infos for pros

[larry jackson]

info, where to buy accessories,eguipment,i'm talking about what the pros use,not the elementary and high school stuff . for instance,(as a horn player) mouthpieces,reeds,vintage horns,or high performance horns,etc... it would be nice to know a direct connection locally that would have access to these kinds of products.
also,what's happening in the music scene in the city? where are the pros hanging out? i think this is a great tool to use to exchange ideas and info.
so, all serious musicians join atlanta pro musicians and lets communicate!!!!
jsax

[Steven Charles]

Hey Larry, good idea.....

I'd like to know where I can go to get some repair work done, if I can't get to my main man, Will, or it's an emergency situation, etc.
Who's good, reasonably priced, will work on a pro's horn ahead of their student jobs, etc......
I'm all ears.....

[Michael Bastedo]

Will is a great guy and the best horn tech.
It's always worth the trip out there.
There used to be those guys (brothers I think) in Decatur. I only used them once years ago and I don't know if they're still in business. Maybe sombody will remember their name.

[Sean O'Rourke]

King repair on Barry Street in Decatur

[Steven Charles]

I hear ya Mike, I love Will, and always go out of my way to get to him....
However, I do live over in Vinings, so it would be nice, especially for really minor stuff, or emergency, "gotta-be-now" repairs, to know of someone closer to home (especially with gridlock & $4/gal. gas)...

How about Bryan Lopes? I know he used to be at Ken Stanton, but did he open his own shop? Is his work good? I can't believe we've both been around here forever, and I've actually never even met him! How's that happen?

And as for King, I sometimes forget about them, I've always thought of the work there being very expensive... Jay (Himmel, who works w/King) is a good guy, does good repair work, and we share a common history, having both grown up in the same part of the south side of Chicago.

I just hope & pray that Will's arthritis doesn't get any worse, it would be a terrible loss (for us & him) should he become unable to do his art!

[Dave Scott]

Sam Skelton. At Carere Music. 770-671-0517

[Steven Charles]

Hey all, don't we all have a slew of mouthpieces lying around, no longer used? Maybe we could post all the various ones we'd be willing to sell? Since there is so small a variety of pieces available locally, someone's perfect mouthpiece may just be someone else's "dead weight"... I've sometimes found a great one in someone else's dresser drawer, and I'm sure I've probably got some that would work very well for someone else. Plus, for younger cats, I'm sure they would be better off spending less money, and getting an older used mouthpiece, that may be better made, and better sounding than some new student one...

Also, we could list any extra axes we'd be willing to sell. I know I could sell at least one of my three old, old Buescher sopranos I have, if I could ever figure out for sure, which one I'd be willing to part with. For some reason, I keep changing which one I like best, or if I should play my Saxello, also old, old..... I really do like the feel & sound of them, have had one (circa 1920 ish) since the very first year I began playing, the same one Larry J. said he'd love to have, and Dan Coy thought made me sound like Pharoah, years ago... The other two are also within a few years of that, they play in tune, are of varying weight, but still lighter it seems than newer ones, and have their own distinctive sound.

Also, does anyone have any tips on micing flute? If using a pick-up, any recommendations, if using a mic, any mics work better (ie. less feedback to gain) than others?

Oh, and which is everyone's favorite Microphone for sax?

[Michael Bastedo]

Yeah Steven,
I've got some old mouth pieces around here somewhere. Most are crap to me but someone else might enjoy them.
I also have a MK6 sop and a silver Conn from the 20's.
I haven't tried them all obviously but my favorite mic of all time for recording horn is the
AKG C414. I have a Studio Projects C1 that's a great sounding mic for under $200.
Andy Snitzer likes the C12 ( ranging from $3000 to $5000.)
Have you checked out the AMT Roam 1 Elite considered by many to be the best clip on mic for sax,flute etc.

[Steven Charles]

You know, I do have the AMT Roam 1, but not the newer "Elite". I like the mic, although I abhor the design of the clip on assembly, and how it's difficult bringing the mic closer to the bell, and the weight of it, when trying to use it on a flute.... Plus, the weakest, but coolest part of it, is that while it's great you don't have that damn bodypak, & cord flying around, the receivers Samson sells with them suck.

I got this tiny, el cheapo looking thing, single diversity, one with mine. First time I tried to use it at Centennial Park, the sound crew couldn't get enough of a signal, even when I was just a few feet away from it! I sent in for a "tune-up", as the tech people said Samson doesn't really match them up 100% before shipping, so that's what they supposedly did. And he told me that my receiver was actually better than the newer ones that look more professional, half-rack size, two antennas, etc., so I don't know. I tried using at, just sitting in with a band, had to jack the volume on the unit, & my trim & gain on the pa, and still didn't get it loud enough.....

Anyway, I was really wondering which mics you found best for live playing, & I guess whether you prefer a clip on or not. I don't mess with a clip on for smaller gigs or spaces, and I'm not a bit gun shy about using one for a bigger gig. It's odd, I really don't need to move around much when playing tenor, but do for soprano & flute, & somewhat on alto. I think I just realized my "solution", I think I'll forget about going wireless on tenor (especially cause it's eq is way different from flute or soprano), and just concentrate on the others. I could use another wireless rig, that has a nice Beyer &/or Sennheiser mic, and just tape it to my flute, then use the Roam for the soprano & alto, & a reg. mic for tenor.......or something like that.

Do you remember when being a sax player involved lugging around a whole lot less stuff than today?

[larry jackson]

hey steve
try akgs they seem to work for me. let me know what you think.

[Freddy V]

Hey Steve,

I use the AMT for local gigs (I have the Roam Elite) and have never had a problem with it (although some guys have). On the road I have a set-up using Shure transmitters and receivers with the AMT L11 mics, which are fantastic. Every sound man I've come across loves them. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am an endorser, but I paid for the stuff and I wouldn't use it if it didn't work for me.)

As for the Roam Elite, I believe they've come out with a new model which allows you to switch the channel (the one drawback of the old model).

I move around a lot when I play and at this point don't know if I could use a hard wired mic anymore without feeling constrained (or is restrained?)

Fred V

[Sean O'Rourke]

That's for sure. We all know how you love to get your dance on........

[Steven Charles]

Hey Fred, I actually read your whole rig rundown on another forum, and on the AMT site. You know what I found this morning? Someone sold an L11 mic for TEN BUCKS on eBay, just a few days ago! I guess the place that sold it, had no idea what it was, so someone got one killer deal!

What's the main difference between the Roam & the L11? They don't explain it very well on the AMT site, and then they also have a "System 1", which they recommend for saxes, which adds to the confusion. Not to mention, if you input "flute", it does the same, yet on the "System 1" page, it doesn't mention using it for flute..... Guess those guys are better at making, than marketing their stuff, yeah?