From BAUHAUS DISTRIBUTION
Bauhaus-WALSTEIN Saxophones
A New Era in High Quality Affordable Saxophones
CONTENTS
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Introduction to Bauhaus Originals
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Main Features of the Original Series
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Soprano Bronze (pb-ss) Yellow Brass (y-ss) & Sopranino (pbsop)
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Alto Bronze (pb-as) Yellow Brass (y-as)
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Tenor Bronze (pb-ts) Yellow Brass (y-ts)
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Baritone Bronze (pbbs)
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Bauhaus AI The Difference
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BAUHAUS - AN INTRODUCTION Bauhaus the Brand, beginning life as Walstein, debuted in 2007 with three members of the saxophone family - alto, soprano and tenor, available in one finish - a bronze body with American brass keywork - and primarily aimed at the student/intermediate player. The saxophones soon earned a small but dedicated following among players of all abilities, and over time, as the range and the finishes began to grow, so too did the following. The success of Bauhaus, something never taken for granted by the company, may be explained in some large part by the saxophones themselves - which are rather good. Players - learners and professionals - pick them up, play them, and like them: the build is solid - they have a certain weight and solidity, which underlies their quality and longevity (see key tests on page 5); their tone is rich and powerful, yet capable of mellowness; the action is smooth and even. Their fabrication is largely by hand, from the early stages of hammering and shaping the body and bell (they all have hand hammered bells), through to keywork fitting and finishing - needless to say, the look is striking. Since 2007 the company has not been idle, the saxophones have evolved, often in response to feedback from the many players who have tried them. To that end, Bauhaus have worked hard to augment different aspects of their mechanics and functionality: blue steel needle springs, real Italian leather pads, smoother ergonomic keywork, new point screws (the “Deluxe Series� see pages 14-15), and a more protective, durable and practical case have been some of the results. These enhancements will continue as the brand is developed. Despite an embattled financial environment, Bauhaus have maintained as sympathetic a price point as possible, creating a virtually unbeatable combination of affordability and quality in the volatile retail sector. Another compelling Bauhaus attribute is their dedicated client support: all the saxophones are play-tested and checked thoroughly before leaving the warehouse, initiating the high level of service that continues throughout the sales period and well beyond. The company and the range are still growing, and gradually, Bauhaus is wearing a wellearned groove in the competitive saxophone marketplace. The brand will continue to improve - new models will appear - Bauhaus aim to retain their product quality, affordability, and their professional integrity.
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BAUHAUS - THE “ORIGINALS” Bauhaus-WALSTEIN Originals (“pb” and “y” - bronze and yellow brass) are made in China. BRONZE models are made with a high percentage of COPPER (93%); yellow brass models from AMERICAN BRASS (1/3 zinc to 2/3 copper approximately); both have American brass keywork.
The keywork itself is smooth & incredibly ergonomic - the brass thumbrest gives a seamless rocking action with the octave mechanism, the thumb hook is also ergonomically designed to adjust to the angle of the thumb for maximum comfort.
The Soprano, Tenor and Alto have fine adjustment screws, which help with regulation and reduce the need to change or shave corks or felts. The sopranino has Bb/G# regulation screws, and the baritone has adjustable key guard felts for venting and tuning.
Blue Steel Needle Springs provide high tensile strength and consistent key action. Fine grain Italian Leather pads give a positive, consistent action and longevity.
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BAUHAUS - THE “ORIGINALS” The crook/octave mechanisms vary according to instrument - the sopranino has an integral crook; the sopranos have one curved and one straight; the alto has an under-slung crook, the tenor over-slung, and the baritone’s three vent octave mechanism is on the body.
Bauhaus saxophones come with case, mouthpiece, ligature and cap. The cases (A) have integral rucksack straps, a large pocket, fitted interior, handles with rubber overlay for comfort and impact padding for protection. The baritone case (B) is wood framed with wheels for manoeuvrability.
A
B
INDEPENDENT KEY WORK TESTS - THREE TENOR SAXOPHONES Bauhaus tsts-p
Keilwerth ST90
Yanagisawa T992
10lbs (4.55kg)
Key moved 1mm then returned
12lbs (5.45kg)
Key moved 1mm then returned
16lbs (7.27kg)
key displaced (permanent deflection) 1.5mm
10lbs (4.55kg)
Key moved 0.5mm then returned
12lbs (5.45kg)
Key displaced (permanent deflection) 0.5mm
16lbs (7.27kg)
Test not performed
10lbs (4.55kg)
Key moved 2mm then returned
12lbs (5.45kg)
Key displaced (permanent deflection) 2.1mm
16lbs (7.27kg)
Test not performed
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ORIGINAL SOPRANO (pb(pb-ss/yss/y-ss) & SOPRANINO (pb(pb-sop) Two Crooks - Straight & Curved Ribbed Construction Fine Adjustment Screws Hand Hammered Bell Ergonomic Thumb Rest and Thumb Hook Mouthpiece, Ligature and Cap Black Rucksack Style Case Integral Straps Bell Diameter 90mm Robust Brass Keywork - 4.9mm Rod Diameter Body Material - Bronze - 93% Copper/5% zinc/2% tin American Brass - 34% zinc to 66% copper approx Weight of Instrument Bronze - 1.4kg American Brass - 1.38kg Blue Steel Needle Springs Fine Grain Italian Pads Range - Low Bb to High G - Key of Bb ORIGINAL SOPRANINO (pb(pb-sop) High E Key Table keys based on Buescher Sopranino Adjustment Screws on Bb-G# Keys Bell Diameter 72mm Robust Brass Keywork 4.9mm Diameter Body Material - Bronze 93% Copper/ 5% Zinc/ 2% Tin 0.8kg Instrument Weight 2kg Case Weight Blue Steel Needle Springs Fine Grain Leather Pads Low Bb to High E - Key of Eb
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ORIGINAL SOPRANO (pb(pb-ss/yss/y-ss) & SOPRANINO (pb(pb-sop) “It's a beautiful instrument - tone and action are superb. I am using it with a Yanagisawa ebonite mouthpiece and Rovner ligature, the combination is outstanding. It's capable of being mellow, and rich sounding, and then you can cut right through above the rest of the band. Great fun! Love it! “ “When I took the horn out, I was amazed that it felt about as solid as a Yanagisawa S901 that I owned until about a year ago. Nothing seemed flimsy on it at all, and the rods all seemed pretty solid, unlike an Antigua Wind I once owned. The sop comes with two necks and I tested the fitting of both of them. They both fit easily but snugly into the receiver, and the metal didn't bend in permanently at the crack in the neck receiver like on an Antigua Wind I owned. “ “I hate to sound like an ad, but if you are considering a soprano, or any other sax for that matter, I highly recommend you check out the Bauhaus - Walsteins and other horns at woodwindandbrass.co.uk. I must admit that for me it felt like a risky purchase, buying a horn from a foreign country meant that it would be shipped that much further and a return would be that much more difficult, but I am certainly glad I did it. The B-W horns are a completely different animal than the low quality ones you see being sold on Ebay and elsewhere.“
“... I didn't actually NEED a 'nino (who does?!) but this one's a little beauty and such FUN! ... Build quality and finish appear great: it bears an outrageous family resemblance to my bronze Yani sop which was five times the price. It's a bit unnerving that the Chinese can rival top-price Japanese quality…”
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ORIGINAL ALTO (pb(pb-as/yas/y-as) Underslung Crook
Ribbed Construction Fine Adjustment Screws - Upper & Lower Stack Hand Hammered Detachable Bell Ergonomic Thumb Rest and Thumb Hook Mouthpiece, Ligature and Cap Black Rucksack Style Case Integral Straps Bell Diameter 119mm Robust Brass Keywork - 4.9mm Rod Diameter Body Material - Bronze - 93% Copper/5% zinc/2% tin American Brass - 34% zinc to 66% copper approx Weight of Instrument Bronze 2.55kg American Brass - 2.52kg Blue Steel Needle Springs Fine Grain Italian Leather Pads Range - Low Bb to High F# Key of Eb Double Key Arms on C# & B Lyre Box
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ORIGINAL ALTO (pb(pb-as/yas/y-as)
“I love it. She does too. Have to say it's a lovely finish, the rose brass. The horn reminds me of a modern Yani. ... As for the tone, action, intonation - excellent. It is quite an adept horn in terms of the sound you want to produce out of it I think. It'd be suited for classical as well as jazz, funky stuff too... I couldn't put it down for an hour - loved it!... She is VERY happy with it, as are her parents. They're glad they went with this option rather than the Yamaha 275 after all. I'd happily recommend them to anyone. Intrigued to play the tenor now “
“I started with a Walstein Alto just over a year ago and moved to a Yanigasawa once I found it wasn't a flash-in-thepan. To be honest, I don't see a great difference between the two except that one is a hullavalot more expensive. “
“I've owned a TJ Revolution II for two years and have just bought a Bauhaus which I consider after a month or so is a much better horn than the TJ, despite the price difference. “
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ORIGINAL TENOR (pb(pb-ts/yts/y-ts) Overslung Crook
Ribbed Construction Fine Adjustment Screws - Lower Stack Hand Hammered Detachable Bell Ergonomic Thumb Rest and Thumb Hook Mouthpiece, Ligature and Cap Black Rucksack Style Case Integral Straps Bell Diameter 152mm Robust Brass Keywork - 4.9mm Rod Diameter Body Material - Bronze - 93% Copper/5% zinc/2% tin American Brass - 34% zinc to 66% copper approx Weight of Instrument Bronze 3.65kg American Brass - 3.59kg Blue Steel Needle Springs Fine Grain Italian Leather Pads Range - Low Bb to High F# Key of Bb Double Key Arms on C# & B Lyre Box
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ORIGINAL TENOR (pb(pb-ts/yts/y-ts) “I walked away a very happy customer, and will certainly be keeping my eyes open for more Walstein products. If their other instruments are as good as my tenor then I rate them incredibly highly!”
“...I have a Walstein tenor... Its got a lovely bottom end, really fat and rich, my teacher played it and he really showed its capabilities, beautiful all through the register ( he wants to buy a few for some of his students).. if you do choose the Walstein. It definitely won't disappoint you for the price. “ “I'm still very pleased with this sax. It is much easier to play. It is more free-blowing, yet louder, and requires much less embouchure adjustment, so is therefore much less fatiguing to play. Because of all this I have already moved on to more difficult and faster pieces though I've only had it a few weeks. “ Tone-wise the Chinese horn stands on its own merits - it has a respectably rounded tone throughout. In comparison with the 991 its slightly thinner at the top end, and this shows up particularly when using a bright mouthpiece...but rather surprisingly it overtakes the 991 when it gets down to the bell notes. It's much fuller and more rounded - and very, very evidently so….” http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/ Reviews/Saxes/Tenor/ Walstein_versus_Yanagisawa.htm
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ORIGINAL BARITONE (pb(pb-bs) Three-vent octave mechanism - helps clarity and tuning when playing G, G# and A with octave key Ribbed Construction Fine Adjustment Screws - Lower Stack Hand Hammered Detachable Bell Ergonomic Thumb Rest and Thumb Hook Mouthpiece, Ligature and Cap Black Wood-framed Case - Carry Handles - Wheeled Bell Diameter 172mm Robust Brass Keywork - 4.9mm Rod Diameter Body Material - Bronze - 93% Copper/5% zinc/2% tin Weight of Instrument Bronze - 5.8kg Blue Steel Needle Springs Domed metal resonators - leather pads Range - Low A to High F# Key of Eb Double Key Arm on Low C Lyre Box Double Hinge on Low A - facilitates lightness of action Water key - elimination of condensation Three-point bell to body bracing Detachable, adjustable "spike" (optional)
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ORIGINAL BARITONE (pb(pb-bs) “I did get a very good and surprisingly cheap baritone, (a Walstein Bauhaus), that is absolutely amazing, I use it now for pro TV and film session work.”
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THE BAUHAUS DELUXE A.I. (ACTION IMPROVED) SERIES THE “PSEUDO” POINT SCREW *The Deluxe saxophones are a new range of from Bauhaus featuring "AI" Action Improved keywork. Bauhaus have rebuilt the action in this series using a shoulderless point screw and redesigned pillar-rod mechanism. Most keys articulate with the body of the saxophone via a combination of pillar, rod and screw. The majority of modern saxophones are made using “pseudo” point screws. "Pseudo" point screws are shouldered and fit within the pillar and the key rod in a certain way: the head of the screw sits on a ledge inside the pillar - and can go in no further - the lower half of the screw sits inside the rod. It is upon this that the Key rod rotates. The advantages of a pseudo point screw are that the saxophone is easier and cheaper to manufacture, engineering rod and pillar can be less precise, less work is involved and fewer parts are needed. Many good modern saxophones are made in this way, with slight variations on the type of screw shown opposite. The mechanism is fine, so long as everything fits together well. However, a not uncommon problem is "loose" key action through vertical rod movement. This can occur from the point of manufacture, or more gradually. Over time, the inside of the rod can become worn, increasing horizontal and vertical movement of the key rod. There are ways of resolving this: hammering in the pillars to take up the slack; or removing the ledge on which the head of the screw sits inside the pillar so that the screw can go further into the rod. These methods are initially effective, but might weaken the mechanism over time.
*The “Deluxe” saxophones have the same bodies and accessories as the “Original” Series.
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THE BAUHAUS DELUXE A.I. (ACTION IMPROVED) SERIES THE “SHOULDERLESS� POINT SCREW
Bauhaus have changed the type of point screws used on the bronze "AI" instruments. Instead of using the "pseudo" point screw, they are using a "shoulderless" one. The shoulderless point screw is the same diameter from its head to the beginning of its taper and threaded the same distance.
The screw is made of hardened steel, which means less burring with a screwdriver, and very little chance of it breaking off in situ. The pillar that houses it has no ledge and is threaded throughout. The taper of the screw rests on the internal wall of the key rod and pivots.
In terms of key action, this means little or no "play" in the key rod and a generally smoother action from the first. Unlike the "pseudo" screw, as the mechanism wears, the shoulderless point screw can be simply tightened taking up any slack in the action without having to ream or swedge anything.... This change has meant redesigning of the point screw, the pillar and the key-rod, which, in turn has meant new equipment and more work for the factory. In all it represents something of a first for modern saxophone manufacturing.
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BAUHAUS SAXOPHONES www.bauhausdistribution.com dealerenquiry@bauhausdistribution.com info@bauhausdistribution.com 00 44 (0) 23 9235 2227 Saxophone Forums: http://breakfastroom.net/ http://www.saxontheweb.net/