Picking out a saxophone can be a daunting procedure. There are a myriad of factors to be aware of and they are multiplied when the saxophone is used. If you can get an expert to help you with your purchase, do so; especially if you are just starting to play the instrument and not able to play each note on the horn. If you are unable to get an expert’s help, there are fortunately some key things that we can address when buying a saxophone.
Choose a Sax From a Reliable Brand
First, we can search for a reliable brand. I would not suggest buying a saxophone that is an obscure brand, especially if it is used. Although there are certainly obscure brands that are good, it will be far easier to search for a reliable brand that you know has a good reputation and won’t have problems that some obscure brands may have. One example that is common in “off-make” instruments is that the quality of metal is quite poor and easy to dent. Also, if you buy a saxophone from an established company, they will always back their product and help you out if there are any manufacturing defects.
List of Reputable Saxophone Companies
Some reliable brands are Conn, Bundy, Selmer, Yamaha, Buffet, King, Jupiter, Yanagisawa, Martin, Bel-Air, and Kielworth. This list is not exhaustive but will give you a good starting point. I am personally quite fond of the Yamaha and Selmer USA student models, as I find them to have quite a good sound for a student model and that they are generally very well made. You may have to pay a bit more for these brands but it will definitely be worth it in sound quality, ease in playing, the lasting quality of the instrument, and the re-sale value if you decide to sell it later.
Where to Go in Montreal
If you buy an instrument new, I would recommend going to Twigg Music www.twigg-musique.com. They are very helpful there and have a wonderful knowledge in how best to fit a student with an instrument. If you don’t have an expert who can go with you, this would be the best way to go about buying, as they will have an expert there who can demonstrate the instrument to you as well as help you to try it out. They also carry a few used instruments that have been overhauled by them.
Buying your first Sax Used
If you decide to go out on your own through craigslist, or a private seller – ebay presents many difficulties, since you cannot sample the instrument – it is important that you play a full chromatic scale on the instrument in the entire range. You want to make sure that there are no notes that are harder to play than others, as this could mean that there may be a leak in one or some of the keys. You should listen to see if there is any clicking when you press the keys, a little bit is normal but it should not be too loud. Also check that the rollers used to play the low Bb through C# and G# roll easily and with little resistance, and that there is a good deal of spring tension that allows the keys to spring up when the finger releases the key. Check that the keys are not too far from the instrument and therefore hard to press – this can be described as the ‘action’ of the saxophone and can cause frustration and unnecessary pain in the hands if it is too high. Finally, check that the pads are in good condition and are uniform. The pads should all be evenly set and the leather should look new and supple. The leather should certainly not look dry or have any holes in it at all, unless you want to spend the money to replace them all.
Make Sure Your New Axe Feels Good to Play
Most importantly, you should make sure the saxophone feels good to play. As I mentioned before, there are anumber factors that can cause saxophones to have problems. If you check these main points you should be relatively okay. If an instrument feels good to play and is in good condition, it will make playing all the more enjoyable. It is important to spend the money on a reliable instrument, as an instrument that does not play well will simply cause the student to become frustrated and give up. Playing should be fun and a good instrument has a lot to do with how fun it can be. Good luck and enjoy your search.
