Sax Tests

Unfortunately we are a bit behind with our sax tests. Many new models have come along and we have not found time to test them all yet. Hopefully you will still find the following pages useful and we promise to update them as soon as we can.

Some of the world's finest new saxophones have found their way into the hands of our in-house sax specialists.

Here at saxophones.co.uk we receive many phone calls about the top name brands, asking the questions what do they sound like, what's the action like, how do they compare, and so on. Well, we thought it was about time to put them to the test and try to find some answers.

The problem is how do we judge what a good saxophone is. "What I'm looking for essentially in a saxophone is something that feels comfortable and allows me to express myself whatever the style of music I am playing. It must be easy to play, offering the right amount of resistance to make me work, but not too hard!! As a saxophonist I am required to be proficient in many different playing styles, classical, rock and pop and jazz, and therefore I am looking for a good all-round saxophone that can cope with all these demands. The saxophones I have tested are all excellent horns but I do have my preferences, and there are significant differences between them. The criteria by which I have judged these are as follows – Do I like the sound that is coming out of the horn. Can I play with a good range of dynamics, remaining in control. Are the notes in tune, is the overall intonation good. How does the instrument respond – ie. when I play a note, how long does it take for the note to sound. Can I get around the saxophone with ease, is the action comfortable. And what is the overall feel like when you put all these questions together. I know when I like a sax, because it makes me want to play it and not stop!! My own preferences are for a nice light feel on alto, sound as well as feel of the horn. On tenor I like plenty of weight to the overall sound, but not too much of a dark tonal colour. For soprano most important is that the tuning is stable and the sound will project, especially in the upper register, whilst on baritone the more raucous I can be the better."

The reviews that follow are by no means a definitive guide to choosing a saxophone but allow for an insight into what a professional player thinks of some of the best new saxophones on the market today. These are purely our own thoughts and they are not an attempt to sway sax players into buying a particular saxophone!

Click here for soprano sax tests
Click here for alto sax tests
Click here for tenor sax tests
Click here for baritone sax tests
Gold, black, silver? What difference can the finish make?