Sax CDs Saxophone
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Sax Set Ups
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Ben Vail
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Sitemap
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Saxophone Set Up - GEAR
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Greg Vail
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Saxophone Set Ups, sax gear, Greg Vail mouthpieces, saxes, sax necks and equipment.
Saxophone Set Ups
The most asked about topic on forums, emails, websites, socials and back stage across the world - What kind of Mouthpiece do you use?
What kind of Sax is that??
What number Reed do you use??
I have had this information online for years, buried in a pile of bio pages and realized it need to be updated and visible for sax players to find easily at 3 AM, rather than waiting a month for me to find the question online and try and respond long after anyone cared! Hope this helps!
Sax Set Up Disclaimer
You can have the exact same Sax Set Up as Kirk Whalum and not sound very much like him at all! I want you to read a couple of pages on the Sax Review Site - One Size Does Not Fit All - How To Buy a Sax! These go into greater detail and explain how each piece of the puzzle is first effected by the person doing the blowing!
Most Important in a Sax Set Up
The big 3 pieces of the puzzle, arguably effect 75%+ of a Saxophones tone production as the sax player blows. The Saxophone, the Sax Mouthpiece and the Saxophone Reed.
The war totally goes crazy as you go to the smaller parts of a sax and wether they can effect the sound at all. I don't let the self imposed scientist of the Saxophone world tell me I am wrong - ever! Last time I checked - The scientific method involved test and observation. My experience says (with all my tests and years of observation as a player) any piece of the puzzle that is changed can and will change the end product. The open variable being the musician since we are all very very different before we even put an instrument to our face!
Sax Accesories - Further Shaping the Tone
The list of smaller effecting puzzle pieces-
Sax Necks
Ligatures (Mouthpiece)
Sax Finish and Base Materials
Pad types
Resonators on the Pads
Thumb Rest Hook and Post materials
Base material for Ligature Screws
Base material for everything on a Saxophone
Greg Vail Soprano Sax Set Up
Yamaha YSS-62R Soprano Saxophone, now discontinued.
Beechler medal #7 mouthpiece
Beechler Ligature
Rico Royal 2 ½ reeds
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Alto Saxophone Set Up
Yamaha YAS-875EXW Custom Alto Saxophone, EX model in White - the 50th Anniversary Edition, limited to 50 pieces. This is my daily player now - NOV 09 - standard production model with the provided G1 neck.
Played with the Guardala with Plastic Cover Reeds listed below.
Yamaha YAS-875B Custom Alto Saxophone, Black Lacquered
Yamaha Silver Plated M1 neck
Dave Guardala Bebop Traditional Alto Gold Plated Mouthpiece
Dave Guardala Ligature
Rico Plastic Cover #2 1/2
OR - New York Meyer 6M
Silver Plated Harrison Ligature
Rico Plastic Cover #3 reeds
Yamaha prototype, solid Silver Thumb Rest
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Tenor Saxophone Set Up
Yamaha YTS-875B Custom Tenor Saxophone, Black Lacquered
Yamaha Silver F1 neck
Dave Guardala Crescent Tenor Mouthpiece by Dave Guardala, Gold Plated
Dave Guardala Crescent Tenor Mouthpiece by Nadir at PMS Germany, Gold Plated
Rico Plastic Cover #2 ½ reeds
Selmer Silver Ligature
Ishimori Gold Plated and solid Copper Ligatures
Brass Oleg Thumb Rest
Roo Pads
Gold Plated Noyak Resonators
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Bari Sax Set Up
Yamaha YBS-62 Baritone Saxophone, Brass Lacquer
Guardala Silver Plate Studio II Mouthpiece
Selmer Silver ligature
Rico Royal Plastic Cover #4 Reeds
Flight Case - the new Walt Johnson flight case for Bari Sax
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Clarinet Set Up
Yamaha YCL-CSV Custom V-Series Clarinet
Petterson Custom 63mm Barrel
Jim Kanter Custom Clarinet mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum ligature
Vandoren #4 reeds
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Flute Set Up
Muramatsu Flute
Wing tip head joint by Muranatsu
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Piccolo Set Up
Yamaha YPC-62 Wood Piccolo
No other modifications made to date
Greg Vail Electronic Sax Set Up
Akai EWI 4000 - Electronic Wind Instrument
Patchman custom sound bank
Yamaha turbo VL70 Virtual Acoustic Synth module from Patchman
Sax Effects - Sax Mics - Set Up
Links to my articles on Audio Technica clip on and wireless mics
Links to my Sax Rack set up details
Diagram for my rack - digital effects for the Saxophone in live gig settings - Setting up effects to work well from the mixer
The old page in the BIO in case you want to look for anything more on the topic - click here.
I hope this helps and answers the fact questions. It is good to know what pros use because they have access to more information and greater opportunity to experiment. It is also important to remember that you need to find YOU - your sound - your voice. Good luck finding that perfect combination of gear and talent! Many Blessings,
Greg Vail - SAXBOY
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