Saxophone Forum


by BigernSF
(1 post)
7 years ago

Bunny II vs TS200

I'm new to saxophone, I bought a Selmer Bundy II which I've been playing for a couple of months. A friend wants to sell me a Selmer TS200. Any thoughts on which one is better?

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  1. by bjroosevelt
    (47 posts)

    7 years ago

    Re: Bunny II vs TS200

    Try playing your friends sax to see which sounds better or which is easier for you to play.  You will probably have a better idea of what you need in a sax in a few months.  The questions shouldn’t be about which is better.  It should be about what is best for you.  There are always trade-offs.

    For example:  My US made $600 Conn 16M tenor from the late  50s (Considered a student model), has far better sound than my $2,400 Selmer Mark VII from the 70s (Considered a solid professional horn).  The Mark VII is a professional set up from PM Woodwinds in Chicago.  The Conn is a “junker” from my local music store.  The Mark VII is far easier for me to play, and so I use it.......but I aspire to play the Conn because of the tone quality.

    I wouldn’t know how to answer, which my horns is better........as everyone knows the Conn is a pain in the rear end to play.

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    1. by GFC
      (842 posts)

      7 years ago

      Re: Bunny II vs TS200

      I'm curious, what are the issues that keep you from enjoying your Conn?

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    2. by mijderf
      (282 posts)

      7 years ago

      Re: Bunny II vs TS200

      I really don't think the old Conns are a pain to play.  I assume you are talking about the layout of the left pinky table being different from modern horn tables.  If you would concentrate on playing just the Conn for about 1 week, you might find that it is not hard to adjust to the difference.  The tone difference should make the effort worthwhile.  One thing you can have checked by a tech is the table spring pressures.  Proper spring pressures make the old tables easier to use.

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      1. by GFC
        (842 posts)

        7 years ago

        Re: Bunny II vs TS200

        Advice before understanding the problems bjroosevelt is having with his 16M seems premature.  The complicated spring pressure issue is with the 10M LH table rather than the 16M table, which is relatively simple and lacks G# articulation.

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      2. by bjroosevelt
        (47 posts)

        7 years ago

        Re: Bunny II vs TS200

        A little off topic here....but my Conn has a few problems.  I suspect you have larger hands.

        For starters - 

        1). My left palm keeps bumping into the palm keys on my Conn 16M. -  the result is an airy, high pitched, missed note. 
        2). Every time I try to play High-D, the bloody instrument tips to the side. 
        3). Key action is slow because of the way the left and right hands line up, as well as how the fingers and palms need to rotate to hit the notes.
        4). Right thumb always hurts when I am done playing.  (Have had an adjustable thumb support installed, but it isn’t perfect). 

        Yes, I know there are partial to full solutions to all of these problems (like key risers) and I agree that a professional overhaul would help the Conn a lot. ........but at the time I didn’t want to invest too much into a horn that you can resell for $700 and isn’t so ergonomically well designed.  I won’t have a problem getting my money out of the Mark VII if I choose to resell it one day. 

        Conn is in the basement still.....after I get my messed-up, ”Church Fundraiser”  ‘53 Selmer SBA, original laquer/resonators, Tenor sax back from PM Woodwind, I might have someone take a crack at the Conn.

        Have never played the SBA before.  I wonder how different it sounds from the Mark VII.....Just want to be able to play it once....it is going to be sold and the proceeds are going to charity. 

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        1. by GFC
          (842 posts)

          7 years ago

          Re: Bunny II vs TS200

          The good news in this situation is your SBA, which should be a big step towards what you like about the Conn without the ergonomic issues.  Keeping investment in the Conn minimal and passing it on to someone who can get the most from it is a good idea.  There are also more up-to-date horns in the Conn sound family - Keilwerth and some Asian ones - should you decide to continue that quest.

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      3. by GFC
        (842 posts)

        7 years ago

        Re: Bunny II vs TS200

        The Bundy II is a solid student horn.  If it's in decent shape it should serve you well while you're learning the basics and developing your technique.  That's much more important to you at this phase than worrying about this or that horn.  There's plenty of time for that later when you know yourself as a player and what your criteria are for the horn you truly want.  The most beneficial piece of equipment to upgrade, once you have developed your embouchure, is the mouthpiece and that won't be a simple decision to make hastily.  

        The TS200 is marketed as an "intermediate" horn, whatever that means.  As far as I can tell it's a term for fancier student horns.

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