remark on the greater flexibility -- the less locked in, more innately expressive pitch center -- of the Crescent alto and tenor.  The bottom end nearly always gets a suprised "whoa" the first time a strong player encounters it.  Tonally, I have played the Crescent alto side by side with a newer Reference 54 alto and I would give the Crescent the advantage in most categories of feel and performance; I think the Ref will outperform it only when both are pressured very hard by very accomplished players (the top 1% or less of players who have very strong tone production).
 

So are these any different from any other saxophone imported from the PROC?

Yes.  I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly over many years.  I have seen bad saxophones being made, still today, even coming from Taiwan.  The engineering and execution on the Crescent do not share their tragic flaws (in general, the bad "Asian horns" feature bad intonation, squawky tone, soft keymetal, a tendency for parts, especially collar and brace screws, to break).  Certainly there is some wide divergence between saxophones being made in mainland China today -- I have seen some recently, and even Taiwan still has some bad saxophones being made there.  Indeed, at the time I first encountered it, the Bauhaus line was the first mainland-made saxophone that was truly of excellent quality.  Still, even when the current Crescent prototype soprano first arrived in NOLA, it had some significant (but thankfully fully correctable) imperfections.  Designwise, lumberwise, it is exactly what I want, and performancewise it exceeded my expectations, which were already high thanks to my experience with the Bauhaus Walstein line.  Thankfully, all of the imperfections are on the level of the pivot screw issue; they are all things I can address with replacements and adjustments.  This is of course not a consideration unique to saxophones being made in the PROC.  Even Selmer Reference 54 saxophones, in my experience, need quite a bit of work to play at their best, and to hold adjustment, when they arrive from Paris.

The main role the importer has, when it comes to these saxophones, is one of research, of finding out what factories are making the best saxophones, and having the expertise to know the difference.  Having made my business's name specializing in vintage saxophones, and their repair and customizing, I know what just about all of history's great saxophones sound like and feel like when firing on all cylinders.  I have researched the best factories in China to querry, and have sampled the wares from multiple factories.  The Crescent line comes from the factory that has given me the best saxophones with the best service and communication.  The Crescent line is far from the least expensive offering I sampled; it is the best offering I sampled.

As with the Bauhaus Walsteins, I spend a good deal of time playing and adjusting each saxophone, and there are several stock changes I will be making in the equipment on every Crescent saxophone, to improve their quality.  These changes are mainly very minor things, but some of them exercise profound effects, for example soprano tenon adjustments, which very few factories in any price range are making at present.

Moreover, I have researched and experimented with aftermarket ways of expanding the possibilities these saxophones offer, and I can offer this insight dependably to customers who wish to expand on their possibilities with aftermarket options.

Of course, I am also a full service saxophone repair shop, and I warranty these saxophones against any and all mechanical manufacturing defects for 1 full year from purchase.  My reputation is flawless after 9 years in the vintage saxophone biz -- I don't have any disgruntled ex-customers (I cannot recall ever having had a saxophone sent back to me, for example, from those that have gone out by mail, despite my 14-day return policy) -- and I put my good name behind the Crescent line and every saxophone I sell.
 

What finishes will be available?

This is one of the things I am in the process of finalizing at the moment.  I have received lacquered prototypes, but am waiting to receive goldplated prototypes.  I probably will not offer both.  I will offer the finish which I myself feel has proven to deliver the best performance in the prototypes (if there is a difference).  I will not be offering a bronze-phosphor alloy, as that is the trademark of the Bauhaus Walstein line, which I intend to continue to carry, and my intention is to add to the range of quality options I can offer my customers.

I will not be offering a silverplated finish, as preventing a silver finish from tarnishing in New Orleans is just too difficult, especially in Summer.  I can certainly offer them by special order, however.
 

What about resale value?

This seems to be an area of considerable confusion for many, especially when it comes to the commentary/advice that is out there on the internet, much of which is just at best well-intentionedly wrong.  The straight dope:  there are no saxophones that deteriorate in value more than student line saxophones from the best known makers, despite that they are consistently recommended on webboards on the basis of holding resale value well.  The average student saxophone, bought new, will devalue roughly 70-75% upon resale to eBay (if you look at retail prices of the most affordable sellers on the web, and compare them to average eBay sales, you will see that this is true).  There are several brands of ROC-made saxophones -- Cannonball being the most obvious example -- that devalue less than Yamaha student saxophones when making the journey from new to used; indeed, the Keilwerth ST-90 is an "Asian horn," and on average (in my research) holds its resale value better than Yamaha's YTS-23 models.

Comparing used to used is of course pointless, since whatever one has bought a used saxophone for, if one has done one's research, is what it should resell for as well, without damage from use.

Another oft-repeated cliche is the idea that "The Big Four" deteriorate in value less than, say, ROC-made saxophones, or any Asian saxophone.  Just doing the basic math shows the confusion inherent in that widely held belief:  the average "Big Four" new pro-line saxophone will deteriorate between 53-63% when going from new to used status; a saxophone purchased for $4300 that depreciates even just 50% depreciates $2150.  You can buy two Crescents with that Big Four horn's depreciation, and still have enough left over to add a killer mouthpiece.
 

Is this a good choice for a student?

Yes, and I would argue -- in the best interest of both parent and student -- that the Crescent altos and tenors in particular are the best available choice on the market for K-12 student because in all the categories except intonation (more on this in a moment) the Crescent line outperforms all the student model saxophones being made today (most of which are now made in Taiwan or China, regardless of the brand name's nationality).

On the basis of (1) durability, (2) ergonomics, (3) tone / timbre, (4) resale value, and even attractiveness, the Crescent will absolutely outperform the Yamaha and Selmer student lines by a considerable margin.  In terms of intonation, it will outperform all but the older Japanese-made (my understanding is that there are now Yamaha student models that are being made in Taiwan) YAS-23 models -- and even in this latter case there is a trade-off in expressiveness that makes the Crescent more fun to play for a student who has good ears (meaning musical talent); the intonation of the Crescent altos and tenors is completely on par with the best saxophones being made in Taiwan, and like them is just short of the dead-on accuracy of the $4000+ Selmer and Yamaha top models (these two lines' modern, professional models have the most accurate intonation of any saxophones previously made, save perhaps SML).  In terms of price, the Crescent beats the Yamaha and Bundy lines by almost 100% of the Crescent's full price.
 


 

Will I have trouble finding repairpersons to work on an "Asian horn?"

There is no good reason for a repairperson to have a negative reaction to working on a Just Saxes "Crescent," unless it is in the interest of steering you toward something in their own retail stock.  With my replacement of the pivot screws, and my attention to the entire mechanism, the "Crescent" saxophones are mechanically up to par with any other saxophone.  All of the rodscrews and pivot screws are as high in quality as on any of the most expensive saxophones in the world.  Unlike some other makes, when it comes time to overhaul, the Crescent is not a disposable saxophone.  Indeed, it would only become better, for example, with a custom Just Saxes overhaul.  I am not having these made with my own pad choice yet, but I am considering importing them unassembled.  This is something for later, however, unless dictated by demand, because the factory seats the pads extremely  well -- better than the most expensive brands seat their pads.  If I were to install all of the equipment myself, I would not get a better result than the factory does in terms of simply seating the pads -- you cannot really improve a lot on 100% airtight -- and I would have to ask considerably more return for that labor.

Down the line, I may begin to offer that as a custom option, however.  This is probably at least a year away, as I would like to experiment with different set-ups, to discover what different set-ups do to these saxophones' sound and response, before offering an official custom option.
 

When will they be available?

The first shipment of sopranos is in stock, but I have some work I'd like to do on them before being shipment ready.  They should be ready to ship around August 7, 2010.
 
 
 
 
 

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Introductory Pricing:

Alto:  $799    Tenor:  $895
Soprano:  $879     Baritone:  $1795



 
 
 
 
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