If you’re new to the sax then you probably won’t have a clue where to start when it comes to buying one. The most important thing to realise early on is that “a sax is a sax” couldn’t be further from the truth. While you might not want to go out and spend a fortune on a saxophone, especially if it’s your first one, knowing the key differences that you’ll find between higher and lower priced models is worth it.

Quality of Production

You might not know it if you only look at a cheap saxophone, but there will be big differences in the quality of production if you have two sat side by side. The main one is often the metal that is used in the making of the saxophone. While you might think this doesn’t make a great deal of difference, it can affect the sound of the sax and even influence how you can play it.

You’ll also find that an expensive saxophone is going to be close to perfection. A cheaper model won’t necessarily be shoddily put together, but parts of it may not line up and you’ll be able to tell it could be better just by looking at it.

Tonal Consistency

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced sax player, the sound you create is important. While you might want to go for a cheaper instrument when you first start to learn, you should consider how useful this is going to be if you’re not happy with what you’re hearing.

The quality of production will likely lead to inconsistent toning across your instrument – even playing the same note twice could sound different from time to time, which isn’t ideal, particularly for new players who are trying to understand their instrument and what it does.

How it Feels When Playing

In addition to the sound you create, think about how the sax in your hand feels when you’re playing it. Expensive, well-made saxophones will be much smoother throughout the whole playing action, from the way the keys release after pushing them to how hard you need to press down on them in the first place. If you’re already relatively experienced, you’ll find an expensive sax can do whatever you want it to, but a cheaper model will need you to go easy on it and discover its limitations first.

Understanding how to tell the difference between a cheap and expensive sax can help you choose a great instrument, whatever level you’re at with your sax playing. Print this advice out and take it with you next time you head down to the music store!