March 23

Brancher Sunset Strap

Accessories

0  comments

I don't think I realized how many straps that Brancher makes until I started testing the Sunset Strap

I've always known Brancher for making some really fantastic saxophone mouthpieces. I got really interested in them when I was in high school- especially after finding out a lot of players I liked were playing them at the time. I mean, if Bob Franceschini is playing a piece of gear, it's probably worth a damn, no?

Brancher's Sunset Strap

Although this is a very simple piece of gear, I thought it deserved a good play test, so I decided to use it for some recording and practice time I had where I knew that I would get to use it on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes.

Brancher's Sunset Strap is a very simple solution for people needing a basic, well-made neck strap. 

Brancher Quality

In the accessory department, I really enjoy companies who go the extra mile to reinforce a product. One of the first things I noticed when looking over this was the stitching. At the points where there is connection between the strap part (that goes around your neck) and the cables that end up attaching to the saxophone, you can see that it's been stitched heavily. I should also note that the stitching goes through the strap (canvas?) and through a leather piece that is holding some brass hardware in it. It's just quality.

The next thing I saw was the brass hardware. Solid one-piece brass, too. The brass ball that acts as the adjustment point for the saxophone grips very well on the cable. Adjustment is very simple and quick- and easier if you use the weight of the horn to help you out a little bit.

Although I don't typically like open-hook designs, I thought this one was better than most. It was an extra long hook, so you've got less risk of your horn coming off of the hook. It's also covered in some sort of rubber-like material, so it's not going to mar the finish on your saxophone. It's just a bunch of little things like this that make me appreciate the work of a company like Brancher.

The only thing that I will not comment on here is durability. I don't feel like I've had long enough to test this to say whether I find it to be durable or not. However, I can tell you that it definitely has quality parts, and quality assembly. 


Want my thoughts?

It's certainly a good strap- but I don't think it is the most comfortable one I've ever played. It's a very simple solution to the neck strap problem, but there are more comfortable options out there. I notice on the Brancher website that they have a Yoke-type strap called, "Crescent". I've obviously not gotten my hands on this yet, but it looks to me as if it has the same type of construction as the Sunset Strap I tested but the yoke portion seems to be made of leather. Leather would certainly be more comfortable than the Sunset Strap which has a canvas-type material and you'll also get way better weight displacement because the yoke portion is so thick on your neck. If you're looking for something more comfortable, the Crescent seems to be the better option.


Why Brancher?

Owned by French saxophonist Pascal Brancher, Brancher has been known in the woodwind industry for quality for a very long time. Initially being known for great mouthpieces and their Metal Wire Ligature which many have tried to copy, they now make a full line of products including Saxophones, Reeds, and now neck straps as well. 

 

Brancher's Sunset Strap is a very simple solution for people needing a basic, well-made neck strap. 

  •  Made from quality materials
  • Easily adjustable
  • Open hook design
  • Inexpensive

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About the author 

rsaranich

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