Great video Dave. Here's my honest reaction before the reveal... First play example, I was sure was the BetterSax, but then I heard number 2 and since the intonation was different than the first one I thought that must be the Better Sax since maybe you weren't used to any intonation idiosyncrasies coming from your Mark VI. As I listened to all of the examples, I had no idea which was which and was embarrassed to not be able to tell a difference. Should have known you were laying a little trap 😅. In any case, you sound great on both! Thanks for taking the time to make this video and test out the horn. Donna Lee was 🔥.
Clearly, the moral of the story is to just get a 10MFAN mouthpiece so you can do whatever you want on it!!! 😆😆🔥🔥🔥🎷🎷❤️❤️ Seriously, you sound wonderful, Dave! Always a joy to hear you and Jay’s horn sounds great! What a fantastic price point for a great playing horn with lots of character to the sound.
i think the conclusion we can all agree to is that archbishop pollack can make even a beat-up bundy horn sound good. great playing, no two-page review on this one.
Dave is trolling all of us by only playing one sax. Dave, sell your mark 6 , you no longer need it, you proved that all any one really needs is a student sax.
A truly inspirational video. Those who take the time, should be able to notice the subtle changes to his embouchure that create his different tone qualities. Dave once again proves that you, as the player, possess a tremendous power over your sound that no well-built, leak-free instrument can alter significantly, no matter what the manufacturers try to tell, excuse me, sell you. Get a solid horn, mouthpiece and reed, stick with it, and then it's up to you to create your sound. Everything else (mass screws, ligatures, pad thickness or material, etc.) barely matters. It's one of the first lessons I teach. Pre-COVID, I used to take the student's horn with my mouthpiece and show them what sounds could come from their horn. It also allowed me to check they have not mechanical issues, too. Dealing with broken or chipped reeds not matched to the mouthpieces along with leaking horns can stop progress. Tried to give you two thumbs up, but that only cancelled out the first thumbs up.
i never comment on CZcams but your demonstration really floored me. I consistently thought that saxophone #1 was the Mark VI and was throughly surprised it was not even in the video. Great job showing the potential of a student instrument with a really skilled musician. I will be retiring soon and one of the things on my list is picking up the sax again and re-learning the instrument. I used to have professional instruments but sold them a long time ago so i am trying to find what is available in todays' market a the student level. The Better Sax is now on my short list because i think it will fit my needs now and for a while. Thank you for the informative video 😊
They both sound really great! I've always felt like I could get the same tone on a good quality student horn as on a pro horn - I only upgraded to a pro horn for the improved keywork.
Wowza! I am blown away! I'm a pianist wanting to try out sax, but didn't want to blow my wallet doing it. I couldn't believe the BetterSax at its price getting all these great reviews, but this has helped me make up my mind. Man, am I surprised! Thanks so much!
I'm sure there are a lot of folks that think I have a nice tone because I am playing a professional horn. I can tell the difference between an intermediate horn and a professional horn when I play them, but there probably isn't that much of a difference to the listener. You sound amazing on the alto sax Dave, no matter which one you are playing!
I love the surprise! Thanks for the inspiration, I picked up a bettersax yesterday as an upgrade. Looking forward to making some of these pieces you've played into study pieces for myself
Very interesting. Whatever you did with your embouchure made #2 sound stuffy and #1 sound much brighter and louder. I VERY much preferred #1 and assumed it was the VI. So the question begs, what changes did you make in your embouchure?
You’re such a frickin’ smart guy you make the rest of us look like high school kids!! Back to back blind test but it was the SAME horn?! Genius. I was hook, line and sinker, I don’t mind saying it! Great vid man. Now I just need Jay to send me one of those suckers. (Are you listening Jay??) 😉
That was fantastic one of the best videos waiting for the better sex tenor, I know Jay is working on it I have the alto can’t believe how great it is spoiled me,I had a mark six Tenor back in the 70s missed it and played for a long time and now I’m back because of the better sex
I fell for it, but begrudgingly resigned to thinking that #2 must be the mark vi. I say that because I I didn't love either and was "settling" for #2 being more vi-like, although feeling a little confused. It was actually a relief though to see that it was a trick! Well done
I'm a fan of #2. Crazy how a change in embouchure can make it sound like a different instrument. Love that the Better Sax can get that throaty sound that I associate with the Mark VI.
I just bought my first sax, the Better Sax alto. Truthfully, with my untrained ear, I couldn’t hear much of a difference. Ultimately I chose #2 because I thought I detected a slightly mellower tone.
I spotted the difference in the tone, #2 had a slightly mellower sound, could I tell which was which, honestly, no. Which sounded better to me, both were great. Now that it was revealed, awesome, that is what I like about some of the other wind instruments I play, being able to shape the sound through your embouchure, like with a well made Shakuhachi, and is what I dislike about some wind instruments that sound boring because the sound can not be altered.
Hi Dave ... professional of many, many years here in central Fl. I play a 21000 Balance action alto and a 38000 super balanced tenor. Both are absolutely fantastic saxophones. I have always had back up saxophones (especially in Fl where it rains during the summer often) the most recent was a pair of Cannonball Stone series. I tried the better sax alto. It is a great sax for the price ... so much so I sold my Cannonball saxophones. That said ... is it as good as my Selmer ... no but it makes an excellent back up. I have used both (I bought a tenor recently) on gigs and they both play great. That said ... are they as good as my Selmer saxophones ... no ... but they are great for the price. As for the blind test ... I knew the first one was the better sax ... the sound is "brighter" than a Selmer ... but you got me on the second ... I instinctively thought it was the Mark VI cause the sound was darker. I was able to pick out the Mark VI on Jay's video every time. And on a final note ... you sound great!
I thought the second was the mark iv simply because in the first set of two recordings it felt like you were playing slightly more embellishments and intonation mini-changes which one would do on a sax they were more comfortable with. So to find out you WERE playing the second one with a different embouchure makes me feel better.
A beautiful saxophone, I collected mine today from the London store, great service from two really helpful guys.. Looking forward to ha ING fun with this great horn...
I was surprised to find out that you always played with the same sax, in the first song I thought it was the Mark Vi. Definitely play a Mark Vi or an Amazon saxophone you sound great
I thought the Better Sax sounded better than the Better Sax! Fantastic video. I've been wanting to see that done for a while. The only improvement would have been if you didn't give away the answer in the same video and postponed the reveal to a later video to give everyone a chance to write their impressions first, without knowing they were the same horn! Maybe someone will do that on a mouthpiece or horn comparison in the future. Anyway, I loved it! Thanks for the entertainment. PS your playing is awsome as always.
I was a bit confused since i preferred #1, then #2 and #1 for the last tune. Since I don't know much about brands and model sounds I was going in with an open mind. I loved the trolling though. ♡
Both horns sounded great, but, a great saxophonist like yourself can make any horn perform magnificently. Number one saxophone has such a bright, crisp, brassy sound, whereas, number two sounded rich, soulful, and fuller.
You really confused me here. I genuinely couldn't decide because it sounded the same, and I'm glad I got it, but if you asked me wether the whole thing was played only on BetterSax alto or on Mark VI, I wouldn't be so confident.
I loved it 😍 it was fun 🤔😱😂😂 I am 84 and still going at it I started playing in a new band and it is interesting to here other sax players I have all brand of horns and mouth pieces and the all ask a lot of questions so the can buy a new horn so I have fun playing there student horns and watching their faces they just don’t get the years of work and love 🤔😂😂
Dave, great video, and you got me! 😂 For videos one and two, I picked sax #1 as your Mark VI (and my preferred sound). In the third video, I couldn't tell a difference, and both sounded absolutely amazing. The best news of today for me personally...I ordered the Better Sax two days ago and am excitedly awaiting for it to arrive. This "comparison" blew me away, and if I had any doubts about buying this horn, this video totally removed all of that. I've been playing the "cheapest sax on Amazon" for the past three years as my first saxophone (yes, the sax Jay compared with his Yanagisawa a few years ago), and the Better Sax is undoubtedly going to be an upgrade for me. Thanks again for putting this together! 👏
Okay have to agree Dave's the difference. Wow! I'm going back to practice....I've played the better sax with a Barkely Brazil Kustom Pop and it sounds brighter....But this was a cool video. It's a good Sax...
Ok I picked the Better Sax as #1 and the MVI as #2, until I saw the reveal. But in listening I thought the #2 was at times not only darker but even a bit stuffy. That confused me since my MVI is not stuffy or resistant at all. All in the embouchure, great job. I'm thinking a video on the two embouchures might be needed. LOL. Anyway The Better Sax seems to be a great horn for the price, and great playing by you Dave. Thanks
Tonally I pegged #2 as the MKVI as it had a pleasant roundness to the tone that wasn't overly bright. Just goes to show how much tone is in ones embouchure.
Commenting before reveal. I am pretty sure the first is the Better Sax and the second is the Mark VI. The first sounds a lot cleaner but in a good way, almost like a Yanagisawa or a Yamaha 82Z. The second sounds fuller and almost has extra tone that hangs over after long notes. This is a characteristic I only hear in vintage horns. Either way, both horns sound great and I think the intonation on the first is just a little better. Edit: :-D
Haha very interesting. I thought something was awry. #1 was very clear and warm and #2 sounded a little flatter but with some character. It had a little more sizzle in the upper range. Funny it's the same horn. There's little nuances that I heard on #2 that made me think you were more familiar with that horn so I guessed that one was the mark vi but it sounded flat. Now it makes sense. Tricky tricky!
I actually thought that #1 was better, had a slightly brighter sound and I assumed it was the Better Sax. And I don't know how you changed your embouchure but I thought "he has some intonation issues with his Mark VI? (must be all the stickers 😄)
Loved it :-) The noticeable difference for me on the first song was the first playthrough was a brighter sound, and the second was a warmer tone. I'd still be interested in you doing an actual side-by-side against the Mark VI.
At the 5:34 mark of the video I can see from his forehead that he is working awful hard blowing on horn #1 so I would say that is the Bettersax Alto. And horn #2 is the Seller as he didn't seem to be working as hard at it. Also horn #1 seemed brighter while 2 hard a slightly darker sound, which is what I like. I'm commenting without looking at the other comments and before I finish watching the video. Hopefully my ears and analysis hasn't failed me.
Your playing is fantastic. And I think I enjoyed Jay’s horn’s clarity , but the colors in both was very enjoyed to listen to . Thank you for your review
I picked up on two things...the embouchure change as you say changed a bit, which honestly I didn't notice so much. What was more obvious to me was how you expected more from Sax #2. Your body language (body English if it is still okay to express that way) totally gives this away...volume could have been set to mute. On this basis, I supposed the Mark VI was #2. If in fact you recorded them chronologically, #1 tune always before #2 sax, then I reckon you got more comfortable with the BetterSax on the second go-round, and it was reasonable for you to expect more. Possibly also, you did intend to play them differently, regardless of their chronology. What is cooler still, is the two varieties of expression that were obvious you found from a single instrument.
As they say in golf it’s not the putter, it’s the putter. I thought at first the second sax sounded a little darker and smoother, but then on the third song when you back and forth I thought they are no different. I would be interested in knowing how the key response was especially in the low range.
Great video for sure! I noticed that #1 had more of a full sound and I kept feeling that way with everything you had played. After I saw the reveal, I was confused because I was pretty confident that I was being impartial and not just assuming that because I like #1 more, that it must be a Mark VI. I am happy to know my ears don't totally suck because you had in fact changed your embouchure. Now the question is, was #1 how Joe Allard taught it or Larry Teal?!?! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN I bet it's Joe Allard :)
I thought the first switch between 1 and 2 was like hearing 2 different horns. I thought #2 was the Selmer on that transition. Later on they started being difficult to tell apart. Impressive sound from the Mark VI...i mean Better Sax. So far I've had an aversion to buying it because it has the word "Bundy" on it, lol. I just keep thinking it's going to be like that Bundy II from the 80s with the weird ergonomics, although I really doubt Jay would do that :).
TBH, when I saw the blind test I skipped ahead, since the player + mouthpiece is usually 90+% of the tone. I was more interested to see what you said about mechanical performance, ergonomics, and if Jay included white cotton gloves.
Sounds great all around. Just the embouchure change made a difference. Though one couldn't tell that much. You would have to have a real discerning ear.
Well I might sound like a smart arse but I couldn.t tell the difference. I admit I am 85 Y.O. wear hearing aids and just took up saxophone 1 year ago after a 68 year break so was quite surprised that for once I got something right. Obviously need to do a bit more practice to get that sound out of my 1934 Selmer Eb Radio Tuned Model which I bought 2nd hand in 1953
I went to a jazz show last night and the guy was playing a YTS23 and sounded awesome.I still think for the money they can’t be beat.Even Better than the better sax horn which by the way is very very good. In the end who cares? If you suck the horn makes no difference and if you’re great it also doesn’t matter. The set up is the most important thing and how comfortable it is to play for you. We all know the intonation of mk vi’s suck so the comparison doesn’t make sense. You will always sound good on a modern horn because of that. Even the 400$ JS horns sound really great .
Number 2 definitely had some intonation issues where you were working hard to get it right. The #1 seems easy going and smoother.. but at the end, I was duped lol. My emboucher is sucky and inconsistent so lesson learned.
Holy shit, your sound on Joy Spring at 6:43 with the Better Sax is THE perfect alto sound. I'm sure that has a lot to do with you the player, but my god, that thing sounds marvellous, especially #1. What exactly were you doing with your embouchure? It's incredible how different it sounded. Also -- I notice you play that song with the exact inflections used by Clifford Brown/Harold Land, don't think I've seen any other players do that.
This is after the reveal, I don’t feel qualified to make an informed choice and I had no idea which horn was a mk vi or BetterSax but I preferred the sound of number 1.
When you expect a difference, you hear a difference. This is known from testing of all kind of products. As to saxophones I think it's a common agreement that the sound is made by the reed, the mouthpiece and the player. Great video, and I'm sure that David can play great on any saxophone.
Thank you, this was very helpful as they're aren't many reviews out there yet. I have seen one other review and there was a marked difference in the sound (yours was much more pleasing). May I ask what mic set up you used and what software the recording went through. Many thanks.
Great video Dave. You’ve earned a new subscription! You had me too. I was listening to both sounds and naturally presumed they were coming from different horns. Now we all know that the Better Sax horn sounds great if you’ve already put in the work and no doubt also have a pro mouthpiece. Only thing I would like to see and hear would be a follow up video where you give us the same music but this time actually change between the BS and Mark VI. This video absolutely shows that the BS is suitable for just about anyone, any standard. But how do they actually sound back to back? If I were in the market for a Mark VI I’d love to know if I could save a fortune and just get a cheaper horn!! I have a Mark VI tenor and cheaper alto and soprano from British company Hanson. I love each of them but I don’t use them enough to warrant the investment in a higher quality instrument. But when my Mark VI was being stripped and restored I had a loan of a brand new Hanson top end tenor and there was no comparison. When the Mark VI came back I felt like I had come home too. So how do the BS and Mark VI actually compare?
Bro trolled us hard. He just played a lot crappier on take 2, on purpose. Made me think that he was less familiar with the better sax since his mark 6 was his daily driver. Mighta just sold me on this you goat bastihd 😂
Which player you like most? Bird or Cannonball? That's how I felt about your playing, #1 sounded more like Bird, on your improvs you went crazy like Bird, on #2 you were more solid and nicer tone, like Cannonball, what brings me to think you were more confident on your own horn which allowed you to go crazier on the improv while being more prudent on the BetterSax horn, which you are less familiar with. Therefore, I bet #1 is MKVI and #2 is BetterSax EDIT: I was wrong!!
Great video Dave. Here's my honest reaction before the reveal... First play example, I was sure was the BetterSax, but then I heard number 2 and since the intonation was different than the first one I thought that must be the Better Sax since maybe you weren't used to any intonation idiosyncrasies coming from your Mark VI. As I listened to all of the examples, I had no idea which was which and was embarrassed to not be able to tell a difference. Should have known you were laying a little trap 😅. In any case, you sound great on both!
Thanks for taking the time to make this video and test out the horn. Donna Lee was 🔥.
I got it right the number 2 Selma the intonation is nicer
lol I thought the same thing because he scooped up to pitch on #2 in the first phrase
Clearly, the moral of the story is to just get a 10MFAN mouthpiece so you can do whatever you want on it!!! 😆😆🔥🔥🔥🎷🎷❤️❤️
Seriously, you sound wonderful, Dave! Always a joy to hear you and Jay’s horn sounds great! What a fantastic price point for a great playing horn with lots of character to the sound.
Thanks Mark
i think the conclusion we can all agree to is that archbishop pollack can make even a beat-up bundy horn sound good. great playing, no two-page review on this one.
Dave is trolling all of us by only playing one sax. Dave, sell your mark 6 , you no longer need it, you proved that all any one really needs is a student sax.
A student sax and skills like Dave…..
A truly inspirational video. Those who take the time, should be able to notice the subtle changes to his embouchure that create his different tone qualities. Dave once again proves that you, as the player, possess a tremendous power over your sound that no well-built, leak-free instrument can alter significantly, no matter what the manufacturers try to tell, excuse me, sell you. Get a solid horn, mouthpiece and reed, stick with it, and then it's up to you to create your sound. Everything else (mass screws, ligatures, pad thickness or material, etc.) barely matters. It's one of the first lessons I teach. Pre-COVID, I used to take the student's horn with my mouthpiece and show them what sounds could come from their horn. It also allowed me to check they have not mechanical issues, too. Dealing with broken or chipped reeds not matched to the mouthpieces along with leaking horns can stop progress. Tried to give you two thumbs up, but that only cancelled out the first thumbs up.
i never comment on CZcams but your demonstration really floored me. I consistently thought that saxophone #1 was the Mark VI and was throughly surprised it was not even in the video. Great job showing the potential of a student instrument with a really skilled musician. I will be retiring soon and one of the things on my list is picking up the sax again and re-learning the instrument. I used to have professional instruments but sold them a long time ago so i am trying to find what is available in todays' market a the student level. The Better Sax is now on my short list because i think it will fit my needs now and for a while. Thank you for the informative video 😊
I'm so glad to hear that! You're going to love that horn, and have fun getting back into playing saxophone!
They both sound really great! I've always felt like I could get the same tone on a good quality student horn as on a pro horn - I only upgraded to a pro horn for the improved keywork.
Wowza! I am blown away! I'm a pianist wanting to try out sax, but didn't want to blow my wallet doing it. I couldn't believe the BetterSax at its price getting all these great reviews, but this has helped me make up my mind. Man, am I surprised! Thanks so much!
It’s an incredible deal!
I was shure nr '1 was Selmer and nr 2 was Better Sax. Sounds great to me.
I'm sure there are a lot of folks that think I have a nice tone because I am playing a professional horn. I can tell the difference between an intermediate horn and a professional horn when I play them, but there probably isn't that much of a difference to the listener. You sound amazing on the alto sax Dave, no matter which one you are playing!
This is a great video im definitely getting me a better sax!🎷
I thought #2 sounded a little darker. But I was amazed how similar they were. But I thought #1 would be the Mark
I love the surprise!
Thanks for the inspiration, I picked up a bettersax yesterday as an upgrade. Looking forward to making some of these pieces you've played into study pieces for myself
Very interesting. Whatever you did with your embouchure made #2 sound stuffy and #1 sound much brighter and louder. I VERY much preferred #1 and assumed it was the VI. So the question begs, what changes did you make in your embouchure?
Heh, I actually preferred #2 a lot more. Sounded more vintage.
You’re such a frickin’ smart guy you make the rest of us look like high school kids!! Back to back blind test but it was the SAME horn?! Genius. I was hook, line and sinker, I don’t mind saying it! Great vid man. Now I just need Jay to send me one of those suckers. (Are you listening Jay??) 😉
That was fantastic one of the best videos waiting for the better sex tenor, I know Jay is working on it I have the alto can’t believe how great it is spoiled me,I had a mark six Tenor back in the 70s missed it and played for a long time and now I’m back because of the better sex
You wrote better sex lol
great video and GREAT playing! 🎷🔥🔥🔥 I preferred the clarity of #1 over the mid-range "honk" of #2 through all the examples.
Thanks Dave! My main takeway from this is, as always, what an amazing player you are 😊✌
ditto
I fell for it, but begrudgingly resigned to thinking that #2 must be the mark vi. I say that because I I didn't love either and was "settling" for #2 being more vi-like, although feeling a little confused. It was actually a relief though to see that it was a trick! Well done
It doesn't matter which horn you are playing, you check off all the boxes for a brilliant saxophonist. Tone, fluency,
projection, and melodiousness.
Wow - thank you SO much for those kind words!
I'm a fan of #2. Crazy how a change in embouchure can make it sound like a different instrument. Love that the Better Sax can get that throaty sound that I associate with the Mark VI.
I just bought my first sax, the Better Sax alto. Truthfully, with my untrained ear, I couldn’t hear much of a difference. Ultimately I chose #2 because I thought I detected a slightly mellower tone.
Great video. I own a Better Sax and can confirm that it punches above its price point. I'm very happy with it.
I spotted the difference in the tone, #2 had a slightly mellower sound, could I tell which was which, honestly, no. Which sounded better to me, both were great. Now that it was revealed, awesome, that is what I like about some of the other wind instruments I play, being able to shape the sound through your embouchure, like with a well made Shakuhachi, and is what I dislike about some wind instruments that sound boring because the sound can not be altered.
Hi Dave ... professional of many, many years here in central Fl. I play a 21000 Balance action alto and a 38000 super balanced tenor. Both are absolutely fantastic saxophones. I have always had back up saxophones (especially in Fl where it rains during the summer often) the most recent was a pair of Cannonball Stone series. I tried the better sax alto. It is a great sax for the price ... so much so I sold my Cannonball saxophones. That said ... is it as good as my Selmer ... no but it makes an excellent back up. I have used both (I bought a tenor recently) on gigs and they both play great. That said ... are they as good as my Selmer saxophones ... no ... but they are great for the price. As for the blind test ... I knew the first one was the better sax ... the sound is "brighter" than a Selmer ... but you got me on the second ... I instinctively thought it was the Mark VI cause the sound was darker. I was able to pick out the Mark VI on Jay's video every time. And on a final note ... you sound great!
Love that story, and thanks!
I thought the second was the mark iv simply because in the first set of two recordings it felt like you were playing slightly more embellishments and intonation mini-changes which one would do on a sax they were more comfortable with. So to find out you WERE playing the second one with a different embouchure makes me feel better.
Mouthpiece is the key to the tone,
intonation and responses relate to the saxophone.
The better sax has a very smooth bright sound, and the selmer has a darker more full tone. Both great saxophones :D
My sentiments exactly. I prefer the darker tone
A beautiful saxophone, I collected mine today from the London store, great service from two really helpful guys.. Looking forward to ha ING fun with this great horn...
I was surprised to find out that you always played with the same sax, in the first song I thought it was the Mark Vi. Definitely play a Mark Vi or an Amazon saxophone you sound great
I thought the Better Sax sounded better than the Better Sax! Fantastic video. I've been wanting to see that done for a while. The only improvement would have been if you didn't give away the answer in the same video and postponed the reveal to a later video to give everyone a chance to write their impressions first, without knowing they were the same horn! Maybe someone will do that on a mouthpiece or horn comparison in the future. Anyway, I loved it! Thanks for the entertainment.
PS your playing is awsome as always.
I was a bit confused since i preferred #1, then #2 and #1 for the last tune. Since I don't know much about brands and model sounds I was going in with an open mind. I loved the trolling though. ♡
My favorite was the brighter sax #1, which turned out to be the better sax of course!
ha!
Both horns sounded great, but, a great saxophonist like yourself can make any horn perform magnificently. Number one saxophone has such a bright, crisp, brassy sound, whereas, number two sounded rich, soulful, and fuller.
You really confused me here. I genuinely couldn't decide because it sounded the same, and I'm glad I got it, but if you asked me wether the whole thing was played only on BetterSax alto or on Mark VI, I wouldn't be so confident.
I loved it 😍 it was fun 🤔😱😂😂 I am 84 and still going at it I started playing in a new band and it is interesting to here other sax players I have all brand of horns and mouth pieces and the all ask a lot of questions so the can buy a new horn so I have fun playing there student horns and watching their faces they just don’t get the years of work and love 🤔😂😂
Hahah, i love it! Keep going and keep having fun!!
Pretty consistently preferred 2... because... you were messing with me. Glad we cleared that up.
Dave, great video, and you got me! 😂 For videos one and two, I picked sax #1 as your Mark VI (and my preferred sound). In the third video, I couldn't tell a difference, and both sounded absolutely amazing. The best news of today for me personally...I ordered the Better Sax two days ago and am excitedly awaiting for it to arrive. This "comparison" blew me away, and if I had any doubts about buying this horn, this video totally removed all of that. I've been playing the "cheapest sax on Amazon" for the past three years as my first saxophone (yes, the sax Jay compared with his Yanagisawa a few years ago), and the Better Sax is undoubtedly going to be an upgrade for me. Thanks again for putting this together! 👏
but i love how he used the same horn to convey two different personalities i thought that was exceptionally cool
From your comparison, I can tell instantly the Mk vi has a darker and warmer jazzy tone 👍 so I would keep my Mk vi , nice work👍👍😆
Okay have to agree Dave's the difference. Wow! I'm going back to practice....I've played the better sax with a Barkely Brazil Kustom Pop and it sounds brighter....But this was a cool video. It's a good Sax...
Ok I picked the Better Sax as #1 and the MVI as #2, until I saw the reveal. But in listening I thought the #2 was at times not only darker but even a bit stuffy. That confused me since my MVI is not stuffy or resistant at all. All in the embouchure, great job. I'm thinking a video on the two embouchures might be needed. LOL. Anyway The Better Sax seems to be a great horn for the price, and great playing by you Dave. Thanks
Wow. Great educational video for beginners and gear nerds. Thanks
Tonally I pegged #2 as the MKVI as it had a pleasant roundness to the tone that wasn't overly bright. Just goes to show how much tone is in ones embouchure.
Commenting before reveal. I am pretty sure the first is the Better Sax and the second is the Mark VI. The first sounds a lot cleaner but in a good way, almost like a Yanagisawa or a Yamaha 82Z. The second sounds fuller and almost has extra tone that hangs over after long notes. This is a characteristic I only hear in vintage horns. Either way, both horns sound great and I think the intonation on the first is just a little better.
Edit:
:-D
Hi! The sound is really great of the A 112. I intend to purchase one soon. Best whishes!!
Salute you Dave. You did wonder. In fact I was thinking no 2 as Mark VI..... With change in embouchure.. You are a Master indeed. Gifted Saxophonist.
WOW!!! Very interesting! Sounds great! That really says something about embouchure!
Haha very interesting. I thought something was awry. #1 was very clear and warm and #2 sounded a little flatter but with some character. It had a little more sizzle in the upper range. Funny it's the same horn. There's little nuances that I heard on #2 that made me think you were more familiar with that horn so I guessed that one was the mark vi but it sounded flat. Now it makes sense. Tricky tricky!
I actually thought that #1 was better, had a slightly brighter sound and I assumed it was the Better Sax. And I don't know how you changed your embouchure but I thought "he has some intonation issues with his Mark VI? (must be all the stickers 😄)
Wow! Between 1 & 2, I think 1 was the better sax:) Seriously, thanks for all the videos... I enjoy watching them!
I was so confused, sometimes i liked 1 more, sometimes i liked 2, but I didn't expect what you did
For the price, that horn is a steal. Great horn! That horn is Boss!
Loved it :-) The noticeable difference for me on the first song was the first playthrough was a brighter sound, and the second was a warmer tone. I'd still be interested in you doing an actual side-by-side against the Mark VI.
At the 5:34 mark of the video I can see from his forehead that he is working awful hard blowing on horn #1 so I would say that is the Bettersax Alto. And horn #2 is the Seller as he didn't seem to be working as hard at it. Also horn #1 seemed brighter while 2 hard a slightly darker sound, which is what I like. I'm commenting without looking at the other comments and before I finish watching the video. Hopefully my ears and analysis hasn't failed me.
Your playing is fantastic. And I think I enjoyed Jay’s horn’s clarity , but the colors in both was very enjoyed to listen to . Thank you for your review
I picked up on two things...the embouchure change as you say changed a bit, which honestly I didn't notice so much. What was more obvious to me was how you expected more from Sax #2. Your body language (body English if it is still okay to express that way) totally gives this away...volume could have been set to mute. On this basis, I supposed the Mark VI was #2. If in fact you recorded them chronologically, #1 tune always before #2 sax, then I reckon you got more comfortable with the BetterSax on the second go-round, and it was reasonable for you to expect more. Possibly also, you did intend to play them differently, regardless of their chronology. What is cooler still, is the two varieties of expression that were obvious you found from a single instrument.
Men you trick me so bad 😅 ,,,I thought the first one was the mark 6 and the 2 the better sax,,, and you changed your embouchure,,,sneaky 😅
Would you consider this saxophone to be a good choice for a main saxophone of a professional saxophone player?
It could be - it's really a subjective thing. Feel, budget, amount of use, etc. all play into it, but yes I could see it being used for that!
😂😂 i preferred the #1 you rocks !!
My favorit is absolutely # 2. It has a more mellow, melodic, warm tone. Which mouthpiece was used, and reeds?
I could tell which one was which and I actually liked the Better Sax a lot more.
Same for me! Preferred the Better Sax horn! Dr Rocket 🚀
As they say in golf it’s not the putter, it’s the putter. I thought at first the second sax sounded a little darker and smoother, but then on the third song when you back and forth I thought they are no different. I would be interested in knowing how the key response was especially in the low range.
i love seeing people in the comments section not realising he only played the bettersax and he never played the mark vi
What’s this video about again? I just got caught up enjoying listening to Dave play.
I love joy spring!
Great video for sure! I noticed that #1 had more of a full sound and I kept feeling that way with everything you had played. After I saw the reveal, I was confused because I was pretty confident that I was being impartial and not just assuming that because I like #1 more, that it must be a Mark VI. I am happy to know my ears don't totally suck because you had in fact changed your embouchure.
Now the question is, was #1 how Joe Allard taught it or Larry Teal?!?! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN I bet it's Joe Allard :)
I love Joy Spring! You play it quite nicely.
I don't think I've ever heard anyone play it so faithfully to the original recording.
I had preferred the sound of 1, and I excepted it to be the mark six!
I liked the #2 for the slow song and #1 for the fast
HEY
I thought the first switch between 1 and 2 was like hearing 2 different horns. I thought #2 was the Selmer on that transition. Later on they started being difficult to tell apart. Impressive sound from the Mark VI...i mean Better Sax. So far I've had an aversion to buying it because it has the word "Bundy" on it, lol. I just keep thinking it's going to be like that Bundy II from the 80s with the weird ergonomics, although I really doubt Jay would do that :).
Great video. I actually liked the Better Sax over the MarkVI. Must be my ears!
TBH, when I saw the blind test I skipped ahead, since the player + mouthpiece is usually 90+% of the tone. I was more interested to see what you said about mechanical performance, ergonomics, and if Jay included white cotton gloves.
Sounds great all around. Just the embouchure change made a difference. Though one couldn't tell that much. You would have to have a real discerning ear.
Well I might sound like a smart arse but I couldn.t tell the difference. I admit I am 85 Y.O. wear hearing aids and just took up saxophone 1 year ago after a 68 year break so was quite surprised that for once I got something right. Obviously need to do a bit more practice to get that sound out of my 1934 Selmer Eb Radio Tuned Model which I bought 2nd hand in 1953
I went to a jazz show last night and the guy was playing a YTS23 and sounded awesome.I still think for the money they can’t be beat.Even Better than the better sax horn which by the way is very very good.
In the end who cares?
If you suck the horn makes no difference and if you’re great it also doesn’t matter.
The set up is the most important thing and how comfortable it is to play for you.
We all know the intonation of mk vi’s suck so the comparison doesn’t make sense.
You will always sound good on a modern horn because of that.
Even the 400$ JS horns sound really great .
The player is more important than the horn. Great player on shitty sax will sound great. Shitty player on great sax will sound crappy.
what is the first song I have listened to it a lot but I don't remember the name
I like to hear you play the glory alto saxophone
Number 2 definitely had some intonation issues where you were working hard to get it right. The #1 seems easy going and smoother.. but at the end, I was duped lol. My emboucher is sucky and inconsistent so lesson learned.
You should review the new Dickerson Resonator Ligature for sax on Reverb & ebay - it's awesome
I like better #1, which is it?!
Just more proof that it’s the magician and not the wand 😊
You got me on this. I was betting the #1 was the selmer.
I’d like to hear more about how you changed the intonation.
Genius
Holy shit, your sound on Joy Spring at 6:43 with the Better Sax is THE perfect alto sound.
I'm sure that has a lot to do with you the player, but my god, that thing sounds marvellous, especially #1. What exactly were you doing with your embouchure? It's incredible how different it sounded.
Also -- I notice you play that song with the exact inflections used by Clifford Brown/Harold Land, don't think I've seen any other players do that.
This is after the reveal, I don’t feel qualified to make an informed choice and I had no idea which horn was a mk vi or BetterSax but I preferred the sound of number 1.
In 0:56 , someone can tell me what is the name of the tune?
Sounds great ! You have great chops ! 😊👍
When you expect a difference, you hear a difference. This is known from testing of all kind of products. As to saxophones I think it's a common agreement that the sound is made by the reed, the mouthpiece and the player. Great video, and I'm sure that David can play great on any saxophone.
Thank you, this was very helpful as they're aren't many reviews out there yet. I have seen one other review and there was a marked difference in the sound (yours was much more pleasing). May I ask what mic set up you used and what software the recording went through. Many thanks.
Glad you liked it! I use a Carvin CTM100 going through a Focusrite interface into Logic.
@@DavePollack That's really helpful, thanks for the reply.
I really did prefer the Better Sax. I do prefer a darker sound. What was the second song? I loved it!
What mouthpeice do you use in this video ? How much is it ?
Great video Dave. You’ve earned a new subscription! You had me too. I was listening to both sounds and naturally presumed they were coming from different horns. Now we all know that the Better Sax horn sounds great if you’ve already put in the work and no doubt also have a pro mouthpiece. Only thing I would like to see and hear would be a follow up video where you give us the same music but this time actually change between the BS and Mark VI. This video absolutely shows that the BS is suitable for just about anyone, any standard. But how do they actually sound back to back? If I were in the market for a Mark VI I’d love to know if I could save a fortune and just get a cheaper horn!! I have a Mark VI tenor and cheaper alto and soprano from British company Hanson. I love each of them but I don’t use them enough to warrant the investment in a higher quality instrument. But when my Mark VI was being stripped and restored I had a loan of a brand new Hanson top end tenor and there was no comparison. When the Mark VI came back I felt like I had come home too. So how do the BS and Mark VI actually compare?
It IS missing a pic of the Chosen One in the bell, but it STILL sounds like it's an awful lot of bang for the buck
Which one you recommend better ? The Bettersax or the Jean Paul As400 ?
Definitely the Better Sax, but remember it's almost double the price of the AS400.
Bro trolled us hard. He just played a lot crappier on take 2, on purpose. Made me think that he was less familiar with the better sax since his mark 6 was his daily driver. Mighta just sold me on this you goat bastihd 😂
I do like the the #1 in first part, but you can’t hide the sound in bebop lol, haha
Which player you like most? Bird or Cannonball?
That's how I felt about your playing, #1 sounded more like Bird, on your improvs you went crazy like Bird, on #2 you were more solid and nicer tone, like Cannonball, what brings me to think you were more confident on your own horn which allowed you to go crazier on the improv while being more prudent on the BetterSax horn, which you are less familiar with.
Therefore, I bet #1 is MKVI and #2 is BetterSax
EDIT: I was wrong!!