YAMAHA vs JEAN PAUL vs AMAZON | Alto Saxophone - Entry Level Buyers Guide

[@jonnyquest1120]

Man I just scored a Jean Paul AS-400 on craigslist for $80. I was extremely stoked before I even knew how good of a horn it was. Let alone the value! This thing plays 10 times better than this hunk I found at a garage sale. It's given me the confidence to actually play again for the first time in 15 years. Big recommendation to Jean Paul here

[@sam-jams6689]

$80 is insane - I half thought you'd go on to say it's a nightmare! Glad it's working for you, what a deal

[@AnthonyRivera1]

I purchased a Jean-Paul for my son last year and i'm glad to see that we made a good choice in a starter alto sax.

[@davidendsley2391]

Agreement with you on the Jean Paul sax, really like the sound and the price is unbelievable for such a great sounding sax. Hands down the Jean Paul wins this.

[@xander321]

David Endsley I agree

[@snarkstudios1556]

Same it’s pretty dang good

[@vladimirlopez7840]

I own one and it is quite good for the price.

[@davidendsley2391]

Vladimir Lopez I also have one or mite I say I just got one and for the price it does it’s job without any complaints for me or those I play with best backup sax.

[@Looblu]

I bought it and compared it with a Yamaha yas24 and is not a winner. Jean Paul is better that most Chinese saxes but is not worth the price.

[@mtbird117]

I bought the Jean Paul AS-400 because of your review and it doesn't disappoint!!! I am a complete beginner and when I put it together and watched your videos on how to produce sound it automatically blew a perfect note. Very easy to put together. It comes with everything you need to get started. Thanks Jay for recommending this to me!!!

[@bettersax]

Great to hear this. I'm glad.

[@richardpatterson4312]

Wait... you have to put it together?

[@allegingpine5268]

@@richardpatterson4312the mouthpiece to neck, neck to body

[@Yardbird891]

I bought the Jean Paul AS-400 a few months ago so I didn't have to play my Selmer on parade marches and very happy with it. They say it's for beginners and intermediate players but it's built like a professional horn, it has almost the same feel as my Selmer reference 54. I took the horn to my local sax repair technician and he said he can service it when the time comes and he was impressed with it. I like how they payed extra attention to the details by installing metal resonators and blue steal springs giving me a better response. I've even played the Jean Paul in professional Jazz bands and it's held up and hasn't let me down or given me any issues. This is a perfect instrument for beginners and a perfect instrument for professionals that don't want to take their professional horns on a parade march where they might damage their professional horn. Highly recommend it!

[@chadhardman1270]

Hey Jay. Wanted to say that your videos have inspired me to blow the dust off my Tenor after 8 years of closet time. My kids were pretty stoked on the Imperial March tune I blasted out for them. Thanks for the content!

[@bettersax]

haha. great to hear this.

[@colerac]

I am always a huge fan of the Yamaha. I got a second hand one in 6th grade. That horn not only lasted through high school, but also survived one tour in Afghanistan back in 2003. I have a cannon ball now and wouldn’t go back, but always recommend them for beginners.

[@jornadmusic]

The timing of this was perfect. I was watching all three of your reviews on the saxes to decide which one to buy just a day ago, and this really did help. Thank you so much!

[@bettersax]

good I'm glad.

[@donlibes]

What did you decide to buy (and why)?

[@Soundwave1900]

I literally went on shopping to test all the saxes they sell in the music shops around my part of the sity that day (about 15 saxophones overall, sadly), and Jean Paul one was definitely the best i could find. Some for 1500 did sound worse than this one, only losing a little bit to $3000 ones. So, good timing for solidifying my decision.

[@sablezubshruz9811]

@@Soundwave1900 Oh, thank you, = really helps to make decision.

[@Soundwave1900]

@@sablezubshruz9811 No probs :) 1.5 years after and it still sounds great and plays easy, no complaints whatsoever.

[@yamiii]

I think Yamaha's are some of the best instruments you can buy, they're just safe, sturdy, easy to find parts, and usually hold up value

[@bettersax]

yes for sure.

[@vladimirlopez7840]

I agree with the quality of Yamaha however one small argument I make about resale value is that if I buy a Jean Paul for $500 then upgrade some time later I may sell it for $200 or so. If I buy a $2000 Yamaha yas26 and decide to upgrade some time down the road I may sell it for under $1,000 maybe $800. So where did I lose more money? And yes there are a ton of yas26’s for under 1,000dollars.

[@AsianNIGMA]

Vladimir Lopez then why’d you buy a $2000 yas26 if you can find plenty under $1000

[@boiiiitellyouwat9208]

Logan Graham stay woke my friend.

[@dustingoodwin284]

yeee

[@kierenmoore3236]

I'd love to see a similar video to this on entry level/student TENOR Saxophones, please ... ? :)

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

I agree!!

[@kaseyk6315]

Kieren Moore and bari too!!

[@thomassmith1507]

Kasey K Student level baris aren’t really a thing and it would be hard to find anything under $800-$1000 that won’t fall apart on you and be extremely leaky

[@Manstrual]

I would like to see that as well, however I've always seen people start on alto then switch to tenor. That type of video is pretty much already up tho, as he has posted cheap-ish tenors vs pro tenors.

[@zryech9625]

Me too😃

[@randypickering5793]

Just bought the Jean Paul alto a couple of weeks ago and it is a solid instrument with very good fit and finish. Agree with Jay that it is great value for the price.

[@bettersax]

Glad to hear it is serving you well.

[@rialgallagher]

Jay, as a result of your video a couple months ago I bought the Lade alto from Amazon (called Ammoon there) with overnight delivery because I had an alto gig in two nights and my Conn Naked Lady decided not to put out when I needed it. Needless to say I was nervous about this Chinese saxophone but it was the only thing I could do at the time.. it played quite well out of box, was very in tune and looked pretty darn good ( black lawyer with gold keys and rods). It saved my neck on the gig and no fellow player complained about the sound. I would recommend it if you are on a budget!

[@mr.squidward9936]

Black lawyer?

[@lealtosaxist1117]

@@mr.squidward9936 i think he meant lacquer

[@davidendsley2391]

Dang auto correct does that alot!!

[@nhathuy1004]

Are the quality and sound still good after 1 year? I want to buy an alto sax but have a low budget.

[@andreamartineau1197]

I used to play Alto saxophone in elementary school band but eventually quit because my teacher and I didn't vibe, and there were so few kids in my grade taking band that I was basically told I'd repeat the entire year that I had just learned--so I just quit. The saxophone was then used by my little brother, who eventually dropped band to play competitive highschool basketball. The saxophone is now back in my hands and with COVID-19 and basically being trapped inside soon because of Saskatchewan winters, I've decided to relearn. I've been playing through old band books and watching all of your videos, and it's been so nice to try and relearn. I know I need to get my instrument maintenanced (thanks to your other video!) but I wanted to say thanks for these videos! They're going to help me keep up a hobby that will hopefully keep me somewhat sane during this isolating pandemic winter, and I'm grateful for them!

[@paidtestimonial]

I played throughout middle school and into high school on rentals as I switched over the years between Alto, Tenor and eventually landed on Bari (all Yamaha's). Since I never bought a horn of my own, the joy of playing sax sort of fell by the wayside once I went off to college but the desire to get back to it hasn't ever strayed. Now that I'm graduated and a working adult fortunate enough to have a little money in my pocket, I felt it was time to check out the market. As a former Yamaha player, I'm still a little torn between the gold standard YAS-280 and the up-and-coming AS-400 - but I feel like for the value, the Jean-Paul just can't be beat. Being stuck at home in quarantine these days and without the luxury of being able to go to the local shop and test/play them before buying, these videos are more invaluable than ever in assisting folks like me in making an informed decision. Thank you so much, Jay! Hope you and yours are staying healthy and safe!

[@antoinepoitras67]

I have a Yamaha YAS 280... bought it used for 275$ Canadian 2 years ago and I haven’t got any problems.

[@paulst101]

Great vid. Have been using a cheap thomann sax and today bought a 2 year old YTS-275. Made in Japan, serviced a year ago with no issues, immaculate condition and €450. I'm stoked!!

[@bettersax]

Great deal you got, congrats.

[@imlacsina]

I use the Lade gloves for cleaning the sax, so it does have a use after all hahaha

[@greatsax3948]

I just got back into playin my sax after years and years of playing my drums. I played with a ton of Sax musicians and its true they all say. Its not just the sax, but the mouth piece and reed and embouchure. They ALL matter. But....if you get a middle of the road Alto or Tenor. You just can't go wrong with any Yamaha horns. They all play great and feel great. Easy action and smooth sound. Its the gold standard without getting crazy and paying HUGE bucks. Even a used older Yamaha's are really solid.

[@jennybeckett8573]

I have the alto and tenor Yamaha (280). They are both great. And as Jay said in a previous video. "Unless you are at a very high level, you won't ever need another saxophone. I think he's right.

[@bettersax]

for sure.

[@dme7689]

@@bettersax I'd be curious as to the difference between a beginner and an intermediate sax. I've been playing off and on for years, but sadly, I'm not sure I'm an intermediate. lol Great videos.... very helpful... thank you.

[@SepiksComposite]

I have my dads yamaha Yas 23 and it has been great for my first year of playing and has no problems so I recommend it

[@edkorte5012]

I like the Jean Paul. So much so that I bought one based on you inital "out of the box" appraisal. For the price I am very pleased with it. I also bought the Jean Paul Tenor. I purchased it to leave at church. I play sax at church every Sunday. I like both of the saxophones alot. I still play my Yamaha YTS 61 on gigs.

[@isaiahd9947]

Yeah I agree with this video especially on the Amazon sax part. My parents bought be a Mendini by Cecilio saxophone off of Amazon for Christmas last year. I would say that it is a great pick for a beginner in middle school of you are not sure if your kid will even stay in band. But as a saxophone for high school or college I wouldn't recommend it. It's great to get started on until you realize that the pads do not seal very well and that the instrument is susceptible to breaking. I have had my saxophone for about 8 months and within that time my instrument has had 4 things wrong with it. Out of the box the instrument had a thick layer of plastic on the octave pin that caused my octave hole on my neck to be open all the time. (Causing me to struggle a whole lot with low notes) Took me about 2 weeks to figure out. The pads aren't too good either. My bis pad is leaking and my octave hole is leaking. The corks also fall off sometimes but you can glue them back on I have a lot of play (is that how you spell it?) in my keys on the right hand Finally, yea I cannot get it fixed because the repairman does not have parts for mendini. So if you or someone you are buying the sax for is planning to play seriously for a while, get something better.

[@bussmigun83]

I've had my Mendini for four years. Only issue I had was with a part of the octave key cork that fell off.

[@jrinfo4917]

I can't believe how great each of the saxophones sounds in the hands of a genius professional! Thank you.

[@catharinebrider7501]

I have been playing my TENOR yamaha student model for over 30 years. It is all I have ever needed. Did 8th grade Trinity exam, jazz, rock, dixie, classical etc styles. I do agree it has a 'brighter' sound, and I have had a couple of professional musicians play it who said it plays as well as a pro model! My only issue at the moment with my instrument is low B and Bb can be difficult to squeeze out when playing softly (but this could be that it needs a little adjustment (it is overdue for some maintenance) or just me needing to do more practise in this register!). Glad to hear that Yamaha student is still up there!

[@fortuneinternationalsemina3461]

I just ordered a Yamaha Alto Sax and will begin lessons as early as January starting one day per week. Have always wanted to learn to play since the 6th grade. We were to poor to afford on back then. I am now about toretire from Active Duty Army and plan to study in depth Piano and Saxophone....Playing by ear or number system.

[@jimlamb4282]

I play tenor and bought the Jean Paul alto to double. It did not have a swab, but it was discounted and had a pro classical mpc included. About $450 w shipping. I love it and I am using it in a concert this week. Can’t wait for your tenor reviews. The JP alto plays in tune better than my Mark VI tenor!

[@bettersax]

Glad you're happy with it.

[@thesultrysax]

Jay I've been following your vids and lessons as a member since 2017. I appreciate your wisdom and I want to tell you that your vids are getting so much more detailed. Great editing and audio, it's clear that you take your time to make sure everything is up to par. Bug hi five buddy and thank you! 🎷Dave Wilson Sax

[@bettersax]

Thank you Dave. A lot of work goes into these, but as with playing saxophone, practice makes better...

[@bunky97]

I’m really grateful that we have Jean Paul nowadays. I played sax for around 8 years in school, and fell off for a couple years in college. I picked up a TS-400 for $700 when I decided to get back into it and I was blown away. I also bought a Otto Link mouthpiece off eBay for $100 and for under $850, it’s the best sounding sax I’ve ever played.

[@grantkoeller8911]

The best entry level sax is the Yamaha YAS-23 or it's stencil brother, the VITO made in Japan by Yamaha. Now the YAS-23 is called the Yamaha YAS-26, however the YAS-280 is almost intermediate.

[@gilsontopfstedt3554]

Yas 275 Yamaha was my first sax. And the newest Model 280 is the better sounding of the 3.

[@nhojcam]

Jean Paul sounds best and represents the best value of the 3 reviewed. I agree with the Jean Paul sound being a bit "darker" than the Yama, but I also prefer a darker image and lends better to jazz and rock. I think in time, with the right setup, the Jean Paul is the clear winner up to and including intermediate players. Then, it's a Selmer or a Yani, but at $4k+, that is a helluva leap for most of us.

[@MrGoalminded]

Man i love this man he is amazing in all sax reviews what more can we ask from this guy ahahaha love him big big big fan and hope to take lessons from this big guy soon :) Cheers From Montreal Canada

[@vlerherg2157]

I have a Jean Paul tenor sax, and it plays amazing

[@georgecastillo4436]

Just purchased the JP after seeing your review with my son. This will be his 1st instrument for middle school band. Thanks

[@martinwatkins1444]

Started out with a YAS 275 and loved it, but lucky enough to be able to upgrade to a Yani AW01 after a couple of years and WOW, what a difference in intonation and general ergonomic ease of playing! The Yamaha held its value really well though, so I got a great trade-in price for it.

[@bettersax]

Yanagiswas is the best for me too.

[@joshroten3997]

MyJP AS-400 arrives tomorrow. Can’t wait to get started!

[@zangsax]

As a repair person and player I recommend YAS 23 ‘s to beginners. I think they were made better in Japan. I was unimpressed with the new ones but Yamaha makesthe best student horns. ( I play my 774 flute over my Haynes and YSS 875 EX for classical and yani 901 sop over my vi for jazz). A yamaha horn is always worth fixing.and has good resale value if one upgrades or decides not to play..you do a great job Jay. I also recommend you..🎷😁

[@votaveri]

zangsax I agree, yas 21, 23, or 26 are all cheaper used options

[@hillyl2290]

As a former french horn player and also on a budget I bought the lade from Amazon and it should arrive within the next few days. If I had the choice I would have bought the Jean paul because it was a good middle of the road and middle budget instrument. But the blade had mostly good reviews, sounded well in your video and I loved the aesthetic of it. Invested in a different mouthpiece, reeds and some cork grease ha! Crossing my fingers it's a good product! Thank you for your videos!

[@Merpii362]

How did it turn out? how long did you keep it for

[@imlacsina]

I have the Lade / Ammoon for 2 months now, works for me as a student. Sound is focused, and haven't had falling corks so far. haha

[@bettersax]

Glad it's working well for you. take care of it and it will be fine.

[@googalar6922]

I was looking for some newbee stuff when I bumped into this video. I bought a Jean Paul AS-400 from their website last week! Jay. thanks for sharing stuff from your "shed". It's helped me alot. I'll be reaching out to you soon. Regards, Paul Freeman aka Googalar.

[@AntiViGames]

For the European demographic the Jean Paul AS-400 is around 750-800euro at this point in time while the Yamaha can be found for 975-1050euro. When the price difference is so low would your conclusion still be the same?

[@cyberspaceplayz3436]

I love the Yamaha Y 80 it’s like the best alto saxophone you could ever have

[@MIKEDUZZI420]

My principal instrument is tuba and I own a Miraphone. I play bass trombone in jazz band and bass guitar. I have always been interested in saxaphone and since i have 2 young sons now i bought a Mendini by Cecilio alto saxaphone. It was $220 at amazon. Never having played any other saxaphone I'm impressed that it looks and sounds very similar to a saxaphone. That's a little bit of a joke but just very impressed that someone is able to make and sell a new saxaphone that plays for a few hundred dollars. I would love to see you do a review on this model to see what you think. If this is good enough to learn to play on or if I should be looking to invest in one of these 3 horns your playing in this video.

[@thetankperryshow8751]

Recently knocked the dust off my Yamaha YTS 62 and then decided to expand my horizons and invest in an Alto sax. Being out of the market for a decade, the search proved ridiculous, my head was swimming in overwhelming confusion. After watching your video I decided on and purchased the JP USA AS-400 for $250. I am pretty excited, it arrives in a few days. Thanks!

[@windsurfer3329]

Thank you so much for producing all these videos for beginners. Without you, we would be lost :-))

[@maguslascivious4980]

I just bought the Yamaha for my daughter. She's 8th grade and I wanted her to have something that had some real world value. I can sacrifice a little here and there to make up for the difference in that and the JeanPaul that I was planning to buy.

[@richiethomas3628]

Yamaha had a more rich and fuller sound. The Lade had a more airy lighter sound and the Jean-Paul was in between. Although I do think you make them all sound great! I just started playing Tenor again after a 30 year hiatus, and I just ordered a Lade alto (broadening my range) from Amazon based on your review of that instrument. I am on an extremely low budget, so I greatly appreciate you reviewing these instruments.

[@NeverWolf]

I'm thinking of getting a Yamaha YAS 280 cause it just has a sort of no nonsense look and character to it. It's just here to be a saxophone. It seems to have a tone that's easy tip work with by swapping mouth pieces and such.

[@jrgenhernborg5624]

My bud got a 280 and he got a leak in the D key when e dropped it on the ground and it sounds terrible now! But here in Norway our marching bands own our instruments so we borrow and they dont wanna send it on overhaul i have a 275 and i love it!

[@ShaylaFrahm]

Love the videos! I played sax for a year then gave it up for guitar but I miss it so I'm researching to get back into it!

[@bettersax]

Thanks

[@bleujean357]

You’re such a great player you could make any saxophone sound great.

[@jimandrews846]

I played the YAS-280 for many years, and it was pretty easy to play though it really needed pads and/or adjustment to get the low notes out consistently. For a used horn that cost me $500 20 years ago, it suited me well until I upgraded to a YAS-62III.

[@florinneculai2552]

For me, a student saxophone is the one who everyone can buy it, it has to have a good built quality, to have a good balance in the octave registers! I'm also a teacher for saxophone and clarinet and i let my students to choose their sound ( like my teacher did with me), i just show them the path to develop their personal style of playing, and i'm insisting with the technique playing. In other words, for beginning, every saxophone is good for beginning. Not all of us have money to purchase a Yamaha for example, especially for complete beginner!

[@bettersax]

That's why the Jean Paul is such a great option.

[@MacNaughty]

I have the (S)Lade alto sax and it is better than expected. It will do me for now as I am only 3 months in ( at age 55 ) and this is a cheap and cheerful way to see if saxophone is for me. If I am still playing after 6-12 months then I will upgrade to a better quality/sounding sax.

[@bettersax]

Glad it’s been a good purchase for you.

[@ojaiallen8004]

Nice comparison Jay. The Yamaha is the big name. However, the Jean Paul wins in terms of price ratio to Yamaha with basically same quality. The Lade is representing itself well in third position for its price. I own and play a Lade (a blue one with gold keys) a few months now. I hope to get the Jean or Yamaha in your give away. Thanks

[@behavioralhealthconceptsin4682]

Very convincing argument for the Jean Paul AS-400. Please consider giving a review for the Yamaha YTS-62III

[@patrickmarino8601]

Jay I bought the jean paul 860 tenor sax as a practice horn. I'm amazed at how well it plays with only a few adjustments. I had to lower the right hand palm keys and reduce some spring tension in a few of the keys. Now it plays more in tune and the action is faster. I'm curious as to the difference between the pro model 860 and the400 model horns. Know one has made a comparison on utube yet that I know of. I also bought a 24ct. Gold plated neck for the horn and it really plays more open with more power and a rich core sound. The neck was only a little more than 400 dollars and also fits my yamaha 870 custom silver plated tenor that's 21 years old. That horn has an M1 neck that is really great. If you can compare the 400 to the 860 jean paul I believe alot of sax players would appreciate it. Thanks for all you do for us sax players. It's really appreciated. Take care.

[@rd40082]

I have the cheap saxophone and I had a problem to play the low C. One friend help me to fix it and now is sounding good. Thanks better sax for all your videos and material are really helpful I hope to advance a little in the instrument to pay for your specific courses.

[@robertastruck]

I have a Yamaha tenor, YTS62, that I love so I would be inclined to pick the Yahama alto. I also liked the sound in your video, but to be honest, I think it is the player that makes the sound. I think you could make anything sound good:) Better sound is what I’m always striving for no matter what I’m playing. Having said that I would also like to see a video like this comparing tenors.

[@kv2onblitz709]

The Yas 280 is literally perfect and I love it

[@Timelesshero1711]

Best sax content on youtube, Jay, many would love it, myself included, if you made one of this for tenor sax. Thanks for the awesome videos!

[@bettersax]

Coming soon!

[@Gryfang451]

Got the Jean Paul AS-400 in today. After 30 years of not playing, then playing a clarinet for a week or two... After 30 minutes I was able to belt out summertime and a few other tunes. I won't say they sounded great - embouchure, but they sounded... Again, thanks for reviewing this sax and comparing it to some others!!! Made my choice easy!

[@davewoode3209]

new player and bought yas62 wanted a sax with no problems and good resale if i don't continue i find it easy to play and willl be good for me for many years

[@mikesmusiclessonsllc]

Great video man. In the market for a new sax, but not looking to throw down thousands.

[@johncroaker9973]

I always find your views insightful Jay. Thank you. I don't play myself but I find your channel invaluable for research purposes in outfitting and encouraging my young son who's showing promise of being a very talented saxophonist. He's got an AW01 for his main instrument but I want a less valuable horn for band use and as his instrument is often left unattended, at risk of loss or damage, at school. I now have no doubt that the Jean Paul AS-400 is the right choice for the purpose. Thanks again.

[@Salty24]

I recently purchased the YAS 280 and I’m very happy with it. Aesthetically, I wish it had the teardrop front Altissimo key and the standard cages at the bottom. It does however play very well in tune and is very easy to play. Overall, I am quite satisfied.

[@kaseyk6315]

Can you please make more bari content? I love your videos and knowledge!

[@bettersax]

More bari content will be coming for sure.

[@mandywilson1963]

Thankyou for the help it came in the nick of time. Still have my Yamaha YTS 280, which i bought for £500 42 years ago. Hired a few of the cheaper varieties before buying it and it was as smooth as silk in comparison .Being a huge fan of Lester Young i Know what you mean by the brightness. But now i'm hoping to buy an Alto with very little money so i can have something to practice on and stay sane whilst having to stay at my mothers. So once again thanks for the help.

[@atillaozcan6680]

Hi, i've bought the YTS-280. As a bigginer a can't really compare with orther sax but i love how my yamaha plays and i love the sound. :)

[@rahulbhatt3431]

Best Saxophone channel on KZbin! Love Better Sax!

[@ThomasGoedecke]

I ordered both the AS-400 and the TS-400 tenors as my jazz band rental instruments. They all come with exactly the accessories they needed to open up the case and go, but on one of the altos the neck screw just snapped. I wasn't even cranking it but the metal was so soft that it failed pretty easily. It was an easy fix (my tech didn't even charge me), but still an annoyance and something to consider when buying Chinese instruments with softer metals for the smaller parts.

[@ghandig7497]

I think you've just convinced me for the JP TS 400

[@roylifelog]

I don’t know why I can come into.... But ... After I fall in love with ‘Better Sax’. Love you ! -Roy From Seoul Korea-

[@geocubano]

Jeeez back when I started on SAX 38 yrs ago I was given a 1957 Kholert Alto which I still have and use! I never used a student Sax ( at the time Bundy, Conn & Yamaha were the beginners Sax's)

[@keithonhoopmusic]

The Yamaha sounds the best in my opinion

[@mrpug999]

I think if you have Yamaha players in mind (let's say, Mindi Abair (YAS-82z) or Dave Koz (YAS-62S) I think this horn probably sounds very pleasing. The notes sound like they comes out so effortlessly - all with fast attacks on the notes. It's smooth and light and sounds like it begs to play fast passages. On the Jean Paul, he seems to feel a wee bit of resistance, which enables him to add a little more expression - he can push or pull back his air to shape the attack of his notes and makes it sounds like he's "speaking" his phrases. The Lade/Ammoon horn sounds a bit rougher than both. It doesn't seem to sing as sweetly. But he plays very well. If you didn't have an A/B/C test right after each other, you wouldn't have minded or even noticed something different or lacking. If he did a few more takes on each, he could modify his playing on the Yamaha (hold back his breath a little) to sound more similar to his sound on the Jean Paul and vice versa (on the JP, blow a little harder/put more air in the horn), but this test gave a good sense of the innate differences of the horns.

[@cesarramonsanchezmejia4926]

Hi men I'm fron Nicaragua I'm a bass player and i love your vídeos continiu like that Good bless you god content

[@smoke09able]

Great review and evaluation on the three Altos Jay!

[@bettersax]

thanks Rick

[@tomgarney7700]

I bought the Jean Paul. It was the right choice for sure. Thanks

[@candidlearner3191]

A Yamaha was my first horn, and it held up beautifully, out of the box most of these will be ok, but what really shows is the test of time, and my yamaha held up against the harsh conditions that are the hands of a 5th through 8th grader (10 to 14 years old) who didn’t take care of it all too well.

[@RickGrimes..]

I have the Jean Paul almost a year and it’s been amazing I love it. Want to get a new mouthpiece but everything is so expensive for me right now.

[@anttoekneeoreo9586]

Thanks for this valuable information. I was awake last night thinking on which saxophone to buy as my first saxophone.

[@bettersax]

haha, good timing.

[@heystevo82]

I bought a Glory alto sax recently from Amazon, for around $350 Australian dollars and it has been great for a beginner like myself. I wouldn't have been brave enough to buy a cheap Chinese saxophone online if it weren't for these reviews, so thank you.

[@erickruse4679]

I rarely see Buffet reviewed. I've always had Buffet horns with good results. I currently have a tenor 400 which is immaculate and was set up right, out of the box. Pretty good by my standards, and I picked it up at a very steep discount.

[@noahnicanor5013]

I had to sell my Yamaha few years ago because of financial situations. Recently I got the Lade/Ammoon. Out of the box the keys were a little stiff, but it loosing up with some wiggling. The lower notes are playable if I tightly squeeze the keys. I would say it is good for the price, good for a hobbyist like myself. It is good for most jazz songs, long you dont play the lower note.

[@overthetarget9401]

When I got mine the Low C and D# key were slightly misaligned and every note below C was stuffy and didn't play well. Bent the two keys so they would close properly (all other keys were fine) and voila easy speaking and great sounding low notes. If you can't do it yourself take it to a tech, he'll sort it out in a minute.

[@markhancock8045]

Another great video. I like your reasoning. I think I'd go for the Jean Paul.

[@bettersax]

thanks

[@madzr4800]

Mark Hancock agree! I actually own the jean Paul alto saxophone and I think it is a wonderful saxophone

[@metalhd7277]

I’ve had the YAS-280 since 8th grade and it’s been nothing but amazing. Years later it still sounds great and I’ve never had any problems with it

[@jaxw2628]

I have the Jean Paul Alto, and I think it's good for it's price and I'd recommend it.

[@Manstrual]

The yamaha has a bright tone, and how you are playing it seems like it suits your play style. When I first saw the lade sax video I was blown away, yet comparing the three it doesn't blow me away as much. You get what you pay for I guess! I've always liked yamaha so sorry if I sound biased :)

[@arthurschwieger82]

Thank you for the reviews. I am surprised you didn't give the Lade 3 starts for accessories because it did have gloves! ;-) At the price of the Jean Paul, you could buy that for about what it would cost to rent a sax for the full school year. That wasn't an option back in the day. I did get my first sax for $100 (used). It was a 1928, brushed silver Conn. It was a nice horn and I played it for years. The only reason I don't have it is I got a Selmer Series II Paris and I sold the Conn back to the person from which I had purchased it all those years ago (and for only $100).

[@lukalazarevic4837]

I am a long time clarinetist and I thought to give a sax a go so in the summer time I bought myself a Yamaha Yas-480, which my teacher recomended. 480 is probobly the best saxophone if you switch from clarinet since it falls in cathegory of intermediate saxes

[@chriscuoco3494]

#1 the Yamaha. It had more clarity in the high register with notes having more depth, or richness and resonance. The Jean-Paul is next though very close to the Yamaha. There didn't seem to be quite as much richness to the tone. The Lade sounded very thin and constricted in all registers especially above the break.

[@stephenulrich402]

I prefer a warm, mellow tone and it's always been interesting to me what people think is the best sound for an alto. I have always hated Yamaha's and they just sound too bright to me. This model is no exception. That being said, I prefer the sound of the Lade. To each his own. Thanks so much for the killer reviews!

[@cchino_Sax]

I own the cheapest of the 3 Had it for almost a year and it still plays perfectly just as it did when i got it. Played 100% right out of the box

[@rd40082]

I also have the cheap one and I am in the first stages of learning but I think it sounds good.

[@elbotysax]

Jay I will have to go with the Yamaha not only because I play with them but for consistency, durability and return value. Yes they are quite bright, that can easily be fix with a good mouthpiece reed set up.

[@connerruch2203]

I have the tenor jean Paul and I love it

[@rodrigoyanez1100]

Hehe nice, now i just need to get gud to really need a decent sax, i bought a chinese "Mendini" sax cuz i'm a 27 year old software engineer who wanted to go back to music as a hobbie and im already learning to play the sax, (i used to play some other instruments), and so far my god i love this instrument sooo soo much, more than i expected, if u have your doubts about learn to play sax, seriously just do it, also the videos of this channel are soo beginner friendly and well explained, thank u a lot!

[@rodrigoyanez1100]

Something would be great for these videos would be a low background soft jazz base!!!!!!! I'm listening "Almost like being in love - Red Garland" and it makes a really nice warm athmosphere!

[@daviddoyle1017]

The Jean Paul sounds a good bit warmer. Lovely tone and warmth. Thinking about starting again after watching this.

[@geoffparker3907]

I bought my first alto sax second hand for £200. I had the opportunity to trade that in at my local music shop and buy a Yamaha YAS 280 for the other sax plus £400. The Yamaha breathes a lot easier than the previous one and the top and bottom notes were easier to produce. The only issue I have had with the Yamaha was getting my little finger onto the D# and C keys. I solved this by filing out the slot on the thumb hook until my little finger rested naturally on the D# and C keys. I upgraded the mouthpiece to the Yamaha 6CM, which I found breathed easier than the Yamaha 4C that came with it. I have subsequently upgraded to a custom SYOS mouthpiece, which has given me a mellower sound, similar to the P. Mauriat Grand Dream. The Yamaha is a lovely versatile sax that will see me through my musical career for the foreseeable future.

[@gpedals1]

Jean Paul was my favorite tone -- more warmth IMO

[@bettersax]

Yeah, it is a bit warmer but with less power.

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Was my favorite as well that’s why I bought it.

[@MICHELANGELOMURPHY]

I AM PLAYING A SLADE ALTO SAXOPHONE. IT IS SIMPLY WONDERFUL!!! THE INCLUDED MOUTHPIECE IS SO GOOD, IT IS NOW MY VERY FAVORITE MOURHPIECE. EVEN THE REED IS EXCEPTIONAL!!! EVERYTHING FLOWS EASILY WHEN PLAYING THIS COMBINATION. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES SEEM FAR OVERPRICED CONSIDERING THE MANUFACTURING COSTS.