Are you looking to purchase a student saxophone? Choosing an instrument to spend your money on can be a daunting task, especially if you are unfamiliar with the makes and models.
Whether you have a small or large budget, there is a student saxophone for everyone, and our range of payment options can also help with your purchase.
As the majority of people will start playing on either an Alto or Tenor saxophone, as they are quite manageable in terms of size and playability, these are the models that I will focus on in this particular blog.
Elkhart 100 Series Alto/Tenor
Price (January 2017) :- Alto £299.68; Tenor £468.29
A well-established entry-level instrument brand, Elkhart have been producing student saxophones for “beginners” for a few years now. Their
Alto and
Tenor saxes are best for players from beginner up to about grade 3/4 level. They are also great for the budget conscious players who may not be able to invest a larger amount in their instrument. Even though this is the most inexpensive saxophone we sell, you still get a good quality, robust instrument and a nice sound.
Sonata Student Alto
Price (January 2017) :- £300.00
Much like Elkhart, our exclusive brand of student instruments Sonata offers good quality at affordable prices. Again we usually recommend that this
Alto saxophone is suitable for players up to about grade 4 standard. It’s lightweight but sturdy design makes this saxophone ideal for younger players, who can sometimes struggle with the weight of a saxophone. Its good quality sound is encouraging for beginners.
Jupiter JAS-500-Q/JTS-500-Q
Price (January 2017) :- Alto £692.82; Tenor £929.03
Jupiter as a brand sits comfortably in the mid-range of student instruments. Jupiter’s
Alto and
Tenor saxophones should take a player to around grade 5/6 before you may feel the need for an upgrade. The quality craftsmanship of these saxophones contributes to their durability and polished sound, which is appreciated by many players and teachers. These saxophones would be a good choice for someone who has possibly rented for a while so has some playing experience, and is looking for their first purchase.
Yamaha YAS280/YTS280
Price (January 2017) :- Alto £835.00; Tenor £1183.00
At the upper end of the student saxophones we have on offer at Normans is the Yamaha 280 range. The
Alto and
Tenor saxophones are the most expensive in the student range, but definitely worth the investment. These instruments should take a player comfortably to grade 6, but often players will keep their 280 right up until grade 8. A good mouthpiece and reeds can help this. A Yamaha saxophone may seem like a huge investment initially, but they often last many more years than their counterparts. The build quality of Yamaha’s student instruments is excellent and the quality of sound and longevity of their instruments reflects this, making it a favourite amongst teachers.
Yamaha YAS480/YTS480
Price (January 2017) :- Alto £1492.00; Tenor £1918.00
The final saxophones I wanted to mention in this blog are Yamaha’s 480
Alto and
Tenor. The 480's are not technically student instruments, but advertised by Yamaha as an intermediate range. These “step-up instruments” have a more refined, authoritative sound than the student saxophones. They are a great choice for players between grades 4 to 8, or a keen hobbyist. With a bit more resistance than the student models, this saxophone will help a player to develop their sound and technique. Again the build quality of the 480 range is exceptional, and you really get what you pay for.
If you would be more interested in the professional range of saxophones stocked at Normans, then please follow this link to read our other blog.
Payment Options
At Normans we are pleased to offer a range of ways to purchase your saxophone, whether you want to pay upfront, or in monthly instalments.
We offer many ways to pay securely at checkout including; debit/credit card, PayPal and Amazon Pay.
We also offer 0% interest free finance for any instruments over £450, or low interest rates for instruments under this value. You can read more about our finance provider
Divido here.
Finally, if you would prefer to rent a saxophone to see how the player gets on initially, we offer the Sonata and Elkhart Alto Saxophones as part of our rental scheme. Full information and application for our rental scheme
can be found here.
If you would like more information, or discuss purchasing a saxophone further then please contact our sales team on 01283 535333 (option 1), or by email
sales@normans.co.uk
