Shopping to Buy a saxophone can be confusing. Models range from a student saxophone to a professional saxophone. Of course, there are common alto saxophones, but also a tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, and bass saxophone.
Not only are there different styles and sizes, but quality, craftsmanship, materials, and features vary from one instrument to another. Jonathan Cathell, a technician who has repaired woodwinds for twenty years, breaks down the variations buyers will encounter when shopping for a new or used instrument. And, in a related article, he offers tips for checking the condition of a used or vintage saxophone.
Bass, Alto, Tenor, or Baritone Saxophone ?
“All the saxophones are fingered similarly,” says Jonathan, “but they have different characteristics. Just because you can play one well, doesn’t mean you can play another equally well. They all act differently. You really have to switch gears when you go from one to another.”
The seven-foot contrabass is the largest saxophone, and the seven-inch sopranino is the smallest. But most shoppers, will only consider four common models.
- Soprano saxophones are made with either a straight or curved body. They are the hardest saxophone to master. “The soprano is more of a solo voice,” Jonathan comments. “It’s not used much in an ensemble situation unless its got a solo part.”
- Alto saxophones are most recommended for new players because of their size and versatility. They work well in both classical and jazz settings. “Alto is your middle range voice,” Jonathan explains. “Typically, most kids start on an alto.”
- A tenor saxophone is also common. They’re slightly larger than the alto and mainly heard in jazz situations. “Tenor is your upper low voice,” Jonathan says.
- A baritone saxophone is the largest and deepest of the common saxophones. “The baritone is definitely an ensemble voice,” remarks Jonathan.
The Student Saxophone
Quality varies in student saxophones. Experienced players can be a useful resource when comparing manufacturers.
A student saxophone is built to be durable. Its nickel-silver rods and heavy-duty lacquer can stand up to abuse, but sacrifice in tone, playability, and looks.
Most student saxophones have nickel-plated keys. The body will have a brass lacquer finish, and the mechanical parts will be silver in color.
The Intermediate Saxophone
Because of its lacquered keys, an intermediate saxophone is definitely better looking than a student saxophone. But, with intermediate or professional saxophones, greater attention should have gone into their construction as well. Jonathan warns buyers against certain intermediate brands which only upgrade the saxophone’s appearance. “Sometimes, you can jump to the intermediate horn, and the only change will be lacquered keys instead of nickel plated.”
A useful feature offered on an intermediate and professional saxophone is a high F# alternate fingering key. “The addition of the high F# key typically denotes an intermediate to professional horn,” says Jonathan. “You don’t have to have that key to play the higher notes, but it makes it a whole lot easier. It’s hard to find a professional horn today without a high F# key. You actually have to lengthen the body tube to add it though. In some jazz circles, people prefer the sound of the vintage horns and question whether the addition was a good thing.”
The Professional Saxophone
A professional saxophone represents another step up in quality of craftsmanship, materials, and appearance. But professional saxophones are probably far beyond the budgets most musicians set for their first purchase.
The metal used for a professional saxophone definitely affects the instrument’s tone. The vast majority of saxophones are made of brass. Some pricier models use a higher grade known as French brass which has a deeper hue than common yellow brass. Some musicians claim French brass also makes for better tone.
Different metals achieve different qualities of sound. For an enormous amount of money, some musicians opt for solid sterling saxophones. Other professional saxophones have been offered with copper, bronze, silver, or gold necks.
Saxophone Mouthpieces
“You can spend up to $1000 on a saxophone mouthpiece,” Jonathan says. And since this is the part of the instrument responsible for producing sound, it is the first part most musicians upgrade. “The shape, material, machining process, popularity, and rarity of a mouthpiece all effect its price,” Jonathan adds. “Usually, you’ll start out on plastic, and step up to a hard rubber or metal mouthpiece. There are a lot of metals they make mouthpieces from including stainless steal, cast bronze plated in gold or silver, solid silver, and solid gold.
Certain saxophone mouthpieces are for playing in classical settings and certain saxophone mouthpieces are reserved for jazz. “Typically,” explains Jonathan, “the classical mouthpieces have a smaller tip opening and a larger chamber. The larger chamber gives a warmer sound. With the smaller tip opening, you’ve got to use a harder reed which also makes for a darker sound.”
A part of saxophone mouthpieces called the baffle also influences how the instrument will sound. “The baffle is the part of the saxophone mouthpiece not quite in the chamber, but just above the reed,” Jonathan says. “The higher the baffle, the more aggressive, bright sound you’ll get. If you have a larger tip opening, a large chamber, and a fairly high baffle, you’re going to get that smooth jazz sound. If you’ve got a high baffle, with a medium tip opening, and a small chamber, then you’re going to have a higher, more aggressive sound. There’s all kinds of combinations. And there’s no set standard in the industry. Two mouthpieces labeled the same size from different makers will probably be totally different.”
Choosing the best saxophone depends on many factors. How much money do buyers want to spend? How important is durability? What does the buyer want their instrument to look like? How important is tone? What type of sound does the buyer want from their saxophone? Each answer will effect a musician’s decision. Careful research can be their first step in finding the right saxophone.
Quotes gained through conversation with Jonathan Cathell.
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