My daughter has just started tenor sax. She had one lesson at the end of term to set her off and will be learning properly from September. She was lent the school tenor sax (A Yamaha 275) for the holidays, but they need it back at the beginning of term and we were planning to buy one then.

I need advice as to which sax to buy. She is post grade 8 on clarinet, so I am assuming that she will progress relatively rapidly on sax. (And it is sounding really good to my amateur ear already, for a novice) We don't want to buy a beginner instrument and have to replace it too quickly, but on the other hand we don't want to spend a fortune. Non-musical dad is still reeling from having to buy a decent clarinet and a good piano within the last couple of years.

I wondered about secondhand, but having bought a secondhand flute for the other daughter we have had nothing but trouble with it. It has been repaired so often (In 2 years) that I think we have spent a lot more than if we had bought new.

Can anyone offer advice. Pros and cons of different instruments, what to look for in a tenor sax etc.

Also advice on different cases. She's quite a slender 14 year old, and some of the cases seem very heavy, but soft ones don't look to me like they offer much protection. Is there a good compromise, one she can manage on public transport, that will protect the instrument.

The honest answer is "it depends on your daughter, what sort of playing she wants to do, what sort of sound she wants to make and which sax works best for her".

Being more pragmatic, in your situation, the possibilities I'd consider are

YTS275 - the same as your daughter has been playing, there's nothing wrong with it, although its classed as a "student" sax people do play it to grade 8 and beyond. I'd plan on upgrading the mouthpiece once your daughter's been playing a while and has a better idea of her sound though.

Upgrade to either a YTS62 or Yanagisawa T901 - both really nice horns with a good reputation, at the lower end of the pro-sax price-scale. The Yani has a pretty decent mouthpiece too (at least for more classical playing). There would be no need to upgrade either of these (though there may be a desire!).

I know some people who play Mauriat saxes which are gaining a decent reputation for good value. The one caveat with these is that I have been told that they are very individual, so it's probably worth your daughter getting more playing experience before she checks these out, otherwise what she loves now she might not in a couple of years time.

There are people on this forum who recommend Hanson saxes. I've never played one, or played with anyone who was playing one so I don't feel qualified to comment on these.

This is a good website with unbiased opinions on buying saxes that might be worth taking a look at:
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Reviews.htm

As far as cases go, I personally wouldn't carry my saxes in soft cases though I know people who do. There are back-pack style hard cases that should make carrying it a little easier, unfortunately though, tenor saxes are fairly large, heavy instruments and there's not really any getting round that.

Thanks, that's really helpful.

The teacher recommended YTSS3 which is the same as YTS275, but in a different case and several hundred cheaper, but they have just been discontinued, so I can't get that.

I too had seen the Hansons recommended, but the teacher said the same as you that she had never seen one.

Thank you for your comment that the YTS275 could see her through to grde 8. Elsewhere it says will take to post grade 5, but it only took her a year on clarinet to get past grade 4, so that didn't sound like a long term option, but if it could take her further, particularly with a new mouthpiece then that is reassuring.

I've just bought the yss3 alto sax from Norman's .co.uk and made a huge saving on the already cheaper price I'm not sure if they do the tenor sax, but it's worth a look anyway because all the instruments are heavily discounted. A note about cases - the case it came with was ridiculously heavy, so I bought a Gator lightweight but sturdy case (it comes in pink and black) which has been fantastic!

Not much to add from TSax's advice.

You can definitely play good 'student' instruments to well above G5 standard, it is more that by G5 a player may be able to make use of the greater flexibility a better instrument can offer.

Re the case - saxophones are quite heavy and most cases that give enough protection will also be quite heavy. What can be beneficial is to consider the ergonomics of the case. If your daughter will be walking any distance with it get a case with a shoulder strap or preferably backpack style straps.

I regularly carry a case containing a bass clarinet plus 2 other clarinets, it weighs a lot but because when on my back it is well balanced I can walk a moderate distance (eg home to station = just over 1 mile) without feeling too achey.

Good cases are expensive - but then so are the physiotherapy/chiropracter appointments needed if you injure yourself carrying silly loads in poorly thought out cases.

*I'll step off band waggon here before going into a rant about saxophone posture too!*

I can only add : I'd recommend not getting an elasticated (eg Neotech) strap. Just a nice standard strap with plenty of padding will do.

I don't have a hanson, but know someone who does, and I have tried and it is a great sax, and sounds wonderful, although that might have something to do with how good they are. They got through grade 8 with it.

Thanks all.

We were going to get the YTSS3 from Normans, but they are all sold out and not getting them in again. Our intention was to upgrade the case as that did look a disadvantage of that instrument.

The Hanson says you can return within 7 days if you aren't happy, so it's tempting to order it and see what the teacher thinks. It's a good deal cheaper than the ones it seems to be comparable with.

It's interesting that you say that about Neotech straps, we had been told to get one, but I had seen somewhere else that they are stretchy. I can't remember which one was recommended instead.

Someone on the sax course this year had a Neotech strap, with the Neoprene backing, that wasn't bouncy. He was allowed to keep it rather than being made to throw it away.

I like my Rico padded straps - easily adjusted, comfortable and user-friendly hook.

Rico straps are fine and reasonably priced - but I use a neotech, and always have! I actualy have two - one is stretchy, one is not.