{"id":702,"date":"2019-11-17T10:28:24","date_gmt":"2019-11-17T01:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sax.co.jp\/?page_id=702"},"modified":"2020-01-04T00:15:32","modified_gmt":"2020-01-03T15:15:32","slug":"sax_fuga","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sax.co.jp\/en\/sax_fuga\/","title":{"rendered":"Saxophone fuga"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/div>\r\nIf you\u2019re a sax player who wants to achieve that ideal sound, keep reading! First, let\u2019s take a look at some testimonials from satisfied Aizen customers \u2013<\/span>\r\n<\/a>

Customer Testimonials<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n
Just two hours is plenty enough to feel the difference.<\/div>\r\n

This is such a well-made sax it\u2019s a very impressive thing to see, the Aizen.
\r\nThe engraving on the bell is so well done I don\u2019t know how they did it. I just love it.
\r\nThe sound was softer than my last sax, and there was a certain thickness to it.
\r\nI practiced only two hours today. But just two hours is plenty enough to feel the difference.
\r\nI feel if I keep on going at this pace my playing\u2019s going to really take off. So, I\u2019m really eager to get some time in on my Aizen every single day.
\r\nI\u2019m so grateful to Minoru and the gang at Aizen for giving me the chance to play this fantastic sax.
\r\nI really foresee great things for Aizen in the future, and I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll keep putting out great stuff and gathering many more fans as they go.
\r\n<\/p>\r\n(Mr.Sato Sax experience: 7 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax (Professional Model), soldered tone hole rings)<\/span>\r\n

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Using the Aizen, I felt my playing was a whole lot better. It felt real good.<\/div>\r\n

\u201cAs soon as it got delivered, I got it out of the box and blew on it for about two hours.
\r\nWhat a great feeling! The mouthpiece and reed were my normal Aizen LS-6 and Java 2 \u00bd. First, I just went through normal practice phrases\u2026But it felt kind of weird, hard to play. I understood why right away. \u201cThis sax reacts so fast!\u201d I thought to myself, \u201cIt feels like the sound\u2019s out there as soon as I breathe in the mouthpiece \u2013 no delay at all. This is fun!\u201d I ended up playing about twenty different pieces in a row. Using the Aizen, I felt my playing was a whole lot better. It felt real good.\u201d
\r\n\u201cI\u2019d been playing sax for two years at that point, but I\u2019d kind of hit a wall. I wanted to break through to a higher level. Now, thanks to my Aizen sax, I feel I can. The hand-carving\u2019s really beautiful, as well. I\u2019m really proud to own this.\u201d<\/p>\r\n(Zackmann Sax experience: 2 years Plays: Aizen Tenor Sax, straight tone holes)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

Aizen really goes the extra mile to make a perfect sax.<\/div>\r\n

\u201cI bought my Aizen off a catalog, so naturally I was a bit nervous about it at first. But the guy running Aizen talked about the sax with such passion and commitment that I started thinking that this was the real deal. And so I ended up finally buying it\u2026There were so many options with the Aizen! And they even send it with a swab for cleaning it, which I thought was kind of cute. The strap\u2019s real good as well, I like it. I was kind of taken aback with the cloth wrap the sax came in \u2013 I was like \u201cWhat?! A tenor sax wrapped in a flowery Japanese cloth?\u201d Even the neck was wrapped like that. I\u2019m thinking, these guys feel really, really protective about their instruments\u2026\u201d
\r\nI played the Aizen Tenor I got with an SO5*Aizen Tenor Mouthpiece. I got a nice smooth sound right the way up and down. Nice play, no stress. Aizen really goes the extra mile to make a perfect sax, I felt. When I talked about Aizen with some friends, they go \u201cOh, yeah. I already got one.\u201d\u201cHmm \u2013 so we all ended up in the same place, eh?\u201d thinks I to myself.<\/p>\r\n(Hisato Shimizu Sax experience: 5 years Plays: Aizen Tenor Sax, straight tone holes)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

I got this relaxed, cool tone.<\/div>\r\n

Comparing the Aizen with my Selmer Series III, I thought the reaction was really good. I got this relaxed, cool tone.<\/p>\r\n(Kenta Tominaga Sax experience: 4 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n

It felt easy to play.<\/div>\r\n

The keys have a nice feel to the touch, and it felt easy to play. I\u2019m looking forward to how the Aizen\u2019s sound develops as I break it in.<\/p>\r\n(Haru Sax experience: 10 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n

I really got a surprise when I tried it out.<\/div>\r\n

I\u2019ve been using an Aizen mouthpiece for six months, and I was just really surprised at how good it works. I know Minoru (the Aizen owner) is totally into the sax, and I know Aizen\u2019s producing at really high quality. So, I expected a lot of my Aizen when I got it. But I really got a surprise when I tried it out. The sound was fat and expressive, and the response was great. I thought it handles better than my Selmer.
\r\nThe soldering was smoother than the Mark VII, nice and fat and stable. The straight felt like a Mark VI. The Aizen put out a good big volume, and it\u2019s good for expressive play and nuancing. <\/p>\r\n(\u2018Takkun Papa\u2019 Sax experience: 20 years Plays: Aizen Tenor Sax, soldered \/ straight)<\/span>\r\n

Easy to get a good sound balance.<\/div>\r\n

On the Aizen, it\u2019s easy to put out sub-tones on the lower notes, and it\u2019s easy to get a good sound balance.<\/p>\r\n(Kazuo Kayanoki Sax experience: 25 years Plays: Aizen Tenor Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

It really fits the hand just right.<\/div>\r\n

The sound\u2019s soft, and I feel it really fits the hand just right.<\/p>\r\n( Akira Shintaku Sax experience: 1 year Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n

This sax is good for classical and jazz both.<\/div>\r\n

This Aizen sax is good for classical and jazz both. It\u2019s got a nice smooth, easy airflow.<\/p>\r\n(Yuri Nishitani Sax experience: 12 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax straight)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

Puts the sound out nice and easy \u2013 this is an instrument that\u2019s going to up your game.<\/div>\r\n

The Aizen puts the sound out nice and easy \u2013 this is an instrument that\u2019s going to up your game. The tone\u2019s big and fat, with a different feel off it than a Selmer. <\/p>\r\n(T.S. Sax experience: 10 years)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

It felt so comfortable I was blown away.<\/div>\r\n

The Aizen felt so light the first time I picked it up. I was really blown away by the sound \u2013 it was nothing quite like I\u2019d ever heard before \u2013 and the quality of instrument was just outstanding. Playing it, I felt the sound just flowed the way I wanted, and the keys had a really nice touch to them. The tone\u2019s got the right kind of weight and width, nothing quirky. All in all, the Aizen felt so comfortable I was \u2013 yeah, blown away. Oh, and the hand-carving\u2019s just gorgeous, in this modern Japanese style. Just beautiful.<\/p>\r\n(\u2018Alto Neko\u2019 Sax experience: 3 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

The balance and control is even better than the Mark VI.<\/div>\r\n

The Aizen\u2019s got the same kind of key action as the Mark VI, but the Aizen\u2019s got balance and control that\u2019s even better than the Mark VI.<\/p>\r\n(Manabu Kinoshita Sax experience: 10 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, straight)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

The whole sax vibrates and resonates.<\/div>\r\n

When you play, you feel it as the whole sax vibrates and resonates. And I really liked the straight type\u2019s quick response.<\/p>\r\n(Yuki Imakado Sax experience: 2 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, straight)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

The octave key is easy to control.<\/div>\r\n

First, the octave key is easy to control. You get a richer sound with the soldered type, but a better build-up with the straight type.<\/p>\r\n(\u2018Sennotugi\u2019 Sax experience: 10 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, straight \/ soldered)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

I didn\u2019t feel much resistance on the lower notes.<\/div>\r\n

My first impression of the Aizen was that my fingers fit onto the keys so snug, like the first time I was playing a Selmer. It\u2019s a dead comfortable sax to play, and I didn\u2019t feel much resistance on the lower notes.<\/p>\r\n(Yuzuru Kihara Sax experience: 4 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, straight)<\/span>\r\n\r\n

My Aizen\u2019s my best buddy.<\/div>\r\n

Like a lot of other players, I felt the Aizen has this amazingly smooth airflow. What really got me was how the keys moved. I\u2019ve had repetitive stress pains in my left thumb, and that makes my Aizen my best buddy from now on in, I reckon.<\/p>\r\n(Haruhisa Hirano Sax experience: 5 years Plays: Aizen Alto Sax, soldered)<\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Alto Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Tenor Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Soprano Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Baritone Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
DOWNLOAD AIZEN brochure<\/a><\/div>
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SEND US INQUIRY NOW<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/a>

Why are vintage saxophones such a hot item?<\/h3>\r\n

The saxophone was dreamed up right back in the 1840s by the Belgian wind instrument maker Adolphe Sax. The sax really came into its own with American swing jazz in the 1930s, becoming a mainstay of many genres. With its softness, strength and flexibility of tone it\u2019s especially considered the flower of jazz instruments.
\r\nAs the home of jazz, America produced most of the manufacturers who specialized in jazz saxophones. Their creations had all the strength and individual flair of the genre itself. Selmer, Conn, King, Martin, Buescher are among the names that have gone down in history, along with the masterpieces they made.
\r\nThese instruments were made for jazz, and the way they were handles produced a sound completely different from classical-music saxes. Under the name \u201cAmerican sax\u201d, they were cherished by the many jazz musicians who played them.\r\n
\r\nUntil the Selmer Mark VI came along in 1954, Conn was the leading outfit in the field. Their saxes saw use by a host of legendary players. Selmer instruments eventually took the lead thanks to their better playability, but even today there are plenty of players who\u2019d never part with their Conn. What makes the Conn so special is its round, throaty tone in the middle and lower end of the register. The finest Conns crop are the Alto 6M and Tenor 10M.
\r\nSure, the Selmer may have better key action, but it\u2019s the sound\u2026it\u2019s the way that rich, warm, special Conn sound envelops you that always keeps the cognoscenti coming back for more.
\r\nThe sax has a fairly short history as an instrument, under 200 years. But in that time it\u2019s evolved a lot in terms of ease of play, better tone and more accurate control.
\r\nAnd yet, with new makers coming on-stream all the time, why is it that saxes from 50 years ago still appeal to players like no others? That\u2019s because it\u2019s next to impossible for today\u2019s sax makers to reproduce that special, unforgettable Golden Age of Jazz sound.
\r\nThe saxophone is an extremely intricate mechanism which produces sound in a very particular way. So, a whole host of factors go into the making of that full-blown Golden Age of Jazz sound. There\u2019s the various mechanisms of the vintage saxes themselves, all of them different and special. Then there are variations in the materials and how they age over time. Players search heaven and earth for these precious vintage instruments and the vintage mouthpieces that match them. They\u2019ve always changed hands at high prices, and there\u2019s no doubt they\u2019ll go on commanding considerable sums of money well into the future.
\r\nWhich is a problem for the rest of us who love the sax, and I\u2019m one of them. \u201cIsn\u2019t there any way we could recreate that vintage sound,\u201d I thought to myself, \u201cusing modern technology?\u201d<\/p>
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\"\"<\/center><\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n

Finally, AIZEN made saxophonist’s dream come true!<\/h3>\r\nOur saxophones are born from the great \u201cAmerican\u201d vintage saxes of the past, with Conn first and foremost.
\r\nOf them all, it\u2019s the Conn that has that all-enveloping, rich, warm, sound all of its own that make it such a firm favorite among the players. Today\u2019s saxophones are mass-produced objects, because more and more people are taking up the sax. The trend is away from sound quality and toward playability, control and articulation.
\r\nBut however hard today\u2019s mass-manufacturers have tried, even after decades they still haven\u2019t managed to achieve that vintage jazz sax sound that so many players love. So, at Aizen, we decided to take the plunge and design a sax that can satisfy that need and recreate that lost sound. We took the unsurpassed Conn \u201cNaked Lady\u201d as the model for the sound we wanted. And for the key mechanism, we took the daddy of them all, the Selmer Mark VI. Taking the best of both, we put them together to create something really special.
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Our first challenge: playability<\/div>\r\nWe took playability as the first hurdle we had to jump if we wanted to get it right. Working off the Selmer Mark VI as our base, we took the table keys, Low C and Db keys and designed their placement just right in terms of spacing, angle and distance. And then the springs. These are vital in getting the right feeling off the keys when you touch them, and for good speed of phrasing. We used top-quality Italian chrome springs only, to reproduce the \u201cfeather touch\u201d of the Mark VI.
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Our second challenge: tone<\/div>\r\nOur second major hurdle was getting the tone right. There are a multitude of factors involved \u2013 the composition of the metals making up the body, the positioning of the tone holes, how the pads make contact, the angle and width of the neck\u2026We tried out all kinds of things to reproduce the unique sound of a vintage Conn sax.
\r\nWorking on what we learned, we chose a Japanese yellow brass as the material for the body. For the tone holes, we designed the usual straight tone holes and soldered tone-hole ring models. Soldered tone-hole rings are the method used in high-end European saxes as well. The method \u2013physically welding rings onto the edges of the tone holes \u2013takes an awful lot of work. But it makes for a tight seal with the pads, and creates a rich, mellow tone.
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Tone holes<\/div>\r\n\"\"Aizen saxophones come with two different types of tone holes
\r\n(Alto Saxophone, Tenor saxophone only).
\r\n\r\n1.\tStraight tone holes<\/strong>
\r\nThe inspiration comes from the sound of the Mark VI. The fun stuff here is that the sound response is rapid, it\u2019s fairly bright, and the tone expression is sharp and crisp.
\r\n2.\tSoldered tone-hole rings<\/strong>
\r\nThe inspiration here comes from the sound of the Conn. The special thing about this approach is the warm, round, broad tone it creates. \r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Alto Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Tenor Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Soprano Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
BUY NOW Aizen Fuga Baritone Saxophone Professional Model<\/a><\/div>\r\n
DOWNLOAD AIZEN brochure<\/a><\/div>
\r\n
SEND US INQUIRY NOW<\/a><\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n

The single most special point of an Aizen sax is the neck<\/h3>\r\nAnd the single most special point of the Aizen saxophone is\u2026the neck. Most players are aware of how important the neck is, so recently you get lots of people putting vintage necks on modern saxes, or using differing materials for the neck only and so forth.
\r\nThe Aizen neck is the result of laborious research on everything from the curve of the neck to the angle, the width, even the coefficient of sectional form\u2026For the Fuga, which is a new model, we looked even more closely at the taper and curve \u2013 and we got a richer, broader, more resonant tone as a result. This neck is built to get the absolute best out of an Aizen sax, and we put all we had into designing it.
\r\nFor the player looking for a fatter sound and deeper resonance, we recommend the Sterling Silver (92.5% pure silver).And for the player looking for a warmer, mellower tone we recommend the Copper Neck option (85% copper content).
\r\n(Aizen Fuga Alto and Tenor models only)
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Aizen Saxophone Necks<\/div>\r\n\"\"Aizen saxophones are made with three different types of neck:
\r\n1.Brass saxophone neck<\/strong>
\r\nThis is the standard Aizen saxophone neck.
\r\n2.Sterling Silver saxophone neck<\/strong>
\r\nCompared to the brass sax neck, this gives a rounder, more powerful sound, and great resonance. The tone is also a bit brighter.
\r\n3.Copper saxophone neck<\/strong>
\r\nCompared to the brass sax neck, this gives a softer, warmer sound. The tone is darker.
\r\n<\/a>

Aizen saxes are not replicas of vintage saxes.<\/h3>\r\nAizen saxes are not mere replicas of vintage saxes. Unlike a number of major manufacturers, we have no interest at all in making cheap, knock-off copies of classic vintage saxes.
\r\nInstead, we\u2019ve thoroughly researched ways to create saxes that keep the best of modern sax design \u2013 accuracy and control \u2013 while getting the sound of a vintage sax. We\u2019ve tried and tested time after time, training the most outstanding craftspeople in our process on the way. It took us four long years to get there.\r\n<\/a>

The Aizen is a sax developed for, by and with the players.<\/h3>\r\nThat\u2019s why we\u2019ve managed to create an instrument that takes us back to the great days of vintage saxophones. The Aizen will release the unique sound that\u2019s bottled up inside you, and become one with you. It\u2019s designed with you in mind, and that\u2019s what it\u2019s there for.
\r\nThe vintage sax. The more the player played on it, the more their sound developed. Until they were \u2018there\u2019. Until they were \u2018through\u2019.
\r\nThe Aizen\u2019s designed to allow for this same process. You play it, you get a sound \u2013 a good sound, of course. Then, as you keep playing it over time, you form a relationship with it, with the keys and how they feel. As the bond deepens, your own unique sound emerges and grows stronger.
\r\nOver time, every sax player develops their own distinct sound, as individual as you are. Isn\u2019t that exactly what we mean when we say that the saxophone\u2019s a joy to discover? Isn\u2019t that what Charlie Parker achieved on his vintage Conn? Isn\u2019t that what the maestros of alto sax who followed him wanted for themselves? In the back of their minds, they were chasing that sound \u2013 an all-enveloping, powerful wraparound sound\u2026
\r\nThen there\u2019s Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons, masters of the Conn tenor sax. There it is, the Conn Sound \u2013 that enthralling, fat-as-a-whale, mid-range-to-low Conn sound.
\r\n\r\nWe made prototype after prototype. Finally and at long last we\u2019ve come up with something that even we are satisfied with. Play the Aizen sax with the Aizen mouthpiece, and experience the thrill of creating your very own unique sound. It\u2019s like a dream come true.\r\n\r\n<\/a>

Saxophone production flow<\/h3>\r\n
Step 1<\/div>\r\n\"\"Today, most saxophone makers shape the sax body by machine. Not Aizen. We handcraft our sax bodies with wooden mallets, in a traditional hand-hammering process.\r\n
Step 2<\/div>\r\n\"\"Metal hammers damage the sax metal and have a negative impact on the sound, so we only work with wooden mallets. This gives us a richer and more reverberating sound, with less resistance. The hand-crafted body is harder and more durable than a machine-made product. The bell, body and u-bend are all made using the hand-hammering process. \r\n\r\n
Step 3<\/div>\r\n\"\"The parts are now finally finished by hand-hammering. \r\n
Step 4<\/div>\r\n\"\"Before drawing out the tone holes, openings are created in the body. Each tone hole is mechanically checked and adjusted to make sure that the sound will be right.\r\n
Step 5<\/div>\r\n\"\"The tone holes are now drawn out. The templates are double-checked, and the machine is polished every time a sax body is passed through. We also polish each and every sax body each and every time inside and out. In this way, we end up with perfect tone holes and no scratches on the body interior. \r\n
Step 6<\/div>\r\n\"\"The tone holes are polished to make the rims perfectly smooth and even. Unevenness can cause a lot of problems later, such as damage to the tamp pad, etc.\r\n\r\n
Step 7<\/div>\r\n\"\"Next, we make the key parts. All Aizen key parts are molded and pressed, making sturdy, durable keys. This allows.Kcy adjustments of saxophones laast etc.\r\n\r\n
Step 8<\/div>\r\n\"\"The keys are polished using a specialized apparatus. They’re very carefully surface-polished in order to make even the finest parts smooth. This polishing process is where the Aizen saxophone’s outstanding beauty comes from.\r\n
Step 9<\/div>\r\n\"\"The key posts are now blazed with silver solder. This is a vital step in the process, and it takes a lot of care and experienced craftsmanship. The keys are worked on over and over, until they are fully uniform in appearance.\r\n
Step 10<\/div>\r\n\"\"Now we craft the neck. Pitch, tone, resistance and feel are all influenced by the slightest variation of angle. Our experienced craft workers have to focus one hundred percent to handcraft the neck in just the right shape, at just the right angle.\r\n\r\n
Step 11<\/div>\r\n\"\"After the tone holes are formed, they are cleaned with a chemical detergent. Then they are buffed smooth, cleaned out with a compressed air jet, and lacquered. After lacquering, they are once again polished to a smooth finish. \r\n
Step 12<\/div>\r\n\"\"At this point the parts are assembled. All key posts are electronically measured to make sure that even the smallest parts are correctly aligned and positioned. This is another step in the process that requires great skill and experience. \r\n
Step 13<\/div>\r\n\"\"Now the saxophone is skillfully hand-engraved by experienced craft professionals. Once started, the engraving has to be done through to the end without a single mistake. So, absolute concentration is called for here, too.\r\n\r\n
Step 14<\/div>\r\n\"\"The overall balance is now checked, and the tamp pads are added. Balance is checked by highly skilled professionals, and the tamp keys are made as even as possible for a soft key touch. Your Aizen is now ready for shipping and ready for playing as soon as you take it out of the box. \r\n\r\n<\/a>

Why do we sell our saxes as such affordable prices?<\/h3>\r\nAt Aizen, we know our saxes. We\u2019ve seen thousands, and we know what they cost. A good-quality sax? 6,000 dollars give or take. That\u2019s at the very least, and you won\u2019t really get much worthwhile for less than that. Vintage saxes often go for 10,000 dollars and more. So why do we sell ours so cheap? There\u2019s a reason for our madness.
\r\n\r\nWhen we started off playing ourselves, we wanted good-quality saxes that could put out a decent sound \u2013 vintage American saxes, high-end European pieces. The problem was, there was no way on earth we could afford them then. So we had to cut our teeth on crappy Chinese saxes. Uuurgh\u2026\r\n
\r\nHowever hard we practiced, we just couldn\u2019t get clear articulation out of them. The only tone these things produced was an off-centered, straggling wisp of a thing. And the keys stuck. Torture devices. You\u2019d get rid of them before a year was out. Finally, you get your hands on a vintage Mark VI and try it out. Jaw, meet floor. That was me, anyway. My playing just took off. It was like the nightmare had never happened.
\r\nBut paying for such a high-class instrument meant taking out a loan, and skipping meals month after moth to pay it back. I somehow managed, but these were lean, mean times.
\r\nThat makes me a bit of a fanatic about getting our prices down. I know there are people out there like me, people who want the sound and will starve themselves like I did to get it. I feel for them, and I\u2019m looking out for them.
\r\n\r\nI set up Aizen out of my burning love for the saxophone. I play sax live at gigs. I can\u2019t tell you what it means to me to play a newly released Aizen sax onstage. But I know that my fellow players will understand when I say that my heart pounds in my chest.\r\n
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