Why Your Sax Case Matters.. It's Not What You Think
Вставка
- Опубліковано 13 чер 2024
- #saxophone #bettersax #protection
Jay Metcalf reviews the new ProTec Micro Zip cases for alto saxophone and baritone saxophone
Protec Micro Zip Case for Alto Saxophone geni.us/6gUh
Protec baritone sax case with wheels sweetwater.sjv.io/m5vMkX
Protec Case Cover for alto sax geni.us/WOm4
Ultimate Sax Swab Kit bettersax.com/product/betters...
🎁 Access the FREE BetterSax SHED with tons of sax lessons, pdf downloads and backing tracks HERE: bettersax.com/shed
🔥 Join the Reed Revolution and try the new BetterSax Jazz Cut Reeds HERE ➡ geni.us/reed
===========================
⚡️Featured BetterSax Gear
“Designed BY Saxophonists FOR Saxophonists”
===========================
🎷BetterSax Saxophones: ➡︎ geni.us/saxophones
🎷BURNIN’ Mouthpieces: ➡︎ geni.us/Burnin
🎷Jazz Cut Reeds: ➡︎ geni.us/reed
🎷Must Have Accessories: bettersax.com/store
===========================
🎓Want to Study Saxophone with Jay Metcalf?
===========================
🔥 Join the BetterSax Studio for personalized video feedback from Jay as well as new lessons and downloads every month ➡️ bettersax.com/course/studio
💪🏻Get lifetime access to BetterSax courses that have helped 10s of thousands of saxophonists at every level around the world ➡️ bettersax.com/products/
===========================
Connect with us!
===========================
IG: ➡︎ / bettersax
Tik Tok: ➡︎ / bettersax
Facebook: ➡︎ / bettersax
===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the BetterSax Podcast HERE:📱
===========================
➡︎Apple: apple.co/3rmr9no
➡︎Spotify: sptfy.com/OWAr
Our mission here at BetterSax is to help saxophone players improve steadily, while enjoying the process of learning. We aim to help people find sax gear for every budget that delivers exceptional value and performance.
This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.
Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on the BetterSax UA-cam channel. bettersax.com/termsDISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then buy something, I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
New Yanagisawa cases are awesome. At first glance they don't look like they're all that but they're actually very nice with a ton of storage.
I just got a new saxophone case, and so glad I did! My old one had too much movement inside the case causing it to slide around easily. It also wouldn’t close properly, sometimes causing some problems. So glad I upgraded! Great vid!
Good call Jay. I used the Bari case for the first time yesterday dragging it through the ice and snow here in N.J. My Yamaha 62 easily fits in the case with room for a harness, accessory bag (old SM-57 mike pouch) and a NUX-6 wireless mike. It was a good choice to buy. Not sure I would be comfortable baggage checking it on flight however , maybe with lots of extra padding if I had no other options.
Good stuff, Jay! I agree that a good case is really important. After sustaining some low end damage using a "soft" gig bag, I decided to invest in a sturdier case. I found the tenor case made by Hiscox in England to be just what I needed. It is lightweight, sturdy, protects from heat and impact, and locks in case you get gate-checked at the plane. It has a single sturdy strap, which would be better if it were a backpack type. But, I have added a strap when I want carry it on my back. I have had it for about five years and it is the greatest case I have ever had. Two downsides: it is pricey and I don't know who sells them in the US anymore. However, with the monetary and emotional investment I have in my horn, it was easily justified. After my daily practice, I swab my horn and return it to the case, but leave it open so any residual moisture doesn't get absorbed into the padding of the case. Now I figure both my horn and my case will last me a lifetime.
hi im in 7th grade band and your vids have helped me get to high school band thank you
Thanks to you I swab my sax and MP every time I play. I brush my teeth and rinse before playing. Sax stays clean!
Another reason to get a new case is if you travel around with multiple saxes/ instruments at the same time a lot!
Recently got myself a Marcus Bonna Alto/ Soprano double case that also has a slot for a flute. It's a huge life saver for me when commuting into university. Having all 3 instruments in one case is just way less trouble when I'm hopping on and off trains.
I actually really love the MicroZip line of cases. I bought one for my Tenor, and with the bell pouch, I can fit my Otto Link, Selmer Concept, ProTec neck strap, 7 reeds, and a neck swab in it. I keep the body swab in the mouthpiece area near the neck cutout.
It’s truly an awesome case. Small, light, beautiful, and quiet! My old hinged case used to squeak nonstop. It was the worst part of playing my horn. Awesome case, and well worth the money I paid.
Jay, you are 100% awesome!!!
I am going to get a Yamaha-26 Alto to back up my JP AS-400 while I overhaul it.
I am going to have a photo of me with that classic Yamaha case and mate up the image of an old photo of me age 14 in '76 carrying my alto case, Bundy II. With the same pose. Also the JP AS-400 case is great.
Have a great New Year Jay. Thanks for your inspiration, sage advice and hard work.
As always, love your sound.
I have a bam cabine for my ishimori tenor and it’s so great, I took it as carry on with no problems
i have the bari case and i love it
I bought a "gig" type sax case for my Mark VI tenor several years ago while playing in top 40 and wedding bands. It was a trendy thing and new at the time, but after several months of using it, I found that I really needed the space in the traditional rectangular case for storing my spare reeds, mouthpiece, tool kit, neckstrap, and swabs. I tried, but I did not really like stuffing all my gear down the bell of the horn. Sure, the gig style case looks cool, but the rectangular case is much more useful for me. Also, the rectangular case with its square corners is much more stable than the form-fitting shape of the gig packs. I keep my neck and body swabs in a plastic zip-bag to contain moisture, and when I get home from the gig, I hang them to air dry, so no moisture evaporates into the case. I also take the horn out and place it in my sax stand to air dry for at least several hours, in addition to using a pad blotter to remove excess moisture from the keys (G#, anyone?). I know many artists prefer form over function, but a case is a utility tool, and I prefer function over form. Just my personal opinion. Happy New Year everyone! Love to all.
For Bari, I love my SKB case. Four sturdy latches, wheels, and handles. I’ve checked it on flights multiple times and have never had any damage to my horn.
I wish case rebuilding was a thing. Repair shops used to do this to some extent. But the original case for an old Conn or King, for example, has so much character, and it perfectly fits the horn.
One thing I will say, I've got the Protec Microzip Case for tenor and there was a FAIR amount of wiggle room with my VI. I ended up glueing some high density foam to my end cap and that fixed the issue. Just be aware based on the make and model of your horn, there may be space. That said i love the case otherwise and haven't been stopped by any airline since because its so compact.
Adorei esse video!!!
My son has used the Protec Zip Micro for alto with great success, however, when I tried my Yanagisawa WO-10 alto in it, I discovered that the cutout for the neck is not a good fit for its underslung neck. Due to most of the linkage being located on the UNDERSIDE of the neck, the whole neck sits up higher in the case. Consequently, the lid seems to put pressure on the top of the neck when closed, and I'm not comfortable with this. It's interesting that the Better Sax alto neck (also an underslung design) doesn't seem to present such an issue. (Jay... I'd love to hear about your experience with this.)
I also have a student who purchased the tenor version of the same case for his Jupiter horn and found that the neck for THAT horn (standard design... NOT underslung) didn't even come CLOSE to fitting. The neck was so tall that the lid of the case was actually propped open more than an INCH by the neck. Trying to fully close and zip the case in that scenario would have DEFINITELY damaged the neck!
Moral of the story? When it comes to aftermarket cases, be sure to check the fit of both the body AND the neck. Aside from the neck fitting issue, the Protec Zip Micro seems to be a solid option. If I had to fly with an alto or tenor, I would use the case without reservation and just put the neck in the bell. Otherwise, I'll stick with the original Yanagisawa case, which has a PERFECT cutout for the underslung neck.
I'm a big fan of the Bam Cabine for my tenor
the bari case has a huge structural issue in the wheels. went down to my local music shop for a new bari case looking for one of these. they kept them in a back room because were warped and both had huge cracks in the wheels. needles to say i went with the propac instead.
I got the tenor version. It very minimalist but you do sacrifice storage but for the seize is great. For some sax the neck and mouthpiece won't fit and will need to go on the bell of the sax but that is accordingly the sax model you have.
"generally funky" is a good name for a band
Still use the stock Yamaha case. I leave it open at home to air out, the sax is on the stand. Only use is for transportation. After 2 years it's in almost mint condition, and smells as new.
The Yamaha student-case shown as the quinessential "bad example" here is the one I ultimately setteled on. It is easy to wipe clean on the outside, as it is not covered in fabric, has latches instead of nasty zippers, which lock up when you least need it, no dangling straps, which get in the way and it is NOT black but a nice vintage-looking brown. With black cases and inlays you neither find the case in a dark trunk nor the parts of your equipment on a badly lit stage. And I already earned nice remarks for this funky 70s case I bought for 30 € in clean and lightly used condition. To my mind the reason why cases changed there traditional appearance was cost-cutting and marketing with little gains in functionality.
Does this fit your Saxlab Holder?
Quick shout-out about Chuck Surack, the CEO of Sweetwater Sound. Around 2000 I wanted to buy/learn a sax, to play solos in my bar band instead of using those hideous synth patches (I'm primarily a keyboardist). I posed the question as to what to look for on my musician forum, and Mr. Surack responded with a detailed, four-page response on what to look for, brands, etc. The CEO of Sweetwater Sound responded to a total stranger, so helpful, and Sweetwater didn't even sell saxophones back then! I still have his response, printed out, in Notebook #1 of my sheet music/notes. He's really a great guy (hope to meet him someday).
That sounds like Chuck. He is a great guy.
I too play bari and use the pro tech case, I just wish that it would stand up vertically, but other than that I use it every day as a high schooler it stands up well and is a lot lighter than any other case I’ve seen.
Hiscox cases are great (in the UK). Only do Alto and Tenor though I believe.
Protec Tenor cases are also very nice for the price.
Nice video! I just got my new Protec cases for my Selmer alto and tenor today! I opted for the Contoured Pro Pac cases, though. Oh, and I order all my accessories from Sweetwater! Keep up the great videos!
Did you get the zip cases? I’m curious about them. How do you like them?
I’m flying with my guitar and tenor sax to a bunch of college auditions. Anyone have any advice for traveling with instruments (products, methods, etc.)?
I would love to get the Protec case cover for my alto Hiscox case. Has anyone checked to see if the dimensions of this cover would allow the slightly larger dimensions of the Hiscox case? It looks like it would be so close and so good to have.
I love my extremely durable Hiscox Artist Case for my tenor, but am still looking for a similar case for my soprano. If you have family, you do want very stable cases for your instruments ...
I nearly bought that micro zip case last year at Music China. But I didn't like the low quality zippers and single backpack strap. This year they made it double backpack straps and much more rugged zippers, but my horn was moving inside this improved model. Another con is no even a small pocket on the outside. That being said, Boston sax shop ambassador case is the perfect option. Jack said in his last Q&A, that BS will come up with the new ambassador case in 2024. Unfortunately I already got myself a Marco magi case, which is also compact, but requires more care due to having a leather outfit
Hello JAY and everyone, I have a straight alto sax and I’m looking for a case for like the protec type you reviewed on, pls advice thank you
The Bari case looks very good but the bell is very close to the case wall. I have a Bam case for my Baritone. I reckon it could fall down the stairs and the sax would be ok. It has really thick internal padding and a very stiff hard shell. The sax is an exact fit (no movement) and it has back straps and wheels too. I wouldn't recommend carrying it on one strap if you don't want back problems. I always swab my sax after a gig. After I get home I leave the case wide open in my practice room with the plug out to let it dry overnight. I was lucky in that the case came free with a discounted Selmer SA80 II sax in the early 2000s. I would hesitate if I had to buy the combination today but would probably still go with the Bam.
Every sax case I find that meets my criteria of: must stand vertically, must have accessory compartment, must have single handles (not the kind that clasp two parts of a handle together across the split), must have backpack straps, and must fit a Keilwerth are all astronomically priced.
The split handles are actually a great safety feature! With two handles your case stays closed even if you forget to actually close it, with a single one it might fall open when you pick it up. The Gator lightweight cases are affordable and have really nice handles because they feel like a single handle when put together, I think they meet all your other criteria (they have big bell options for your Keilwerth).
I have a 1927 melody C and the case looks to be the original and is trashed. Any options for an old Melody C sax?
I got a Gruv gear case for Christmas. What about Gruv gear🤔🎵🎶🎷
Being a bari player I only ever trust the stock case that came with my bari (a Yamaha YBS-62 from 1990). With the stock Yamaha bari case I can fit the base for the Jiffy stand in the compartment as well as a music stand and a flute in the front compartment. Everything has its place and there's a place for everything and nothing is being compromised. Yeah it weighs 20kg, but that's all in the one case and I still have a hand free to carry my alto as well. I fitted suitcase wheels to it so it can be trundled over all terrain and the main thing being the case was designed by Yamaha to specifically fit the sax, so it's well supported and cradled in there which is important with larger saxes as the weight of them needs to be fully supported.
I recently retired my 1990 case as I found a brand new YBS-62 case for sale for £250 and that has integral wheels on it which are far more silent and more forgiving than the suitcase wheels I fitted which in turn were far more practical than the four casters the YBS-62 case originally came with which allowed it to be wheeled over perfectly flat or even floors, but not over any bumps or up kerbs. My original YBS-62 case is still perfectly serviceable, but after 33 years I fancied treating my workhorse of a bari to a new case. The only alteration I had to do was cut out some of the polystyrene lining so the Jiffy stand bell clamp will fit in there.
I know someone with a YBS-32 who normally used his stock case with it when flying and while it had to go in the baggage hold, his bari came to no harm. Then to make things easier for himself as it is a big case to lug about and hasn't got wheels, he bought a Bam bari case which made transporting it easier. Then he used it on a flight to Malta and the bari was trashed - the top coil was torn off and the body was bent from the side C tonehole upwards as the case didn't offer any internal support or protection for the bari. Lesson learnt the hard way.
I've seen baris in Protec cases and the crook and mouthpiece has to go into a padded pouch-type thing which is all well and good, but there's a glaring design flaw - the crook has to slide in and out the pouch and that causes cork grease to get smeared everywhere and the fabric can't be cleaned easily once it's all greasy. What would be much better is a pouch that opens out flat with two halves (like butterfly wings or a clam shell) that velcro together, so the crook can be laid in and the pouch closed and velcroed up, thus no smearing cork grease everywhere. Most crook pouches are the same and it's a complete oversight on the manufacturers. It won't take much to make a padded roll bag or clam shell-type crook pouch with a velcro fastener on the outside.
I agree with the Swab horns after each use(cheap). After ten years I sold an alto for about the purchase price. I told buyer about swab after each use!
You were so close to Elkhart. Did you get time for any factory tours?
I did.
I'm the black sheep string player in our family of Conn horn players. My Grandfather worked there for years. I found your channel recently while searching for gift ideas for my sax playing young adult son. Your content is great, I'm learning so much. Keep up the good work. @@bettersax
Very informative video! I'm also wondering if you have tried or heard of the Selmer SSS311 soprano saxophone, as it is a cheaper soprano (which I am looking to buy a cheaper one), but I can barely find any people talking about it.
So no issues with carry-on size on flights with the alto?
No problem on all different size planes so far.
Question: How do you have to travel (on a plane) with your tenor? I don't (yet) have a tenor, but this is a question that makes me a bit hesitant buy a tenor.
with a small case it's easy
My sax stand and mouthpiece fit in the bell of my contour case
Bam Cabine fits great in the overhead
I’ve heard that the BAM Cabine case ($530-$599) will fit in the overhead, but it seems to me that the Protec MicroZip (≈$190) is around the same size, and for over $300 less. Whatever you choose, just keep in mind that you’ll want a small, hard case.
Airlines are notoriously tough on instruments, and you don’t want your prized horn to be smashed. Though he’s a guitarist, Brandon Acker has a good video on this.
@@nickbarrow2805 that's crazy inflation, mine was about $400 5 years ago.
New case for a C Melody?
"The tone is stored in the pleather of my protec alto saxophone case" - Miles Davis
Back in the day the Selmer Flight Case was ubiquitous. Bam cases are nice but pricey. SBK and ProTec cases get the job done but I miss the old days, so does my wallet. 😂
If I'm paying for a good case I don't want a zip tbh
Fair enough, but I’ve found that the zippers are pretty durable, and make NO noise when moving. My hinged case… that thing would squeak nonstop.
I swab after every use and use alcohol on the mouthpiece and Legere reed.
Don't use alcohol on the mpc if its rubber. I did to clean it and it put a big hole in my ny Meyer alto mpc.😢😢😢😢😢
I don't like zippers.
You have to go all the way around both sides or it won't open.
Latches it's click, click.
Zippers wear out and become useless.
Me too I don't like zippers, full of problems with time 🤮🤮And yet these are cases that cost 🤑🤑🤑i have a carbon case for my tenor and it's click click, it's the best
The Micro-Zip cases are REALLY slick...beware. Otherwise really nice "hard" gig bag for the $$
Really slick, beware? What do you mean?
@@Peaced900 Meaning the outer surface of the case easily slips.
I miss the non-promotional content...
Same. Some of the things can be helpful but a lot of it is not
Yeah it’s getting annoying
Oh come on. Among the last videos there were plenty that had no intention of selling anything. Cut him some slack as it is also not easy to come up with video topics
This is just not true, jays videos should be money they are so good
He's hardly promoted any of his own stuff recently. Besides he needs to make a living somehow
I bought a BAM Defense case and it de lacquered my vintage prestine mark vi alto. Anyone else have that happen to them? BAM buyers beware. Make sure you air out your case to get rid of glue smell or could do the same to your horn.
Had a BAM La Defense case for the last 5 years with a pristine mkvi tenor, no lacquer issues on my horn…. Best case I’ve ever owned. It’s fits the horn beautifully snuggly and is really well padded but super compact.
Fits my horn great too. Not sure why that happened to mine. So glad yours was fine🤛🏼
💫💫💫
I really wish the BetterSax swab kit was more affordable - I find it hard to believe that the costs justify the price. I ended up having to settle for a worse-quality Amazon alternative. I trust that your products are good, but $30 for some fabric on a string?
I agree, i tried to buy a box of better sax alto reeds i live in spain the reeds come from france they cost 42 euros with p.p no way will i pay that
pray tell.. why do you have to have "Better Sax" accessories ? why not just search online for whatever makes the most sense based on your needs at the best price?
I think $30 is well worth it for a high quality swab you’ll use literally daily, and for years.
BG swabs are pretty pricey too, but worth it. They’re made of the right material, and properly stitched and reinforced with an effective weight. Should last for many years. Just buy them and invest in the hygiene of your sax. 👍🏼
@lukeserrano62 im all about maintenance, and i do consistently clean all my instruments. but im also a student who has to stay frugal, and just because something serves a good purpose for a long time doesn't mean it should be so expensive. a mug might be good quality and last 10 years, but i wouldn't pay $30 for one.
日本語の字幕お願いします！
Don’t store your instruments in the case for long periods! Ventilation is your friend.
zips... uh no