all,
Need to buy a Xmas present for my 11 years old Daughter. Confused about unison or jupiter saxophone alto.
Which one is better.

Tony Azar

Jupiter's not bad. Keilworth is better. Don't know the other brand you mentioned. Boo?

My first alto was a Jupiter (about 20 years ago) and it was an excellent instrument which gave me 6 years of good service. Knowing more about horns now and having purchased a few used instruments of varying quality, I'm even more impressed with the build quality of that Jupiter. I don't know much about Unison but I can give the Jupiter a personal thumbs-up (assuming they're still made the same way).

Chris

There's so much out there now. There's a Winston brand that looks super. I don't have any idea how it plays. The tenor is only about $800.

Call woodwind and Brass wind they have sax specialist that will direct you according to what you want to spend. Nothing plays like a Selmer. I'm not talking the student selmer. I'm talking the Super80, Refrence 54 or whatever. The $4000 and $5000 horns.

If it's for a beginner he may play 3 months and give up. Just talk to the guys at WW&BW. They do more business than anyone in horns.

When you get serious down the line, they will let you have three pro horns for a while and send back the one's you don't want. You have to pay all the shipping. But when you're looking at a $4000 horn it is worth it.

I'm still blowing my 1964 Buescher "400." I still like it. It just isn't as easy to blow the three lowest notes like my old Selmer MarkIV that was stolen in 1962-63 somewhere in there.

Steve Goodson's unisons are definitely good horns.

Have you checked into Cannonball? I've got a Cannonball black nickel tenor and I'm supremely happy with it. Big tone, easy blowing, including altissimo. I haven't played the student models, but I'd dare to speculate they are top of the line student horns.

Drop on by: http://www.saxontheweb.net/phpbb/
They'll help you out. You may not even have to post, just do some searching of the forums and you will find whatever info you desire I'd guess.

[This message has been edited by FAEbGBD (edited 12-16-2004).]

I second the cannonball line of saxes.. I'm looking at getting the Raven.. but the intermediates look and sound great. And they are American made.. Also probably a great investment.

To bad you can't get a LeBlaunk Vito.. Thost things were built like tanks.. I droped my '77 up the band hall stair case. All survived.. except the mouthpiece.. good excuse to get a Selmer C* 80.....

All,

Thanks for all the posted suggestions.
I'll weigh all options accordingly.

Tony Azar (Merry Xmas)

Actually, the Cannonballs are made in Taiwan. Well, the parts are made there, and I think they are assembled and set up in Utah.