About comments and questions....

I'm glad to answer questions, but you need to send them to me at saxgourmet@cox.net.......same for comments on the posts on this blog.....this is my blog, not your forum, so I don't publish any comments from outside here.....that's what the forum at http://www.nationofmusic.com is for......you're invited to share your thoughts and ask questions of me there.....if you are not a member of the forum, just register. Remember, you must use your real first and last name as your user name and have a verifiable email address to register.

If you're a troll or just want to bait me, don't waste your time and mine.

Production Version of the Bon Fils!

I had the factory air freight over a Bon Fils (don't ask what that costs!) while we wait for the rest to arrive by sea in a couple of weeks.
This horn retails to the end user for $750......it is designed for student use, and designed to project in outdoor situations such as marching band
.....here are some pictures so you can see some of the unique features to this horn:

(1) Two different necks for two different sounds: a bright, silver plated neck with built in neck enhancer for marching band use, and a "sweet" sounding neck for
concert band

(2) double arms on the low C and B for stability

(3) easy to reach chromatic and high F# keys

(4) teardrop shaped front F

(5) Fully waterproof pads for outdoor use

(6) Stainless steel springs that don't rust

(7) Extra large ribs, rods, and pivot screws to durability

(8) Extra large bell to body brace for stability

(9) Fully hand engraved on the bell, bow, body tube, both necks, and all key cups

(10) Three ring strap hook accommodates players of all physical sizes

(11) Extra large right hand thumbrest supports the entire thumb, great for small hands

(12) Big guard on the bottom of the bow to prevent dents

(13) Oversized metal resonators for great projection

(14) extra strong key cradles to prevent damage

(15) Keyguard for Low C# key to prevent damage

(16) High quality SG mouthpiece with metal band on shank to prevent cracking

(17) Deluxe, hard shell case with back pack rings

Voodoo Rex Tenors now in stock!

I just got through unloading a bunch of Voodoo Rex tenors: solid copper body, bell, bow, and neck; rolled tone holes, kangaroo leather pads with gold plated
Maestro resonators; abalone pearls; built in neck enhancer and nodal weights; double arms on bell keys; screw adjustable chromatic C and Bb; fully engraved
bell, bell flare, bow, body tube, neck, and all keywork; ergonomic F# keys; 3 ring strap hook; Saxgourmet thumbrest; optional additional neck; Saxgourmet contour
case; big bore, huge full sound. The solid copper body, bell, bow, and neck give this horn a very fat sound which is incredibly rich. These are quick and dirty pictures.
We'll have better ones on the site www.nationofmusic.com soon. The horns are for sale on the site now. I'm getting the ones pre-ordered set up now, and will
ship them by the end of this week.

Joyeaux Noel, Cher!

Here's our holiday sale.....through December 20

Saxgourmet Endorsing Artist Tom Scott

Saxgourmet Endorsing Artist Tom Scott is pictured above with his new Saxgourmet Saxello soprano with sterling silver bell and necks. Tom is the MOST recorded saxophone player of all time, and a multiple Grammy award winner. Tom is also my hero, and has been since my high school days. He's a great guy, and Sharon and I are very proud that he chooses to play Saxgourmet alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones EXCLUSIVELY. Tom has represented our Saxgourmet brand for six years now, and has won many friends for us. Remember, Tom could choose any horn in the world. Any company would do anything to have his endorsement and blessing. Tom Scott chooses to play Saxgourmet.

Saxgourmet Endorsing Artist Aviva Malone

Here's a few items we're offering with special pricing up through November 15.....pictures below

SAXGOURMET SOLID COPPER ALTO NECK WITH NODAL WEIGHTS: our finest alto neck, solid copper tube, hand hammered and hand burnished, heavily engraved, underslung octave mechanism, 24.5mm tenon, with hardshell neck case. Specify horn make and model. Was $350, now $300

MISTRESS SHARON'S COMPLETE DOMINATION ALTO SAX KEY CLAMPS: keep your horn in perfect adjustment and protect it while traveling. For all alto saxes with low B and Bb on the same side of the bell, either right or left Were $50, now $40

YELLOW MOON TENOR MOUTHPIECE: machined from one bar of stainless steel, high baffle, big blended chamber, undercut window, hand faced, single screw ligature and engraved metal cap. Bright sounding and free blowing. Was $160, now $125

BLACK MAMBO TENOR MOUTHPIECE: Rubber composite resin, high baffle, very large chamber, great projection and big dynamic range, hand faced, two screw ligature and cap, very classic sound. Was $160, now $130

FAT BOY METAL ALTO MOUTHPIECE: Solid bell quality brass, high baffle, medium chamber, long facing, single screw ligature and metal cap, hand faced, loud and cutting, our best selling alto mouthpiece. Was $130, now $100 this is a "special purchase" price, our lowest ever!

SAXGOURMET ALTO NECK ENHANCER: our best selling accessory item. Was $50, now $40

SAXGOURMET 3 RING STRAP HOOK: Our latest design, with larger rings, spaced further apart, easy solder on installation Was $25, now $20

SAXGOURMET ERGONOMIC THUMB REST: for all saxophones with a screw on thumb rest. 5 minute do it yourself installation. Was $25, now $18

Bon Fils Sound Samples!

With Saxgourmet Endorsing Artist Breeze Cayolle

Our new student mouthpiece

I've been rather unhappy with the mouthpieces available for students, and knew we could do better! We believe that the mouthpiece used by most beginning students is too resistant and reed fussy. Our design is extremely easy blowing, has unusually good low note response, and is quite durable. The baffle is concave, not flat, and has a very slight rollover for projection. The window is undercut with a nice, sharp ramp to decrease resistance. The chamber is horseshoe shaped with a round top and square walls to facilitate projection and high note response. You'll notice we put a a somewhat gentle slope on the beak, which significantly improves player comfort and helps beginners form a good embouchure. Of course, there is a metal band on the shank to prevent splitting. The ligature has extra large screws and a compound reed plate. Tip opening is .070, with a radial curve. Other makers could have put all of these much needed features in a student mouthpiece, but they didn't. We did. Here's the fruits of our labor, which we will have available in about 60 days at a retail price of around $50

Bon Fils update

Production is now well underway! Here are a couple of news items worthy of your attention:

(1) the Bon Fils will com with TWO necks: one with a built in neck enhancer for marching band, and a different darker sounding neck for the concert band season.

(2) here's a picture of the low C# key guard. I'll admit the horns aren't very pretty at this stage of manufacture, but you can see what we are up to.

The Bon Fils Alto by Saxgourmet

These are the first pictures of our new Bon Fils (that's "Good Son" in French) student alto. This horn will retail to the end user for $750, and is designed with young students in mind. It is a VERY weather proof horn, using stainless steel springs, screws, and rods to prevent rusting, and fully water proofed pads. An important part of the design of this model is the HUGE dynamic range. It is potentially a very loud saxophone (although it plays beautifully at pianissimo) in order to give, for the very first time in saxophone history, a player the volume necessary to compete with the trumpets and trombones in a marching band.

This increase in projection and potential volume has been accomplished through several means: the resonator are very oversized stainless steel domes, the neck has a unique taper, and we include our famous Saxgourmet neck enhancer with each Bon Fils.

Player comfort was a prime consideration, especially for users of smaller stature. We include our three ring strap hook too allow the player significant variation in strap placement for maximum comfort and control. The right hand thumb rest is our well known Saxgourmet design, which supports the entire thumb, not just the second joint, for enhanced comfort and control. The chromatic F# and high F# key have been redesigned for easier execution, as have the key touches for the low Eb and low C. The left pinky table is fully articulated. The palm keys are of our latest asymmetrical design, and the front F key touch is teardrop shaped so the index finger does not have to be lifted to obtain this note.

The Bon Fils is specifically designed for the rough treatment often afforded saxophones by younger players. All rods are slightly oversized. The guard at the bottom of the bow has been significantly enlarged and strengthened to prevent damage. The size of the bell to body brace has been made significantly larger to maintain perfect bell alignment. The hinge mechanism for the palm and other auxiliary keys has been manufactured with right angles rather than sloping junctions to afford additional strength. Of course, all of the keywork is fully supported with ribs, which are significantly oversized for strength. The case provided is extremely durable, rectangular for easy stacking on instrument trucks, and well padded, with heavy duty cordura sides over a hard shell for long lasting beauty. Heavy duty zippers are used for closure rather than latches which often fail, and a shoulder strap mount is included, as well as the option for backpack style straps. The case also features a full sized exterior pocket which will accommodate full concert band music folders, and dedicated interior slots for the neck and mouthpiece, as well as a generous interior accessory compartment. Production examples will vary from the example pictured here in that they will have double arms for extra stability on the low C, B, and Bb. There will also be a guard added to protect the low C# key cup. We have incorporated an underslung octave key mechanism on the neck to allow younger players to grasp the neck itself while assembling the horn, rather than bending the octave key.

The mouthpiece used for this model is of a new design to facilitate easy blowing and even intonation and response throughout the range. We currently manufacture over 20 different saxophone mouthpiece models, and took our considerable experience in this field to design a student mouthpiece that is superior and like no other on the market. This design features a sloping beak which is not only more comfortable for younger players, but also increases projection. The baffle i long and straight, with a lightly concave contour, and no rollover. The side and tip rails are of moderate width in order to be more "forgiving", and the chamber is horseshoe shaped with a round top and straight walls to increase projection. Unique among student mouthpieces, this model includes a metal band on the shank to prevent cracking and splitting.

We know that the visual impact of an instrument is important to students, and we have made a great effort in this area to provide students with an instrument they can show their friends with pride. The epoxy lacquer used is the most durable available, and is tinted a rich vintage gold color. The bell, bow, body tube, neck, and ALL KEY CUPS are elaborately hand engraved. We will be happy to make other finishes available to schools, along with the custom engraving of the schools logo on the bell, upon execution of a special minimum order.

Of course, robust construction and beautiful touches are all well and good, but in the end the final and ultimate test is how the saxophone plays. We know that students often have difficulty with intonation and low note response, and took these matters into mind in our design. The bore and tone hole placement are designed to make playing the saxophone easier, and to allow superior blending with the other instruments of the band.

Sharon and I are very pleased and proud to be able to offer this outstanding instrument, which has been in development for over two years, in the hopes that it will make music more affordable for families, and introduce the joy of saxophone playing to the next generation.

Fall Sale!

SAXGOURMET PRODUCTS
FALL SAXUAL STIMULATION SALE
details on all products, pictures and videos are at
www.nationofmusic.com
be sure to join and participate in the forum and
take an ADDITIONAL 20% OFF your orders!


We’re lowering prices through October 15 on some of our best selling accessory items, including necks, mouthpieces, key clamps, and neck enhancers. ORDER NOW AND SAVE!



TENOR SAXOPHONE NECKS
All of these Saxgourmet necks feature our built in neck enhancer, our exclusive nodal weights,
are heavily hand engraved, and have an underslung octave mechanism and come with our
Saxgourmet hard shell neck case

SELMER Tenor gold lacquer was $330 NOW $250
SELMER Tenor silver plate was $400 NOW $300
SELMER Tenor solid copper was $500 NOW $350
YAMAHA Tenor gold lacquer was $350 NOW $260
YAMAHA Tenor silver plate was $425 NOW $325
CONN Tenor gold lacquer was $400 NOW $300
CONN Tenor solid copper was $580 NOW $380


ALTO SAXOPHONE NECKS
These necks feature our exclusive nodal weights, extensive hand cut engraving, and an underslung octave key mechanism. All have a 24.5mm tenon and come complete with our Saxgourmet hard shell neck case. Please specify make and model of your horn.

ALTO NECK gold lacquer was $175 NOW $125
ALTO NECK silver plate was $250 NOW $175


BARITONE SAXOPHONE NECK ENHANCER
This is a new item! We’ve sold HUNDREDS of enhancers to our alto and tenor customers for several years, and now we’re pleased to be able to offer the bari players among you the same great product.

BARITONE SAX NECK ENHANCER was $80 NOW $60


SUPER DUCK TENOR SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE
If you’re a rock and roll sort of player, this is the mouthpiece for you! It’s got an extreme duck bill beak, a very high baffle, and a medium large chamber, so it’s super loud, responsive, but not thin sounding. It’s made of bell quality brass and comes with our Saxgourmet single screw ligature and an engraved cap, along with a velvet carry bag. Tips are .090, .105, or .120 Each one is hand faced by Steve Goodson.

SUPER DUCK TENOR MOUTHPIECE was $165 NOW $135

YELLOW MOON STAINLESS STEEL TENOR MOUTHPIECE
You asked for a stainless steel mouthpiece, so here ‘ya go! You jazzers out there will love the medium high baffle, long curve, and big chamber. It’s very free blowing and responsive. The design features a medium duck bill beak and an extended window, and comes with a Saxgourmet single screw ligature, a metal cap, and a velvet carry bag. Each one is hand faced by Steve Goodson, and available tips are .090, .105, and .120. Nothing sounds quite like stainless steel!

YELLOW MOON TENOR MOUTHPIECE was $160 NOW $130


MISTRESS SHARON’S TENOR SAX KEY CLAMPS
OK, let’s think this through together, please: your horn will play better if you can prevent the pads from swelling every time they get wet and are allowed to dry. Keeping them in place when the horn is not being played keeps the seats and prevents leaks. It’s probably not a good idea to let your keys move around while the horn is being carried in the case, either. It’s your horn, so you decide. Any questions?

MISTRESS SHARON’S TENOR CLAMPS was $55 NOW $40



DEMO HORN SALE
I rotate the horns we use for display in our showroom and for trade shows and appearances from time to time. The following horns all have only a few hours of playing time on them, and all carry an “as new” full warranty. All are subject to prior sale, and because they are not regular inventory, are not eligible for the 20% forum member additional discount. We’re getting out of the trade show business, so this may be the last time I have a significant number of demos for sale. All of the usual terms and conditions for instrument sales apply, and all prices are FOB New Orleans. We don’t send out horns “on trial” or “on approval”, but you can see and play them at our office by prior appointment.

SAXGOURMET BARITONE was $4200 NOW $3400
SAXGOURMET SAXELLO was $3600 NOW $2800
VOODOO REX ALTO was $3600 NOW $2500
VOODOO REX TENOR PROTOTYPE* was $4500 NOW $3000
SAXGOURMET CURVED SOPRANO was $1800 NOW $1400
SUPER 400 TENOR was $4250 NOW $3600
CATEGORY 5 TENOR PROTOTYPE** was $15,000 NOW $9000

varies slightly from production horns in cosmetics. Delivery when production horns arrive (soon!), includes a couple of experimental necks we were trying. Acoustics are the same as production horns, rolled tone holes, solid copper neck, body, bow, and bell.

** this is the third one built, and was used as a reference and for trade shows. It is identical to the current version but does not have rolled tone holes or the new G# mechanism. I love this horn, and may withdraw it from sale, but money talks.....

Saxgourmet Saxello with Chris Savage

Saxgourmet Saxello with solid silver bell and neck demo

Voodoo Rex SOLID COPPER tenor

CATEGORY FIVE TENOR WITH CHRIS SAVAGE

Super 400 latest version video