There are several types of saxophone, fourteen to be precise, but of these, six are still in use. If you are thinking of giving the best saxophone to a relative or friend who has confessed his desire to learn how to play it, you should take into account its physical characteristics since the weight and size of the instrument could be an obstacle for the player.
Have you always dreamed of starting to play the saxophone, and now do you think the right time has come? What you will read from here on is the result of our scrupulous research and insights on this tool. We hope that the information collected will help you choose a nice saxophone.
I bet you started taking a look at the best Saxophone that can be purchased online, but the Saxophone models that are presented to you are many. All with different characteristics, prices and opinions.
Well. we have selected the best saxophones for you.
- Ergonomic Keywork helps you play more comfortably
- Robust Contoured Carrying Case For Easy Transportation
- Beautiful Yellow Brass Body Construction With Lacquer Finish
- Included Accessories: Semi-hard Backpack Style Carrying Case, 1 Neck Strap, 1 Standard Mouthpiece, 1 Ligature & Cap, 1 Rico Reed...
- Auxiliary keys: High F#
- Whether you want to buy a saxophone for yourself or for your friends or others, this saxophone is a product of choice as a result...
- Eb E-Flat Alto Saxophone has High F# .
- Including: 11pc reeds, 8pc mouthpiece cushion hard-shell case, mouthpiece, neck strap, Grease,Screwdriver, cleaning cloth & rod,...
- Hand Engraved Bell Decoration, High Quality Leather Pads with Metal Resonators, Adjustable Key Height Screws and Metal Thumb...
- Before delivery, our saxophones are tested by professional quality inspector again to verify that they meet our standards.
- 【BEST GIFT】-- Perfect for beginners. If yous kids want to study saxophone, it is a best choice. High value for money, your...
- 【EXCELLENT MATERIAL】-- Our glarry saxophone is made of paint gold, it can be used for a long time.Durable materials keep your...
- 【WONDERFUL SOUND】-- Easy to play and it has a pleasing vibrant feel with a well-centered sound. A well-rounded intonation and...
- 【LUXURY ACCESSORIES】-- Each Glarry Alto Saxophone comes with its own mouthpiece, gloves and the reed. The glarry SAX also...
- 【SAFE PROTECTION】The case can be carried easily with 4 ways in order to protect the safety of your saxophone. You can take it...
- This saxophone is a great choice for students and adults. It can be used for stage performance or band playing
- Fine workmanship, comfortable feel. The sound quality is accurate, the tone is loud and clear,
- High-end leather pad, excellent sealing, baking blue reed needle, memory recovery.
- E Flat Alto Saxophone You can play with all the accessories
- ❤️Unlock Your Musical Potential: The Eastar E flat alto saxophone is a great choice for beginners and hobbyists alike. With...
- 🎵Experience Exceptional Sound Quality: Featuring a wide range and richer tone, Eastar saxophone provides a smooth transition in...
- ✨Crafted with Excellence: Made with advanced copper, this classic U-shape design saxophone boasts handcrafted engraving with...
- ✔️Quality You Can Trust: Applied with high-quality leather pads for high air tightness. A durable saxophone stand is included....
- 🎁Comes with Everythins Needed: The package includes Eastar AS-Ⅱ saxophone, carrying case, neck strap (110lb limit), shoulder...
- COMPREHENSIVE ACCESSORY KIT FOR ENHANCED PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Along with the saxophone, this kit includes a range of bonus...
- PROFESSIONAL SOUND QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE: Immerse yourself in rich, smooth tonality, achieve consistent E flat pitch, and enjoy...
- EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT COMMANDS ATTENTION: Make a statement with the stunning gold lacquer finish, beautifully designed faux...
- COMPREHENSIVE CLEANING KIT FOR OPTIMAL MAINTENANCE: Keep your saxophone in pristine condition with our all-inclusive cleaning kit....
- ADJUSTABLE CARRY CASE FOR SECURE TRANSPORTATION: Safely and conveniently transport your saxophone with our specially designed...
- Blue steel springs give the player quick response
- Both ends of the octave key axis rotate in a receptacle that is coated with teflon to insure a smooth operation every time
- The bell and the body of the saxophone are firm connected by a tri-point balanced bell brace
- Includes: Case With Wheels, Mouthpiece, Ligature and Cap, Neck strap, Cleaning cloth
- 1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer's Defects
- All Levels Welcome: You don't have to be a pro to jam on this sax for adults that also works great as a kids musical instrument....
- Sleek Design: The lacquered body and high F# key will ensure that these brass instruments will have you looking great and sounding...
- Craftsmanship: These saxophones come with a large bore, ribbed construction, quality leather pads and metal tone boosters. The...
- Includes: Don't just settle for just any band & orchestra musical instruments. This complete set includes a pro-deluxe durable...
- Chromatic Tuner: Tune up and get playing with the bonus Cecilio 92-D chromatic/string tuner with metronome & pocketbook! Batteries...
- Professional Neck Receiver
- Integrated Key Posts
- Case - Gold Lacquer
- with 62-style Neck
- Eb Alto Saxophone
- JUUXAAN EB mid tone Saxophone adopts H68 brass tube body, which has higher density and resonance, and improves the tone purity
- saxophone adopts memory spring, Italian leather pad, copper tube and other high-quality materials to ensure the quality of...
- Electrophoretic paint process coating is uniform, thin, not easy to crack, corrosion resistant, digital opening hundreds of times...
- Including alto saxophone, saxophone neck belt, cloth, saxophone bracket, saxophone special case, bag, reed, etc
- If you are not satisfied with the products, please contact our customer service personnel, we will solve your problem within 24h,...
- Complete with Case
- Made by Yamaha - World Leaders in Guitars and Keyboards
- Yamaha Alto Sax, YAS-280
- Gold lacquer finish. High F# and Front F auxiliary keys
- B flat straight soprano saxophone, made of high-quality brass.
- Stylish surface design with beautiful carve pattern.
- Durable leather pads, more tight and more water-resistant.
- Natural shell key inlays, give comfortable feeling to your fingers.
- Including carrying case, straps, cleaning cloth, cleaning rod, gloves, etc.
Everything You Need to Know About Saxophone
Now that you have discovered the twelve best Saxophones that can be purchased online, you are surely wondering what are the fundamental aspects to consider in order to make the best possible choice.
The only way to get to know an instrument that is true for us is to know its characteristics and, if possible, is the best thing, try it or have it tested by those who can give us a real judgment. We hope this guide will be helpful for anyone facing this choice.
The most important rules at the beginning are:
- Never buy an instrument before you know what you really want.
- Desist or inquire well if a seller pushes you to purchase a sax, there may be a rip off.
- Always compare the prices of different stores.
Always go to the store with another competent person and have him try it too, who maybe can help us judge objectively what we are buying. If we are choosing the first tool, in this case, it should be the teacher if we have it.
Needless to say, the more informed you are about the tools, the less likely you are to be cheated by sellers.
New, Used or “vintage”?
If you decide to buy a new instrument, you can be sure that you are the first to play it and that it is made with cutting-edge methods and techniques. Also a very important thing: it is under warranty. A used instrument may not fully satisfy the requirements listed above both technically and the guarantee that not always a private individual from. Furthermore, there is always the risk that an inexperienced buyer risks not evaluating the object in question.
The “vintage” second hand can be an excellent choice for a fan since there are excellent instruments that have become more or less rightly an object of worship by musicians. These instruments are no longer being built today, but sometimes they are better than those currently in circulation. Spare parts are not available, as the instrument has not been produced for some time.
Our advice for a beginner is to buy a new saxophone. One hundred fifty years of progress on an instrument are not few. Vintage can be a good choice but for a little more expert players.
General Condition
First, if you open the case where the instrument is stored, and a nauseating smell comes out from the inside, and there are small green points on the instrument, probably the saxophone has not been played for a long time. For this reason, it is good to take an intoner with you when buying. Even better to try the same sax with multiple guitars as they can affect a lot.
Body of Saxophone
Obvious, better if intact. However, if the saxophone is loose nothing wrong (someone would say, “indeed!”) since it does not affect the quality of the instrument. Note instead are any dents. If there are up to a diameter of 0.5, they are not “dangerous” and can be removed if desired. But you can treat and possibly pull the price a little further down. If, on the other hand, the dents are deep then you have to be very careful because this could have affected the mechanics (the pads don’t close properly, the bars don’t turn well etc.). If the dents had already been removed, changes in the lacquer in such places are often seen.
Note if the individual parts of the mechanics are soldered to the saxophone. Through very strong pressure or a blow, they may have come off and may have already been refixed. The older an instrument is, the more likely it has already happened, so you have to check traces well if there are large remains of tin on the welds. This, however, is certainly a sign that whoever repaired it was not very good.
Another point that can reduce the purchase price. Also always check that the nacre of the keys is intact. It is only an aesthetic fact, but when you buy something you want good.
Finishing of Saxophone
How much these finishes really affect the sound of the instrument has long been an open diatribe among musicians. Surely there are those who perceive the difference more or less but can still greatly influence the value of a vintage. Up to 40% of the lacquering is often required for a gold-plated instrument in perfect condition. However, if you want you can also re-release them even if they will not have the value of a beautiful original lacquer. This process could also adversely affect the sound.
Another danger is that it is sold as gold and instead is actually only lacquered. There are possibly some clues to find out though:
Gold: the most popular. The gold finish with a bright yellow can hardly be imitated by a lacquer. Mostly the tool below is silver. If so, maybe you can see the silver layer due to scratches or taps. Furthermore, the gold lacquering on vintage saxophone was available only on some instruments.
Silver: shines in silver, but if it has hit somewhere you can see black in some places and particularly on the shaft where there is the mechanics (where the blows would be better to avoid them because this point influences the sound very much). If it hasn’t hit anywhere and shines a lot, it’s probably nickel-plated. The useful thing is to look at the “minor damage” to the finish.
Original lacquering: despite everything, it is very difficult to say whether the lacquering is still original or finished. Often merchants even touch up the engravings to be able to sell it as original.
If the tool is very old but shows no signs of wear anywhere, it has certainly been re-released. At least in places where the instrument is in contact with the skin such as the spokesperson, the key of the C bass and other places that also change from how one sounds, the lacquer wears down leaving obvious signs. The engraving of the serial number, very important, must, however, be recognized.
The Mechanics and Neck
The rods must be all straight, the screws well fixed. The padding must be soft, intact and the internal resonators must all be the same, preferably in metal and leather pads.
If it is damaged, it is very easy to hear while playing. Of course, it usually reflects the quality of the instrument. If it is lacquered in another way or differs in some way from the body, it is probably not the original shiver. This argument mostly applies only to lacquered quivers as they also exist in solid silver and different from the original body (it happens to be found especially in King saxophone). Cork can also be changed; it has a negligible cost.
Production Materials of Saxophone
Many manufacturers offer different solutions. However, what matters is the material with which the instrument is built. There are, at least on the market, saxophone completely built in gold, silver etc. but they are always compositions of these materials. Obviously, the material that is most present will affect the sound (and also the price!). Here we try to give a simple idea of this:
Body materials
- Brass: This is probably the material most used by saxophone manufacturers
- Silver: very clear and shining sound that can be recognized by the silver bells.
- Copper: very warm and soft sound.
- Bronze: warm sound, a sound halfway between brass and copper
- Plastic: an example is the old Grafton, played among others by Charlie Parker. “Dry” sound.
Finishes
- Gold: makes the sound round.
- Silver: very clear and shining sound
- Nickel: makes the sound a little clearer, but less loud than like silver
- Lacquered (black or other): the sound becomes a little darker
Security Measures to Buy
Unfortunately, especially if you buy new or used instruments, there is always the risk of being ripped off so you can never be cautious enough. Often these deals are carried out through specialized trade but between markets and private advertisements and therefore it deals with people we probably don’t know. To try not to get screwed, you can try to follow some small rules and asking:
- The global state of the instrument
- The state of the lacquering
- If it was recently lacquered
- Check the serial number and trace the year of manufacture
- Model
- The mouthpiece is present or not and its state
- How long has it been?
- If possible, who has had it before
- If it was played and why it is being sold
- If it has been damaged and repaired
An honest seller will answer these questions without problems. If he does not respond or will do so by speaking, well, be careful.
The Advice of Modern Big Band
Considering that the purchase of a saxophone is always an important moment, the following tips could be useful:
If the budget is very limited (4-500 $) the ideal solution is to turn to the second-hand market, looking for studio models from well-known and considered reliable houses so that you can still sell the instrument without losing too much in case of “upgrade “. Be wary of tools of dubious origin offered at ridiculous prices (but also of tools offered at high prices because passed off as higher level tools – e.g. “this tool costs $ 1200 in the price list but I sell it for a promotion at $ 299!”).
If the budget is a little higher (around $ 1000), the studio model can be purchased again (there is also something left for a good mouthpiece); otherwise, you can opt for a used semi-professional.
If the budget reaches and/or exceeds $ 1,500 personally I would keep the “new” aside and go looking for a used professional: it certainly won’t be as shiny as someone likes it, but surely in your hands, you will have a saxophone much higher than to a semi-professional or even more to a studio model.
A further tip that can be useful is to always prefer the substance to the appearance: saxophones are purchased for a part with the brain (the instrument must play well, must not have defects and/or mechanical problems, etc.) and on one side with the heart (it must please, arouse emotions, etc.) while many buy with their eyes. It is undeniable that the eye also wants its part, but in general, it is always better to use a professional tool than a hyper-shiny or satin/loose lower model as it is so fashionable today.