I have a student who is new to the saxophone (he was already quite an accomplished musician on another instrument) who has a voracious appetite for information. At every lesson, he asks questions (and good ones, I might add) about things he has read on the Internet. Unfortunately, he's getting a lot of information that is erroneous at best. Here's some guidelines that might help you:
(1) NEVER LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO DOESN'T USE THEIR REAL NAME
There's no leeway here. If you know what you are talking about, there is no reason whatsoever not to sign your name. Your real name, not some cute Internet name like "saxprick47". Hiding your identity is the equivalent to wearing a mask. People who know what they are talking about have no reason to hide.
(2) CHECK FOR CREDENTIALS
People who know what they are talking about have easily verified credentials. They are in the business full time, and have worked in the business all their life. They are not part time employees at a little music store in a small town, and they aren't players who have a day job and only perform at open mic nights. They are also not currently enrolled in any educational institution at a level below a masters degree program. People who know what they are talking about have invariably operated successful music businesses for a long time. They are usually published in international magazines and journals. Wannabes are not. The fact that they have a website means nothing. Anybody can put nup a website. If they have received any recognition, be sure it's from a legitimate organization. Being a "distinguished contributor" non somebody else's web site does not count.
(3) BE SURE THEY CAN PLAY
Here's a simple rule: never take playing advice from anyone who has not been able to support themselves (and has done so) strictly on their playing skills. This means no subsidy from girlfriends or mom and dad. No day job. No teaching down at the local junior high school. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but not many.
BUT! you say: this eliminates most of the self appointed Internet experts who post on the various discussion boards. No kidding!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
A Look Back At The Past Year....
It was just one year ago when Sharon and I terminated our relationship with Orpheus Music and struck out on our own, not knowing what the future held for us. Sure, we had experienced plenty of success with our original saxophone designs, and our first steps into the accessory business had been promising.
We knew we had the two most important things necessary for success going for us: a large and extremely loyal customer base and a very big address book of the highest quality vendors and suppliers in the industry.
We were very pleased that our crucial suppliers stayed loyal to us, and that they expressed complete confidence in our original designs and our ability to market them. We met with each of our vendors in person and explained in detail our business plan, and they all agreed to continue supplying us and maintain the long relationships we cherished. All the great designs in the world are worthless if you can't get them built to your exact specifications and to the very highest level of quality.
In order to make a clean break with the past, we had to bring out entirely new designs. Our goal has always been to be the absolute cutting edge of saxophone design and to offer products with features and benefits available nowhere else. We also knew that since we owned the absolute rights to the models previously offered, that our former associates would doubtless dump their existing inventory. Of course, I am always looking for ways to improve the playability of the saxophone, and we had quite a few projects in the wings waiting for production.
During the past twelve months, we have introduced quite a few new models. All except one are completely new designs, and offer significant improvements over our previous offerings. The one we kept and carried over, the Saxgourmet Saxello, was simply too good to change! Our current lineup is as follows:
VOODOO REX
Available in alto and tenor versions, this horn features a solid copper body, bell, bow, and neck and rolled tone holes. There is a special high note compensator mechanism and a medium large bore. This horn has a dark, very sweet tone.
SUPER 400
We hit a home run with this one! This is currently our best selling model. This large bore horn has keywork to high G, a rose brass body, bell, bow, and necks; a n upper stack speaker key, and two necks for two different sounds. Alto and tenor only.
CATEGORY FIVE
I've always wanted to build this horn, and have been working on the design for about five years. It's as close to a perfect saxophone as you can buy anywhere. The bore is super large, the body, bell, bow, and neck are all hand formed from a special rose brass alloy; there are four octave vents and a dedicated altissimo system. There are plenty of other features, of course, and there is nothing remotely like it on the market anywhere at any price. The first load sold out completely in two weeks. More are on the way. Yes, it's expensive. If you have to ask the price, you most likely cannot afford it. Tenor only at this time, I'm undecided about an alto.
SAXGOURMET SAXELLO
We love this horn, and several customers asked for us to keep it in the line. It has a unique bell shape (yes, I know it has an angle, but look at the SHAPE!), keywork to high G, and a solid silver bell, bow, and two solid silver necks. It's the finest soprano on the planet.
SAXGOURMET BARITONE
The Steve Goodson Model baritone was a big hit with players, and this horn is an evolution with a few new tricks. The spot on intonation is still there, but the keywork is even more ergonomic and the response is just a bit quicker. There's a new low A mechanism and quite a few other tricks you will love. Delivery of these starts in a couple of weeks from this writing.
SAXGOURMET CURVED SOPRANO
We took the Steve Goodson Model soprano and tweaked the tone hole placement and bore just a bit. Keywork is still to high G, and the unique left hand pinky table is as slick as ever! First delivery in about 45 days from this writing.
SAXGOURMET SOPRANINO
Our latest project, and a labor of love for me since I'm a very enthusiastic 'nino player. This one has a new bore (a bit larger) and keywork all the way up to F#. Delivery in about 90 days or so.
MOUTHPIECES
We have been absolutely stunned by the way our mouthpieces have been accepted. The numbers we've sold so far are about three times what we projected. Most importantly, the customers love them. Take a look at our feedback in our eBay store, which we can't control or influence in any way. We'll continue to offer the Florida, Blues Blaster, Fat Boy, Black Magic, and Handmade tenor models, and will soon add two new models for tenor, the Yellow Moon (if you like Guardalas...) and the Super Duck (if you like the old Level Aires...) along with a hard rubber tenor. The alto line will be increased to include an alto version of the Fat Boy.
NECKS
Our necks have been another great success story for us. We will soon be adding an alto version of the Saxgourmet neck, and sterling silver necks for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone sax. We've been particularly happy with the sales of the solid copper alto and tenor necks, and plan to expand that portion of the line.
OTHER PROJECTS
Needless to say, we have lots of other projects currently in progress, including but not limited to a line of the very best saxophone cases in the world. Our repair and restoration business is flourishing. We'll keep you posted on the new projects as they progress.
We're very proud of what we have accomplished in the past year, and look forward to even more success in the future. We started with nothing but a concept and a large group of loyal customers and highly skilled vendors. We know that a large part of our success has been that we offer products that are unique and on the cutting edge of saxophone design, and promise many more innovations in the years to come!
We knew we had the two most important things necessary for success going for us: a large and extremely loyal customer base and a very big address book of the highest quality vendors and suppliers in the industry.
We were very pleased that our crucial suppliers stayed loyal to us, and that they expressed complete confidence in our original designs and our ability to market them. We met with each of our vendors in person and explained in detail our business plan, and they all agreed to continue supplying us and maintain the long relationships we cherished. All the great designs in the world are worthless if you can't get them built to your exact specifications and to the very highest level of quality.
In order to make a clean break with the past, we had to bring out entirely new designs. Our goal has always been to be the absolute cutting edge of saxophone design and to offer products with features and benefits available nowhere else. We also knew that since we owned the absolute rights to the models previously offered, that our former associates would doubtless dump their existing inventory. Of course, I am always looking for ways to improve the playability of the saxophone, and we had quite a few projects in the wings waiting for production.
During the past twelve months, we have introduced quite a few new models. All except one are completely new designs, and offer significant improvements over our previous offerings. The one we kept and carried over, the Saxgourmet Saxello, was simply too good to change! Our current lineup is as follows:
VOODOO REX
Available in alto and tenor versions, this horn features a solid copper body, bell, bow, and neck and rolled tone holes. There is a special high note compensator mechanism and a medium large bore. This horn has a dark, very sweet tone.
SUPER 400
We hit a home run with this one! This is currently our best selling model. This large bore horn has keywork to high G, a rose brass body, bell, bow, and necks; a n upper stack speaker key, and two necks for two different sounds. Alto and tenor only.
CATEGORY FIVE
I've always wanted to build this horn, and have been working on the design for about five years. It's as close to a perfect saxophone as you can buy anywhere. The bore is super large, the body, bell, bow, and neck are all hand formed from a special rose brass alloy; there are four octave vents and a dedicated altissimo system. There are plenty of other features, of course, and there is nothing remotely like it on the market anywhere at any price. The first load sold out completely in two weeks. More are on the way. Yes, it's expensive. If you have to ask the price, you most likely cannot afford it. Tenor only at this time, I'm undecided about an alto.
SAXGOURMET SAXELLO
We love this horn, and several customers asked for us to keep it in the line. It has a unique bell shape (yes, I know it has an angle, but look at the SHAPE!), keywork to high G, and a solid silver bell, bow, and two solid silver necks. It's the finest soprano on the planet.
SAXGOURMET BARITONE
The Steve Goodson Model baritone was a big hit with players, and this horn is an evolution with a few new tricks. The spot on intonation is still there, but the keywork is even more ergonomic and the response is just a bit quicker. There's a new low A mechanism and quite a few other tricks you will love. Delivery of these starts in a couple of weeks from this writing.
SAXGOURMET CURVED SOPRANO
We took the Steve Goodson Model soprano and tweaked the tone hole placement and bore just a bit. Keywork is still to high G, and the unique left hand pinky table is as slick as ever! First delivery in about 45 days from this writing.
SAXGOURMET SOPRANINO
Our latest project, and a labor of love for me since I'm a very enthusiastic 'nino player. This one has a new bore (a bit larger) and keywork all the way up to F#. Delivery in about 90 days or so.
MOUTHPIECES
We have been absolutely stunned by the way our mouthpieces have been accepted. The numbers we've sold so far are about three times what we projected. Most importantly, the customers love them. Take a look at our feedback in our eBay store, which we can't control or influence in any way. We'll continue to offer the Florida, Blues Blaster, Fat Boy, Black Magic, and Handmade tenor models, and will soon add two new models for tenor, the Yellow Moon (if you like Guardalas...) and the Super Duck (if you like the old Level Aires...) along with a hard rubber tenor. The alto line will be increased to include an alto version of the Fat Boy.
NECKS
Our necks have been another great success story for us. We will soon be adding an alto version of the Saxgourmet neck, and sterling silver necks for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone sax. We've been particularly happy with the sales of the solid copper alto and tenor necks, and plan to expand that portion of the line.
OTHER PROJECTS
Needless to say, we have lots of other projects currently in progress, including but not limited to a line of the very best saxophone cases in the world. Our repair and restoration business is flourishing. We'll keep you posted on the new projects as they progress.
We're very proud of what we have accomplished in the past year, and look forward to even more success in the future. We started with nothing but a concept and a large group of loyal customers and highly skilled vendors. We know that a large part of our success has been that we offer products that are unique and on the cutting edge of saxophone design, and promise many more innovations in the years to come!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Nashville NAMM Show Report
Sharon and I had a great time in Nashville (I'm still there at the time of this writing) and it was our most successful NAMM show yet. It's always great to see all our friends in the music trades, especially those who make the effort to come from so far away.
We accomplished what we set out to do here at this show: we ordered the first round of prototypes for the Saxgourmet Sopranino, we ordered the first production run of the Saxgourmet Curved Soprano (delivery in about 45 days), made arrangements for a promotional tour of Asia to introduce our products to the retail community there; and met with some folks iterested in making a film about the design and manufacturing process for our saxophones (starring moi, of course!).
We saw lots of interesting products, including some very nice mouthpieces. We also signed up a new vendor to manufacture our solid silver necks. These necks will be available for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone and will be of the VERY highest quality. We'll be manufacturing them for ALL the major brands.
We didn't see a lot of new saxophones on display at the show, but a number of our good friends from Asia has some interesting things with them for private showings in their hotel rooms.
We brought a Voodoo Rex and a Category Five and introduced these horns to some of our "inner circle".
Nashville is a GREAT place for a convention like NAMM. We have lots of friends involved in the music industry here, and look forward to returning soon. Sharon bought a good bit of way too funky western wear at the boutiques, we had some really outstanding meals (who would have equated Nashville with fine dining?) and I sharpened my appreciation for the fine Tennessee Whiskey. It's been a great trip, and I'll be back in the office Thursday, after I celebrate my birthday.
We accomplished what we set out to do here at this show: we ordered the first round of prototypes for the Saxgourmet Sopranino, we ordered the first production run of the Saxgourmet Curved Soprano (delivery in about 45 days), made arrangements for a promotional tour of Asia to introduce our products to the retail community there; and met with some folks iterested in making a film about the design and manufacturing process for our saxophones (starring moi, of course!).
We saw lots of interesting products, including some very nice mouthpieces. We also signed up a new vendor to manufacture our solid silver necks. These necks will be available for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone and will be of the VERY highest quality. We'll be manufacturing them for ALL the major brands.
We didn't see a lot of new saxophones on display at the show, but a number of our good friends from Asia has some interesting things with them for private showings in their hotel rooms.
We brought a Voodoo Rex and a Category Five and introduced these horns to some of our "inner circle".
Nashville is a GREAT place for a convention like NAMM. We have lots of friends involved in the music industry here, and look forward to returning soon. Sharon bought a good bit of way too funky western wear at the boutiques, we had some really outstanding meals (who would have equated Nashville with fine dining?) and I sharpened my appreciation for the fine Tennessee Whiskey. It's been a great trip, and I'll be back in the office Thursday, after I celebrate my birthday.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Off to the NAMM Show!
Sharon and I are leaving in the morning for the Summer NAMM show in Nashville, along with a couple of members of our staff (Eddy and Eric). We love Nashville and have many old friends in the music industry there. We will return next week, and the office will be open during our absence.
This show, more than any other in recent memory, should give a pretty good indicator of the general health of the industry, and the saxophone business in particular. From the looks of the exhibitors list, saxophones are going to be pretty scarce in Music City USA. I guess the old saying that "only the strong survive" applies here. Many of the horn companies who used to exhibit regularly are conspicuous in their absence.
The main purpose of the NAMM show is to give the manufacturers an opportunity to show their products to existing and prospective dealers. Since our Nation of Music company is the ONLY dealer for Saxgourmet products in North America, we don't see much point in exhibiting. However, most of our vendors will be there (they don't exhibit, either) and we've got a full schedule of meetings with factory owners, Indian Chiefs, and industry insiders.
NAMM is a great organization, and there will also be plenty of seminars and clinics for people who own companies like ours. It's always good to hear what others around the world are doing, and we always feel like the educational aspect is well worth the price of admission.We're meeting a few of our friends and VIP's at the show, and plan to shoot a couple of YouTube videos featuring our products and a few "names you know" while we're there. I'll post them when I get back.
This show, more than any other in recent memory, should give a pretty good indicator of the general health of the industry, and the saxophone business in particular. From the looks of the exhibitors list, saxophones are going to be pretty scarce in Music City USA. I guess the old saying that "only the strong survive" applies here. Many of the horn companies who used to exhibit regularly are conspicuous in their absence.
The main purpose of the NAMM show is to give the manufacturers an opportunity to show their products to existing and prospective dealers. Since our Nation of Music company is the ONLY dealer for Saxgourmet products in North America, we don't see much point in exhibiting. However, most of our vendors will be there (they don't exhibit, either) and we've got a full schedule of meetings with factory owners, Indian Chiefs, and industry insiders.
NAMM is a great organization, and there will also be plenty of seminars and clinics for people who own companies like ours. It's always good to hear what others around the world are doing, and we always feel like the educational aspect is well worth the price of admission.We're meeting a few of our friends and VIP's at the show, and plan to shoot a couple of YouTube videos featuring our products and a few "names you know" while we're there. I'll post them when I get back.
Orpheus Warranty Issues
A question has arisen this week about the warranty obligations on Saxgourmet Model Six (that's the discontinued one, not the current production) and Orpheo saxophones. For the record, now and forever, here's my position on this matter.
Steve Goodson Woodwinds LLC is fully responsible for any and all warranty claims on all Saxgourmet Super 400, Saxgourmet Category Five, Saxgourmet Voodoo Rex, and Saxgourmet Baritone instruments manufactured by us. In adddition, we accept full warranty responsibility for all Saxgourmet Saxellos manufactured by us.
We do NOT accept any warranty obligation for instruments manufactured by Orpheus Musical Instruments LLC, Orpheus Music Inc., or any of their successor companies, or for any instruments sold by them. They manufactured them, they sold them, they are responsible. Look on your bill of sale or invoice and see who you did business with, it's as easy as that. I also don't accept warranty claims for Selmer, Yamaha, Keilwerth, Cannonball, Antigua, or any other company. I didn't manufacture any of those horns, either. Look to who you bought from to satisfy your claim.
True, we own the Saxgourmet and Steve Goodson Model brands. We do not own the Orpheo or Vespro brands. Our company never manufactured any horns under the name Orpheo or Vespro, and we never manufactured any Saxgourmet Model Six horns. All of those were made by Orpheus, and the warranty liability lies strictly with them.
We can help you with parts for the Saxgourmet and Steve Goodson Model series, since we are in regular contact with the factories that actually did the construction.
Steve Goodson Woodwinds LLC is fully responsible for any and all warranty claims on all Saxgourmet Super 400, Saxgourmet Category Five, Saxgourmet Voodoo Rex, and Saxgourmet Baritone instruments manufactured by us. In adddition, we accept full warranty responsibility for all Saxgourmet Saxellos manufactured by us.
We do NOT accept any warranty obligation for instruments manufactured by Orpheus Musical Instruments LLC, Orpheus Music Inc., or any of their successor companies, or for any instruments sold by them. They manufactured them, they sold them, they are responsible. Look on your bill of sale or invoice and see who you did business with, it's as easy as that. I also don't accept warranty claims for Selmer, Yamaha, Keilwerth, Cannonball, Antigua, or any other company. I didn't manufacture any of those horns, either. Look to who you bought from to satisfy your claim.
True, we own the Saxgourmet and Steve Goodson Model brands. We do not own the Orpheo or Vespro brands. Our company never manufactured any horns under the name Orpheo or Vespro, and we never manufactured any Saxgourmet Model Six horns. All of those were made by Orpheus, and the warranty liability lies strictly with them.
We can help you with parts for the Saxgourmet and Steve Goodson Model series, since we are in regular contact with the factories that actually did the construction.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Truth About the Orpheus Saxophones
There's some serious misinformation elsewhere on the net about the discontinued horns being sold by Noteworthy. I was the designer and in charge of manufacturing at the time those horns were being manufactured, so here are the straight facts:
(1) the Saxgourmet, Steve Goodson Model, and Orpheo horns were all made in DIFFERENT factories. They have nothing in common but the source of the pads, which was MusicMedic
(2) The Steve Goodson Model alto and tenor was made in three different factories over the production run. The factories were located in three DIFFERENT countries and owned by three DIFFERENT companies. The horns are basically the same and of equal quality. The last series, which is easily identified by the addition of a clothing guard on the upper stack, has a relocated altissimo key touch and a few other imrovements which make it the most desirable.
(3) The Orpheo was NOT made in Taiwan. They are really great horns, and probably the best buy for the money.The Orpheo horns that are currently being produced are in NO WAY the same as my designs, and come from a different factory. I do not own the Orpheo trade name.
(4) The Saxgourmet Model Six was always made in the same factory. That factory made the last run of Steve Goodson Model alto and tenors. These horns are VERY different, and the only thing they have in common is the factory and the pads. This factory does the finest job in Asia, in my opinion.
(5) the Saxgourmet Saxello was made in a different factory than any of the other horns. The same factory makes this horn for me today.
(6) The Steve Goodson Model baritone was also made in a different factory. This factory is a small shop that makes only baritone saxes. There are only two factories in Taiwan which make baritones.
(7) The Vespro and the Orpheo came from the same factory. The Orpheo was my unique design, the Vespro was somewhat "off the shelf" with a few changes
(8) The last LA Sax horns, the 750 and 850, are really good. They came from yet another factory. The LA Sax Series II and LA USA horns came from yet ANOTHER factory. The 750 and 850 are from Taiwan, the others are not.
(9) the Steve Goodson Model curved suprano came from still another factory. These are REALLY good horns
(10) the Steve Goodson sopranino was sourced from yet another factory in Taiwan.
As you can see, during my tenure at Orpheus we had dealings with many different vendors. All the horns except the Vespro were my unique designs, and were unavailable anywhere else.
I still have business dealings with all of the companies referenced above exept one. I also deal with several other ccompanies that we did not use when I was at Orpheus. All of the horns my company offers are my unique designs and are available nowhere else. All of the various models that were sold when I was at Orpheus have been discontinued and replaced with new models.
I really don't understand all of the discussion by the self appointed experts on the web about the relative quality of horns made in different countries. Quality is quality, no matter where it comes from. Some of the very best horns I've ever played have come from China.
I hear a lot about the factory workers in China being paid slave wages and undergoing poor working conditions. Nothing could be further from the truth. These workers are highly paid (by local standards) and since the factories are all new, they are as safe and well equipped as any factories anywhere in the world. It's quite unfair to judge one nation's economic system by the standards of another. It's not even an apples vs. oranges comparison. The basic economic systems are too different to compare wages on a dollar for dollar (or huan for huan) basis. You just can't do it.
The Asian people involved in the musical instrument manufacturing business are highly skilled and produce the best products in the world. They have made music affordable. They deserve our respect, and I don't understand the prejudice.
I've been doing business in Asia for many years. I plan to continue to do so. I would encourage the critics to get to know our friends in Asia, and carefully examine the products they produce. They (both the people and the products)are the best in the world. That's the reason they dominate the industry today.
(1) the Saxgourmet, Steve Goodson Model, and Orpheo horns were all made in DIFFERENT factories. They have nothing in common but the source of the pads, which was MusicMedic
(2) The Steve Goodson Model alto and tenor was made in three different factories over the production run. The factories were located in three DIFFERENT countries and owned by three DIFFERENT companies. The horns are basically the same and of equal quality. The last series, which is easily identified by the addition of a clothing guard on the upper stack, has a relocated altissimo key touch and a few other imrovements which make it the most desirable.
(3) The Orpheo was NOT made in Taiwan. They are really great horns, and probably the best buy for the money.The Orpheo horns that are currently being produced are in NO WAY the same as my designs, and come from a different factory. I do not own the Orpheo trade name.
(4) The Saxgourmet Model Six was always made in the same factory. That factory made the last run of Steve Goodson Model alto and tenors. These horns are VERY different, and the only thing they have in common is the factory and the pads. This factory does the finest job in Asia, in my opinion.
(5) the Saxgourmet Saxello was made in a different factory than any of the other horns. The same factory makes this horn for me today.
(6) The Steve Goodson Model baritone was also made in a different factory. This factory is a small shop that makes only baritone saxes. There are only two factories in Taiwan which make baritones.
(7) The Vespro and the Orpheo came from the same factory. The Orpheo was my unique design, the Vespro was somewhat "off the shelf" with a few changes
(8) The last LA Sax horns, the 750 and 850, are really good. They came from yet another factory. The LA Sax Series II and LA USA horns came from yet ANOTHER factory. The 750 and 850 are from Taiwan, the others are not.
(9) the Steve Goodson Model curved suprano came from still another factory. These are REALLY good horns
(10) the Steve Goodson sopranino was sourced from yet another factory in Taiwan.
As you can see, during my tenure at Orpheus we had dealings with many different vendors. All the horns except the Vespro were my unique designs, and were unavailable anywhere else.
I still have business dealings with all of the companies referenced above exept one. I also deal with several other ccompanies that we did not use when I was at Orpheus. All of the horns my company offers are my unique designs and are available nowhere else. All of the various models that were sold when I was at Orpheus have been discontinued and replaced with new models.
I really don't understand all of the discussion by the self appointed experts on the web about the relative quality of horns made in different countries. Quality is quality, no matter where it comes from. Some of the very best horns I've ever played have come from China.
I hear a lot about the factory workers in China being paid slave wages and undergoing poor working conditions. Nothing could be further from the truth. These workers are highly paid (by local standards) and since the factories are all new, they are as safe and well equipped as any factories anywhere in the world. It's quite unfair to judge one nation's economic system by the standards of another. It's not even an apples vs. oranges comparison. The basic economic systems are too different to compare wages on a dollar for dollar (or huan for huan) basis. You just can't do it.
The Asian people involved in the musical instrument manufacturing business are highly skilled and produce the best products in the world. They have made music affordable. They deserve our respect, and I don't understand the prejudice.
I've been doing business in Asia for many years. I plan to continue to do so. I would encourage the critics to get to know our friends in Asia, and carefully examine the products they produce. They (both the people and the products)are the best in the world. That's the reason they dominate the industry today.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Longest and Strongest Warranty in the Saxophone Industry
We're going to warrant our new Category Five tenors for 25 YEARS. That's right, a quarter of a century. Nobody has ever done this before, because nobody has EVER had a product of this quality. We would, of course, be foolish to do this if we thought for a minute there would be a lot of warranty claims. We know we won't have a lot of claims, because we know that there has never been a saxophone built at anything even approaching this level of quality.
Our warranty is simple:
We warrant the Saxgourmet Category Five saxophone for a period of twenty five years from the date of purchase against any defects in workmanship or materials. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only, and excludes pads, corks, felts, and finish. It does not cover accidental damage, neglect, or lack of regular maintenance and lubrication. It's as simple as that.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Back by Popular Demand
As you regular readers know, we completely redesigned all the saxophone models last year when I severed my relationship with Orpheus Music. All the horns (and mouthpieces, necks, and most accessories) are all new. Nothing was carried over. Until now.
I'm going to bow to pressure from my customers and distributors and we're going to make another run of the Saxgourmet Saxello. This horn was a big seller, and I hate to say it but the design was damn near perfect.
The Saxgourmet Saxello is very unique among sopranos: the bell (more about the bell design later) is solid silver, as are both the necks. Keywork is to high G, the pads are black kangaroo leather Saxgourmets with solid brass Noyeks, the pearls are deep water abalone, it's hand engraved on the bell, bell flare, body, and necks, and the finish on the body and keywork is bright copper plate. The bell and necks are silver, not plated, but SOLID sterling silver!
I always liked the saxello shape for a soprano. The angle of the bell keeps you playing right into the microphone, and not into the floor. When I was designing this model, we came up with a VERY unique (found on no other horn) bell flare. The bell is also the very biggest found on ANY soprano, and this makes the horn really projects!
This production run may or may not be the last of these. We've already sold four to customers who had requested them, and we're sending a few over to our distributor in the UK, where it was always popular.
If you want one, let me know. $3500 FOB New Orleans.
Friday, July 3, 2009
The coming shake out in the saxophone business
All is not well in the saxophone retailing world. In the next couple of weeks, expect to hear announcements from a few well known dealers that there are going to be some very significant changes in their operations.
Many well known dealers are now on "credit hold" from the manufacturers, and most have had their available lines of credit severely reduced. Unsold inventory is piling up, and the vintage market is in shambles.
The lucrative school market is rapidly going away as programs are cut. Prices on student instruments have, on average, fallen by almost 50%, and retailers margins have been reduced accordingly.
More and more horns are being bought through internet outlets, and the local dealer is suffereing. The old business model just doesn't work anymore, and it's past time that the industry wakes up and smells the coffee.
We saw this coming. We only sell our instruments in North America direct to the consumer. We don't have (or want) dealers, and we don't let anyone owe us money and drag us down with their own financial problems. We deal directly with the factories who manufacture our instruments, not with agents or brokers. This reduces the size of the food chain and allows us to sell our premium quality, uniquely designed instruments at a substantial savings to the customer.
We don't have a lot of people on the payroll (only four) and we don't have a lot of endorsers sitting around with their hand out. We don't need them. The vast majority of our instruments are bought prepaid, and our lines of value priced accessories sell very well on our retail site and through our eBay store. Just take a look at the eBay feedback (we can't control it in any way) and you'll easily see that we've been selling an awful lot of mouthpieces, necks, and other accessories to an awful lot of very happy and satisfied buyers.
Our business models seems to be working, and I think you can expect more retailers to adopt it in the future. For those who do not wish to change with the times, I can only say "Rest In Peace".......
Many well known dealers are now on "credit hold" from the manufacturers, and most have had their available lines of credit severely reduced. Unsold inventory is piling up, and the vintage market is in shambles.
The lucrative school market is rapidly going away as programs are cut. Prices on student instruments have, on average, fallen by almost 50%, and retailers margins have been reduced accordingly.
More and more horns are being bought through internet outlets, and the local dealer is suffereing. The old business model just doesn't work anymore, and it's past time that the industry wakes up and smells the coffee.
We saw this coming. We only sell our instruments in North America direct to the consumer. We don't have (or want) dealers, and we don't let anyone owe us money and drag us down with their own financial problems. We deal directly with the factories who manufacture our instruments, not with agents or brokers. This reduces the size of the food chain and allows us to sell our premium quality, uniquely designed instruments at a substantial savings to the customer.
We don't have a lot of people on the payroll (only four) and we don't have a lot of endorsers sitting around with their hand out. We don't need them. The vast majority of our instruments are bought prepaid, and our lines of value priced accessories sell very well on our retail site and through our eBay store. Just take a look at the eBay feedback (we can't control it in any way) and you'll easily see that we've been selling an awful lot of mouthpieces, necks, and other accessories to an awful lot of very happy and satisfied buyers.
Our business models seems to be working, and I think you can expect more retailers to adopt it in the future. For those who do not wish to change with the times, I can only say "Rest In Peace".......
The new Derek Nash Model and other projects
Derek Nash is a really great player, and an even better human being. We were introduced to him through our UK distributor, and he came to New Orleans and spent some time with us. We took Derek around to sit it with all our favorite players in New Orleans during his visit, and quite frankly, their jaws all dropped! His playing is simply amazing. He's very well known in the UK, and it is my goal to introduce his talent to our friends on this side of the pond. You can visit his website and find out more about him at http://www.dereknash.com
Derek has been an enthusiastic endorser and user of Saxgourmet saxophones for several years now, and he serves as our spokesman in the UK. We're pleased to announce a special, limited edition model to honor this great player.
The Derek Nash Model, which will be sold in the UK only (although one is on the way for my personal use) is a big voiced professional quality instrument with keywork all the way to high G. It features double arms on the low C, B, and Bb, extensive hand cut engraving, a beautiful copper finish (the picture shown is BEFORE plating), and Saxgourmet pads by MusicMedic. They are being manufactured now, and should be in dealers showrooms in the UK in about a month or so.
We're also making available a limited run of the Saxgourmet saxello with solid silver bell and two solid silver necks. These horns are quite expensive to produce, and there won't be a lot of them available. Let me know if you want to be on the list. Production is complete, and they are on their way to me. There will be some available in the UK as well.
We have a large shipment of the new Saxgourmet baritone and Voodoo Rex altos in transit, and these should be recieved in the next couple of weeks. This new baritone, which is an evolution of the now discontinued Steve Goodson Model, is going to turn the world on its ear! It has features never seen on a baritone!
We have finished the final protoype of the new Saxgourmet curved soprano, and will begin production in the near future. This model is an evolution of the very well recieved Steve Goodson Model curved soprano, and is presented in a beautiful bright copper finish.
I sent three new mouthpiece designs to the factory for production this week. These are the Yellow Moon (if you liked Guardalas, you'll love this one), the Super Duck (with a beak like an old Level-Aire) and a new high baffle hard rubber tenor piece that we haven't named yet. Name suggestions appreciated!
We have lots of new products under development right now, and I'll keep you posted here as we finalize them. We're moving more into the accessory category now that we have almost comletely redesigned the entire saxophone line.
Last week was our very best sales week in the history of our company, and Sharon and I thank you all for your continued support and patronage! We promise to continue to provide you with the highest quality and most innovative saxophones and saxophone products available anywhere!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Mouthpiece Refacing Video Promo
Here's a "sneek peek" at some scenes from our new video which is for sale at http://www.nationofmusic.com
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
USA Saxophone Imports 1st Quarter 2009
The numbers are in and it's not a very pretty picture. Of course, there are NO saxophones being manufactured in the USA, so every new horn sold here is an import. The number of horns imported gives a pretty good indication of the health of the market, and it looks pretty bad. The Music Trades magazine provides the following figures in the July issue. The figures are for the top three producing nations only. It is true that some saxophones are imported from France, Germany, Italy, and a couple of other nations, but those figures are miniscule compared to the Asian imports. Figures for the first quarter of 2008 are given in parenthesis for comparison. First quarter 2007 figures are given to the far right for further comparison
Taiwan 4,822 (8,795) -45% 15,956
China 9,122 (11,639) -22% 8,106
Japan 1,599 (1,920) -21% 5,052
The trend is obvious: the Taiwanese and Japanese horns have suffered a far greater decline in import numbers. Bad news for them, good news for the Chinese.
Taiwan 4,822 (8,795) -45% 15,956
China 9,122 (11,639) -22% 8,106
Japan 1,599 (1,920) -21% 5,052
The trend is obvious: the Taiwanese and Japanese horns have suffered a far greater decline in import numbers. Bad news for them, good news for the Chinese.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
