Here are a few of the strange and unusual instruments and accessories I have collected over the years. Some sound great, others not so. Maybe I’ll record some soundclips one day…
Grafton Acrylic Alto
My first saxophone was a Grafton and I still have one today which I use from time to time, including on the track Slinky from Midnight in the Naked City. See the videoin which I alternate between the Grafton and a Buescher 400:
The Betcha Plastic Reed
– possibly the first synthetic saxophone reed, circa 1950:
Casio Digital Horn:
This cost £110 back in the 80s. I’m waiting for it to become a collectors’ item as it looks so cool, but these days they can be had on ebay for about £110.
Walton adjustable mouthpiece
This looks quite normal until you look inside. It comes complete with a set of 5 different size baffles which can be screwed in and out for a brighter or warmer sound.
Conn tenor mouthpiece with tuning adjuster
Conn altos of the time had tuners on the neck, the tenors did not but this mouthpiece has a tuning device.
