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Eastman’s Ultimate 52nd Street Tenor





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The Eastman ETS852 52nd Street tenor saxophone, named after the birthplace of bebop, delivers a classic, vintage-inspired sound. But Eastman’s next-generation 52nd Street tenor is also supercharged with modern innovation, including a new neck design and optimized keywork incorporating the company’s revolutionary DS mechanism. The ETS852 has a quick, light, fluid action and responsiveness that sets a new standard for saxophone playability. Developed in collaboration with renowned saxophonist Bob Mintzer, Eastman’s design team has elevated the 52nd Street series to new levels of precision, opulence, and tone. The Eastman ETS852 52nd Street has it all: flawless ergonomics, gorgeous vintage visuals, and a big, voluptuous sound. It’s also an incredible value, and comes with two necks to suit your playing preference. Whether you’re a professional tenor player or aspire to be one, the Eastman ETS852 52nd Street deserves your serious consideration.





Related Videos: ETS852 52nd Street Tenor Saxophone - DS Mechanism, Unlacquered


Bold American sound





This horn’s stunning vintage visuals ? unlacquered with an aged patina finish ? provide a clue to the sound that awaits you: a decidedly vintage tone that’s rich, bold, and luxurious. But make no mistake: the ETS852 is a modern, state-of-the-art professional tenor sax. It plays like a dream, with precise intonation and robust resonance and projection that gets an assist from the horn’s oversized bell, rolled tone holes, and unlacquered finish. It includes Eastman’s new "M" neck. Developed in collaboration with Bob Mintzer, the "M" neck features an optimized bore taper that’s free-blowing ? but not overly so ? for a liberating playing experience that connects you directly with the sound. It also comes with Eastman’s battle-tested “S” neck, which has a slightly wider bore taper for a more open sound. These design innovations are meticulously paired with Eastman’s patented DS mechanism to provide you with unmatched stability and elegance.





Optimized keywork powered by Eastman’s revolutionary DS mechanism





The ETS852 52nd Street’s DS mechanism represents nothing less than a complete reassessment of the saxophone mechanism. To achieve their goals with the new system, Eastman exercised some lateral thinking, borrowing keywork design elements from professional flutes handcrafted by the Wm. S. Haynes company, an Eastman brand. Their exhaustive research and development is manifested in this horn’s exemplary keywork, which incorporates both a newly optimized key layout and the DS mechanism that underpins it to enable a level of precision, stability, and ergonomic perfection heretofore unattainable in saxophone key articulation. Everything sits perfectly under your hands, ready for immediate deployment; the keywork operating with seamless synergy to provide you with a horn that functions, in essence, as an extension of your musical id.





The benefits of rolled tone holes





The Eastman ETS852 52nd Street tenor sax features rolled tone holes. Although a subject of debate among experienced saxophonists, players who favor horns so equipped cite the immediacy with which their notes are triggered and an enhanced weight, width, and spread to the sound that is particularly pronounced in the low range. One benefit of rolled tone holes that’s not debatable is longer pad life, courtesy of the larger surface area they offer for the pads to make contact with. This will save you costly and time-consuming trips to the repair shop. Seating precisely against this horn’s rolled tone holes are specially treated leather pads that provide a reliably leak-free, airtight seal.





Premium, high-performance features





Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the Eastman ETS852 is its oversized bell, which has a prominent flare that helps to focus and project the sound while enhancing brightness and punch. A hand-hammered bell, a feature found on many premium pro horns, assists in delivering focused and impactful bass tones, while opening up the horn’s overall tonality. Naturally, the ETS852 is equipped with a high F# key and an adjustable thumb rest. With its smoothly ergonomic key layout and responsive action actuated by blued steel springs ? the professional standard for durable, perfectly tensioned keywork ? the 52nd Street tenor provides a nice, crisp snap in response to your fingering, which you’ll certainly appreciate when executing fast, demanding passages! These advanced features join forces to make the ETS852 a high-performance, value-packed standout among saxophones in its class.





Eastman saxophones: the best of vintage and modern





There’s a reason some of the most coveted saxophones today are vintage models. Pricey and hard to come by, these horns are revered for their huge sound and the prestige of playing one. But technology and materials science has come a long way in the last half century, enabling uncompromising precision that was unimaginable back in the day. Established in 1992, Eastman makes saxophones that give you the best of vintage and modern instruments by blending traditional old-world artisanal craftsmanship with cutting-edge computer-assisted design and manufacturing methods. The company’s fastidious attention to detail is manifested in the meticulous keywork, hand-hammered bells, and rolled tone holes of their acclaimed saxophones, which are embraced by leading artists and educators alike. Eastman offers a full line of innovative woodwind and brass instruments that deliver exceptional value at every level, from student to professional. Sweetwater is delighted to bring you this exciting collection.





Bob Mintzer with the Eastman ETS852 52nd Street Tenor


Eastman ETS852 52nd Street Tenor Saxophone Features:


Optimized keywork with revolutionary DS Mechanism


Aged, unlacquered brass finish


Sterling silver-plated key touches


Includes “M” and "S" necks


High F# key


Blued steel springs


Oversized, hand-hammered bell


Rolled tone holes


Special 52nd St. engraving


Deluxe case with storage pockets and backpack straps