Which model/brand is right for me?

When you decide that you want to go through with purchasing a saxophone, it is time to determine what your needs are. If you are a beginner with very little money, a student model will probably fit your needs. Most music stores will also rent saxophones if you would like to try one out. If you are an intermediate player with a modest budget, you can look into intermediate model horns such as the Selmer USA models, or Yamaha 52 series, or you can try and buy a used, vintage horn such as a Conn M series, or Buescher Aristocrat. For someone who wants to spend a long time with one horn and has a couple thousand dollars to spend, the choice and search become more difficult. In this instance, you probably know what you are looking for, so I'll mainly focus on choices for limited budgets.

So you have decided you want to look for a student model...

Choices abound for you, but so do pitfalls. As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of differences in the quality and manufacturing of saxophones. The most significant differences between student and professional horns are in the mechanics and materials. Student models generally use more rigorous materials, such as nickel-silver rods, stronger bell braces, side-rod configurations, and heavy-duty lacquer. The trade offs are in sound, feel and appearance. Student horns are usually devoid of decorative engraving and subtle artistic touches. The mechanics of the horn are usually "stiffer," making it harder to press the keys down.

There are some exceptions to the rules listed above. Recently (within the last ten years), there has been a great influx of central-Asian made instruments on the American market. These horns look and sometimes feel like professional models, but are actually student models. How do you know? Sometimes you can't. Just be careful of brands that are made anywhere but the USA, France, Germany, and Japan. If the horn has no country of manufacture, be very wary. Also, these inferior horns are usually lacquered all over the body and rods, just like a professional model (recall that American, Japanese and German student models generally use silver rods with a gold-lacquered body). This is to try and make you think it is a professional model, even though it is not.

Student models are intended to be just that. If you are an aspiring saxophonist, expect within your career to outgrow your student model. As with cars, your first saxophone may not be your last. When you purchase a student model, try not to spend very much money if possible. A common trap is for parents to blindly go to the music store and take any offered given to them for any price. This scenario is very common in rent-to-own situations. Be sure that you evaluate the purchase price of the horn as a whole (including the interest) and compare it to your other options. For the price of a new student model at the music store, you might be able to buy two good vintage horns.

Student models come up in the paper fairly frequently, and are readily available through dozens of Internet sites. The sellers are usually parents (possibly just like you) who have purchased a saxophone for their child who has decided not to play it anymore, or a dealer who has purchased the horn from exasperated parents. Sometimes these used student models belonged to people who stored them in a closet for 10 years. The student models I see in the paper and Internet most frequently are the King 613 and Cleveland, the Bundy, and the Vito. These three are fairly common, and each horn, if in good condition, is a good horn to start on. The Bundy and Vito both have key structures which are similar to prefessional horns (although because of this, they tend to have key problems after being played by less than careful students) and have a solid reputation as good instruments. Some people love King student models and some people hate them. My first saxophone was a King 613 which I called the "haha you bought me model" because if you turned the sax over, the pad guards are in the shape of a clown face with two buggly eyes, a round nose and a giant smiling (laughing) mouth. The sax did serve me well though, and I know many others who started on the King.

Either fortunately, or unfortunately there are dozens of choices in the student model arena. Horns which in my opinion you should stay away from are: Belmonte, Antigua Winds, Jupiter, El Dorado, Olds Parisian, Conns after the M was dropped from the serial number, Grassi, Conservarte, and just about any Chinese-manufactured horn.

So you have decided you want to look for a professional model...

Prepare to break out your wallet. You are going to make a large financial investment, and one that I believe is worth making. Professional saxophones can run up to $4000 for soprano, $6000 for alto and tenor, and up to $7,000 for baritone. Not only is there a wide price range, but there are also plenty of choices to be made about what age of saxophone you want. There are some used saxophones that cost a lot more than new ones, kind of like violin players and the Stradivarius.

When it comes to new professional horns, you are going to hear as much hype as truth about them. A lot of the marketing of new horns depends on the mystique of their older models. This is especially true of Selmer which has essentially dominated the professional saxophone market for 60 years. In my opinion, the newest horns on the market are all strong competitors and deserve to be tried on their own merits. I have a lot of experience with some models and very little with others. I will relate my experiences with the full understanding that all players have things that they find different about their own horns. Some players love a certain horn and others hate it. Since I am both a jazz and classical player, I will try and relate experiences with both. If I omit a horn, it's because I do not have much experience with it.

My Experiences with new horns

Yamaha

I know a lot of players who love their Yamaha horns, and for a long time I couldn't figure it out. The Yamahas I played had extremely weak construction with rods that bent easily and came out of adjustment frequently. The pads that shipped from the factory were also short-lived and tended to swell in high humidity. I had given up on Yamaha until they came out with the new Custom model. This saxophone is a serious contender for the player interested in consistency of action and intonation. Also, if your saxophone was to be stolen, you know you could go to your local Yamaha dealer and get another identical horn. This is not true with many other brands.

Selmer

This is tough for me because I am a very loyal Selmer enthusiast. I have to temper my judgment about these horns with some objectivism. Quite honestly, I was disappointed with the Super Action 80 Series I, and Series II and was almost ready to give up on their new horns. I was pleasantly surprised with the Series III horns, and found them equally suited to jazz or rock. The Series III is to me, the archetype of modern saxophone production.

Keilwerth

I am often asked, if I was going to buy a new horn, what would it be? Well, I can answer with no reluctance that it would be a Keilwerth SX-90R in black anodized nickel finish. These horns are not only beautiful, but well-made and extremely nice sounding instruments. Keilwerth has a tradition of making horns that tempt vintage Selmer players away from their regular horns.

Previous Keilwerth offerings have been the Couf Superba I and II, the Armstrong professional model, and for a short while, the Conn pro model. Any of these horns can take a player to the next level.

I have one complaint about these horns. Just as with vintage Selmers, you need to play more than one to find the one that matches your personality. They are all different. There is something about the hand-manufacturing processes involved that creates an inconsistent horn. I won't rule out, however, that you'll find the perfect horn on the first try. With on-line, long-distance and auction purchases, it may be difficult (if not impossible) to try before you buy. In my opinion, it's always good to arrange a trial period with any horn. Remember that you are adding a new member to your family, and that a long-term relationship depends on how well the horn appeals to you.

Yanagisawa

As with Yamaha, I did not really have a very favorable opinion of Yanis for a while. They suffered from the same flaws as the Yamahas, particularly the soft metal and tendencies to go out of adjustment. In the last few years, these problems have been addressed, and the new horn is quite good. Yanigasawa really won my heart over when they took some daring projects on. The models to which I refer are the Silversonic models with the solid silver bodies, necks, and bells. When I played one of these horns I was spoiled rotten -- until I saw the price tag!

Yani also produces a curved soprano that I consider to be the best I have ever played. All soprano saxophonists should try one, just to hear the subtle timbral differences a curved model offers. In the past, curved sopranos took a bad rap for playing out of tune. Not so with this sax. It plays remarkably in tune with a very comfortable key layout. The newest model also has a front F, so altissimo (above the written range of the saxophone) is a lot easier. Yanagisawa also produces new sopraninos that are absolutely fabulous.

Others...

Obviously there are a lot of new horns I have not tried. There are also some horns which I recommend my students stay away from. In this forum, I will stick with recommendations on new horns, as opposed to warnings. Chances are, if it isn't listed anywhere in this guide, it's probably best to check out other options first. Remember that this whole guide is just one player's (my) opinion. If you are in the market for a new horn, try these for yourself.

My Experiences with vintage horns

This section could easily be an entire novel. There are so many models and brands that summarizing them could take forever. I will try to focus on the horns which I have had personal experiences with and recommend horns which have what I consider to be significant positive characteristics. If you have questions specific to a certain model, you may have to do a little research to find out your answer. Music stores and national saxophone shops can be good resources -- but remember, you must exercise caution when getting information, because you are seen as a potential customer.

Selmer

I thought I would begin with the Selmer, as this is the most-played vintage professional horn of all time. Selmers have a rich history and mystique all their own; in fact, many players consider these horns to be the "Stradivarius" of saxophones. Few can argue that there is a lot of hype surrounding these horns -- some justified, some not. I really like old Selmer horns, and some people really don't like them.

If you haven't read my history of Selmer saxophones, or read articles by sax historian Paul Cohen, you may not understand the effect that Selmer has on the professional saxophone community. Selmer effectively raised the bar on all other pro models and patented what is now the standard key layout. Selmer also offered workmanship and true hand-crafted quality that no other manufacturer could touch.

Although Conn produced some marvelous instruments during the saxophone craze in the 30's, they could not beat the improvements in action and feel offered by the refined Balanced Action model.

1938 Selmer Balanced Action tenor saxophone

The Selmer was and is a "player's horn" and was quickly adopted by the greats of the day. For saxophonists today, these old horns can offer a unique alternative to a new horn. Unfortunately, there are very few good deals to be had on Selmers, as most music stores and pawn shops know what a vintage Selmer is and how much it is worth. With the advent of on-line auctions, such as eBay, there has been a fantastic resurgence in the number of these saxophones available and prices are beginning to drop appreciably. My recommendation is to purchase vintage Selmers from recommended dealers. That way you know you are receiving all of the information on the horn and getting a horn that is properly restored. As with any horn, a bad restoration on a vintage Selmer can ruin the instrument.

The reality about these saxophones is that they are getting older every year and restoration is not always feasible. Playing hundreds of these horns left me with the impression that most of the early horns (before the Mark VI) that are in good condition play very well, but sometimes they have intonation problems.

1960 Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone in original lacquer

The Mark VI is, in my opinion, much harder to nail down. I have played many Mark VIs that sounded worse than a student model and some others that outplayed nearly any horn I'd ever tried. It seems that there are some years that are consistently good (the 50,000 to 110,000 serial range), and after that, it is trial and error. Unfortunately, because of the hype, all of these saxophones are priced the same, good or bad! Most people have a hard time admitting that their particular Mark VIs may have some real problems. I had a 140,000 series tenor that gurgled on the low D and there was no way to get rid of it. I also had a Mark VI soprano that had such weak metal that the bell actually cracked, as mentioned earlier.

A music store with a Mark VI sitting in the window is going to act as though the horn is made of solid gold. In fact, some music stores even rope them off or put them in glass cabinets. Don't be fooled by this kind of hype. The Mark VI is a truly great saxophone, but you must reserve judgment until you play it. Never purchase a vintage Selmer just because it is a Selmer unless it is extremely inexpensive! Here's something that happened to me when I was fairly new to the world of vintage saxophones and Selmers.

At some point, I decided to purchase a Balanced Action Selmer tenor from a well-known national saxophone dealer in New Jersey. When I got the horn, I realized that it was misrepresented as being an original lacquer horn. The horn was missing most of its finish, and was worn quite heavily. The engraving was very shallow, and the zipper-shaped bell seam on the front of the bell was showing (both can be signs of a relacquered horn, but not always). After playing the horn, I decided that I really liked the sound, even if it wasn't "all-original" as it had been represented.

A few months later, I had happened upon a nice Conn curved soprano, and a rare, mint-condition silver-plated transitional Conn "art deco" alto, and decided that I needed a good, professional Bb straight soprano to play for some upcoming shows.

Conn curved soprano saxophone	Conn transitional "art deco" alto saxophone

I called the New Jersey dealer up and told him exactly what I had (saxophones identical to the ones pictured above) and asked him if he had a Selmer soprano that he would trade for the two horns. He searched his "large inventory" and found a "perfect old Selmer silver-plated soprano" that he would trade. Excited at the prospect of a silver plated Selmer, I agreed to do the trade without checking the horn out first. I sent my saxes off, and anxiously awaited my new Selmer.

A few days later, the package arrived and I tore into it. To my shock and horror, the horn was a Modele 22 that was nickel plated, not silver-plated as it had been represented. Furthermore, the horn was missing a half-inch off the top which had been literally hacksawed off. (These facts were later verified by multiple music store repair people.) The horn played so out of tune that I stuck it back in the box in disgust. I called up the dealer and he swore that it was silver and exactly what he said it was. I was furious and demanded my horns back. Unfortunately for me, he had most likely already sold them and made a good deal of money. His response was for me to send back the soprano and he'd send me another one to try. I wasn't about to send him the horn and have nothing left, so I kept it. A few days later, he called up and talked to my fiancee for a full half hour about how unreasonable I was, threatened legal action, called me a "stupid kid" who didn't know anything about vintage horns, and said he didn't appreciate me calling him to complain. According to him, he did nothing wrong and "I should just deal with it." He told her it was my problem now.

Don't let someone sell you a saxophone, especially a Selmer, without verifiying all of the facts first. Find out the serial number, the finish, the condition, and the repair history if available. Also, have the person or store send you detailed photos of the saxophone first, either through the mail or e-mail. Never bid on an on-line auction that does not have photos either in the listing or available through e-mail, and ask specifically for photos showing any damage or wear. Selmers are great horns, so people who have bad ones know that someday, somehow, someone will unwittingly buy it or trade for it. Don't let that person be you!

One final note about vintage Selmers that you may need to know -- just as there is an American-made Selmer today, the same was true during the 20's and 30's. These horns were manufactured by Buescher and sometimes Conn. Sometimes you will see these for sale and shops will tout them as Selmer! In reality, they are just average USA manufactured horns that have the Selmer name. The defining trait is that USA Selmers do not say "Made in France" or have any other French writing on them.

There were also a few Selmers manufactured in Czechoslovakia that are the same vintage as the Selmer Balanced Action. These are great horns, but they are NOT Selmer Paris horns and are not worth any more than a standard vintage horn.

Check carefully before assuming you are looking at an actual vintage Selmer Paris horn.A good way to check is to look for a patent number on the horn, either on the side of the bell or on the back near the thumb rest. The patent number of the Selmer Paris Balanced Action saxophone is 2151337. The patent numbers of the Selmer Mark VI are 2940640, 2710558, 2846917 these are US patent numbers), and 920653 (this is the French patent number.)

Conn

As with Selmer saxophones, I could write an entire novel about Conn saxophones. Instead, I will share my subjective experience with Conns and describe their characteristics.

Vintage Conns can be broken up into several models, although many do not explicitly state the model on the sax itself. The first Conn saxophones were produced in 1905 and generally had two octave keys.

Very early Conn alto bell

Most of these horns are "high pitch" instruments, and are tuned higher than A440 (today's standard for tuning). These are generally considered unplayable in modern ensembles.

Early Conn alto saxophone serial number

Early in production, Colonel C. G. Conn sold his instrument empire to pursue politics. The name of the company changed from Conn to Conn Ltd. The new model introduced by the newly reorganized company was called the "New Wonder."

1924 Conn New Wonder alto saxophone

This model underwent some changes but basically remained the same until about 1924-1925. After this point, the horn began gaining in popularity and sold in mass quantities. This new version of the New Wonder had a cross-hatch pattern on the G# key as well as a cylindrical "tuner" built in to the neck (also true of earlier models).

Classic 1928 Conn New Wonder alto with stylish bed sheet

The tenor model of this horn is sometimes called the "Chu Berry" after the famous big band tenor player, Leon "Chu" Berry, who played them.

1924 Conn New Wonder in silver plate with gold-plated keys/accents

These horns play quite well and are fairly common. The serial numbers most players like are above 140,000. This vintage of Conn is excellent, and I recommend it to players who are searching for a lower-priced, professional alternative.

1927 Conn "Portrait" alto in gold plate

The second model is the transitional Conn which lies somewhere in between the New Wonder and the M series. These transitional horns are excellent, and they lead to a tradition of later specialty horns, including the Connquerer, the 28M, and other models that offered some unique action improvements and a more vibrant timbral approach.

The most famous of the early Conn saxophones is the M series, or more commonly the "Naked Lady" model, so called because of the top half of a naked woman engraved on the bell inside a pentagon.

The famous Conn "Naked Lady"

These horns featured a refined action (although not "balanced" like the Selmers), and some unusual keying features. This model also kept the "tuning neck" which was found on earler models. The 6M alto was played by Charlie Parker and a host of other famous players, while the 10M tenor ran a close second to Selmer tenors of the day. Many players chose Conns because of their "big" sound in contrast to the more refined Selmer. Until the advent of the Mark VI, the Conn M series baritone took the lead as the bari of choice for saxophonists, especially in big bands. Gerry Mulligan was a notable Conn baritone player.

As the 40's came to a close, Conn saxophones began losing the race to Selmer, and most players acknowledge that their production quality became inconsistent at that time. The M series was then relegated to student and intermediate model status until the series faded into oblivion.

Buescher

The Buescher is the best kept secret of vintage horns. Bueschers offer a more delicate and refined touch than the Conn. It's no wonder that Selmer chose the Buescher company to produce their American counterparts. The Buescher professional model of the 40's (the Aristocrat) is an incredibly well-designed and well-produced horn.

1949 Buescher Aristocrat Alto

I once had an Aristocrat alto that I used as my backup horn. It was my first professional sax! These horns are usually fairly inexpensive and reasonably easy to find. The Buescher 400 (the early version with the silver tone ring around the bell) is also an excellent horn and was played by Johnny Hodges (yes, that sweet sound was a Buescher). For the budding saxophonist in search of a good horn for not too much money, this horn is a logical choice. The only down side of these horns is the action, which can be a little cumbersome compared to a modern horn, especially the Bb spatula key cluster.

Martin

The Martin company was a company that wasn't afraid of trying new things. Many of their early models were downright peculiar. The oddest of all their models is the "typewriter" model which had small round keys instead of spatula clusters. All of the keys look the same, and the horn is very uncomfortable to play.

Martin "Typewriter" right-hand keys	Martin "Typewriter" left-hand keys

Martin changed models fairly frequently until they settled on a model simply called "The Martin _____" where the blank is soprano, alto, tenor or baritone.

1950's The Martin Alto

This horn is another great professional model to consider when purchasing a vintage pro horn.

King

Another excellent choice in the vintage saxophone realm is King saxophones. King saxophones were typically the most ornate and "extravagant" of all American-made saxophones.

Their crowning jewel is the Super 20 model, which in it's Silversonic version sports a solid sterling silver neck and bell, mother of pearl on every key, and sometimes even gold plated inlaid engraving (even on the larger key cups)!

These are stunning horns that have the sound to back up their physical beauty.

Artists like Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderly made the Super 20 a real hit among professional players, especially in the 50's. King saxophones, especially the Super 20 and Zephyr models, are extremely well made with very stiff metal. These horns seem to last and put up with a lot of playing.

1950's vintage King Zephyr alto saxophone

As you now know, there are many options out there in the way of vintage saxophones. Each manufacturer produced a unique saxophone with its own special voice. There are variances and subtleties within each model. For example, Conn altos in the 330,000 serial range are considered to be among the best. Early Selmer Mark VI's are the same. Whether there is any real difference in these horns is up to you, because everyone's tastes vary. You will find the horn that matches you; it's just a matter of trying enough horns to find the right one.

By now, hopefully you have made some determinations about what you would like to look for. You have probably narrowed your choices so you are ready to actually look for and look at horns. Here are the questions you should have answered so far:

• What is my price range?
• What model? (student or professional)
• New or used?
• What brands appeal to me?
• Are there resources locally to try them, or do I need to look outside of my area?

Some of these questions, especially the question of new or used, will require more information to make an informed choice. But, hopefully you are starting to get a feel for what kind of sax is right for you.

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