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Choosing A Custom Built Saxophone

By Marlene Blevins


If you are looking for a custom built saxophone there are some things you should consider when choosing a company. A good custom saxophone company should have plenty of yeas of researching acoustics and listen to years of feedback from professional musicians. You can find many instrument manufacturers with custom built saxophones for sale.

A good quality saxophone should be manufactured to high mechanical standards, and be acoustically refined with precise testing. The saxophone's craftsmanship should also be at a high standard so it will play perfectly and sound beautiful throughout the saxophones long life. Saxophonists that play a custom sax tend prefer them over established saxophone brands. The difference is sound can be amazing with a complex tone, response and intonation. Any superior woodwind instrument should excel in all of these areas.

The mouthpiece is a very important part of any saxophone and a custom built sax should have no limitation on variety of sound, flexibility of tone and provide the sax with a dynamic range. The mouthpiece should also make the instrument easier to play at all registers from dark and lush to vibrant and bright. The mouthpiece should respond immediately and play in tune while accommodating a wide range of embouchures. They should also be comfortable and require little adjustment time.

The ligature is also an important part of the saxophone. A good ligature will be springy so the natural vibration of the reed is enhanced. This will improve the saxophones timbre, intonation and response allowing the saxophonist to create emotional effects while playing.

The neck of a saxophone is the heart and sole of the instrument and is responsible for all of its sound characteristics. A high quality neck should have excellent pitch definition, evenness throughout all registers, immediate response and provide the saxophone with a rich, resonant tone.

Any decent custom sax maker will have years of experience and expertise in psycho and saxophone acoustics. This way they can help saxophonists find their ideal sax sound for their particular style of playing and music. A consultation should be provided where they ask and answer questions. They should also hear the musician play so that they can make suggestions regarding the saxophone's mechanics and acoustics.

A good quality case is an essential requirement for any saxophone and a custom saxophone maker should provide your saxophone in a case that is designed specifically for your sax. A saxophone can become damaged if it is not 100% secure inside the case, as it will move around inside the case causing wear and tear. The case should be made to high quality standards using high quality materials so it will last as long as the saxophone.

Owning and playing a saxophone is incredibly rewarding and a custom made sax will be designed to fit perfectly with a musicians specific style of playing. The sax will also be totally unique and last for many lifetimes as it is passed down through generations. If you are a saxophone player why not looking into having your perfect saxophone made for you by an expert saxophone maker and experience owning an instrument that is designed entirely around your style of playing?




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