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Stands Trial Ok, so you’ve got a your saxophone. Where do you put it, or alternatively- where are you going to leave it in the gap between sets with your band/at the jam session etc? There are actually a few very good reasons not to put your horn back in its case after a practice session- firstly, it’s inevitable that the sax has residual dampness inside at certain points, however much you use a pad saver or pull-through. A bit of air drying is going to be good for the health of your pads (hands up anyone who’s never suffered from a sticking G#... no one, see!). Secondly, if you’re intent on a regular practice regime it’s astonishing how much of a psychological barrier a sax being put away in its case can be. Assembling a sax only takes a minute but after a day’s work it’s amazing how much of a barrier that minute can be. Finally- as I’m sure we all agree- saxes look great and provide the finishing touch to the décor in any room, you really wouldn’t want it hidden away in a case, would you? In fact there are only three reasons not to keep a sax out- dogs, more forceful cats & small kids! A final plea- do always make sure you’re sax is back firmly on it’s stand before letting go of it (a nasty variation on this- if you’re on stage with a radio mike system- make sure you’re not still attached to your sax when you walk away from it!) & do make sure the lower holder is set at the right height to hold the bottom of the bell correctly to avoid scuffs and scratches on the lower part of the bell. Though stands all basically do the same thing there are quite a few variations available, all of which have different strengths. Here’s a tour of what’s available;
K&M Saxxy Stand- Small, spidery constructions designed to fold down & fit inside the bell of a sax when not in use (they come with a fabric bag for just this purpose). These are an ingenious design and actually work extremely well, and are a must for anyone who appreciates a good gadget. While they’re obviously not as robust as the stands above, if travelling light is on the agenda, these little things do the job fine. Alto, tenor and straight soprano versions.
Standing sax stands – A variation on the standard black metal model that holds your sax up around 2-3 feet in the air so you can just about play it on the stand. Also useful if you need to do quick changes between instruments.
Sax accessory - Prices & Ordering
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Standard
Black Metal Sax Stand- The most basic stand available. Made from steel with
rubber tube collars to prevent scratching, good for keeping a sax in your music
room but an awkward shape to transport when disassembled. Does the job, but no
frills….
K&M
Sax Stands- Similar to the stand above but a generally better quality
construction. The rubber collar is replaced with a more hard wearing plastic
sleeve on all parts that contact the horn & the tubular body is more robust.
There are also more positions for the lower holder, allowing for vintage or
non-standard saxes. There’s also a version with a flute/clarinet peg and the
option to add a soprano holder to any of their models. They also make a rather
nifty two sax stand for alto/ tenor doublers and a curved soprano model.
Aureum-
Another good option for those who like to pack their equipment down small.
Aureum stands are extremely solid and pop up with a satisfying loud click. For
pure robustness, these stands take some beating. They pack down to not much
bigger than a large paperback book and can even be stored in the front pockets
of some sax cases (they certainly work with shaped Protecs) There’s spaces for a
screw in clarinet/flute and or soprano sax peg. Aureum also make a great
baritone stand with which you can play the sax sitting or even standing, with a
bit of a stoop if you’re tall.
FF- Now these designers have
really gone out on a limb to create something totally different from your normal
stand system. The FF will keep a sax stored horizontally or, more usefully, can
be used as a wall mounting to keep your sax held up vertically by the bell.
You’ll need a couple of good, strong wall fixings to do this but it’s one of the
safest ways to store your horn. Though many people have been concerned about
bending the bell when a sax is held up this way it doesn’t actually have any
detrimental effects on your instrument.
SaxRax-
These are about the best stands out there. A modular system, making everything
interchangeable, plus great stability and two arms coming upward from the bell
gripper meaning that, in the normal run of things, the sax literally can’t fall
off its perch. Though they assemble to be bigger than most normal stands they
actually pack down to only very slightly bigger than a basic black metal stand
(plus they’re flatter, making transportation easier). A lot of thought’s gone
into the design of this range and it really makes a difference, these stands are
the choice of most professional or regularly gigging musicians.