Re: Are "Monique" Saxophones any good? -- Sax Forum

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Date Posted: 10:30:15 07/10/04 Sat
Author: Erick Maynard
Author Host/IP: 68-234-165-117.vnnyca.adelphia.net / 68.234.169.117
Subject: Re: Are "Monique" Saxophones any good?
In reply to: Jeff Sears 's message, "Are "Monique" Saxophones any good?" on 02:03:00 10/10/01 Wed

I dont know about you guys, but I bought a monique pro series tenor sax, and its the best damn sax ive ever played, and ive played alot. I took it in to a music store, and they said that it was probably worth 3000 bucks, then I told them the real price and they were blown away. I get good intonation in everything. Its durable, well made, and I can kick some killer solos with it. I know when I see a good sax, and mine, is definitely one of them. So you guys who said you had a problem with it, I dont know what your talking about, but I didnt buy mine from dominic, I bought it from onother guy. I sugest it. This sax rocks the socks off my friends when they hear it!

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[> Re: Are "Monique" Saxophones any good? -- Brett, 02:57:26 11/24/04 Wed [1] (mail.infograph.com/209.223.145.62)

I've been researching the Monique brand as much as I know how, (trying to figure out whether the one I just ordered is going to be awesome or just so-so), and this much I've gleaned from what I've read:

Just like most other brands, there are different versions of Monique saxophones. I'm not sure how to tell the difference, though. The guy I bought mine from (on EBay) advertised his as a "Pro" horn, with a retail price of $2200 (bought it for about $400). Last I checked, Dominic's advertised theirs as a "pro" horn also, having a retail value of $1700, and a sale price of $700. So does that mean they're really selling the intermediate models, while the one I bought really is a pro model? I don't know.

I've also gleaned that a lot of people that knock the Moniques are usually quoting someone else that knocks them, not because they have very much (or any) experience playing the Monique. The most concrete complaint I've heard is that it's difficult for repair people to get the parts they need to fix it.

And I've heard people knock them because they're "Chinese" or "Taiwanese" (apparently nobody knows for sure), but gimme a break. That's like saying Ford, Chevy, and Dodge are all the same because they're all American. I'm sure China has turned out some high-quality products, and some low-quality products. So let's let the products speak for themselves, shall we?

But as far as intonation and tone quality, I think it's up there with the best. Your mouthpiece and reed choices are going to make or break your experience with a Monique.

Hope this helps.

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[> [> Re: Are "Monique" Saxophones any good? -- rez, 07:48:43 04/18/05 Mon [1] (ip68-106-236-62.ph.ph.cox.net/68.106.236.62)

I'll be trying a Monique Pro tenor soon. I can't afford to get into the $800+ range at this time and I need a decend doubler tenor. I play a Mark VI alto professionally and own a Yanagisawa soprano, so I'll have some points of comparison regarding workmanship. I'll also be doing some switching with the other tenor players -- who mainly have Yamahas -- so I should be able to determine if they are comparable. Since I play with a huge big band setup (I'll use a Berg Larson 115/0 mp), I'll know pretty quickly if the Monique is able to sound decent at the high-end of the volume range. The Pro model has plenty of adjustments, so most the intonation issues should be solved with some minor adjustments on the horn. My expectations are low -- I'm not expecting a horn that can equal a Zephyr or Mark VI, but I am expecting it to sound like a good tenor sax...(or it goes back to Dominics as a trade in to another tenor brand) -- stay tuned...

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[> [> [> Re: Are "Monique" Saxophones any good? -- rez, 11:31:58 04/30/05 Sat [1] (ip68-106-234-228.ph.ph.cox.net/68.106.234.228)

I just receive my "Monique Pro" tenor sax (made in Taiwan). It is clearly not up to the top quality of a vintage Selmer, but it played quite well and the intonation was good overall (i.e. nothing extraordinary was required to bring a note into tune.) It was very free-blowing, which is what I expected and wanted in a tenor. With the right mouthpiece/reed setup, this horn could easily be played at a semi-pro level with no real setbacks. I'll play it some more over the next few weeks with some different setups to see if I change my opinion, but I believe I got an excellent value for my $500. I would happily pay as much as $700 USD for this horn (special finishes would be an issue, but I am not a fan of lollipop-looking horns). This is a very reasonable choice for those on a limited budget who need a tenor sax that can take them through high school (if they take care of the horn of course...!) For college, I would suggest looking to upgrade to one of the major brands as soon as possible -- but I'd keep the Monique as a backup (for marching band) or sell it back to another high school kid. Note: I do not know the specific differences between the Monique and Monique-Pro models, so please do not read this as an endorsement of the non-Pro Moniques.

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