Best Tenor Saxophone Review 2019 Top 5
The Tenor Saxophone is beautiful musical instrument that is beloved by different musicians around the world. With its artistic look and smooth sound, the tenor Saxophone is also an appealing choice to many aspiring and seasoned woodwind instrumentalists.
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And because of the instruments’ distinct fame, a wide array of manufacturers produce their own brand and models with the hope of capturing the hearts of the would-be consumers and musicians. Today we are going to present the best tenor saxophone models and brands available in market with complete reviews.
Related article: Best Alto Saxophones
With that being said, any discerning saxophonist can easily get lost in today’s market that is teaming with different names and designs, promising to deliver the best experience. To save you from all the trouble, we have come up with a list of the 5 best Tenor Saxophone in 2018 along with a review of each. This should provide you with a good list of strong options to consider.
Best tenor saxophone
Table of Contents
Alpine 711 Tenor Saxophone
Alpine Tenor Saxophones are very popular to novice players and beginners. The instruments manage to provide users with superb playability at an affordable price tag without sacrificing build and sound quality. The secret to their success lies in its durable epoxy coating that provides that much needed strength and durability to its brass construction along with a lasting shine regardless of years of playing.
Among the Tenor Saxophones that Alpine has built, the Alpine 711 is the most beloved in the novice market. It has tone holes that are drawn with great precision so that beginners can enjoy smooth response and accurate notes in their playing experience.
With an affordable price tag, decent features that allow excellent playability, and a special coating that guarantees years of use, the Alpine 711 is without a doubt the ultimate best Tenor Saxophone to the beginner. Anyone looking to explore the magical world of Tenor Saxophone will surely love having this excellent instrument at their disposal.
Best professional tenor saxophone
Keilwerth SX90R Professional Tenor Saxophone
Keilwerth Tenor Sax are rather pricey but they are perfect for professional use. The most noticeable aspect about Keilworth Saxophones is their distinct style with rich lacquered finishes, mother-of-pearl keys, and beautiful mechanics. Its looks alone will be enough to captivate any crowd but the Keilworth can also produce beautiful sounds. In the hands of a professional, Keilworth Tenor Saxophones are capable of creating magical music with warm, melodic tones. Often used for ballads and adagio solos with the symphonic band, Keilwerth tenors take smoothness to a new level.
Among the Keilwerth models present in the market today, the Keilwerth SX90R “Shadow” is best Professional Tenor Saxophone and is arguably the most impressive. It comes with an appealing look with a body that features a black nickel finish along with silver plated keys and black pearl key touches. What’s more, all three of the palm keys can be adjusted to fit the contours of anyone’s hands, large or small. The G# key also has an extremely convenient mechanism to mitigate it from sticking in your hands and has rolled tone holes.
Compared to other professionally built Saxophones sold in the market today, the SX90R is refreshingly not an attempt to replicate the legendary Mark VI. When it comes to sound quality, the Keilwerth Shadow is a cut above the rest and has a great look that is neither too bright nor particularly dark. It is a versatile Saxophone that is beloved by many of today’s greatest players. With its bigger body bow, players can produce more powerful blowing sounds and a more extensive dynamic range.
Yanagisawa T-9937 Tenor Saxophone
Yanagisawa and Vito create superb instruments to the two extremes of the tenor market. In the Yanagisawa line, the T9937 is a magnificent, remarkably crafted saxophone. Both ends of its octave key axis rotate in a receptacle that is especially coated to make sure that the operation is constantly seamless. The C# and Bb keys, meanwhile, feature a rocking table mechanism that paves the way for better speed and smoothness between both pitches. But not only are the C# and Bb keys integrated with the oscillating table mechanism, but they also follow the same motion.
The Tenor Saxophone follows an ergonomic design where everything is placed accordingly with the players convenience in mind. The user’s fingers will rest comfortably in the appropriate white shell keys, that are not only beautiful to the eyes but also help mitigate finger slippage during technical passages. Strong posts are integrated to a single metal rib which is soldered to the body of the instrument which gives the T-9937 enhanced durability that can last for many years of use.
The two thumb rests of the Saxophone are built from metal to complement its distinct style and finish and the right hand thumb hook is adjustable so the user can have a more personalized feel with the instrument. The pivot screws featured in the instrument carry a pointed end which helps maintain a perfect center and accurate action.
The saxophone’s pads are fully air-tight which facilitates in stability during plays. And because they are waterproof, they are better protected from the damage of corrosion and wear and tear. Its metal resonators, meanwhile, offer clarity to the sound effects of the instrument in all dynamic ranges and blue steel springs provide players with instant response. They are also much more durable and long lasting than stainless steel. All these features makes the Yanagisawa T-9937 Tenor Saxophone a great instrument for the most serious musician.
Selmer Tenor 74 Reference Saxophone
When musicians hear the name Selmer, quality, reliability, and excellent performance are often the words that would instantly come to their mind. These exquisite instruments are prized all over the world and their values increase through time making them highly sought after items by professionals and collectors alike.
Inspired by the iconic Mark VI model that was released in the market in 1954, the Selmer Tenor 74 Paris Reference Saxophone is a professional saxophone that combines the Mark VI’s legendary acoustic features with innovative modern key work and enhanced intonation. A beloved instrument among jazz saxophonists, the Selmer Tenor 74 provides players with a rich throaty sound that produces beautiful music even in the lower register.
Selmer 74 tenor saxophone’s key work is exceptionally fluid and responds well even to the most wicked licks. It also comes with its own shaped flight case, Selmer Paris Super Session mouthpiece, cap and ligature, and care products.
The sound that this magnificent saxophone produces is incredible. It doesn’t take a lot of wind to blow and the projection is amazing. And even if you blow your lungs out, the instrument still maintains a full, rich, and dark sound projection. It’s like a turbo charged Sports car- step on the pedal and it ignites with power. The Reference alto is also packed with all the versatility needed to bend and shape notes and plays dead on in tune.
Having a Selmer Tenor 74 Reference Saxophone by your side will surely not disappoint. In fact, anyone seeing you play with this remarkable saxophone will surely be blown away. It carries a legendary lineage of the best Saxophones ever built with advanced innovations that can create captivating music specially in the hands of a professional.
Yamaha YTS-82ZII Custom Z Tenor Saxophone
In the 10th anniversary of their introduction to the world, the Custom Z saxophones were revaluated from neck to bell by Yamaha’s designers and engineers in order to improve any flaws and create something even better if not perfect. Today, there the Custom Z models carry the perfect blend of expressiveness, response and control while staying true to their free-spirited origins. Since it was built in 2003, the level of technology, engineering, and overall features of the Custom Z series continue to improve to cater the needs of the most demanding musicians.
With the Custom Z’s constant innovation and improvement comes it’s greatest line yet in the Yamaha YTS-82ZII Custom Z Tenor Saxophone. YTS-82ZII now comes equipped with a one-piece bell that significantly enhances low end response and provides musicians with a more extensive palette of tonal color and expression. More elaborate with finer detail, its new and improved engraving design offers an appealing look that is sure to captivate.
The new 82ZII also comes with domed metal resonators that provide a remarkable response capable of producing a wider dynamic range. The entire range of the instrument has a more precise projection, providing seamless playability all around. It’s wide bore taper on the V1 neck, meanwhile, gives out a free-blowing feel to the player and the best possible flexibility there is. These effective blend of features allows the musician to experience the ultimate level of tonal expression.
Additionally, an enhanced mechanism from low B to C# guarantees the right seal for these notes, which promotes a more precise response throughout the low range of the instrument. A lighter thumb hook and thumb rest base design creates improved response and a more organized tone. An adjustable Front F mechanism gives the player the freedom and flexibility to look for the best level of resistance in the altissimo range. The Yamaha YTS-82ZII Custom Z Tenor Saxophone also has its own slim, lightweight cases, which offer superb protection and a shoulder strap for better comfort and convenience while playing.