Kirk Whalum’s Signature P. Mauriat Tenor
While smooth jazz is often the domain of the soprano or alto saxophone, Kirk Whalum has charted his own stylistic path with his gospel-soaked, big-toned tenor. The eclectic band leader and first-call sideman — a Grammy winner with multiple nominations to his name — has many fans here at Sweetwater. Whalum has long favored P. Mauriat PMXT-66RBX20 Series tenors. If you aspire to incorporate a measure of Whalum’s rich, warm sound into your own music, his world-class signature horn is a great place to start. Flaunting its eye-catching black nickel finish, gold-lacquered keys, and black nickel neck, the P. Mauriat Kirk Whalum PMXT-66RBX20 20th Anniversary Model is ready for the spotlight.
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Enhanced performance, big tone
The P. Mauriat PMXT-66RBX20 20th Anniversary Kirk Whalum signature model is a thoroughly professional tenor saxophone that boasts several performance-enhancing features that will nurture your technique and advance your continuing development as an artist. Perhaps most notable are its rolled tone holes, which offer several performance and sonic benefits. You’ll immediately notice this horn’s enlarged bell, which helps deliver the instrument’s gloriously fat, bold, overtone-rich sound. The PMXT-66RBX20 tenor also comes with the excellent Super VI neck, which features a wide taper for freer blowing, adding to the sonic charms of this impressive horn. As with all P. Mauriat saxophones, stunning aesthetics and exceptional build quality are baked in, with precision ergonomic keywork, excellent responsiveness, and superior intonation yielding an instrument that faithfully conveys every nuance of expression in your playing.
The benefits of rolled tone holes
Among professional players, rolled tone holes are generally considered a very desirable — if not somewhat exotic — saxophone feature. Indeed, many pros make a point of only playing horns with rolled tone holes. P. Mauriat’s proprietary technique involves the tone holes being individually drawn from the body and rolled over in a painstaking process that involves no soldering. As the rolled edge is of one piece with the shaft, rolled tone holes constructed this way provide superior reliability, remaining true for a leak-free, airtight fit. As rolled tone holes provide a larger surface area for the pads to make contact with, you’ll also enjoy longer pad life. And many experienced saxophonists feel horns with rolled tone holes deliver distinct sonic and performance advantages over instruments that have straight toneholes. These include a broader sound with faster response across all ranges, as well as increased projection and enhanced resonance throughout the entire saxophone.
Oversized bell for big, assertive tone
When designing the PMXT-66RBX20, P. Mauriat examined the construction techniques used to produce sought-after vintage instruments, leading to a significant performance-enhancing upgrade. The PMXT-66RBX20 features an oversized bell, which, like the body and neck, is hand hammered by P. Mauriat’s expert craftspeople. Together with the instrument’s slightly enlarged body bore, the larger bell provides impactful bass tones and allows the sound to bloom, while opening up the horn’s overall tonality. Plus, the bell features graceful hand engraving with a delicate design that accentuates the instrument’s natural beauty and evokes P. Mauriat’s tradition of old-world craftsmanship.
P. Mauriat: handcrafted vintage-inspired modern saxophones
An industry leader in vintage-inspired modern saxophones, P. Mauriat handcrafts their instruments in the French tradition with an emphasis on full-bodied vintage tone and optimized modern playability. To achieve these goals, P. Mauriat employs proprietary manufacturing techniques that result in instruments of outstanding quality and precision. Their zealous focus on fine craftsmanship produces saxophones that are highly prized among professional saxophonists and advancing players alike. Handmade from the finest materials and highlighted by elegant genuine abalone or pearl key touches to bring out the intrinsic characteristics of each individual model, the aesthetic beauty of P. Mauriat saxophones mirrors their vintage-flavored tone. Sweetwater is delighted to bring you P. Mauriat’s line of extraordinary instruments.
P. Mauriat Kirk Whalum PMXT-66RBX20 Tenor Sax Features:
- 20th Anniversary Kirk Whalum signature model
- Black nickel finish, gold-lacquered keys, and black nickel neck
- Super VI neck
- Premium French brass
- Rolled tone holes; large bell
- Elegant hand engraving
- Exotic pearl key touches
- Includes mouthpiece, ligature, accessories, and PM contoured soft case
