SAXOPHONES

RECOMMENDATIONS

My Favourite Saxophones

When it comes to choosing a saxophone, different players have vastly different opinions so I cannot say what is the best, only what I like the best. I recently had a chance to try many of the top professional quality saxophones. My favourites were Selmer, P.Mauriat and Rampone & Cazzani, however out of several Selmers and Mauriats there was only one very good one of each, but every Rampone & Cazzani I tried was exceptional.

Mouthpieces

For all round use I recommend Vandoren mouthpieces. Unlike some other makes they all work consistently out of the box with no expert tweaking required

I use RPC custom mouthpieces on alto, tenor and baritone. Ron will take time to discuss your particular needs on the phone to find out exactly what you want before making your mouthpiece. I sold my Dave Guardala Studio model two days after trying the RPC tenor 125.

I also recommend Ed Pillinger for mouthpieces and refacing work in the UK. Bill Wrathall is also a superb mouthpiecec technician, you can find him at Michael White of Ealing.

If you are a beginner I think it is best to use something a little less specialised to begin with such as a standard Yamaha, Hite Premiere or Vandoren Java.

UK Saxophone Shops

Saxophones.co.uk - a good shop to buy saxophones and stuff

Woodwind & Brass Ltd Recommended UK dealer

Accessories

SAXRAX saxophone stands are the best way to keep your horns in one piece.

What is a good saxophone for a beginner?

Until recently I usually advised beginners to get either a Yamaha or Jupiter student model as the build quality, intonation and tone of these instruments is very good. Recently there have been a lot of very cheap Chinese made saxophones available, especially on Ebay and internet stores. Some of these instruments are astonishingly good for the price, but some are total rubbish, so beware. It is best to avoid buying one unless it is from a reputable dealer with a no quibble money back guarantee, e.g. the stores mentioned above. One of the very best makes available in the UK or for export is the Walstein. More info one the saxophone buying guide.

What about a secondhand saxophone?

If you know a bit about saxophones you can definitely get better value with a secondhand saxophone. If it is well maintained a saxophone doesn’t get worse as it gets older. (But neither does it get any better). The main problems are with saxophones that have been relacquered. In order to relacquer a saxophone, all the scratches must be removed and this can involve polishing the instrument to such a degree that a significant amount of metal is lost. Although this is unlikely to affect the sound unless the toneholes become damaged due to overbuffing it may well affect the instrument’s value.

A good "vintage" saxophone can be a very good buy. Apart from the Selmer MKVI, Super Balanced Action and Balanced Action (which are good horns but generally overpriced) you can often get a professional quality instrument without spending too much. Some good models to look out for are Martin ("The" Martin), Conn 6M/10M, King Zephyr & Super 20, SML Gold Medal, Buescher 400 & Aristocrat.

Which size saxophone to buy?

The most commonly played saxophones are the alto and tenor, of these the most popular saxophone for beginners is the alto. It is easier for small hands and, of course, is that little bit cheaper than a tenor. The fingering is the same, although as the saxophone is a transposing instrument, the notes sound different. The soprano is becoming a more popular instrument (possibly thanks to the influence of Kenny G), but can be more problematical for beginners as it is often harder to play nicely in tune. The baritone is also an attractive instrument for younger beginners thanks to Lisa Simpson, but is not easy for small fingers, requires a lot of puff and can be very heavy on your neck.