2.18 Famous Sax Players' Setups

The following information was provided by Luis Scheker in the newsgroup. Although there will be conflicting information this list is an excellent guideline. If you see a different setup being used, it can be added - if you let me know - as a second entry for the artist. Please keep this kind of information coming!

Tenors

• Joe Henderson - 56,xxx Mark VI, Selmer Soloist mthpc, LaVoz reeds
• Sonny Rollins - 14x,xxx MkVI, Wolfe Tayne or Guy Hawkins metal mp, LaVoz
• James Moody - Keilwerth Black Gold SX90R, Brendan Tibbs mp, ?
• Michael Brecker - 8x,xxx MkVI, Guardala (Brecker mdl) mp, Guardala reeds
• Joshua Redman - 48,xxx Super Balanced Action, Otto Link metal 8*, Java
• David Sanchez - MkVI, Otto Link metal 7, Vandoren
• Ernie Watts - Keilwerth BG SX90R, Otto Link metal 10*, ?
• Craig Handy - MkVI, Vandoren V16 mp, ?
• Branford Marsalis - Guardala Black Nickel, Guardala mp, Guardala reeds
• Jerry Bergonzi - Super Balanced Action, Otto Link metal, ?
• Stanley Turrentine - Keilwerth BG, Otto Link metal, LaVoz
• Don Braden - Super Balanced Action, Lawton metal, ?

Altos

• Kenny Garrett - 14x,xxx MkVI, Selmer Soloist mp, Hemke
• Gary Bartz - Super Action 80 II, Yanagisawa hard rubber, Hemke
• Frank Morgan - SA80II, Selmer S80, ?
• Vincent Herring - Yanagisawa, ?, ?
• Tom Scott - Guardala BN, Guardala mp, Guardala reeds
• David Sanborn - MkVI, David Sanborn mp, LaVoz
• Antonio Hart - King Super 20, ?, ?
• Wess Anderson - SA80II black lacquer, ?, ?
• Jackie McLean - MkVI, Berg Larsen hard rubber, ?
• Greg Osby - Yanagisawa (silver body, brass keys), Vandoren A45 Classique mouthpiece, Vandoren #3 Classique reeds
• Steve Coleman - MkVII, ?, ?
• Bobby Watson - Yamaha Custom, Vandoren V5 mp, Vandoren
• Mike Smith - Keilwerth BG SX90R, ?, ?

Keep in mind that these setups are not set in stone. The pros are searching for the "perfect setup" just like the rest of us. I've talked with 4 or 5 dealers selling tenors previously owned by Michael Brecker...he goes through them like nobody else, but he always returns to his original horn. As another example, Branford Marsalis has gone from a Mark VI with an Otto Link mouthpiece to a Keilwerth with a Guardala mouthpiece, a Super Balanced Action, and now finally a Guardala horn. Endorsement deals are also a fact of life - your favorite player may be playing a horn because of the promotion and money provided by the manufacturer rather than a preference for that horn. Some professionals even use one horn on stage and another in the studio (Clarence Clemmons uses a Keilwerth BG on stage and a Mark VI in the studio). The moral - if you like how a player sounds, it doesn't hurt to try out his or her setup IN THE STORE, but don't expect too much, and never buy before you try.

Luis Scheker

The caveat about precisely how dependable our sources are can only be restated: players change their setups regularly. This list comes from Rico's information sheet (reeds only are detailed):

• Bill Bergman: La Voz Tenor medium
• Jerry Bergonzi: Rico Tenor 3.5, soprano 3 and 3.5
• Ron Blake: Hemke Tenor 4.5 and soprano 4
• Buddy Collette: Rico Royal alto, soprano and tenor 2.5
• Ronnie Cuber: Rico Baritone 3.5
• Jay Davidson: Plasticover tenor 3.5
• Candy Dulfer: La Voz alto medium
• Hans Dulfer: Rico Royal tenor 3.5
• Chico Freeman: Rico/Royal tenor 3, La Voz med and hard alto
• Kenny G: Hemke Soprano 2.5, Tenor 2.5
• Benny Golson: La Voz Tenor hard
• Everette Harp: La Voz soprano, alto and tenor medium hard
• Jeff Kashiwa: La Voz alto and tenor medium, Hemke sop 3 and ten 3.5
• Dave Koz: Plasticover alto 4, tenor 3.5, sop. 3.5
• Ronnie Laws: La Voz alto, sop and ten (hard) Hemke tenor and sop 5
• Sonny Rollins: La Voz Tenor med. and Hemke ten. 2
• Dave Sanborn: La Voz alto medium
• Bud Shank: Rico alto 2
• Lew Tabackin: Hemke tenor 4

An unsubstantiated report tells us of Dave Guardala's setup: tenor sax guardala mouthpiece # 8.