Does anybody own one or played one?
How are they?

Do you mean Helmke alto saxophone reeds? I`ve never heard of a saxophone make called Helmke.

I read on another forum exactly what Helmke is...If youre interested, heres the link...
http://www.saxquest.com/forumThreadView.asp?ForumUID=6&ThreadUID=803
Hope this helps...

They are horrible saxophones....absolutely horrible....don`t get one....don`t buy any horn off of Ebay.

I just bought one so Ill let you know as soon as it arives... we will know soon enough

well, i hope there`s a return/refund policy from your buyer because in all brutal honesty, you`re better of using the money you spent on it to purchase a second hand bundy or yas-23. i understand, the saxes look really really good, especially the white one, but quality-wise, the definitely cannot be said. to each his own i guess.

Hemke - sax reeds, designed by Professor Hemke of U of Florida (or Wisconsin) ???
Helmke - a play on the name Hemke.

I would suggest, if you want a rock bottom price horn to get the one from http://www.kesslermusic.com Under $500 dollars. It`s a good horn (not superb or anything) but it won`t fall apart on you and should last a very long time. They also have a trial period.

You could get very lucky and get a descent Helmke horn, but more likely than not you won`t be so lucky. Keep in mind they now make horns in Taiwan (which are beginning to really show good quality), China (junk) and India (beyond junk).

Good luck with you new horn.

I should also mention, there are people that peruse forums and provide much more than glowing reviews of horns that they sell. Be careful, some may be legit but I`ve read many (even on this site) that are not legit.

Hi, I just bought an excellent Clarinet from www.hansonclarinets.co.uk and they do sax`s too. I have been playing for eight years now and this is the best I have come across and is cheaper than most of the more well-known brands.

It`s sad that so many people are real snobs about sax brands. The bottom line is a sax is like a car. Not everyone can drive or afford a ferrari. Helmke/Schill is a good product, but not a ferrari. People mock cars made in Korea - but have you ever driven one or seen what you get for the money? That`s how I think of Helmke. You have to play what YOU like, not what some snob tells you is good. Always check the return policy before you buy and you will be fine.

I am highly considering purchasing a new Helmke soprano sax. Are they a good saxophone company, and should i buy from them?

I`ve recently bought a Baritone/Tenor Tuba from Helmke/Schill and it`s very good. My band teacher says its a perfect instrument to start out on. Still, i`m not sure of their saxophones. My friend (also named Brian) got a Bb trumpet from them and he says it works well. Like it says on their Warranty card, the tone is not covered because the "tone" is all user preferences. Thats my advice. I`d buy it, and if you don`t like it, it proably has a defect and you can return it with its 1 year warranty. Good luck. Buying an instrument is always an important decision. God bless that you get a good instrument. Best wishes from God.

i play the yamaha yas 23 alto sax if you can get a alto sax do it.they are great to play