I am looking into getting a new Alto saxophone, but dont know what kind to get!!!

10 years ago

This is a little late, perhaps, but others may have the same question you did. I have played saxophone for more than 25 years, and though I am not a professional, I still have an opinion. I have played all manner of saxophones, from soprano to baritone, and I currently have a soprano and alto of my own.

I played on a Bundy II through junior high and high school, and then decided I wanted a better horn. I had played a Yanagisawa bari in college, and loved it. When I found a special offer on a Yanagisawa 901 alto, I jumped on it. It is billed as an intermediate horn, just below the professional and specialty models. From the day I started playing it, I realized the irony of how instruments are created and marketed.

The Bundy and other “Student” or “Beginner” horns have the advantage of being (relatively) cheap, so a new player who isn’t sure they want to spend a lot for something they are just learning can afford to try it. Otherwise, they have little else to recommend them. The tone, intonation, and playability are marginal, and the beginning player may become frustrated by the limitations and quit playing.

An intermediate horn like mine is much easier to play. The tone is consistent throughout the whole range of the instrument. The intonation is good for every note. Notes all the way down to the B and B-flat seem to float out of the horn instead of requiring me to honk and huff to get them to speak.

If you want a better horn, an intermediate model by Yanagisawa, Selmer, Yamaha, or another quality name will work fine. The decision between makers comes down to cost (of course), availability, and personal preference. I chose the Yanagisawa because the tone was a little darker, without some of the brassier sound that the Yamaha had when I tried it. Mouthpiece and reed selection play a role in the sound also, so try out a potential horn with your preferred setup before making your choice.

Â§4rg3

12 years ago

i have been playing sax for about 5 years now and im not an expert but here is what i suggest. buy yamaha,vito,or selmer. they are by far the best brands out there with selmer being the absolute best. go to musiciansfriend.com they have high-quality saxes for just inside your price range and they know what they're doing. if you have any more saxophone-related questions feel free to ask me and ill do my best to answer.