The NEW Eastman 52nd Street Tenor Saxophone

The wonderful Jim Cheek is back to give the NEW Eastman 52nd Street a play! Will Jim still feel the warm tonal core of the original 52nd Street model? How does Jim feel about the changes to the key work? What does Nutella have to do with any of this!?
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⏰Timestamps ⏰
0:00 Playing Intro
0:13 Introducing the NEW 52nd Street
2:23 What's New?
5:58 Play Test
6:43 Final Thoughts
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[@davidclaro152]

Excellent video with great descriptions and sound quality. I can definitely hear that the Bettersax stood out from the first two saxes. My wife and I stretched our budget to get my oldest daughter her first sax, which was the YAS-280. I play a YAS-23 (from my high school days back in the late 80s) that carried me through and past my university years. However, that one really needs a serious overhaul. It’s a little more cheaper to get the 28, but I still like my 23. I also play a Selmer Reference 52 that I got at least 15 years ago, just shortly before the price jumped due to the fluctuation of the Yen to Euro exchange rate. Man, does the 52 really kick butt. Thanks for your excellent video. I hope to try a Bettersax one day.

[@Jazzmarcel]

This instrument will be a hit! It has all that I would like with exception of rolled tone holes since almost no repair man can level them! I already played it 3 times and maybe on the 6th time, I’ll buy it!

[@troykaufman5262]

I play an original 52 Street tenor. I tried the new ones, and they do feel nice, but I thought it sounded and played worse than my original. Maybe it is just what I am used to now.

[@gib321]

I think you are correct in your assessment that you have the better instrument with the additional 400 grams of weight. We have come the full 360 with previously promoted features (double key arms and weight at various points on the instrument) now being abandoned and their abandonment now being promoted as a feature. Its hard not to be cynical. Maybe its not just what your used to. Maybe you have a better instrument. I know which one I would choose and it's not the new one minus 400 grams. Just my view.

[@saxworldwide]

@@gib321 I do take your point. I can see how it can be confusing for many, given that we've highlighted the virtues of adding mass and strength to various bits of sax on different brands. I think each manufacturer is steering their own course and whether or not you they are going for a lighter or heavier build is specific and relative to their path. For example, take the Yani range, split into Pro and Elite - the latter being more expensive largely due to added ribbed construction. But I would bet that these heavier Yani horns are still freer blowing than the new Lighter Eastman just due to the fact that it's the Yani spec (bore configuration) largely dictating the resistance. My only regret for this video was that I didn't have an original 52nd to compare it to. Jim

[@sheskimusic]

Looks and sounds like an improvement!

[@drronclark]

Wow … tone wise, very Brecker-esque. Impressive.

[@TheFabioguerreiro]

som extraordinário 👏👏👏

[@donnicholson3200]

Hard to say about the sound of the instrument compared to your test of the last version of the 52nd St. Your mouthpiece contributes majorly to the sound, no doubt, but the last version had a whole jar of Nutella contributing to its stuffier sound.

[@saxworldwide]

We did tell Jim not to put Nutella down the last 52nd Street, Hazelnut spread doesn't resonate that well.

[@saxworldwide]

Oh wait...

[@saxworldwide]

Hi Don, and for the slightly more serious reply (Jim here!), I do agree with you. Regrettably I didn't have an original 52nd to compare it with, which would have been ideal. Also, yes I was super aware I was playing on a Guardala (quite different to the previous video). The main purpose of this video was to explain what steps Eastman have taken in developing this sax.

[@jamesm967]

Which Guardala are you playing Jim? Sounds fantastic!

[@saxworldwide]

Thank you! It's a Guardala Studio, made by Nadir of PMS Music.

[@jamesm967]

@@saxworldwide Fabulous!

[@BobDoherty]

I wonder if the back ground tenor playing is the 52 street horn?

[@vKarl71]

IS this the same Eastman that makes some very nice guitars?

[@aaronsearle4307]

I'm confused about what this horn is. Is it the new ETS-852, that Bob Mintzer helped design? It seems it doesn't have all of the features of the 852 - and yet it doesn't have all the features of the original ETS-652. Is this some kind of transitional model?

[@ngtamphuong]

This is the new ETS-652. There’s a video of the new ETS-852 too.

[@Saxman_sam]

Hot take. Just pump iron and you won’t have to worry about a heavy horn.

[@Jorvaskrr]

I've never seen people pumping iron with their necks.

[@Saxman_sam]

@@Jorvaskrr like having a heavy horn in general. Carrying it in the case can be a chore sometimes

[@Jorvaskrr]

@@Saxman_sam Well, that's my life and also my burden. I like to feel a little poetic about it.

[@bobblues1158]

OK Jim- have to ask-mouthpiece, ligature and reed?

[@MrGuto]

7:52 - the ligature? Uovo , a bargain really.

[@saxworldwide]

Hi Bob, That's a Guardala Studio, and a new ligature known as the Uovo, as the commenter below states. Watch this space on that one. Reed - that would be 3SF Select Jazz.

[@bobblues1158]

@@saxworldwide Thanks Jim! It sounded good!

[@karlherman3591]

What ligature is that? It looks like a carrom. I play a Guardala, so it could be helpful to me to try that ligature.

[@saxworldwide]

Ah ha - watch this space in the coming weeks. It's a new lig called the OUVO.

[@EgilFurre]

I don’t believe that lower weight automatically gives less resistant - my JK SX90R is heavy and more free blowing than any tenor I have played.

[@Philski27]

How long has this new model been out? I've had mine for week over a year and it has all of the things you've pointed out, so it's not new new right?

[@saxworldwide]

We've had our supply for around 4 or 5 months I think. If you sourced it from the States then this may be about right - they started before us on the new ones!

[@harrybryant843]

What sort of neck/shoulder strap is he using?

[@grooviestguy]

Bostonsaxshop balam strap

[@saxworldwide]

It's this one! sax.co.uk/collections/saxophone-straps-harnesses/products/balam-leather-strap

[@gusmarrero]

They did not copy the DS key work from EAS850? I was hoping they had.

[@saxworldwide]

Good observation - but watch this space. There may well be something on the horizon.....

[@Ot_Tokn]

Does this come with matt finnish? Or just this metallick look?

[@saxworldwide]

It has just one finish.

[@saxophobe]

You know, as I look at this horn now, I find that I really don't care for the aesthetics of the engraving, which looks like a bad re-lacquer job. With all the cool engraving going on these days, it's a little disappointing not to see it here.

[@saxworldwide]

If you like good engraving, you should check out the Keilwerth SX90R Shadow, an absolute beaut! sax.co.uk/products/keilwerth-shadow-alto-saxophone

[@christoguichard4311]

Is this the same chinese "Eastman" company that makes very nice archtop jazz guitars?

[@saxworldwide]

It is one and the same! They're producing some incredible instruments out there!

[@deanmoriarty6100]

They moved production from Taiwan to China. The saxophone is made by other craftsmen. It is now a completely different instrument - with the original 52nd Street it has in common that it is still a tenor saxophone, nothing more. And yet they kept the old name. This is not fair, people are misleading.

[@soulsax58]

How many manufacturers change where their product is made but keep the same name, logo and branding? Lots, it's not any more misleading than many brands over the years (especially electronics), the majority of their gear being made in China...in fact most.

[@txsphere]

Michael is getting pretty aggressive with his edit. Wondering if he has been watching the guys at Unhhhh?

[@saxworldwide]

I haven't been but I will be now thank you for the recommendation!

[@craighoward6243]

I have a 2016 it's so heavy I can't practice with it. I have had 2 spine surgery's, putting it up for sale

[@pimeye]

The weight of the horn is one aspect that is rarely mentioned in reviews of these new, usuallyTaiwanese, horns. If they were all the weight of a Mk VI it would be great.

[@whiteshield60]

Perhaps look at an alto?

[@craighoward6243]

Never, My Uncle passed away Aug 2nd and left his mvii to me 1978 in prestine condition. My Uncle played Tenor 4 the better part of 50 years. Had his Tenor a complete over haul every ten years!

[@andisaxophone]

There will be people who will buy this and then add a heavy-mass screw.

[@Joel-ud3yj]

I have never liked Eastman saxophones. I find them very heavy and very uncomfortable, nothing special about them.

[@aaronsearle4307]

I like them. That's the point, isn't it? Not everyone likes the same thing, and there's something out there for everyone.