Instrument Update

May 2006 Jazz Instrument Update

BJH guitars BJH 6 & 7
It’s no longer a secret: we have some of the very best luthiers in the world sitting right here on our own doorstep. BJH guitars like many are a "one man band," and they are fast becoming recognised as one of the leading archtop manufacturers, with a range of six and seven string instruments. Hand built, the 17" model, with a selected spruce top and maple back and sides, together with a 21-fret ebony fingerboard, bridge and tailpiece has a response and resonance that is truly remarkable. There is also a choice of single floating or fixed Kent Armstrong custom pickups which are well matched to the acoustic qualities of the instrument and deliver a deliciously smooth jazz vibe. Needless to say, these instruments don’t come cheap. But then again – neither does a Rolls-Royce

Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Series
The Catalina Club series has been around for a while now, but this four piece jazz shell pack is a more than welcomed addition. It has been designed for the player looking for quality features in a four piece jazz configuration, but at a price that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Taking advantage of the warmth of the mahogany shells, the pack comes with an 8”x12” mounted tom, a 14”x14” floor tom, a 5”x14” eight lug snare drum and a 14”x18” bass drum. The bass drum hoops are inlayed, while the lugs are of the mini Gretsch variety, with mini Gretsch GTS suspension systems used throughout. With Silver Sparkle and White Pearl finishes, it’s not just the sound that’s going to stand out in the crowd

Cranes Bb Tenor Saxophone
There’s a lot of competition out there at the budget end of the sax market, and to survive these days, you’ve got to have an excellent product. This Bb Tenor from Cranes is not quite a revolution, but it’s certainly a revelation. Made like many in Vietnam, it offers incredible value for money. The pads give a clear "pop" rather than a dull thud, and the rocking table keys have an easy action and are well balanced. Like most of the current crop of horns coming out of the Far East factories, it is also fitted with that high F sharp key to facilitate an easier access to the higher register. It comes in gold lacquer finish and blows like a dream, but you’ll undoubtedly want to upgrade the generic mouthpiece to something a little more ‘playable’.

Elkhart baritone horn
If you’re looking for a truly deep soul sound, then this horn might be just the ticket. Although it is aimed at the student market, this horn comes with some serious pro specs. The standard stainless steel coated valves have been upgraded to a more hard wearing variety, and the usual student entry level mouthpiece has been replaced as standard with a Denis Wick 6BS. This together with a 13.5mm bore makes for a free blowing instrument further enhanced by the 240mm bell for that extra rich, warm and full sound. With a lacquer finish, the baritone certainly looks the business, and with a substantial preformed ABS case, shouldn’t meet with any accidents in transit.

Ibanez Artcore AF105 custom
If you haven’t got the pennies to splash out on a hand built job, you could do worse than to pick up one of these amazingly high end jazz boxes for just a fifth of the price! The AF 105 is la crême de la crême of Ibanez’s highly successful Artcore budget range. With a full flamed Maple body and the famed Artcore maple\bubinga neck with rosewood fretboard and small frets, this handsome instrument not only plays like a dream, but also projects a well balanced, rich, deep sound. This is further enhanced by the two 58 custom pick ups, which are the same as those fitted to Ibanez’s GB200 BST George Benson model.

David Gallant

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Instrument Updates

May 2008 Jazz Instrument Update

Wisemann FGL550 flugelhorn

If there were marks for quality of finish, this flugelhorn would be up there with the best of them. It also handles well and has a good balance. But although it’s good to see a well turned-out instrument, needless to say, I’m really more interested in the sound it produces and the quality of the various parts and fittings.
The supplied generic 7 mouthpiece is clean with a standard cup and no surprises. Playing the instrument produces a straightahead, brassy sound that is easy to control, but at the same time, not very subtle. There is no smokiness here. I even tried an alternative mouthpiece, but the 550 still produced the same sonic characteristics. Interestingly enough, driving the bottom end proved to be a real pleasure, as the 550 sailed through the lower register.

April 2008 Jazz Instrument Update

Peerless Monarch KA guitar

The Peerless brand has been going from strength to strength since its instruments came on to the UK market just over a year ago. The Monarch, which is just one of the models in the jazz range, is a full 17-inch single cutaway and comes in all solid tonewoods with a rosewood fretboard, tailpiece and pick guard plus quality Grover machine heads. Originally available with just the standard Peerless floating pick up, it can now be purchased with a mellow voiced Kent Armstrong unit, hence the KA, which adds a whole new dimension to the dynamics of the instrument.

March 2008 Jazz Instrument Update

Akai EW1 - 4000S

The Akai EW1 4000S (pictured right) is an extraordinary piece of kit. An electric wind controller sound module, its fingering system incorporates touch sensitive note keys based on the same fingerings as those for the saxophone or clarinet, alongside its own idiosyncratic collection of plates, buttons and shift rollers. For instance, the octave shift rollers allow a player to shift pitch through an incredible eight octave range, while the adjacent glide plate gives a portamento effect, smoothly and continuously sliding the pitch up and down.