Kenny G  – G Series Soprano

Top US Sax repairer Rheuben Allen has been working alongside Kenny G to bring out this line of top-level soprano saxophones.  Kenny is well known for his highly polished, sweet and soulful saxophone sound, and surely a lot of this can be attributed to the sax that he has been playing for years – a Selmer Mark VI.  As we all know, vintage saxes in particular can vary from model to model, and so the whole concept behind designing these saxes was to create a new instrument that matched the tonal qualities and feel of Kenny’s original sax, as closely as possible.  I think that it’s safe to say that he has achieved an impressive result!

Cosmetically speaking, the sax is very attractive – it has a lovely dark gold lacquer, giving an appearance that we associate with the most desirable vintage instruments.  Rheuben has also engineered the key-work to closely follow the feel of Kenny’s Mark VI; the left-hand table stack has the elongated design reminiscent of saxophones of that era.  The alternative high E and high F (played with the harmonic key) have become more stable in pitch due to Rheuben’s innovative key linkage system.  The key action in general also feels very comfortable.

Now, let’s get down to the crux of the matter – the tone!  I have to say that it’s very impressive.  My main impression is that it’s very centred and full of depth, so really, laying the perfect foundations for producing the kind of soulful and singing sound that we can associate with Kenny G.   After extensive testing we have decided to supply all of our Kenny G Saxes with a Jody jazz hard rubber mouthpiece. I personally think that the combination of the warmth of tone of this mouthpiece along with the natural depth and quality of sound of the soprano gives a wonderful, rich tonal result.  In terms of metal mouthpieces, I found that the Otto Link offered a pure and well-blended sound, giving a little more natural power and brightness.

Overall, I have to say that all the research and development in putting this soprano together has produced an excellent result, and I would thoroughly recommend coming down to one of our stores to do some play testing!

Jim Cheek- Sax.co.uk

Aug 08

READ THE KENNY G INTERVIEW IN THE SEPT/OCT SAXOPHONE JOURNAL

KENNY G  - ‘E Series’ Soprano

“Since the arrival of Kenny G saxes in our stores we have perhaps put more emphasis on the status of the G Series and almost left the E Series aside.  Having just tried one again I feel it is my duty to tell you all just how fantastic these sopranos are!  The sound is full-blown, chunky and very fluid.  In some ways it reminds me of the ‘chunkiness’ associated with the Keilwerth SX90 range.  For me, there is a satisfying feeling associated with producing this kind of sound on a soprano as it can sometimes be a battle trying to eliminate the thin and brittle element that can so often be inherent in the sound. 

The other aspect to this sax that so impresses me is that it is so playable!  The action is fluid and extremely comfortable – it seems effortless when playing arpeggios and rapid progressions up and down the range of the instrument.  Just a joy to play!

Yanagisawa S901

Yanagisawa soprano saxophones are recognised as possibly the best in the world. The ones I have come across in the past have all been excellent, offering the player just about everything wanted in a soprano sax. Solid build, incredibly stable tuning, light action and clear, open sound. So it was with some eager anticipation that I got to test the latest models on offer.

And first up the S901. I was not at all disappointed. The ease with which my fingers fell on to the keys was nothing short of incredible, and such a light action, a breeze to whiz around. Great Fun!! And the sound, very clear and open, revealing plenty of detail in my sound. It was very easy to control the dynamics and it responded well even with very soft playing.

This is one great soprano saxophone and when I looked at the price I was amazed. I can't think of any other soprano that offers this quality at this price. Excellent value and would be a welcome addition to any sax player's arsenal.  

Yanagisawa S981/S991

This is everything that the 901 is and more. It has a choice of necks, either curved or straight, which offers the player a choice of playing positions, to suit individual playing styles. My own personal preference is for the curved neck. This horn really opened up my sound and I was able to play expressively with a wider range of controlled dynamics. The upper register sang out with no harshness, and the tuning was spot on. The response of the 981 was slightly quicker than the 901. The overall feel was one of a very classy saxophone, reflecting well in the tone, a lot smoother and with greater projection. It's hard to believe that the 901 can be improved upon in such a way, but the S981 is truly a great soprano. Surely it couldn't get any better?

It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the 981 and 991. They both played superbly, and I could have played both all day without a care in the world. The main difference is that the 991 has an extra high G key, other than that there is not much to choose between them. The only other small change that I found was that the sound I produced on the 991 had slightly better focus and an overall softer feel to it. This is ever so slight and when I was ripping it up on a couple of numbers with playalong tracks for backing, I couldn't tell the difference at all. I liked the S991 very much and of all the straight Yanagisawa sopranos I tried this was my favourite. I would love to play any of them, and would be more than happy to add the S901 to my collection of horns.

Yanagisawa SC901

I had always been on the sceptical side when it came to curved sopranos and I suppose I considered them a little 'toy-like' - if I am completely honest, a bit gimmicky. If Yanagisawa continues to make superb instruments like these then I am totally changed in my opinion. The SC901 is a serious instrument and yet is great fun to play. That seems to be the case with 901s from soprano to baritone. They are light, easy to play, very free blowing, expressive and all round good fun. They epitomise what playing music is all about, and the SC901 is no exception. It responded well, I could produce a very clear and musical sound, the action was light and it felt very solid in my hands. My only criticism is the left hand table key mechanism, which I found hard work. The keys are well spaced out, are quite big and sliding between them is not the easiest. Having said that, when playing soprano I never find myself playing down there much, or at least rarely find the need to slide from low B to say Bb so I didn't think this was a huge disadvantage.

 Yanagisawa SC902

The SC902 was absolutely wonderful to play, with a glorious smooth and open quality, allowing the sax player's voice to come through, yet with a warmth that I didn't think possible on a curved soprano. I've always found them a little harsh sounding, probably due to the bell firing back up at the player. This was great and after half an hour I was still happily tooting away to my heart's content. Like all other Yani’s, the action was nice and light but with great security, and a solid feel when you place the keys down. This is another very well put together instrument and confirms Yanagisawa's reputation as supreme makers of soprano saxophones.

NEW!! Yanagisawa SC991

The SC901 is one of the best and most highly regarded professional curved sops, so I thought it would be hard to surpass, but the SC991 certainly does and shows why Yanagisawa are world leaders in the soprano market. They have taken all that is good on the 901 and improved it. I must admit that I am a bit of a straight-sop man but this curvy sax is very tempting! For a small curved soprano there's loads of power through out the range, especially in the lower register. The tone is cutting, bright, with a definite sweetness at the top. It creates a modern sound which is very versatile with plenty of body.

The LH table keys are a real feature. Yanagisawa have switched the B and Bb pads to the other side of the bell and this has created extra space to develop the LH table keys. It is more like an alto set up, indeed the SC991 looks like a shrunken alto! It has the custom connected table keys which makes for smooth playing. Overall the action is just great, incredibly fluid, slick and instantly responsive. As always with Yanagisawa, the intonation is excellent. I found it a little inaccurate in the middle range, but it is still way ahead of the competition.  The crook/neck has more of a curve than the SC901 which made the positioning of the sax a bit uncomfortable for me but maybe this is because I’m quite tall. I've already had a 901 owner tell me he finds this new design more comfortable for him. Anyway, overall I was very impressed and once again Yanagisawa are pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation. I can't wait to get my fingers on the bronze SC992, I have a feeling it's going to be good!

Yanagisawa SC9930

The incredibly beautiful SC9930 with its solid silver body and crook. And what a beautiful sound this saxophone can make. What blew me away was the projection and clarity of the high register, with the intonation spot on. The notes flowed with ease and it was simply a joyful experience playing this instrument. It is impossible for me to find any fault with this saxophone and anyone who has money to spend on a quality soprano then I have no hesitation in recommending this one.  

Selmer Series II

When I picked up this particular horn I was rather surprised by the feel and the position of the keys. The left hand buttons felt very close together and small, whereas the right hand was spaced quite far apart, with the low C/Eb keys being very large, raised and sticking out a long way from the body. The C/Eb keys did not suit me at all and I could not get used to it, even after a good time of playing. The sound of this saxophone is very nice, very rounded, and again what I describe as 'three dimensional', full bodied with rich overtones. For me it didn't have quite the projection of some of the other saxes I tested, and didn't play as freely as I expected, especially in the higher register. I must admit I was a little disappointed with this sax as the alto, tenor and baritone versions are excellent. Despite my reservations I am sure that it would be loved by many players out there. In fact a friend of mine came down a few weeks ago and bought one. Just proves that everyone likes something different, variety being the spice of life and all that.

Yamaha YSS675

What a sweet sound this soprano has, and what a lovely smooth and light action. Beautifully clear and warm tone with real depth and presence. Playing was totally secure in all registers and blowing was effortless. I was able to achieve a wide range of dynamics and felt completely at ease.

The high register did not speak as clearly as I like, but I think it was more down to the mouthpiece. With the Selmer S80 'G' I found it hard work to push out the high notes. When I changed to the Otto Link ebonite it was a lot better. Also the Runyon Quantum played clearly and gave the notes much greater presence. Tuning was stable, and I had to make only slight adjustments to bend one or two notes into line.

Overall this is a very solid instrument with a lovely smooth feel, which you do get with all Yamaha’s. It is very difficult to find any fault with it, maybe the only minor criticism is that if you want bags of volume and power in a soprano sax then this might not be the one. But if you want a classy sound and build quality is important then this saxophone fits the bill.

  Keilwerth SX90

This soprano certainly produced one of the sweetest sounds I have heard. It was beautifully clear, warm and resonant, and had a lovely evenness of tone throughout its range. Octave leaps and staccato tonguing were effortless and the sax responded well. I was able to play very musically with complete confidence in the horn. This was a fantastic sounding instrument, but I couldn't get to grips with the action, it just didn't sit right in my hands. The high D key was in a position that needed a lot of movement to reach and was very close to its neighbouring Eb key. You can move the keys with the use of an allen key, which is very useful, but for me I still couldn't get it right. I found the side Bb key quite easy to nudge with my right hand; the keys and rods on the instrument seemed to stick out far from the main body. I also needed to keep firm pressure on the octave key, particularly when playing high D. If I relaxed the pressure it opened up the C# venting key and the D went sharp. The main body action was very smooth and light and secure and I found it easy to whiz around, but just the side keys let this sax down.

However, all that said, this is an excellent soprano and well worth considering. I'm sure that if I could spend a bit of time with this sax and get used to the instrument a bit more this would be an ideal soprano sax as it produces such a lovely sound.

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