An e-mail from a satisfied customer

Hi there, message for Martin. I'm the lady who bought the reference 54 last week. Just has to write to say how lovely it is and what a diffence it's making. I would love to say I am now an expert player but even this sax can't do that for me. Totally recomend it, and also would like to thank you for your kind attention and the cup of coffee. Will reccomend your store to others

cheers
Wendy Grant

An e-mail from Tom Scott to Steve Goodson on the Saxgourmet Tenor

"From the very first note I played on the Saxgourmet Tenor I knew this was the horn for me. It has a luscious tone, superb key action, great response in all registers—and, with its bright copper finish, is exceptionally beautiful. I have since acquired Saxgourmet Alto & Soprano saxes, and they both share the same exemplary qualities as the Tenor. These saxophones are simply the VERY BEST! Thank you, Steve Goodson, for creating such a superior line of musical instruments. I'm proud to be associated with you—and your products."

An e-mail from Mike Spurlock on the Saxgourmet Saxello

I have never been fond of the saxello body style. Anyone who knows me knows this simple fact. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to the physical appearance of the soprano saxophone (That goes for curved too, and I'm already going nuts over the SG curved). By that I mean the straight looking thing "that Kenny G plays" (bleh...bad word). Not to get off on a tangent or anything, but I wish I had a nickel for every person that has called my sop a clarinet.

Anyway, back to matters at hand. Steve will be the first to vouch for this: I personally asked him to make a straight version of the Model Six, just so I could maintain everything in my happy little world. I would even send away my burnished brass LA-650 for one. Much to my dismay, my request was met with a hearty, resounding, "NOPE".

Ok, Steve. I give in. I know why the design makes sense. I've been playing saxophone long enough to figure that one out on my own. I also know that being different is something that you take great pride in, so no need to go there either. I just have to swallow my insistence on refusing to conform and open my mind to the curved bell and neck.

I just left the shop at Orpheus with the a smile on my face that hasn't been this big since I was there to witness the arrival of the most recent shipment of SG Model Baris. That was a good day.

I know this is old hat to you because I called you right after I played it, so please understand that this post is for everyone else who hasn't had the same privilege. Folks, I'm here to tell you that I just played the best soprano sax I have ever held in my hands. If you read my Vespro post, you know that I'm long-winded, so I ask once more for a little latitude.

I don't know about you, but the problematic areas (at least for me) on soprano have always been the high end of the horn. I have played a great many sopranos in my life and I always struggled with intonation from D3 on up. Not to mention, the high C felt stuffy on almost every horn I have ever played.

I love ballads. They are my absolute favorite thing to play on any horn for that matter. I play "Samantha" all the time. That's a great Sammy Nestico tune that Bud Shank played for years. It's written for alto. However....I love to play it on tenor and soprano just to see if I can pull it off (changing the key so I can play the same notes). There's a jump from C#3 to F#3 that is very emotion-filled when executed properly.

I told you that to tell you this: I picked this horn up cold and played that interval (IN TUNE) without any problem. I use Fibracell reeds so I knew they would be there for me. I was so impressed that I tried the unthinkable: I decided to hit the G without any sort of climb and then hold it for as long as I could. I believe Mr Lagassi said it best: BAM!

The middle and low register is so lush on this horn that I get teary-eyed just wondering what some of my favorite artists and recordings would sound like with this horn instead of the one they used in the studio.

Steve, I'm here to say that I am a changed man. I'm going to look at getting one of these horns for the sheer fact that it is truly effortless to play. And you guys know that the soprano can sound like a fire in a pet shop if you're not careful. The action is super fast and the even-ness of scale from top to bottom is very impressive. Intonation problems are a thing of the past if you have the chops mature enough to play the soprano saxophone. It's the hardest of them all to play and sound respectable on, if you ask me. This horn takes all the guesswork away.

The timbre is not harsh or reedy at all like some sops are. You just get a smooth and lush tone that melts butter it's so warm. The sterling bell and neck are a welcome addition (visually). I love this horn and would put it up against ANY out there today. I don't think they stand a chance, to be quite honest.

You owe it to yourself to take a test drive at your nearest dealer. If they don't carry the Saxgourmet line, shame on them.

But don't take my word for it.........

An e-mail from Curt Altarac on the Steve Goodson Baritone

Just a note to let you know how proud I am of your new Bari. As a Bari Player primarily, I tried all the Baris at the show. Your Bari is The Bomb. I think your construction ideas are spot on, the key work is super tight and it feels great. I'm really glad to see such a smokin' horn at your booth.

As you know, I played it at the IAJE convention in NYC, and I was really impressed. What you don't know is that after the convention that night I 'stole' it from your booth and played it some more. I was able to sit down with the horn and do some playing. You know, that convention hall is too noisy. So, I took your Bari to a corner near my booth playing while folks were leaving. They finally kicked me out but I had to keep playing! It was better than I thought. A real Gem. Your Bari plays and responds very well and in tune.

Great job Steve!

An article by Jimmy Carpenter on the Steve Goodson Tenor

I made another fateful sojourn to Steve's house again this week, and came home with a gold-plated SG tenor, the newest model. I loved this horn the first time I played Steve's personal one several months ago, so I guess it was inevitable...this one has all the stuff, starting with the altissimo octave key. It is placed at the left thumb, kind of opposite the octave key, and it will take some getting used to. But it does make a big difference in the quality of my altissimo; it's bigger with better undertones, a thicker sound that is less pinched. I'm into a big fat old-school sound, and the lower register is huge, the single thing that most sold me on the horn. The bell is double-braced to the body, and the improved resonance is immediately noticeable. The key placement overall is outstanding, it feels tight and fast, deep cups and no pearls on the touches. And it is a beautiful horn, real gold plate, a combination of matte and polished finish with great engraving. I'm only a few days into my "orientation", but I am impressed again with the workmanship and design, as well as the sound. I think in a week or maybe 2 I'll be playing it every gig, and I'll post re my progress and impressions.

An article by Ben Rostow on the Steve Goodson Vespro Tenor

I stopped by Steve's today on my way home for 5 minutes and stayed for an hour. The reason is the Vespro tenor. This is the same actual horn that Tony Degradi posted about. I am a mechanical engineer and I always come at Steve's horns from that angle.

This horn has an excellent level of fit and finish. The keys are beefy and solid, pro quality all the way, and better than many pro horns being made today. The forming and finishing work on the main tube and bell are flawless. The finish is a black nickel (dark gray actually) with silver plated (not nickel) keywork. The engraving is very sharp and modern looking. The keys are super crisp, much better than a good vintage horn and the action is very easy on the hands. The physical response from the low C and C# keys is really fast, and engagement of the pads is crisp and return time is VERY fast. The key return is silent. Key cup arms are solid and highly twist resistant and the long rods are as stiff as most anything made today.

Sounds are extremely even which is what we have come to expect from Steve's horns. Fourth line D is great and easy blowing. Upper register G, Ab, and A also transition with none of the usual intonation issues. I jumped up to a high F# altissimo and an even higher A a few times, and I was surprised at how easily they were reached without stretching.

I think I'm going th have to pick up one of these horns! There is no reason not to. Especially since Steve told me that "We sell these to people we don't like for $1200."

That is just plain crazy affordable. Ths horn looks great, plays great, sounds great, and is built great. Ths would is the ultimate road horn for a working pro. Buy two or three and always have a spare. Never worry about them getting stolen because you have another on the bus. This is a seriously good horn at a cheap student price. Hats off.