The saxophone was invented in 1841 by Belgian Adolphe Sax, a Belgian-born instrument-maker, flautist, and clarinetist working in Paris. The saxophone is a complex instrument. It is a woodwind instrument, yet is made of brass, which means from a buyer's standpoint, you must be familiar with the design of the instrument and the materials used to make it.
It consists of an approximately conical tube of thin metal, most commonly brass and sometimes plated with silver, gold, and nickel, flared at the tip to form a bell.
At intervals along the tube are between 20 and 23 tone holes of varying size, including two very small 'speaker' holes to assist the playing of the upper register. These holes are covered by keys (also known as pad cups), containing soft leather pads, which are closed to produce an airtight seal; at rest some of the holes stand open and others are closed. The keys are controlled by buttons pressed by the fingers, while the right thumb sits under a thumb rest to help keep the saxophone balanced. It relies on a mouthpiece and single reed (just like a clarinet) to produce the vibration that becomes the saxophone's tone. Mouthpieces are a separate purchase and will be covered only briefly in this guide.
The rods of the saxophone are very important. They support and facilitate all of the movement associated with playing the instrument. If they are weak, your sax will not stand up to extended or rigorous playing. Also, weak rods are a sign of an inferior horn. Rods can sometimes be the only way to tell if that shiny new saxophone is made to last! On some horns, the rods will be silver while the body is a gold color (remember it is 99% sure that the finish is lacquer and NOT gold plating!) This is generally a sign that the horn is a student model. Another key element in any saxophone (especially used) is the pads. Pads cover the holes on the saxophone so different sounds can be produced. If pads do not completely cover the holes, the saxophone will not play properly and will be a great source of frustration for beginning and intermediate students. Even professional saxophonists must deal with this problem on a daily basis. Pads should be soft to the touch and completely cover the adjacent tone holes. Pads should be a light brown color and will commonly have metal or brass discs on them called resonators. These discs help reflect sound back into the horn to aid sound projection and increase overall volume.
Saxophones come in several types. The alto is curved in a backwards "J" shape. The soprano can come in straight or curved models. The tenor saxophone is slightly larger than the alto with a small bend in the neck. The baritone saxophone is the largest of the "regular" saxophone family. We recommend the jinyin 2000G to you. The jinyin 2000G is jinyin Sachs Group, set two decades of professional musical instruments woodwind manufacturing experience, with world-class virtuoso work together to develop from. Tube, the key sub-special copper imported musical instruments, accessories, imported needle spring from the USA, the Italian mattress, resulting in the source to ensure the stability of product performance, the new product design, workmanship, feeling comfortable, pitch, sound excellent. The jinyin 2000H Finish is Antique silver finish with an absolute texture. It is sold at a discounted price, $555.00 or much cheaper here in www.okinstruments.com. Of course, there are many other choice for you. You can choose one according to your needs.