Garrett Hypes of Saxophone.com

Saxophone.com is proud to announce the release of the new line of soprano and saxello models. 

These new horns are crafted from a higher copper content brass, 85% copper and 15% nickel.  This gives the horns a more centered tone and evens out the upper and lower registers.  Check out all 6 of the new models at www.saxophone.com 

Models include the very popular SS85-640BG Black with Gold Trim, the SS85-640U unlaquered, and the SS85-640BS Black with Silver Trim. 

Saxophone.com is happy to announce that Garrett Hypes, founder and owner of saxophone.com, will be performing with the one and only Paul Anka at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas December 19th through the 21st.  Mr. Hypes has had the privilege of performing with Paul and his fantastic band on several occasions and is excited to be performing with them again this holiday season in “An Evening with Paul Anka”.  All three shows are at 8pm in the Orleans Showroom.  For tickets go to www.orleanscasino.com

Recently we have been recieving a large number of inquires regarding what people think about Saxophone.com saxophones, and so we thought we would post some recent comments that we’ve gotten from customers.  At Saxophone.com we feel that feed back is vital to keeping our customers satisfied and our horns sounding and playing great.  If you’ve made purchases from Saxophone.com please feel free to send us your comments.  Thank you.

“I Have played in numerous concerts this past summer (weekly) and other gigs this fall. There has always been a short time after we finish where someone comes up to me to check out my horn. I have gotten many comments about how smooth and deep the horn sounds and how it carries over the crowd. They can’t get over the black nickel finish and the gold keys. I hardly have to blow and for the first time, I can play down to a pplevel and up to a fff with no effort at all! I use a rubber Otto Link mouthpiece with Rico Royal reeds or Rico Jazz and have a nice sound.

Today, we did a 4 hour food show gig with the big band and everyone was asking where it came from. I gave them your web site. A friend of mine is going to contact you regarding the altos that are for sale. He is a Berklee grad and, after putting my bari through its paces, wants an alto or tenor for himself. I told him to check with you so you could advise him which one to get.”

Thanks,

Regards

Don Chase

Kephyan Sheppard-
“WOW.  I recieved my black nickel pro model tenor today from saxophone.com and I can only
offer praise toward Garett Hype and staff. The horn arrived promptly and I am extremely
impressed by the action, responsiveness, and tone of the horn. I cant wait to get my hand
on one of those altos/sopranos. thanks garett”

“These are GREAT horns…outplays my Buescher New Aristocrat
and feels just like a Mark VI, only with a different high F# key. Super free-blowing,
nice dark sound, fast action…this one is definitely a keeper.”

 Phineas Henshaw-
“These Saxophone.com horns just made me excited about playing sax again.
Now I can have the quality of horns I always wanted, but kept putting off because of the
price. What really blows my mind is Garrett can even have his horns customized! This is insane!”
I tried one of their tenors today, and I was immediately blown away. I talked to the person who
owned it after, and I was like, “yea I’m definately getting me one, or two, or three..” I hope
to get a bari from there as well sometime in the future. I’ve played a Selmer Series II before,
and played a Mark VII once, and I gotta tell you, they compete.
For those who can’t afford a Mark VI,  those inexpensive Saxophone.com horns are
comparable all around, it’s a done deal.”
“I did take a chance on the black nickel alto and i absolutely love it. Everything has worked for me with the horn.”
“I took my Saxophone.com to my local tech to check out. He was very impressed
with it, and was floored by the cheap price tag! He told me that this horn was better made than the Antigua Winds
that he sells. I am very pleased with my sax. The action is smooth and light and I think the tone is just fine.
After daily playing for 18 months now, still no problems at all”

Thanks for reading and check out all the amazing saxophone deals at www.saxophone.com

Saxophone.com proudly announces that coming in December, PBS will be airing the highly acclaimed live performance “Hitman:  David Foster and Friends”.   The CD/DVD was released on Nov. 11th and PBS will be airing the program on Dec. 3rd.  What is particularly interesting about this is that owner and founder of Saxophone.com, Mr. Garrett Hypes, is one of the saxophonists in the band featured on the CD/DVD and the upcoming PBS television event.  Saxophone.com has been told that the performance will be aired on PBS, Dec. 3rd at 8pm.  Be sure to check out all of the amazing performances and fantastic singers and musicians featured in the program.  This wonderful opportunity is not only a testament to the skill and talent of Mr. Hypes, but also to the craftsmanship of Saxophone.com horns. 

Just in time for the holidays its The 2008 Fall Season Saxophone Sale from Saxophone.com

On selected models of altos and tenors get up to an unbelievable 70% off!  Saxophone.com has always been known to have the highest quality saxophones at the lowest possible price, but now its even easier to make your next saxophone purchase.  Find out why top saxophone pros like Jim Horn (the single most recorded sax player in history and currently on tour with Kenny Chesney), Mike Dooley, and Frank Fontaine play on Saxophone.com horns. 

Don’t forget that you can choose the Saxophone.com Christmas Lay-Away Option to make sure you get the sax player on your Christmas list a gift to remember!  For lay-away options call 1-800-COOL-SAX
 

 This model AS-100L list price:  $1249.00 

At Saxophone.com its only $449.00 during the 2008 Fall Season Saxophone Sale.

See all of the other great deals at www.saxophone.com

This last month I played two different gigs at the Las Vegas Hilton showroom.  The first was with Paul Anka (May 4-5) and the second was with Johnny Mathis (May 11-12).  Both gigs were on the baritone sax with just a flute double for the Anka gig and the full complement of bass clarinet, clarinet, and flute for the Mathis gig.  The usual routine is to show up at 3pm on the first day of the gig for rehearsal and sound check.    The Anka group utilizes a basic big band format of 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 4 saxophones, and 5 rhythm section members including piano, bass guitar, guitar, drums, and a Latin percussionist.  The band is made up of mostly known professional Los Angeles musicians who fly or drive up to Las Vegas for the two days.  They filled two of the saxophone positions locally in Las Vegas with Jay Rasmussen on tenor and me on baritone sax.  This band knew the music well and with the help of Scott Morin the alto saxophonist next to me I was able to negotiate through the heavily edited charts.  Some of the baritone parts were just trombone parts with the key signature modified for Eb baritone sax (add 3 sharps).  The overall attitude of the band was a little tense at first but very professional especially considering the high caliber of musicianship of the band members.  When the gig started I became aware of a very loud vocal side-monitor just next to me facing the center of the stage.   It was a little difficult to hear myself on the baritone, but I could hear my flute during soft passages.  We played arrangements from Paul’s early hits like “Diana”, “Puppy Love”, “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” through the comeback years with his “The Times Of Your Life”, his songs he wrote for Sinatra including “My Way” and all the way to his Rock Swing version of “Jump”.  One of the highlights is the conductor Jon Crosse who is an excellent saxophonist with an amazing mastery of the altissimo registry. Playing for Johnny Mathis is like going to a musician’s reunion for me.  I know almost everybody in the 40 piece orchestra because except for the talented rhythm section that tours with Mathis; all of the musicians are local.  The piano/conductor/arranger was Scott Lavender who is originally from Las Vegas and is well known and liked by all of us.  At break time I got to catch up with all of my musician friends that I have known for most of my life.   It is also great to work with strings, french horn, and a harp in addition to the trumpets, trombones, and full 5 piece woodwind section.  On this gig I play mostly bass clarinet, then clarinet, followed by baritone sax, and some flute.  Marty Radunz sits next to me and has the most exposed oboe and english horn parts in the woodwind section.  Marty also sat next to me 6 nights a week for 6 years at the “Lido de Paris” (Stardust Hotel).  He is a great guy and always has good things to say.  He is also playing flute clarinet and tenor saxophone.  We played all of his main hits like “Misty”, Chances Are”, “Gina”, “I’m On The Outside Looking In”, and “Brazil”.  This was an enjoyable low stress gig.  –Garrett

We recently received this note from Saxophone.com customer Jim Lawlis:

Heres a clip of me playing the black nickel, silver keyed tenor from you guys (which I love by the way).Its a beginning sequence for a tv show here in Toronto.
Talkin Blues

James Lawlis, Academic Teacher, Columbia International College

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/

Have you ever had the experience of being sharp because the warmer weather and trying to pull out your mouthpiece only to find it so loose that it wobbles and barely stays on the neck? Then you tried to use some strip of paper as a temporary fix to wrap around the neck only to find that it was difficult to put on the right amount for the sax to be in tune. I have found that using Teflon tape works great and will actually form fit the extra gap and still allow you to make micro tuning adjustments without the mouthpiece sticking to the neck and causing the cork to crack or break off. You just take a piece of Teflon tape approximately 9 inches (use more or less depending on the gap) and starting at the tip of the neck wrap a few layers slowly spiraling away from the tip. When you slip the mouthpiece over the neck the Teflon tape will compress to exactly fit the diameter of your mouthpiece. Since there is no adhesive on the tape you will have to hold the first wrap in place till the tape overlaps with itself. I have actually used Teflon tape to completely replace my cork on an older baritone sax neck. The practice of keeping a roll in my case has bailed me out on my baritone, tenor, clarinet, and bass clarinet. –Garrett

Today I worked with the medium sized orchestra that backs up The Tribute to Frank, Dean, and Sammy. We played a corporate gig at the Mandalay Bay.