Which saxophone should I buy for my child? Part 4

What are my other options for a student saxophone for my child?

When talking strictly ‘country of origin’, Paris, Germany and Japan are not the only great options; Taiwanese saxophones can be great, more affordable options as well. Taiwan has recently become the ‘Lexus’ of the saxophone market.  They aren't necessarily the BMW or Mercedes of the industry but they are producing some very high quality saxophones for both the student and professional level. They are burning the trail through the industry and I believe that within 10 years that they will be manufacturing saxophones for most of the major brands in the entire world.  I can say this with confidence knowing that German and Japanese made saxophones, who are now considered to be some of the best in the world, not even 20 years ago, were wearing the same "cheap sax" label that Chinese made saxes have today. Taiwanese made saxophones have recently broken free from the "cheap sax" label within the last 10 years and are continuing to move closer and closer to taking a spot with what is called, the "Big Four" (Selmer, Yanagisawa, Yamaha and Keilwerth saxophones); and all but one have student saxophone models being manufactured in China.

Now the same is true with Taiwan as any country that manufactured saxophones, you can find some good ones or some bad ones, so there is always a risk. Here is some ‘insider’ information, if a company wants to have a saxophone made for them from a Taiwanese factory, they can spend anywhere from $300 to $2,000 for an alto saxophone with "made in Taiwan" stamped on it. Your risk can be minimized by some doing some good research and investigation.

What are the major differences between high quality Taiwanese and Chinese made saxophones?

From looking at them in pictures you may not be able to tell any difference at all. These differences can only really be noticed once the sax has been played, taken apart and examined.  The major difference is going to be the alloys used to make the keys, and body of the saxophone.  Most Taiwanese saxophones are going to have a higher grade alloy, which in the end will resonate better and have a fuller and clearer tone.  Taiwanese manufacturers also give you more options in the alloys, such as titanium, silver, gold brass, German brass, etc.; which all have been known over the years to be better sounding. Another difference is going to be in the overall quality of the other core materials.  A saxophone is not just brass, but there are other materials such as felt, cork, screws, pads, springs, adhesives, pearls, etc that make up the final saxophone product; and the quality of these materials has a direct affect on the initial playability of the saxophone as well as the longevity of the instrument after being played over and over again.

Even so, a company building a saxophone in China has the option to choose a very high grade material, as well as a lower grade material.

Here are some good points to look for in this area:

- Stainless steel or blue steel springs will last longer, even better, some offer gold plated springs.

- Saxophone pads are a big part as well and look for name brands like Selmer, Pisoni, or even Roo Pads. Everyone says they have Italian leather pads, but see if they can be specific with the actual brand being used.

- Felts vs. cork, some newer sax companies use an abundance of felt where cork has traditionally been used. Personally I prefer cork (or a synthetic cork) to be used whenever there is a key footing touching the body of the sax, or a key touching another key. There are some few exceptions for this, but overall for the longevity of the sax and the precision on the setup and adjustment, a cork, or cork like material, will do better in the end.

- Pearl key touches vs. Synthetic key touches. Personally, when playing it is really not very noticeable if the key touches (the pearls, or jewels placed on the points of the keys where the saxophone player places his fingers) are made of pearl or a synthetic or plastic material but overall, the consensus is that higher quality saxophones come with real mother of pearl for key touches.  Now, Yamaha only uses real pearl for their very top end saxophone and even their very expensive intermediate models that sell for over $2,000 do not have real mother of pearl. I only tell you that because, Yamaha makes a great intermediate saxophone, but it does in fact come with plastic key touches.

- Adjustment screws and post screws are very tiny but important parts of a saxophone.  Screws that are cheap and poorly made will not enable you to keep your saxophone in adjustment or repair over time. This is something to consider and can easily help you determine the quality of a saxophone.

The future of CE Winds in 2011 and beyond!

The future of CE Winds in 2011 and beyond!

2010 was a great year at Christopher Elliott LLC & CE Winds, and the future looks even more promising for our young company. Last year we solidified our partnership and corporate sponsorship of More than Music, a non-profit started by the core members of Dave Lemieux and House of Soul, who’s primary mission is to share joy, demonstrate love, offer hope and build community using the power of music and song.

In January of 2011, MTM launched their nationwide school assembly tour in the Northeast U.S., called At the Table with Dr King, an interactive performance that gives students and their teachers an opportunity to take a journey through the American Civil Rights Movement using the power of music, media, and song. Using the lives and legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other prominent figures from the era as examples, the At the Table with Dr. King presentation invites students to start answering the call upon their own lives and to discover the responsibility they have to their communities.

CE Winds also moved into our new corporate offices in Ft Myers, Florida, which offers a product showroom where our guests can relax and play instruments at their leisure. The showroom also has a private recording room where customers can lay down tracks with numerous horns, and then hear the playback to help select which horn is right for them. Our ‘Grand Opening’ for the new CE Winds showroom is scheduled in the summer of 2011.

With the huge success of the Alpha Series Saxophones that we launched in 2008, we will now release the A2 Series (Alpha II) in February 2011, which offer several upgrades from the current Alpha (A1) model. The new A2's feature a higher grade alloy, real abalone pearl key touches, upgraded Pisoni leather resonator pads, standard A2 saxophone neck, and an additional CE Winds “Power Tone” neck, which is a secondary neck that really increases the “power” and “tone” of the saxophone!


We have also upgraded the accessories on the A2 to include handmade deluxe cases, neck bag, soft leather neck strap, leather ligature, mouthpiece, and end cap. As well, the A2's are finished off here in the U.S. with a professional adjustment process that has been expanded to a 32 point Quality Assurance process.

2010 was the year we released the Alpha flute into the market, and have found huge success with professional players and students alike, who have all discovered that a great sounding, and well built flute, does not have to cost over $1,000.00. The Alpha Series Flutes sell for under $500, and offer the same features as higher grade flutes; including solid silver lip plates, offset G, and split E mechanisms. We’ve even added Gold Plated rollers just to give it a little more class!

This year in 2011, we will officially release the Alpha Series Trumpet line, which will include a Lacquer Model (Alpha) as well as an A2 model with several specialty finishes to choose from. The Alpha Series Trumpets are hand crafted with a high grade instrument alloy to give the trumpets a full, yet focused, tone. They offer a very standard medium-large bore size, and also feature a large bell for better projection. Monel valves and chrome plated pistons complete the inner workings, and real mother of pearl key touches gives the instrument the right feel under your fingertips.

2010 also saw HUGE growth for the CE Winds Rent to Own Payment Plan! In this tough economy we know most people need some help, and our Payment Plan was there to relieve parents and college students from the pressure of having to buy an instrument they could not afford!
We believe we are working to make great strides as a company to change the way people purchase musical instruments, and the one thing we will never lose touch or change is the way we work with our customers. As we continue to grow this year and beyond, we will continue to put your needs at the top of our lists, and provide the best instruments we can at the lowest prices possible. 

We know we have earned our solid reputation for service, quality, and prices because our customers' appreciation and the continual positive and encouraging feedback we receive; and it is a great joy for us to being able to satisfy the needs of our customers. We say, Thank you to all of our customers, for choosing us over and over again to meet your instrument needs.
Blessings and prosperity to you from CE Winds & Christopher Elliott LLC!

Brian Seltz
President
Christopher Elliott LLC

Which saxophone should I buy for my child? Part 3

So, what about other major brands like Conn-Selmer, Buffet, Keilwerth, aren't they better than buying some ‘Chinese’ saxophone?

 

If you do any research or talk to any well advised music store owner you will most likely run into many who tell you to be aware of the saxophones made in china, they are cheap and fall apart, they don't play in tune, etc, etc.  Well, here's a little known industry secret, all of the major brands mentioned above have their student saxophones manufactured in China and have been for years. I know, I know, it can't be true but it surely is, and now they even have "made in china" on them. So, what about all the warnings about Chinese saxophones being cheap or poorly made? Well, here is a question, if I were from somewhere overseas and I traveled to America and stopped off at some small burger shop in some outskirts part of Utah; and after eating a burger, realized that it was horrible,  would it be an intelligent statement to say that all the burgers in America are just as horrible? Of course not! That's just as ignorant as saying that all blondes are ditzy, or that all brunettes like to have fun.

So where did this come from? Well, there are some bad saxophones being made in China, just as there are bad burgers being sold all across America. The good news is that the Chinese have begun to do with the saxophone what they do in every industry the venture into; some Chinese factories have been able to make a high quality saxophone for the price that is fractions of what a typical student saxophone sells for! Now you can only imagine how the general retailers across the nation felt about this when parents could jump online and buy a lesser known student saxophone for hundreds less than the thousands of dollars they are demanding for the major brands in their stores!

Now, does this mean that all saxophones from China are high quality now? 

No, there are still those that are selling very low quality student saxophones at very low prices and I would warn you to be aware of these companies. I am not going to list their names because for the most part, they change their names every so often and reinvent themselves under a new name. They rarely have any real internet presence other than the ebayer's selling them and have outrageous warranty promises of 5 to 10 years, just to get you to bite the hook.

So what should I look for in a Chinese made saxophone company?

Here are some major areas that can help you determine if the student saxophone is worth purchasing:

- The company you choose should have a solid reputation and track record for their product & their customer service. In today's internet ruled world, this will give you a great opportunity to find reviews and testimonies from previous owners as to the build quality and sustainability of the overall saxophone.  I do make mention on this that any good saxophone company is continually improving as time goes by, so be open to the good and the bad reviews. As well, I don't think you can find any saxophone company that does not have any negative reviews, but go with the overall consensus of the product quality and the customer service of the company.

- You should be able to call and speak to someone from the actual company of that makes or distributes the saxophone.  Ask them as many questions as you can, and make sure they are willing to stand behind the instrument 100%.

- There should be a written return policy for a full refund if you are not 100% satisfied.  Your money is yours and don't throw it away to some company that will not stand 100% behind their student saxophone.

- The sax should come with some sort of setup or adjustment work already done to it. For the most part, almost every saxophone made today is made overseas somewhere, and is then shipped to America.  During shipping, it is very easy for the saxophone to get banged around and knocked out of adjustment, as well; many factories do a minimal setup just to make sure the sax plays, but so much can be done to ensure that your student will get a very free blowing and easy playing saxophone.  Any good saxophone company will have technicians on this end that do a post production setup and adjustment to ensure that the saxophone arrives to the customer in the most optimum working order.  Ask the company if they do any post production setup or regulation work and if they do, then ask them to be specific. Remember, this is your money and you want to invest in the best possible saxophone for your student; do not be hustled or talked into a student saxophone that you are not 100% sure about.

- The saxophone should have some samples online of the saxophone being played, preferable videos because audio files do not disclose the saxophone being played and you can't be sure that the saxophone is actually the one being advertised. If the sax is being sold on ebay.com, the manufacturer or label name should have company website or internet presence. If so, check to see that the website is valid; meaning that it has correct and up to date contact information, articles, pictures, samples, reviews etc.. or is it just some website thrown together and posted online to try and fool you into thinking that there is a real company that you can contact and be confident will stand behind the product.

- Check online in forums like saxontheweb.net which is filled with some of the best information about student and professional saxophones from today and over the past 100 years.  Is this company you are looking at, listed in their Saxophone Makes and Models section of the forum? If so, then you can be assured that it would not be listed if there was not a real company behind that product. You can also search the forum for reviews and ask questions.

- Check youtube to see if anyone is playing this name brand student saxophone and posting videos. If so, you can hear many different people playing these saxes and get an overall idea of the sound they can produce.

- The sax should come with all the things your student needs to play the saxophone; mouthpiece, ligature, neck strap & cork grease. Some companies give other care packages as well with the purchase and this is a good idea to help keep the saxophone in good working order. These items include a pad saver, cleaning cloth, and neck swab.

- The sax should come in a good case that will protect your student saxophone for years to come. 

Which student saxophone is best for my child? Part II

Using the Internet to help purchase a saxophone

So, what other options did my parents have? Well, at the time they did not have too many options; mainly for one reason... there was no internet back then. Now with the influx of the information highway, concerned parents can not only research and find the best options available for student saxophones but they can also find the best prices (which in several instances, this ‘information’ can be a setback and lead to even more confusion!!). So what are the best options? I believe there are many options with many different variables and I will try to cover as many of these scenarios so that you can get a better picture of the student saxophone market and the choice that will best benefit you and your child.

Must I purchase a Yamaha student saxophone for my child?

Despite what your child’s’ band director or instructor might tell you, you do not HAVE to purchase a Yamaha. The first thing to know is that there are many other options for a student saxophones other than the Yamaha 23 model or whatever recent model name they are using nowadays; which I think they are calling the Yamaha 275 (YAS 275 for alto saxophone, and YTS 275 for tenor saxophone).

Is the Yamaha student saxophone a good student sax?

These are good saxophones, but buying a new one is very expensive, and buying a used one can be very risky, and cost you more in the long run.

Will the Yamaha name help in the event that I need to resell the sax?

Yes and No. I say that because, the Yamaha name will help it to sell but if you paid full price or anywhere near it, you will be fortunate if you get 25% of what it sells for brand new. For example, Yamaha student alto saxophones sell on average for about $400 on ebay, and they sell for $1,700 - $1,800 brand new. That’s an easy one to figure out.

So in the long run, is it worth it to buy a brand new Yamaha student alto saxophone for my child?

If your student pursues music for their entire middle school and high school education, then the investment makes more sense. If you are not sure they will pursue music for that period of time, it is probably not the greatest investment. Buying something just as high quality at a fraction of the cost is the best option.

Link to full article: Saxophone Buying Guide

Which student saxophone is best for my child? Part 1

Article: Which student saxophone is best for my child?
by Mark Wigginton, President - CE Winds

This is a very great question, one that I hear so often. Also one that you may get many different answers to from numerous sources, which generally can lead to frustration for anyone seeking the answer. Being someone who began playing saxophone as a young student at age 11, I fully know about the long and vigorous journey a student goes on from first starting out, to playing in high school; onto the college level; and finally into the professional arena.

The Journey of a Student Saxophone Player

As a young student saxophone player, I was not given the best tools to succeed with. In fact, I was given a student saxophone that was purchased by my grandmother from a local music store for $300; and because of the condition, in my opinion, this saxophone was way over priced. My first saxophone was the dreaded, beat up, Selmer Bundy II student alto saxophone.  It was very worn and used when I got it and to this day, I do not think it was ever in 100% working order, which kept me from playing all the notes that the sax was designed to play.

So how did I make it through all those years as a student saxophone player with such an inferior instrument?  Honestly, I don’t know. Well, officially I only played that student saxophone for 4 ½ years, and for what I was asked to do during that time, it did what I needed it to do. You see, as a student saxophone player, there was not too much demand on me, as long as I learned my scales and parts for the band, my individual tone and experience level was not as noticed until I entered the high school level of playing; which introduced me to solo performances for both classical and jazz.  Here is where the quality of the sax could no longer be hidden and actually became a hindrance to my ability to advance as a young student saxophone player.

When I entered 10th grade, my parents purchased a brand new Armstrong student tenor saxophone for me. I think the sale price on it was around $1,200, but by the time it was paid off, I think it cost my parents around $2,400; which is no where near what that student saxophone was worth. The initial $1,200 was a big stretch for a student saxophone, especially at that time, for that model. I know you may read that and say, “$1,200 seems cheap for a student saxophone, I see Yamaha student tenor saxophones selling for over $2,200,” and you are right; but if you have a true grasp on the saxophone market and you understand what it is that you are buying, you will clearly see that there are so many other options available to you as a parent buying a saxophone for your child, and that the most expensive option is not always the best option.

Link to full article: Saxophone Buying Guide

Musical Instrument Purchases and the Current United States Economy

There is no denying it – the US economy is struggling, school budgets are being cut, and music programs are being cut out completely in several areas. One of the reasons is lack of ability – not that parents or students aren’t interested – because we are ALL born with the gift to want to create music, but they are finding it hard to sign their children up for school band because they may feel they can’t afford to purchase an instrument that will give their child every advantage when it comes to learning how to play.

CE Winds really wants to make a difference!

First, we commit to building the highest quality instruments we can build and sell them at a price that anyone can afford.

Second, we commit to give you options on how to pay for your instrument, such as our Student Payment Plan, as well as the option to exchange your instrument for something else or return it if your child loses interest.

Third, we commit to your child’s school. For every dollar you spend, CE Winds will issue a credit to that school, credits that they can use to purchase more CE Winds instruments, uniforms, and music, whatever they need, through our School Rewards Program.

Last but not least, we commit to the future of music. For EVERY CE Winds instrument sold, a percentage of that sale will go to More than Music, a non profit committed to providing instruments to students worldwide that just cannot afford to purchase an instrument, scholarships to students who deserve to go to college but can’t afford to, and hope for those who just do not have much to hope for.

Everyone here at CE Winds knows that there are many options when buying musical instruments for yourself or your children, but the best options are not always the most expensive ones.

CE Winds – Releasing a New Sound!!!

www.cewinds.com

www.christopherelliottinc.com

CE Winds Student and Intermediate Flutes Released!

CE Winds is entering the flute market with two models of student / intermediate flutes;

1) CE Winds Alpha Series C Foot Flute
2) CE Winds Alpha Series B Foot Flute

You can choose from the following options:

Open Hole or Closed Hole
Silver Plated Lip Plate or Solid Silver Lip Plate
Split E or Standard E

Any questions please visit www.cewinds.com, email info@christopherelliottinc.com us or call 904.996.9312.

Other 2010 Releases will be the CE Winds Alpha Series Clarinets and Trumpets! We will let you know when they are available for purchase!

www.cewinds.com
www.christopherelliottinc.com