This is my first post/topic...

Ok, so basically I have been on the schools waiting list to play the saxophone for awhile (its very popular!), but there may be a chance that there is a place for me very soon.
I have very little theory knowledge (I mean extremely little!)
Not much instrument experience either...I'm grade 1 keyboard ( a few years ago) and played the recorder for a couple of years when I was very little.
I have been researching saxophone models etc but the school will provide a saxophone but I doubt it will be great, I will use it to get started on but will probably want to get one of my own a few months down the line. The one that I found was the yamaha yas 275. I read good things about it on the web..but does anyone recomend/not recomend it and why?
And if anyone has any tips on playing the saxophone as a beginner that would be great
thanks.
P.S I'm almost 14

Hi and welcome,


The Yamaha 275 is a popular student sax, they are reliable and students and teachers like them.
Personally if I were in the market for a student sax I would buy a Hanson SA-5 from www.saxophonesdirect.com.

Hanson are a family run business in Yorkshire which make fantastic clarinets and saxophones.
The clarinets are made in house and the saxophones in the Far East to their own exacting specification.
The SA-5 will set you back just £459, about £150+ less than a Yamaha and is arguably a much better sax, being frequently compared to the Yamaha YAS475 intermediate model.

Hanson include 5 years warrantly including free repairs and service. I have personally found their general level of service to be excellent.
I began last October with an SA-5 and have just upgraded to their SA-8 pro model. They allow 100% of your original purchase price against an upgrade model if you buy from them.

We have two Saxophones an SA-5 and a 275, the Yamaha is not as Robust as the Hanson. They will also allow you to buy through school to save the VAT.


Hope you enjoy Sax playing.

Thanks for the replies!
When I get my lessons (soon hopefully) I will ask my teacher and see what he recommends.
That SA-5 does look like good for the price...we shall see...
Also.. i've read a lot about reed strength and for beginners to start low. Would 1.5 be ok for someone like me with no experience..will it be easiest to start on them?

I started playing Sax last August and I play on a 2 - although I had played flute for many years I had never played a reed instrument. My teacher recommended Vandoran Java reeds.

Be prepared for your teacher to have no experiece of Hanson saxes. Many teachers will recommend a Yamaha as they are a safe 'no brainer' choice.
Bear in mind that Hanson send out all their instruments on 7 days approval, you could take it along to a lesson and let your teacher have a look.
In my opinion (not just as a player but someone who used to work in a shop that sold Yamaha, Selmer, and many other makes of saxophone) the SA-5 is a better instrument that will serve you for more years than a YAS-275, not to mention cheaper.

Most beginners start of with a 1.5 or 2 reed.

I've played both the yamaha and the hanson sax (i ended up getting the hanson one) and i'd say they're both worth having a look at although in the end the hanson sax is a bit better made than the yamaha. Have a play and see what you think In the end, buy the best range you can buy for your money and then in that range of instruments just choose the one you like the most for its feel, it's sound and all the other little things that make something more desireable. Hope you enjoy your lessons!

Ok, thanks for all the replies, they are very helpful.
Hopefully I will be able to test run some of the suggestions before I buy...but that also depends on what model the school gives me because I might take a liking to that!
Anyway, I havn't been able to speak to the music teacher who said she was going to contact the sax teacher because of snow days..but I do have a music lesson tomorrow so if schools on I shall ask her what the verdict on lessons is
Fingers crossed