Beginner Alto Sax Buying Guide for School Band

This guide is part of our school band buying guide, which covers every beginner instrument. This page covers the alto sax in depth.

Why alto, not tenor or soprano

Saxophones come in several sizes. The three you'll see most are soprano (small and straight), alto (the one most people picture) and tenor (bigger, with a deeper voice).

Alto is the standard starting point, for two reasons. First, size. An alto weighs about 5 pounds; Thomann lists the popular Yamaha YAS-280 at 2.4 kg (5.2 lb). A tenor is bigger and heavier, with keys spread wider apart for small hands. Second, the music. Beginner band books come in alto, tenor and baritone sax editions, and directors put most beginners on alto.

Soprano is small, but it's the hard one. Its tiny mouthpiece needs precise lip control, and Sax School Online calls it a better sax to move to once the basics are solid.

The fingerings are the same across the saxophone family, so a student who wants a tenor later can switch without relearning. Sax School Online suggests some players are ready to move to tenor after about six months.

Weight and the neck strap

A saxophone hangs from a strap. The strap carries the weight; the hands only steer. That makes the strap a real part of the instrument, not an extra.

Adjust it so the mouthpiece comes straight to the mouth. D'Addario's guide says that, seated, the sax should rest at mid-thigh, with no head tilt needed.

For small children, consider a harness strap. It loops over both shoulders like a backpack instead of hanging from the neck. It spreads the weight across the chest, shoulders and back, not just the neck. If your fourth grader complains of a sore neck after practice, a harness is the fix.

"Student" vs "intermediate": what the words mean

Here's what the listing features mean, and whether they matter to a beginner.

• High F# key. An extra key for one very high note. Beginners won't need it for a year or two, but it's standard now: even Yamaha's student YAS-280 has one. Both of our altos have it too.
• Adjustable thumb rest. The small hook the right thumb sits under. An adjustable one can be moved to fit the hand, which helps small and growing hands. The Levante LV-AS4105 has one.
• Ribbed construction. The key posts are soldered to strips of metal (ribs) instead of straight onto the body. Music & Arts describes student saxes as usually non-ribbed and intermediate ones as usually ribbed. Ribs help the keys hold their adjustment longer. Nice to have, not needed in year one.
• Pad resonators. Small metal or plastic discs in the middle of each pad. They affect tone a little. The Levante uses leather pads with metal resonators.

What matters most for a beginner is simple: the pads seal, the keys spring back, and the sax gets a checkup about once a year.

Lacquer, nickel, black: does the finish matter?

Mostly no. The finish is a coating on the brass that protects it and sets the look. Gold lacquer is the classic. Nickel is silver-colored and a little tougher. Black lacquer is for style.

Players argue about whether finish changes tone. The saxophone writer Stephen Howard, who ran a repair workshop, looked at the question and concluded: "there is no significant difference though I remain open to persuasion." Let your child pick the look they love. The Levante is gold lacquer with an engraved bell, and it looks the part on stage.

Mouthpiece, ligature and reeds

The sound starts at the mouthpiece. The reed is a thin strip of cane that vibrates against it. The ligature is the metal or fabric band that clamps the reed on. The embouchure is how the lips shape around the mouthpiece.

Mouthpiece: the one in the box is fine to start; the Levante comes with a mouthpiece, ligature, cap and a reed. If the director asks for a specific mouthpiece later, add that. Yamaha's 4C is a common beginner choice.

Reeds: reeds are numbered by stiffness. Beginners should use a 2 or 2.5. Softer reeds respond more easily while the embouchure is still weak, as D'Addario's guide explains.

• What they cost: a box of 10 Rico alto reeds in strength 2.5 is $30.99 at Strait Music. That's the reed D'Addario sells for beginners.
• How long they last: Ensemble Performing Arts' rule of thumb is to replace a reed every 2 to 4 weeks. Chips and cracks end some sooner. Budget a box every few months.
• How to store them: in a reed guard, never left on the mouthpiece (D'Addario). A reed left clamped on warps.

We carry Rico's 3-pack of alto sax reeds in strength 2.5Sold out for $9.95. While it's out, any strength 2 or 2.5 alto reed from D'Addario/Rico, Vandoren or Juno does the job.

What should come in the case

A complete beginner alto kit has seven things: the sax, a case, a neck strap, a mouthpiece, a ligature, a mouthpiece cap and at least one reed. The Levante LV-AS4105 arrives with the sax, a soft case, the mouthpiece, ligature, cap and a reed. The one thing to add is a neck strap.

Then add three small things, whatever sax you choose:

• A box of reeds. One reed won't last the first month.
• A swab. A cloth on a weighted string that you pull through the body to dry it.
• Cork grease. A small tube for the neck cork, so the mouthpiece slides on without forcing. Lauren Cork Grease is $4.95.

A folding music stand ($29.95) for home practice helps posture more than parents expect.

Our alto saxophones compared

Our alto saxophones, side by side. Prices are our current prices. Details come from each listing and, for the Levante, from Stagg's own specifications.

What you get for the money

Name-brand student altos cost real money. The Yamaha YAS-280, the best-known student alto, sells for about $925 to $1,100 new. The Levante LV-AS4105 is $959.99 and brings features that parents notice: a hand-engraved bell, metal pad resonators, and an adjustable thumb rest.

Levante is Stagg's dedicated wind line, and the LV-AS4105 is an affordable way to put a brass alto with the high F# key in your child's hands. For more on choosing a budget-friendly instrument, see our guide How to Choose an Affordable Band Instrument That Plays Great.

Daily care and yearly service

Five minutes after each practice saves hundreds of dollars.

• Swab after every session. Pull the swab through the body and the neck. Second Wind Music, a repair shop, calls moisture "the number one cause of sticky pads."
• Don't leave a pad saver inside. A pad saver is a fluffy stick that sits in the body during storage. The same shop warns that pad savers trap moisture and make pads stick more. Swab instead.
• Grease the neck cork when the mouthpiece gets stiff. Never force it on.
• Take the reed off and put it in its guard.

What service costs: Horn Repair in Miami publishes its prices. A "play condition" service for an alto (oiling and adjusting) is $150. One new pad is $30. A full repad is $565, and a complete overhaul is $1,350. Saxquest lists a student alto overhaul at $995 with pads. Plan on a checkup about once a year; prices vary by area, and $150 is a fair guide. A repad or overhaul isn't a first-year cost if the sax is cared for.

Quick checks: is it playing well?

Every saxophone, at every price, benefits from a quick once-over when it arrives and every few months after. Here's what to look and listen for.

• Low notes speak easily. Play slowly down to the lowest note. If low notes need a blast of air, Music & Arts says that's "almost always" an air leak: a pad not sealing its hole. A quick adjustment fixes it.
• Pads open cleanly. A key that clings shut, then pops open with a click, usually means moisture. Swab more often.
• Keys spring back. Press and release every key. Each should return on its own and sit steady on its post.
• The neck cork is snug. The mouthpiece should slide on with a little cork grease and stay put.
• The neck is straight and dent-free. Store the sax in its case between practices so it stays that way.

Rent or buy?

Beacock Music's published price for alto sax rental is $29.99 to $55.99 a month. A nine-month school year at those prices is about $270 to $500, and two school years is about $540 to $1,000.

The Levante LV-AS4105 is $959.99, about what 17 to 32 months of rent would total. After that, the sax is yours. It can go to a younger sibling, stay home for summer practice, or come along when your child moves up to middle school band. If your child is excited about saxophone, owning one is often the better deal.

Five mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the director's list. Read it before you shop; it tells you what the class will use.
• Starting a small child on tenor. Wait until alto is going well.
• Reeds that are too hard. Stay at 2 or 2.5 for the first year unless the director says otherwise.
• Forgetting a neck strap. Check the box. The Levante doesn't include one.
• Skipping the swab. Moisture is the top cause of sticky pads. Dry it after every practice.

Common questions

Can my child start on tenor instead?

Only if the director asks. Tenor is heavier and has a wider hand stretch. Most kids start on alto and switch later if they want to.

How much should I spend on a first alto sax?

Name-brand student altos like the Yamaha YAS-280 typically run about $925 to $1,100. Our Levante LV-AS4105 is $959.99 and comes with a hand-engraved bell, adjustable thumb rest and metal pad resonators. Set aside about $50 more for a neck strap, reeds, a swab and cork grease.

Does the Levante come with a hard case?

It comes with a soft case. For extra protection on the bus, add the Stagg molded ABS alto sax case ($132.99).