The NEW Artist Edition Tenor 🎷🚀

[@callofgaming5642]

I'm convinced John Ledbetter is a bit of a perfectionist. My son has had his JL tenor for 14 months and it has been wonderful. We also have an alto on order with him. He was so helpful when my son was looking for a tenor. He didn't have much experience at the time but John said he wouldn't leave the shop unhappy no matter what horn he chose. Out of 12 different horns my son chose John's horn. We are beyond pleased. If we ever purchase a soprano John's shop will be our first & last stop!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

His sopranos are total FIRE! So glad to hear your experience was a good one. John is one of the hardest working people I know - you and your son made an excellent choice :)

[@ginohernandez5143]

I’m also loving his tenor. I played a Keilwerth for over 30 years but haven’t touched it since I received Johns horn. The intonation is great, tone is great and the altissimo is fantastic. The high G sings!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Yesss love to hear this! I cant get over how nice the sound is. Genius design - I'm glad you hear it too!

[@drronclark]

John’s love for the saxophone and the pride he takes in quality craftsmanship, whether it is his overhauls or his Artist saxophones, shines through in everything he does. It’s not surprising that his saxophones sound so good and are quickly becoming the choice of so many talented players. I just hope he’ll be able to continue to sell these at such a fair price point that makes them an excellent deal compared to the modern pro horns of today (e.g., Selmer Paris, Yanagisawa, etc.). Thanks for sharing this Steve. Keep up the good work John! I am eyeballing one of those altos for the future.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Hey Ron - Yes I agree. One of the things he was adamant about was affordability but I don't know how long he can keep his price down since its such a time consuming process. It is pretty great and makes playing a lot more fun - definitely a good investment :)

[@nickpilgrim1966]

John Shredbetter. Love it. Good vibes.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

haha thanks!

[@johnfilardi]

The quality control John has on his builds , you'll never find it with any one else

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Yeah its pretty great! It helps that he can play the instrument to doublecheck things 👍

[@bobblues1158]

Just ordered mine today , January 25 ,2024. All of the videos of great players have been extremely helpful to making the decision. a 6-8 week wait and then I can play mine!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thats awesome! Let me know when you get it :)

[@nmcben]

I noticed that the sound of the JL tenor with the BSS neck at 7:46 sounded almost identical to the 62 with the BSS neck at 2:52 . Which suggests yet again that it's the neck that accounts for most of the sound difference between horns. I actually prefer the BSS neck. It would be very interesting to hear the 62 with the JL neck. I bet it would sound just like the JL horn. But I guess maybe the JL has a nicer feel, better ergonomics etc? It's not only about sound. Both great horns and Steve your playing is great as ever. Thanks for making these videos

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

You're pretty spot on with this observation - the neck makes a big difference. That being said, you would definitely notice if you put the neck on a Conn because the bodies of the Conns are very different. The 62 and JL's horn both have similarities to Selmer horns, one sounding like a less resonant and tonally flat Mark VI (the 62) and the JL sounding pretty close to a Super Balanced Action. The neck is great - because of it's angle/dimensions, it brings out the high overtones of both instruments and gives them a little more punch/brilliance.

[@nmcben]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka That's useful to know as I'm currently trying to decide between buying a new YTS-62 or spending a bit more and getting one of those JL Artist Edition tenors. It sounds like you do prefer the JL horn. And it's good to know it is more resonant and closer to the SBA. Also lighter as I understand? I'm not in the same universe as you with my playing but I'm looking for a long term horn that I can keep and grow into.

[@MacawAviculture]

John Leadbetter is an incredible player, repairman, and can probably get any sax you want, no matter the brand or model. I play and love Yanagisawa tenors, John found me my dream horn, a Yanagisawa T9935. I am interested in buying his silver/brass New York Signature tenor when they finally arrive. Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Heck yeah. I recommend checking out the Pino tenors - they have a great brilliance to them. Thanks very much for the feedback 🙏

[@jtrane5]

Thanks for the great video, Steve! I seldom hear a difference when players of your caliber do A/B tests, but listening through good headphones, the JL neck sounds a touch brighter to me. But it's minimal. I am waiting on my new horn from John. I ordered mine with full engraving up the body tube and on the neck. I also ordered it with 2 necks, the second neck being more of a Mark VI angle. I'm excited to see the differences. I just sold my 61XXX Mark VI in anticipation of getting the new horn.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Awesome! I think you’ll really like it. All horns take a little adjusting but now that I’m locked in I really am starting to appreciate the unique things this sax offers. Thanks for watching it - let me know how the new horn works out!

[@bobblues1158]

I thought the same-great player, great repair tech= great horn! The necks were close. I preferred the JL.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks Bob 🎷

[@EgilFurre]

Are the keywork placement like a Yamaha, Selmer or other Taiwan horns like Cannonball?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Good question - yes the keywork is slightly different. Im not sure how the cannonball horns feel but the angle of the left hand stack especially is a little more pronounced/offset. Its a small amount but enough to notice a difference.

[@DaveSalvator]

Thanks for posting. To my ear, the JL neck sounds more "lively" without being overly bright, whereas the BSS neck seems a bit more muted.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

thanks Dave - yes I agree with this. I was surprised by this a little honestly. Going to do another comparison soon with the silver neck I have to see if that changes things 🤔

[@d.harrimusic2919]

Both necks sound great. The JL sounds more full and present with a pleasant brightness. I imagine it cutting through a bigger ensemble or space. The BSS has a cool smokey tone. It has a bit more nuance and character. To me it had more of an intimate vibe like a small club late at night. If I had them both, I would probably be switching them out depending on the situation. I am not a sax player, though. Neat video!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks for watching and for the thoughtful comment. I think I will end up doing what you described :)

[@ronbrese3803]

I’m curious , did you try the Pino 1 tenor as well? I know a lot of time went into that horn and am wondering how the two horns respond….similarities and differences.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Hey Ron - I did and its awesome! It has more 'zing' (high end overtones) in it which is really saying something because the Artist Edition Tenors already have that. I remember them being similar 'response wise' but there was a little extra magic in the Pino. The reason I didn't go with the Pino was because I wanted to customize the color / plating. I think it also takes a little longer to get one, but not entirely sure on that. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@ronbrese3803]

Hey, thanks for the feedback . That clears things up as I had never heard a direct comparison of the two horns. I have a Conn tenor and alto , which are wonderful horns however, I love getting feedback on different setups. Both of them sounded fantastic to me. Playing Conns most of my life, I was wondering if the Pino would be a good move for me if the arthritis gets worse. Thanks again for responding and have a happy and blessed new year.@

[@LoneBear-one]

Nice plug☮️🎵🎶🎷

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

The best

[@KrisVComm]

John is a great player! I will likely get one of his horns someday

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

100%!

[@beckyn9338]

Hi Steve, I think whichever neck feels better, the difference when listening is not enough to make the call in my book.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Right on! It is hard to hear on these type of play tests. Youre exactly right here - the way it feels is #1 over everything else bc it’ll ultimately make me play better !

[@str8shooter-talk116]

I agree…I play an ishimori and I found as soon as I switched to the BSS it really changed everything for the better but in this recording I cannot really tell the difference at all. Like the OP said, it’s going to come down to your own comfort!

[@adamgilbert7527]

Great video man! I liked the JL neck better but very close in terms of sound/intonation, does one feel better to play? I remember having two necks on a cannonball alto that I had and the slight difference in angle made a difference to the sound that I was hearing (vibration/feel/slotting) but didn't sound very different recorded. Let us know what you end up going with. I would love to get out there and try the JL horns, definitely want to check out the artist line, the one you are playing, the pino, etc.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks man. They feel pretty much the same. I was super curious how it was all going to turn out and listening back I did hear a difference but wasnt sure what it was going to be haha. I will probably keep using the JL neck for the time being - thanks for checking the video out!

[@felipemendozar]

Beautiful horn! Did you have the chance of trying the Pino I? I can't decide lol

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thankyou!! I did - the Pino 1 is killer - awesome sound and slightly better overall bc of that. I love the JL bc I can customize the finish, engraving and key playing. The pino comes in copper which can’t be engraved and I wasn’t sure how it was gonna age. Both are great and in a perfect world I would have both :)

[@felipemendozar]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka Hi Steve! How would you compare them in terms of resistance? Which is more free blowing?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Hey! They’re both very free blowing - I would say maybe the pino is less but the tone on it is more brilliant so it’s a trade off.

[@LCohenSax]

So you went for the high F#! Did you have an opportunity to compare the artist edition tenors with and without high F#? What's your thoughts please? The horn sounds great. You definitely get a better sound with more depth and beauty on the JL tenor vs. the Yamaha. Thanks for the great vid.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

I didn't notice a difference to be perfectly honest! I use the F# key a lot more than most people do so I requested it - I didnt actually get a chance to try one with an F# when I was there but after having it for a while so far so good!

[@nejikhang147]

​@SaxophoneSteveKortyka After some thinking, I just recently ordered one with a high F# as well. I use it, but many people said response and tone can change however I went with it since I do use it

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@nejikhang147 I cant live without it :) I don’t notice those things so much but some players are very specific that they do not want it haha

[@GeraldDeLoachMusic]

Amen to all of the thoughts about John! I’ve played his tenor for 4 years now and it is a GREAT horn! I actually sold my 85000 series Mark VI to get John’s horn and haven’t regretted the decision for one second. You sound great on the JL Horn! You always sound great but this horn, to me, has a little more depth in the sound. I like his neck with it better than the BSS neck…the JL neck sounds more open and freer blowing. The question though is which one do you like the best? Lol. One other question, how does John sound so killin when he’s fixing and making horns 18 hours a day! When does that guy practice?? Lol

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Awesome to hear this! So far I like his horn with the neck better as well but we’ll see how that holds up over time haha. I’ve often wondered the same thing about how he can stay so good without practicing it’s crazy!

[@seandennis3148]

Why did you choose to test with the YTS 62, when you have one of those rare, highly regarded, YTS-82ZASP tenor saxes, please? If it's as simple as "I don't dare take the hard to replace sax out of the house" I'd get that. On the JL sax test, the JL neck is sharper and the BSS neck is more rounded. Keep both and change depending on the gig / recording.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Hey Sean - great question. I actually sold the ZASP and found that the 62 had almost the exact same sound as the ZASP. The BSS neck with the Yamaha 62 is my favorite sounding Yamaha that I've ever owned. Thanks for the comment - I will probably do that with the necks at some point 👍

[@LoneBear-one]

Hammer repair was a complete rip off on my series ll alto, I have to have it repaired now. I have to check JL schedule🎶🎵🎷

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Right on - John gets super busy but will do a great job when he can fit cats in!

[@C.JFletcher]

The JL neck sounds best

[@danhitchcock124]

Killing. I dig your sound on all combos in here, JL seemed more resonant than the Yamaha. Yamaha/Boston combo was more reserved. Boston neck sounded a bit darker/ rounder than the JL neck to me.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks man! Much appreciated I agree. The BSS neck really brought the Yamaha to life. I'm finding overall that they are pretty similar but the JL seems to work better with the JL horn. Go figure haha :)

[@FunkOsax]

All the AB comparisons sound great no matter what combination you are using, but the JL horn with the JL neck seem to just tie in together, more continuity sort of thing.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Yes I agree with you here. Thanks David!

[@c.l.4895]

No preference on neck, honestly, they both sound like you. Curious if you’ve also compared against tru-6 and nexus horns as well? Do they all source materials from same manufacturer(s)?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

I haven't but am going to work on a Nexus comparison with Jack soon. I THINK they do source from the same location but don't quote me on that. That being said, there are some vastly different products coming out of the same location if this is the case 👀

[@willstonier5895]

What time are you playing at the start?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

The tune is 'There Will Never Be Another You'

[@etowahjazz]

Both necks are good. I personally like the BSS neck tone but its a personal preference.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

🎷🚀

[@pimeye]

I prefer the JL neck as the BSS one is slightly 'muffled'.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks - so far I agree 🎶

[@JKMcentral]

Still love your sound on that Yami! But you sound awesome on both. The JL sounds a touch brighter on the vid which is surprising; perhaps it's the neck? The JL looks (and sounds) like an great horn though. I guess it's also how it sounds to you when playing live. One of the things I love about Yami's is the clarity and cut, which is why I tend to leave my VI in the box.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Love to hear this. I have tried some great Mark VIs over the years. That being said, they are not the best there is anymore... Some really phenomenal stuff coming out these days!

[@JKMcentral]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka It's a difficult one. (For me) VI's do have something special in the tone (although that obvious varies depending on the individual horn), but I just prefer more neutrality in the sound. VI's seem to have a centred thing in the middle reg, which actually often feels a tad uneven, especially around middle D. Different necks, like BSS neck for example, even this out a bit, but it still retains an inbuilt character to the sound. Ironically I think it's these imperfections that people adore and which also set up a particular resonance. I've had two now, one from '57 and my current one from '66 and whilst very different they both share distinctive tonal characteristics. At the end of the day I just prefer the evenness of 'modern' horns. That said my Yami '62 is from the 1984 so not sure it can be classed as modern anymore! Either way I'd love to try out a JL if they ever land in the UK!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@@JKMcentral Great assessment and thanks for the comments! I haven't had a lot of time with a Mark VI Tenor but had an alto for a while. I think I agree with this statement about the tone of the alto. I had a niiiice one it was a 92xxx but have since moved onto What I feel are greener pastures with the JL Alto. More to come on that in the future :)

[@lesgoe8908]

JL neck. It has a brightness and presence over the BSS.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Yes I agree ! Thanks for checking out the video 🙏

[@ChipTheMusicMan]

But Steve...if you play the BSS neck you'll hurt John's feelings! haha...but for real play the original neck w/ the JL horn...don't mess w/ success!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Haha i think if these guys were hurt that easily they would’ve never became businessmen in the first place 😂 I’m gonna keep using the JL neck for the time being. I think the BSS gets an even better altissimo but it’s already great so I’m not gonna mess with it :) thanks for checking it out!

[@benhostetler268]

I don’t think the necks are a whole lot different if the difference is negligible at all from your feel while playing I’d go with the JL neck only because it matches the horn.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

I agree not a ton of difference that I could hear. They’re both great necks! I was surprised at the difference between the 62 and the JL though that was pretty noticeable to my ears.

[@benhostetler268]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka I agree the JL sounds like a Selmer (I know duh lol) and that 62 sounds good but it just seems a bit dry in comparison.

[@TheJazz625]

I would stick to the original neck 😬👍

[@bilbostoy]

Both necks sound beautiful but I think you have a greater comfort level with JL neck. The BSS neck sounded great on your Yamaha. John's horns look and sound beautiful!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks!

[@waynebayes182]

Thanks for this comparison. I'm more sold on the horn I'm already waiting to be built. Personally, I liked the JL neck better as over my computer it simply sounded more "alive". That being said, if I was only doing quieter, more blended playing, I might prefer the BSS neck.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Right on and thanks for the observation on the neck. What are you currently waiting on to be built?

[@waynebayes182]

i have put in for my own JL Tenor. I also asked for similar scroll work, if 39balanced will be up for it.

[@bobblues1158]

For me, the necks were indistinguishable. Probably the feedback for the player is different.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

They're pretty similar :) I noticed a bit better response upstairs from the BSS but the tone quality was almost identical :)

[@TrueBlueYou]

I almost bought one of these but I wasn’t a big fan of the metal used in the body. I spoke with a metallurgist and he explained that this horn will break down faster because of its softer metal. They look great and the concept is right on. I went with a used Selmer.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Ah very interesting. Do you have any more information about the metal? What makes it softer? When you say ‘break down’ what exactly does that mean?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

The metal for this sax comes from Taiwan and is a high quality brass that contains 3% silver. The metal used in the cheaper Chinese horns that you can find on the market is known to be of lower durability and not last as long. I am loving every minute of playing this horn and definitely don't get the sense that the metal is any different than any of the great Selmers or Yamahas I've played over the years 😎

[@LCohenSax]

Such an expert on metal alloys we have here LMAO.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@@LCohenSaxyeah… it would be nice to have more info I’m definitely open to learn something if it comes from a reliable source. I got my info about the Taiwan metal quality from John. This would appear to be some not so subtle troll action 😂

[@LCohenSax]

Hey Steve, there is one simple reason why I think you are smart to go for the high F# on your JL tenor. The one particular note... triple register Eb pops out so effortlessly with total flexibility for playing bluesy with the assistance of that darn key. My horns with that key really facilitate that and that note is a struggle on my vintage horns w/o the high F#. @@SaxophoneSteveKortyka

[@ferruccioveglio8090]

Just visited the JL site: every vintage sax costs "at least the double", nonsense.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

I don’t understand your comment - can you explain further? Some of the vintage ones are yes, twice as much because at this point they are rare and one of a kind. There are vintage saxes that are not twice as much but my guess would be they have some type of irreversible damage from a previous owner, are not of a great vintage or both.

[@jrgreiner]

JL neck. BSS neck sounds like it has a roll of TP stuffed in it. Of course, just my humble opinion. ;-)

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

haha thanks for the comment!

[@jrgreiner]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka Okay, so maybe I was a tad blunt but there was a noticeable difference. Not sure if they blow a lot (if at all) different or if there's a difference in resistance but the JL neck certainly sounded more "open" or free-blowing and timbre-wise, the JL neck sounded more clear or projecting. Personally, I prefer something that's automatically more projecting or free-blowing as the player can always dial it back as opposed to at times trying to get something out that inherently sounds (or at least seems) more restrictive. Hope that makes sense!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@@jrgreiner all good I appreciate it! and you're exactly right i agree with you on that. I think the best thing about both necks though is that they're both super free. I was surprised that the BSS neck didn't win the AB comparison but we're not done with this yet :) Probably gonna make one or 2 more videos and get more specific with it.

[@jrgreiner]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka lol thanks! Just a suggestion, I'd love to hear an A-B NOT in the studio with the mic so close. Not necessarily exactly like the iPhone recording from the park but something similar where you're getting a more "overall" sound sample than something in a sterile, controlled setting. I think that's the more realistic and "real life" setting more than the studio at home. Again.....just my 2 cents!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@@jrgreiner Sure ! I can try. That would be a little more complicated to create but anything is possible :)