One upside of my rather crazy-big website, is that I regularly receive emails from saxophone players and owners from around the world—some of whom have incredibly interesting saxophones. Case in point, a few days ago Italian saxophonist David Brutti contacted me about his J’Élle Stainer compact contrabass saxophone.

Source: David Brutti

David has decided to sell to his compact contrabass saxophone for personal reasons. The horn will be replaced with something else, but for now, this big boy is looking for a new home.

Source: David Brutti

Currently David has the horn listed on SOTW. This is what he wrote about it:

I’m selling an amazing compact contrabass handmade by J’Elle Stainer.

The instrument is in PERFECT shape and plays very well. The sound it’s gorgeous and very fat but with a reasonable size.

I’m including also 2 J’Elle Stainer contrabass saxophone mouthpieces refaced by Simone Borgianni, 2 necks, 2 End pins (2 different heights) and a really robust flight case. The flight case is in a reasonable size too (about 160cmX45cmX40cm) and could be embarked in a flight (the total weight is about 25Kg that is acceptable for most airlines).

<snip> [YouTube video link edited out.]

Price: €9500 including worldwide shipment

Source: David Brutti

Source: David Brutti

The horn is absolutely gorgeous. It still even looks new. It’s hard to believe that David has been using it since at least 2008, when the following video was made.

I’m curious about the key noise. I’m wondering if David has had his tech set the keys a certain way to allow for the extra key noise we hear in the video. I know it’s something that Colin Stetson has done. Perhaps David did it specifically for Saxobasso by Marco Pontini?

If you’re wondering how the keys are laid out, the next two photos will answer that question. Here is a shot of the left hand keys….

Source: David Brutti

…and here are the right…

Source: David Brutti

The horn does come with a flight case, so it should make the trip from Italy just fine.

Source: David Brutti

Source: David Brutti

If you’ve always wanted to play contrabass, but didn’t want to lug around a 7 ft. monster, then this compact contrabass saxophone by J’Élle Stainer might just be the horn of your dreams. We’ve already heard what it can do in the hands of a Master saxophone player, now the only question is: Are you saxy enough to take it on? Come on, I know you want to.

Let’s do a quick recap, for €9500 you get the following:

• 1 low Bb handmade, compact contrabass saxophone by J’Élle Stainer;
• 2 necks;
• 2 original J’Élle Stainer contrabass mouthpieces refaced by Simone Borgianni;
• 2 end pins of different heights;
• 1 flight case;
• Free worldwide shipping.

If you’re not in Europe, but rather in the States, XE.com currently shows €9500 is equivalent to $12,659.45 US. (That’s less than a new JK or Selmer bass.)

No matter what currency you look at it in, David is selling his sax at a very reasonable price.

If you are interested in finding out more about this unique compact contrabass saxophone, and maybe making it your own, you can get a hold of David through the thread he started on SOTW.