(A5-L) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto Gold Lacquer Body and Keys
(A5) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto (Mad Meg™) Unlacquered Body and Keys
(A5-BR) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto (Brute®) Aged-Brass Patina Body and Keys
(A5-BL) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto Polished Black-Nickel Body / Gold Lacquered Keys
(A5-BS) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto Polished Black-Nickel Body / Silver-Plated Keys
(A5-B) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto Polished Black-Nickel Body and Keys
(A5-S) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto Silver-Plated Body and Keys
(A5-B ICE B) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto (Raven®) Iced Black-Nickel Body / Polished Black-Nickel Keys
(A5-HS) Big Bell® Stone Series® Premium Alto (Hotspur™) Iced Black-Nickel Body / Iced Silver-Plated Bow and Bell Polished Silver-Plated Keys
(A4-L) Big Bell® Stone Series® Standard Alto Gold Lacquer Body and Keys
(A4) Big Bell® Stone Series® Standard Alto (Mad Meg™) Unlacquered Body and Keys
(A4-B) Big Bell® Stone Series® Standard Alto Polished Black Nickel Body and Keys
The Big Bell®, created by Cannonball® in 2001, enhances the ability to create a broad range of dynamics for a depth of the sound color and lower partials. The increased size also lends to a big, warm sound.
Semi-precious stones adorn the key touches, necks, and bell key guard of the Premium Big Bell® Stone Series®. These beautiful stones give the instrument a striking look, and are also patented for the way they change the instrument’s resonance.
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Our Big Bell® Stone Series® is beautifully hand engraved by our artisans here in the USA. (excluding ice finishes, ie. Raven®, Hotspur™)
Each Premium Pro Big Bell® Stone Series® saxophone (A5) comes standard with two hand-customized necks. The second neck on alto and tenor models is the FAT Neck® which has the octave tube on the underside of the neck. This creates a more free-blowing feel and emphasizes the mids and lows, resulting in a FAT feel and FAT sound.
The Big Bell® projects a bold, warm sound, yet allows you to play with the most subtle nuances, creating a contemporary version of the big-sounding American horns from the early to mid 1900's.
Each Cannonball® saxophone bell is formed from a single sheet of brass and hand hammered before being meticulously hand-smoothed and evened.
Each Big Bell® Stone Series® comes with two hand-customized necks: an original neck in a finish matching the saxophone body, and a silver-plated* FAT Neck®. Each neck is hand customized for superior projection, rich tone, and precise pitch. Our acoustical technicians meticulously adjust each neck to perform optimally on the specific saxophone.
*Brute™ models come with a Brute™ FAT Neck®.
In addition to their striking beauty, the semi-precious stones adorning Cannonball® saxophones are patented for the tonal characteristics they add to the saxophone.
The High F# key extends the saxophone’s range and makes high passages easier to play.
Posts are silver-soldered onto metal “ribs” that are then soft-soldered to the saxophone body. This makes the instrument stronger and more rigid, which helps keep the instrument in adjustment and minimizes damage if hit or dropped.
Ribbed construction also makes the horn easier to repair if damage does occur. This means that if serious damage is done to the saxophone, your repair costs will be lower.
The bell and bow can be removed from the body by a qualified repair technician in the event of serious damage. This reduces repair costs as it allows repairs to be done quicker, easier, and more effectively.
The bell, bow, and necks go through an annealing process several times, heating and then cooling the brass to specific temperatures. This annealing process gives the horn a warmer, more even tone.
The Cannonball® hand-hammering process, which follows annealing, hardens the brass and gives our instruments superior ring and resonance.
Our Italian Pisoni water-resistant leather pads have been specifically chosen for long life, excellent sealing, and the superior feel they add to the key action.
Our pads have riveted nickel-plated brass resonators that are specifically chosen for optimum performance and sound.
Steel needle springs allow for the most precise, even key tension. The bluing process makes the steel resistant to rust and corrosion, which extend the life of the springs.
Forged brass has much greater strength and uniformity than cast brass, so our keys resist bending and hold their adjustment exceptionally well over time.
Upper and lower stack adjustment screws allow for easier and more precise regulation and adjustment. Under each stack adjustment screw we use synthetic cork, which (unlike natural cork) resists compression over time, so the fine adjustments on your saxophone will last.
Our sturdy brass thumb hook is adjustable so you can set it to the angle that best fits your own hands.
The “tilting spatula” rocking mechanism allows fast and fluid transitions between the low C-sharp and low B-flat keys.
The four left-hand table keys are susceptible to being knocked out of adjustment when their top post moves, so we have added an additional lateral brace to keep it in place, especially when the horn is hit or dropped.
Relief springs help lift open the G-sharp and low C-sharp keys when they would otherwise “stick” and remain closed.
Instead of soldering the post that holds the neck tension and lyre screws, our receiver is machined out of a solid piece of brass. This adds great strength and durability to the neck receiver.
We added an extra arm to reinforce the large bell keys and keep them in adjustment over time.
Acoustical Customizing is the most important thing that happens to each Cannonball® saxophone. This work goes above and beyond expectations. Specially trained and talented acoustical adjusters work on each saxophone, adjusting the bore, air flow and more until they are satisfied that each horn has an open feel, effortless slotting, and a focused and resonant tone. When you pick up a Cannonball® saxophone, we want you to love it as much as our acoustical technicians love it. We want you to say, “I can’t put this horn down!”
A5 and A4 come in two different cases. Both models include wood-shell case with padding molded to your instrument for the best of modern protection. The case is covered in beautiful black alligator faux leather and the interior is lined with a soft, luxurious black fabric. The A5 case also includes an embossed “Cannonball®” on the inside lid fabric.
Premium engravings can be added to many of the Cannonball® instruments. Each instrument is hand engraved at our facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. To preserve and promote this jeweler’s art, our engravers apprentice for up to two years, and create some of the finest hand engravings available on the market today. The masterful engravings turn each instrument into a unique piece of art in itself. Our artists have created a huge library of even more intricate premium engravings that can be special ordered through Cannonball® dealers on most models.
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"The Cannonball® Horns have accurately delivered every musical speech that I have given to my audiences around the world. " ~ Gerald Albright
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CANNONBALL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS® | COPYRIGHT 2020