Fortunately, I already have a tenor. But I bought a Lade Alto after seeing your review and I can confirm that it was a great buy. Thanks for your reviews
Any chance you have an update on the alto after 6months of regular use? How's it holding up mechanically, visually, tone-wise? I had to give back my borrowed P. Mauriat alto, and im a broke college kid who just needs some jazz.
Chatie 24 the instrument didn’t really have any defining depth. It was very boring. When you hear ｉｃｏｎｉｃ selmers, you are easily entertained by its depth. The sax was bland, not smooth, and abrupt, overall. Check out a selmer’s Autumn Leaves cover. But that saxophone would be GREAT for beginners. Obviously, i am a saxophonist, so I can easily tell the quality of saxes.
@@bettersax Years ago, a salesman told me, the gloves are for testing in the store, for keeping the horn clean if you didn't decide to buy it. For me ti have some sense. Greetings from Colombia!
@@corbinweibley3316 Even so, there is a lot of demand for that horn. Even the normally fairly competitive names like Yamaha are just ridiculously expensive - take a look at some price lists for Buescher and Conn back in the day and compare baris to the other voices, and you'll realize just how overpriced modern baris are in comparison to their counterparts from the Jazz Age.
Honestly as a Tenor and Bari player I can say that cheap saxes don’t sound bad, might need to replace some parts here and there but they sound good to me
Derek Dean I’m glad you said that. I’m wanting to get a tenor saxophone but I can’t afford to get the professional $1000+ and I plan on ordering one off of Amazon.
I completely understand your breath of relief after blowing the low notes smooth I played a bad tenor for about 2 years, and at a jazz convention i got to try out saxophones, and i played a nice tenor, and blew the low notes at a volume below forte, and it felt amazing
The first one was alright, it had a great sound that had a more classical sound. But the yanigasowa had a much warmer sound and had a cool old school sound that made it sound much more like a traditional jazzy sax. The second one also had a brighter sound.
I watched your video on the amazon alto sax and was amazed at the quality and the sound. In anticipation I watched this video on the amazon tenor sax and was not amazed by the instrument. As far as sound and playability, the pro tenor sax sounded much better and the pro appeared to play a lot easier. Thanks for the video Jay!
I played tenor and I loved it. I had to pay my auto insurance and had to sell it. It was a Yamaha intermediate tenor that I bought for $1,700.00. It served me better than the Bundy 2s that I had bought for $600.00. I started out playing an old Martin alto sax bought at a pawn shop to get started. It wasn’t until later that I had a horn that was lacquered from a silver horn to a darker lacquer one. It will take some time, but I will hold out for a professional horn.
I got one too after seeing your review and got extra warranty off eBay. I had an issue with neck register key. Bended it back to position similar to what you did. Also had simple issue with g sharp key and got spring back in place. After that it plays pretty well. It’s an extra sax to stay at my fathers, jam with him and not constantly pack a sax for travel.
I know this is the tenor test but years ago I bought a used Conn student eb Alto horn for 100 bucks, and taught myself how to re-pad it and play it. It was loads of fun, and fine to learn on. So perhaps looking for a good used one might be a better intro plan.
The Yanagisawa horn has a brighter and fuller sound. Lade turned out to be somewhat decent and MAY suffice for a beginner who's parent's are on a limited budget. So, they need to keep in mind the 'caveat' principle. Buyers: be prepared to spend additional money for any potential repairs, a better case, and that they should know where they can have their new horn serviced as I'm assuming the Lade doesn't come with a very good warranty, if it does at all. My general consensus is to save a bit and then purchase a more quality horn. My experience has been that beginners practice better and more often with a good sounding horn. Thx Jay. As always, your videos are instructive and educational. Keep up the good work.
I mean, yeah it is more professional to do that. Setting it down with keys in the air actually leaves your palm D pushed down by the weight of the sax against the floor. Depending on your saxophone, the key guards for Low C down to Bb should protect the rest of the keys as well setting it keys down at the expense of chipping off some lacquer, if it's a hard surface.
Hey, first I would like to say that it was an awesome video. I am a tenor player myself and decided to try the Lade tenor, but had much more satisfaction than you did (wasn't broken, no leaks). Maybe have a part two with a different saxophone?
The sound of the lade (because of the slight leak, paired with a professional player) was kind of smokey sound that I personally think could sound decent on some solid ballad playing, but I'm sure you can get that sound on the pro quite easily
I appreciate someone taking the time and money to review three student level saxes. Decades ago I learned on a Saxophone purchased from a Distributer in NYC, a Pierret Oxford which was manufactured in Paris. Even though the Sax appeared to me to have connections to Selmar Paris, it doesn't get good reviews either. I'm now much more content with a popular Japanese professional sax which I like to depend on.
In this case, the Yani is definitely better! I could definitely (not) hear those low notes on the Lade. When you transitioned to the Yani, it seemed as if it was night and day. Normally, the difference isn't that easy to spot.
As I previously commented, after your "Cheapest Sax on Amazon VS My Professional Alto Saxophone" video, I bought the alto sax and I'm very satisfied. I can confirm everything you said in your review. Well, in order to improve the sound, I now bought a new embouchure, which I found second hand at a good price. It is a Berg Larsen 95/2 SMS. Surprisingly, it doesn't fit into the chiver. I measured the chiver diameter, which is 15mm, becoming 16.5mm considering the cork. The internal diameter of the mouthpiece is exactly 15mm, so, no way to fit it into the chiver .... Considering that they are both 15mm, even replacing the cork with a thinner one, won't fix the issue . Do you experienced the same on the sax you tested? What is supposted to be the right diameter of the final part of the alto sax chiver? I'm afraid the only solution is to widen the inside diameter of the mouthpiece in some way, maybe with a lathe, do you have any suggestion? By the way, in the meantime I'm happily following your "Play Sax By Ear" course with my tenor sax, thanks again for your great videos! Filippo, Rome (Italy)
I didn’t realise you already had done this, serves me right for watching old content. This was great to watch. Now I’m going to scroll the rest of your videos before I ask for anything 😊. Thank you!
Even the "cheap" one is something that is waayy beyond what I can afford. The one I use is locally made here in India and it costs about 15,000 rupees (about 200 USD). And even that "cheap" one would be a major upgrade for me, so from my point of view whenever I see a musician complaining about their instrument, all I can think of is "stop makin excuses, if you really wanna play, you can play on anything"
Reminds me of when I upgraded to a pro tenor. I bought a P. Mariuat... Something about that horn made me fall in love with it. A pro horn doesn't necessarily make you a better player but it definitely allows you the ease of accessing what you know how to do so well... the expression and flexibility you have on a nice instrument is worth the investment... Especially if you play it for decades. Better investment then a car tbh... especially if you can make a few bucks with it.
I am curious to learn how the replacement sax performs. I can appreciate the optimism you expressed in detailing a list of "do's & don'ts" for the manufacturer to consider before shipping their packaged products (free of cost). Nice!
Hey there Bettersax hope you see my question, Would you prefer these cheap horns over a student horn like a Yamaha Yts 21, Conn, Selmer Bundy ETC. (new or used) considering they are some what at the same price?
Greetings from Mexico city. Great videos!!! After watching your alto review, decided to buy a Lade sax. It is a good buy considering the price. Good for students and begginers like my self. My review: Its just like cheap cars, Dont expect air bags or leather seats, still it will take from point a to b.
The Yanagisawa definitely sounded better, a fuller sound! I agree with many of the other comments that said to get a used horn that is from a more reputable company. As an aside, I had the auto translate on and had to laugh at what system translated “Yanagisawa” to, LOL.
Thanks for doing these reviews. I may begin telling select students that an Alto from Amazon might be worth considering. Since you emphasized the poor quality of the case and the importance of a good quality case it begs the request for a review on after market cases. ProTech, Gator, BAM, Hiscox etc.
What are your opinions on other super cheap saxes compared to the Lade? Do they all have similar quality/issues or are there variations between these? Loving the videos btw!
I bought a used Schiller T. Sax for $108.00. Put another $125.00 into it to put it into playing shape (obvious lower Bb, B pad adjustment, and other old pad replacement and adjustments was necessary), now I have a decent sax to work with.
I think the cheap tenor sounded unsupported because of leaks I think it might just be a small inconvenience to beginners so they definitely could try it out imo
Thanks for sharing Jay. Interesting point about the case, that makes sense that could cause a lot of problems. I have only gotten one saxophone in the mail. Figured it was a gamble. But it was also an older saxophone. The Conn soprano I have from 1929. It could basically play when I got it, but improved quite a bit with some replaced pads. I did a few minor repairs myself. Could also be good to consider whether you can carry the case on a flight if you're interested in doing that. For soprano/alto you can probably carry most on board. But with tenor, it's basically at the edge where a more contoured case will get you less looks/inquiries. But if you're going to check, it had better be extremely secure.
I have experience repairing instruments so I ordered an Etude Alto with minor problems. The F# side key had some material stuck in the pivot. A couple of tone holes were not flat. The articulation arm with the adjusting screws needed resetting. The pads were sticky and have been hard to clean using all known methods. The case was marginal. Worked for me because I have time and a cheap horn for $150. Would be a poor investment for most people. I believe it came from the factory in unplayable condition. It was returned and auctioned off. Yes, the keys can be bent without breaking. I agree with you. Buy a horn that you know plays already and has a warranty rather than take a chance with cheap mail order horns if you can't fix them yourself. My guess is that most of the China saxes are made in the same factory, then they are finished elsewhere depending upon the brand. DHGate sends really cheap, poorly made, counterfeit instruments that don't look anything like the real thing.
Sounds like there are some leaks issues, shouldn't be a problem to set it up. The only turn down is that if I would get one of those with those falling parts, I'd have to take it to a technician and spend the money I saved when buying it...
I bought a YTS 280 brand new from the dealer and I left it with my luthier for changing 5 pads for Pisoni ones. It's hard to play the low notes. I paid 1500 euros for it. My Thomann Antique costs me 519 euros an year ago and is better then the Yamaha. No problems. Playing 4 hours every day and outside shows. It's a matter of luck I think.
Just getting back into the sax after many years. Bought a new tenor from Amazon for $300 before discovering your channel. I can’t tell if it’s defective or if my lip is REALLY out of shape.
So, the lesson I learned here is maybe it's a good idea to spend at least 500 on a tenor saxophone. I just checked on Amazon and saw that they have Allora brand student horns for $525. That's at least a name I recognize and even considered when I was shopping for a pro alto earlier this year. I really appreciate these videos. I guess all that's left is the amazingly cheap bari saxes on ebay. $1600 for a bari. They look nice in the pictures and it would be super tempting to buy one if I have that much laying around some day.
Had a customer with the soprano... Based on your review, I offered to do a complete rebuild. There were tons of manufacturing defects to correct... not an easy job, but when I was done, the thing played great and had a very nice tone... after it was all said and done, the guy had a great instrument for under $2000. Worth it? Maybe.
"It's "Slade" not "Lade" :-) PS- the gloves? When I was in college, I developed a sensitivity to nickle and brass on my hands, and had to wear gloves to prevent my hands from swelling up and cracking painfully. After a couple years, I thankfully got over it.
It makes sense that a bigger instrument would be subject to greater forces during shipping and have more damage. But I imagine that the smallest instrument would be subject to being tossed around more. I would place my bet on the alto coming through the best.
One thing you have to take into consideration, most people won’t have the expertise to reassemble the instrument, And will end up sending it back or bringing it to a repair shop which will cost a chunk. I have a king super 20 tenor sex my mother bought for me back in the late 70s beautiful instrument I quit playing after high school and that instrument has been sitting untouched for over 40 years I’m wondering if the pads can survive that long let me know what you think.
Unlike the sound comparisons between Yana and budget alto and soprano saxophones, in this video the difference in sound is quite noticeable: Lade is better! (kidding, Yana is the deepest, warmest sound). Great video, Jay.
I started alto a year ago but really glad I watched your Jean Paul As400 video. It’s been a great instrument! Even though you got lucky with the real cheap alto sax it might almost be better for someone to rent a good sax from a local music store while saving instead of go in at that low of a price point....or maybe a payment plan
A very useful video, and professionally made both technically and content wise. I miss the Conn-Selmer Prelude TS711 (tenor), 1299.- USD at Amazon. I have one of these and also a Selmer Mark VI. I can't tell the difference.
Been playing Yani's for forty year's, and there is no comparison. Typically, these junkers, like the one you bought off Amazon are for beginning students. However, for that sax to arrive all banged-up like that would really be upsetting to a young student eagerly awaiting their first sax? Yanagisawa also makes great mouthpieces, and each beginner must start off with a good mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is as important as the make of the sax. Getting back to the Yani's Having played the Selmer Paris side by side to the Yanagisawa--Honestly, they're very close, but the Yanagisawa takes first. For me, anyway... I just subscribed, and looking forward to new posts.
guess what I was getting to get an alto sax but the people miss advertised it and instead of it being alto it was tenor so yeah and it had a book and a box for reeds but with no reeds in it it has a backpack straps with no straps
This honestly the first time I can HEAR a difference. It honestly sounds like he is recording the cheaper one with a 20's microphone when it was the ssme mic. So I think it sounds a little bit too spitty/raspy compared the professional model.
JM - Tone was good, intonation sounded good, too. If playability, per your comments, was a bit inferior, and with the mechanical issues after shipping, I wouldn't risk this one, either. Thanks for sharing this info with sax fans.
wow, i never even considered how good my case was,(or not). I've got a nice Yanagisawa tenor wich came with a Yani case, but I use my old case (Gulf) because it has better outside pockets that can hold a full band folder. It seems snug in there, but I never really paid attention to how good the fit is. I'm gonna give it a shake right now!. So, who knew? Cheap cases are a bad idea. Great tip! In addition to this, i really gotta say what a great service you are providing by testing these really inexpensive horns. We've all been tempted to buy these. Since you've had a lot of luck with Alto and soprano, I've decided to take a chance and buy a $100 (CDN$) flute from amazon. It's a flute, what could they get wrong on that. I hope the gloves are nice though. That's kind of a deal breaker. :P
The difference in sound between the cheap tenor and the Yani is way more obvious than the soprano and alto....and anyway your facial expression during the play test told everything! Ah, ah, I spent a good moment.
I bought the Lade alto sax and the octave key had broken off. A bit of glue and it's been fine since but .... yeah. Still happy with it! As a beginner, I just wanted something that would play decently enough. So thanks again for the video, Jay!
@@bettersax You know, it's just another instance of REALLY helping me appreciate how incredibly clarinets/saxes are made and how hard they are to maintain and repair. And it was satisfying that my fix worked and has continued to stay on (knock on wood). But yeah, wasn't a great beginning for Lade on that one....
I now have an Selmer alto; played a Selmer tenor and Selmer flute in college (early 1970's), and grew up with a Martin alto; I still love the Martin, but the Selmer suits me fine for now (I'm and old dude, been playing since 1962; yet, I'm still not as good as you! but, I keep at it....
If you live in the united states and want to buy a cheap saxophone, Mendini is a good brand. it plays well and reviews are good. the alto saxophone price is around A$200-$250.
For 500 $ you can have the great Thomann TS350 antique You can get a really impressive solid case with it And it play just very well (with an Otto link tone edge and Rico select jazz Reed) It's actually my main saxophone today and i'm going to my repair sax one time per year juste for checking
@@bettersax lol yeah, that's so (unfortunately) true. If it ever fits your budget, I'd love to hear it... I play bari, so I'm fine with mine, but a number of people only double on it, so having a serviceable cheap one would be a huge benefit.
@@bettersax True. They are hard to find, but I seem to remember seeing one in and about the Internet for less than £1000? Not sure what it is tho so that don't really help. No worries then 👍
Fortunately, I already have a tenor.
But I bought a Lade Alto after seeing your review and I can confirm that it was a great buy.
Thanks for your reviews
Good to hear this thanks.
I’m planing on doing the same thing
Any chance you have an update on the alto after 6months of regular use? How's it holding up mechanically, visually, tone-wise? I had to give back my borrowed P. Mauriat alto, and im a broke college kid who just needs some jazz.
I play tenor and I use some sort of Yamaha student sax. Jk lol my school let's you bring it home to play for a day if you want to
One could say this is a “worst case” scenario
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
lol👍
Hahahahahahaha kill me
Badump pssshhh.
is this supposed to be a pun?
Me: it didn’t sound that bad
Jay: terrible
Me: terrible
Chatie 24 the instrument didn’t really have any defining depth. It was very boring. When you hear ｉｃｏｎｉｃ selmers, you are easily entertained by its depth. The sax was bland, not smooth, and abrupt, overall. Check out a selmer’s Autumn Leaves cover. But that saxophone would be GREAT for beginners. Obviously, i am a saxophonist, so I can easily tell the quality of saxes.
aaron names i cant tell if thats sarcastic or not
@@ddlcfan8947 The comment didn't really have any defining sarcasm. Obviously, i am a linguist, so I can easily easily tell the sincerity of comments.
Eolueulo are you also being sarcastic lmao
Spot on 😂
6:12 ok just casually throw in the lick
the what
The second most famous motif in music, after Beethoven's 5th.
@@KarlBonner1982 mkay
@@user-qx7tm5df8j go watch Adam neely
twofivefun looks like we got a triggered conservatard
“That’s not a good sign”
You had to open it with the gloves so it wouldn’t break
Hehe
Except the gloves were inside the case!
Better Sax should’ve used the other ones, they were better anyways 😂
@@bettersax Years ago, a salesman told me, the gloves are for testing in the store, for keeping the horn clean if you didn't decide to buy it. For me ti have some sense. Greetings from Colombia!
The gloves arent useless.
You still can wear them on your hands lol
When's the cheap bari-sax comparison and review coming😂
Antonious van Eyssen please that would be awesome
What about sopranino
@@grammar2863 even better
The cheapest one on Amazon is 1200$
@@corbinweibley3316 Even so, there is a lot of demand for that horn. Even the normally fairly competitive names like Yamaha are just ridiculously expensive - take a look at some price lists for Buescher and Conn back in the day and compare baris to the other voices, and you'll realize just how overpriced modern baris are in comparison to their counterparts from the Jazz Age.
Honestly as a Tenor and Bari player I can say that cheap saxes don’t sound bad, might need to replace some parts here and there but they sound good to me
Derek Dean I’m glad you said that. I’m wanting to get a tenor saxophone but I can’t afford to get the professional $1000+ and I plan on ordering one off of Amazon.
@@jasmineduran6731 if you can still afford a tenor that’s like
as a tenor sax player and lover, a piece of my heart broke when i saw the tenor not in good shape at first
I completely understand your breath of relief after blowing the low notes smooth
I played a bad tenor for about 2 years, and at a jazz convention i got to try out saxophones, and i played a nice tenor, and blew the low notes at a volume below forte, and it felt amazing
You gotta do the bari now or this is the world's meanest cliffhanger
i felt the expression on your face at a spiritual level right when those bottom notes smoothly slid out on your Yani. phew.
The first one was alright, it had a great sound that had a more classical sound. But the yanigasowa had a much warmer sound and had a cool old school sound that made it sound much more like a traditional jazzy sax. The second one also had a brighter sound.
Chinese made tenor sax
Can anyone suggest me a good and reliable tenor
I watched your video on the amazon alto sax and was amazed at the quality and the sound. In anticipation I watched this video on the amazon tenor sax and was not amazed by the instrument. As far as sound and playability, the pro tenor sax sounded much better and the pro appeared to play a lot easier. Thanks for the video Jay!
I played tenor and I loved it. I had to pay my auto insurance and had to sell it. It was a Yamaha intermediate tenor that I bought for $1,700.00. It served me better than the Bundy 2s that I had bought for $600.00. I started out playing an old Martin alto sax bought at a pawn shop to get started. It wasn’t until later that I had a horn that was lacquered from a silver horn to a darker lacquer one. It will take some time, but I will hold out for a professional horn.
I got one too after seeing your review and got extra warranty off eBay. I had an issue with neck register key. Bended it back to position similar to what you did. Also had simple issue with g sharp key and got spring back in place. After that it plays pretty well. It’s an extra sax to stay at my fathers, jam with him and not constantly pack a sax for travel.
I came to talk trash, but this was some of the best playing I've heard on this channel. Keep up the good work.
I know this is the tenor test but years ago I bought a used Conn student eb Alto horn for 100 bucks, and taught myself how to re-pad it and play it. It was loads of fun, and fine to learn on. So perhaps looking for a good used one might be a better intro plan.
The Yanagisawa horn has a brighter and fuller sound. Lade turned out to be somewhat decent and MAY suffice for a beginner who's parent's are on a limited budget. So, they need to keep in mind the 'caveat' principle. Buyers: be prepared to spend additional money for any potential repairs, a better case, and that they should know where they can have their new horn serviced as I'm assuming the Lade doesn't come with a very good warranty, if it does at all. My general consensus is to save a bit and then purchase a more quality horn. My experience has been that beginners practice better and more often with a good sounding horn. Thx Jay. As always, your videos are instructive and educational. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Michael.
I had this same experience when I purchased one of these horns as a #2 I still have the horn and I'm using it to pratice repairs on!
Well at least you're getting some use out of it...
I like the tone from Lade, tone wise no problem when you played it.
Its supposed to be SLADE not lade
I just got my tenor this year in grade 6 and I am trash this guy is god at the tenor
He sets it down on the keys. Now that’s a professional.
I mean, yeah it is more professional to do that. Setting it down with keys in the air actually leaves your palm D pushed down by the weight of the sax against the floor. Depending on your saxophone, the key guards for Low C down to Bb should protect the rest of the keys as well setting it keys down at the expense of chipping off some lacquer, if it's a hard surface.
I always set it down like that I get annoyed when someone doesnt
Do the Bari!(pls) Wanna hear play Bari, haven’t heard you play yet.
YES!! PLEASE DO BARI!!
Hey, first I would like to say that it was an awesome video. I am a tenor player myself and decided to try the Lade tenor, but had much more satisfaction than you did (wasn't broken, no leaks). Maybe have a part two with a different saxophone?
That's good to hear. I'm sure this one would have been pretty good without the damage. Glad you're happy with it.
The sound of the lade (because of the slight leak, paired with a professional player) was kind of smokey sound that I personally think could sound decent on some solid ballad playing, but I'm sure you can get that sound on the pro quite easily
I appreciate someone taking the time and money to review three student level saxes. Decades ago I learned on a Saxophone purchased from a Distributer in NYC, a Pierret Oxford which was manufactured in Paris. Even though the Sax appeared to me to have connections to Selmar Paris, it doesn't get good reviews either. I'm now much more content with a popular Japanese professional sax which I like to depend on.
Looking forward to the Bass Saxophone comparison video! 😉
T.H. Woth I’m super pumped for the contrabass vid!
Although he’s a saxophonist I would like to see him order a subcontrabassoon
In this case, the Yani is definitely better! I could definitely (not) hear those low notes on the Lade. When you transitioned to the Yani, it seemed as if it was night and day. Normally, the difference isn't that easy to spot.
As I previously commented, after your "Cheapest Sax on Amazon VS My Professional Alto Saxophone" video, I bought the alto sax and I'm very satisfied. I can confirm everything you said in your review.
Well, in order to improve the sound, I now bought a new embouchure, which I found second hand at a good price.
It is a Berg Larsen 95/2 SMS.
Surprisingly, it doesn't fit into the chiver.
I measured the chiver diameter, which is 15mm, becoming 16.5mm considering the cork.
The internal diameter of the mouthpiece is exactly 15mm, so, no way to fit it into the chiver ....
Considering that they are both 15mm, even replacing the cork with a thinner one, won't fix the issue .
Do you experienced the same on the sax you tested?
What is supposted to be the right diameter of the final part of the alto sax chiver?
I'm afraid the only solution is to widen the inside diameter of the mouthpiece in some way, maybe with a lathe, do you have any suggestion?
By the way, in the meantime I'm happily following your "Play Sax By Ear" course with my tenor sax, thanks again for your great videos!
Filippo, Rome (Italy)
6:13 the lick
I don't think it sounded too bad. I think it would be a good horn to use as a backup or maybe a marching horn for a high school student.
You gotta do cheap vs expensive sub contrabass sax next
That's just obvious
They both expensive bro
@@YanThaGamer woosh
FishKing4999 Golf Cart that jas also a joke dumbass
I think they all expensive
I didn’t realise you already had done this, serves me right for watching old content. This was great to watch. Now I’m going to scroll the rest of your videos before I ask for anything 😊. Thank you!
Even the "cheap" one is something that is waayy beyond what I can afford. The one I use is locally made here in India and it costs about 15,000 rupees (about 200 USD). And even that "cheap" one would be a major upgrade for me, so from my point of view whenever I see a musician complaining about their instrument, all I can think of is "stop makin excuses, if you really wanna play, you can play on anything"
Can you do a video with a baritone saxophone from amazon? Please
I agree, but if the trend follows. The larger the sax the worse condition it will arrive in.
What about a soprnino?🤣
That’s not true alto was in better condition than soprano
@@CrisTc86 Which is odd because the smaller the instrument the more precise everything has to be.
Soprillo?
I am now using Legere synthetics and like them a lot. Great when doubling on alto and tenor and don't have to worry about the dormant reed drying out.
Reminds me of when I upgraded to a pro tenor. I bought a P. Mariuat... Something about that horn made me fall in love with it. A pro horn doesn't necessarily make you a better player but it definitely allows you the ease of accessing what you know how to do so well... the expression and flexibility you have on a nice instrument is worth the investment... Especially if you play it for decades. Better investment then a car tbh... especially if you can make a few bucks with it.
I am curious to learn how the replacement sax performs. I can appreciate the optimism you expressed in detailing a list of "do's & don'ts" for the manufacturer to consider before shipping their packaged products (free of cost). Nice!
Maybe IKEA is manufacturing these things. So then the assembly session isn't surprising.
This is the most underated comment
I have a simple OLDS tenor saxophone, any other suggestions for my next buy?
Truth teller, that’s my man! It sounds great, but that’s your skill, not the horn. Great advice as always! Thanks! Rocket 🚀
At least, it shows it is possible to play decently well and such
Hey there Bettersax hope you see my question, Would you prefer these cheap horns over a student horn like a Yamaha Yts 21, Conn, Selmer Bundy ETC. (new or used) considering they are some what at the same price?
The cheap one had a fuzzy sound, on this one... Didnt hear that difference on the alto vid.
HeyVince cheap pads probably
Agreed
I did hear like the sound of an airstream on the cheap alto
I guess when he was fixing that tenor sax, he did make it into a “Better Sax”
Greetings from Mexico city. Great videos!!! After watching your alto review, decided to buy a Lade sax. It is a good buy considering the price. Good for students and begginers like my self. My review: Its just like cheap cars, Dont expect air bags or leather seats, still it will take from point a to b.
The Yanagisawa definitely sounded better, a fuller sound! I agree with many of the other comments that said to get a used horn that is from a more reputable company. As an aside, I had the auto translate on and had to laugh at what system translated “Yanagisawa” to, LOL.
Thanks for doing these reviews. I may begin telling select students that an Alto from Amazon might be worth considering. Since you emphasized the poor quality of the case and the importance of a good quality case it begs the request for a review on after market cases. ProTech, Gator, BAM, Hiscox etc.
What are your opinions on other super cheap saxes compared to the Lade? Do they all have similar quality/issues or are there variations between these?
Loving the videos btw!
6:15 that cured my depression THE LICC
I bought a used Schiller T. Sax for $108.00. Put another $125.00 into it to put it into playing shape (obvious lower Bb, B pad adjustment, and other old pad replacement and adjustments was necessary), now I have a decent sax to work with.
I think the cheap tenor sounded unsupported because of leaks I think it might just be a small inconvenience to beginners so they definitely could try it out imo
They shipped you a sax with “some assembly required, batteries not included”
Thanks for sharing Jay. Interesting point about the case, that makes sense that could cause a lot of problems.
I have only gotten one saxophone in the mail. Figured it was a gamble. But it was also an older saxophone. The Conn soprano I have from 1929. It could basically play when I got it, but improved quite a bit with some replaced pads. I did a few minor repairs myself.
Could also be good to consider whether you can carry the case on a flight if you're interested in doing that. For soprano/alto you can probably carry most on board. But with tenor, it's basically at the edge where a more contoured case will get you less looks/inquiries. But if you're going to check, it had better be extremely secure.
I have experience repairing instruments so I ordered an Etude Alto with minor problems. The F# side key had some material stuck in the pivot. A couple of tone holes were not flat. The articulation arm with the adjusting screws needed resetting. The pads were sticky and have been hard to clean using all known methods. The case was marginal. Worked for me because I have time and a cheap horn for $150. Would be a poor investment for most people. I believe it came from the factory in unplayable condition. It was returned and auctioned off. Yes, the keys can be bent without breaking. I agree with you. Buy a horn that you know plays already and has a warranty rather than take a chance with cheap mail order horns if you can't fix them yourself. My guess is that most of the China saxes are made in the same factory, then they are finished elsewhere depending upon the brand. DHGate sends really cheap, poorly made, counterfeit instruments that don't look anything like the real thing.
Sounds like there are some leaks issues, shouldn't be a problem to set it up.
The only turn down is that if I would get one of those with those falling parts, I'd have to take it to a technician and spend the money I saved when buying it...
The other guy said Lade can pay you for the repair fee, surprising.....
I bought a YTS 280 brand new from the dealer and I left it with my luthier for changing 5 pads for Pisoni ones. It's hard to play the low notes. I paid 1500 euros for it. My Thomann Antique costs me 519 euros an year ago and is better then the Yamaha. No problems. Playing 4 hours every day and outside shows. It's a matter of luck I think.
Huge difference between the cheap and pro sax. Your Pro sounds clean and the tone is centered.
Just getting back into the sax after many years. Bought a new tenor from Amazon for $300 before discovering your channel. I can’t tell if it’s defective or if my lip is REALLY out of shape.
Glad you're sending that bucket of bolts back. Reminds me of the soprano of theirs I USED to own.
The expensive one has an amazing tone. I play the alto. Should i start tenor aswell. Please let me know
So, the lesson I learned here is maybe it's a good idea to spend at least 500 on a tenor saxophone. I just checked on Amazon and saw that they have Allora brand student horns for $525. That's at least a name I recognize and even considered when I was shopping for a pro alto earlier this year. I really appreciate these videos. I guess all that's left is the amazingly cheap bari saxes on ebay. $1600 for a bari. They look nice in the pictures and it would be super tempting to buy one if I have that much laying around some day.
I think I saw an even cheaper one that was $370 or so. It came with pretty much everything, but I want to know if its worth the buy.
im getting it this christmas and i’ll let you know what it’s like 👍
Had a customer with the soprano... Based on your review, I offered to do a complete rebuild. There were tons of manufacturing defects to correct... not an easy job, but when I was done, the thing played great and had a very nice tone... after it was all said and done, the guy had a great instrument for under $2000. Worth it? Maybe.
"It's "Slade" not "Lade" :-)
PS- the gloves? When I was in college, I developed a sensitivity to nickle and brass on my hands, and had to wear gloves to prevent my hands from swelling up and cracking painfully. After a couple years, I thankfully got over it.
I got a accent saxophone that cost 800$ and the case is super good and ready to play right from the box when I got it it sounded really good.
Thanks for the answer. That Slade tenor saxophone still had a lot of static sound compared to the other saxophone.
The cheap one sounds good but breathy, and the pro has a clear crisp sound
It makes sense that a bigger instrument would be subject to greater forces during shipping and have more damage. But I imagine that the smallest instrument would be subject to being tossed around more. I would place my bet on the alto coming through the best.
One thing you have to take into consideration, most people won’t have the expertise to reassemble the instrument, And will end up sending it back or bringing it to a repair shop which will cost a chunk. I have a king super 20 tenor sex my mother bought for me back in the late 70s beautiful instrument I quit playing after high school and that instrument has been sitting untouched for over 40 years I’m wondering if the pads can survive that long let me know what you think.
Unlike the sound comparisons between Yana and budget alto and soprano saxophones, in this video the difference in sound is quite noticeable: Lade is better! (kidding, Yana is the deepest, warmest sound). Great video, Jay.
Yeah I think everyone will be in agreement with this one.
I started alto a year ago but really glad I watched your Jean Paul As400 video. It’s been a great instrument! Even though you got lucky with the real cheap alto sax it might almost be better for someone to rent a good sax from a local music store while saving instead of go in at that low of a price point....or maybe a payment plan
A very useful video, and professionally made both technically and content wise. I miss the Conn-Selmer Prelude TS711 (tenor), 1299.- USD at Amazon. I have one of these and also a Selmer Mark VI. I can't tell the difference.
I’m a guy, not gay but I could fall asleep to your voice J. Best teaching btw.
I did not know oxfords without a collar existed until I saw this video
haha, Uniqlo is the store where I buy those.
@@bettersax مرحبا مليون دولار أمريكي مرحبا مليون
No brainer Yanni . How about comparing some less expensive saxs for hobbyists.. Jam sessions community pit bands etc. And thanks Jay for your efforts.
The Yani has a warmer sound. The cheap model is simply cheap.
It was a struggle to play...
@@bettersax that was evident. It looked like it took a lot more air compared to your yani.
Been playing Yani's for forty year's, and there is no comparison. Typically, these junkers, like the one you bought off Amazon are for beginning students. However, for that sax to arrive all banged-up like that would really be upsetting to a young student eagerly awaiting their first sax? Yanagisawa also makes great mouthpieces, and each beginner must start off with a good mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is as important as the make of the sax. Getting back to the Yani's Having played the Selmer Paris side by side to the Yanagisawa--Honestly, they're very close, but the Yanagisawa takes first. For me, anyway... I just subscribed, and looking forward to new posts.
I have an Ambassador tenor sax from about 1958. I used it thru high school and college. Ever heard of it? I know Selmer was a common name back then.
guess what I was getting to get an alto sax but the people miss advertised it and instead of it being alto it was tenor so yeah and it had a book and a box for reeds but with no reeds in it it has a backpack straps with no straps
This honestly the first time I can HEAR a difference. It honestly sounds like he is recording the cheaper one with a 20's microphone when it was the ssme mic. So I think it sounds a little bit too spitty/raspy compared the professional model.
4:01
C Key: Yo wassup keyguard u lookig freshhh
I think will be better to get Paris Selmer reference 54 then yanagisawa
Your Channel helped me start my own! Thank you!
What do you think about the Yamaha Advantage? Would that be good or a bad decision to buy
JM - Tone was good, intonation sounded good, too. If playability, per your comments, was a bit inferior, and with the mechanical issues after shipping, I wouldn't risk this one, either. Thanks for sharing this info with sax fans.
wow, i never even considered how good my case was,(or not). I've got a nice Yanagisawa tenor wich came with a Yani case, but I use my old case (Gulf) because it has better outside pockets that can hold a full band folder. It seems snug in there, but I never really paid attention to how good the fit is. I'm gonna give it a shake right now!. So, who knew? Cheap cases are a bad idea. Great tip! In addition to this, i really gotta say what a great service you are providing by testing these really inexpensive horns. We've all been tempted to buy these. Since you've had a lot of luck with Alto and soprano, I've decided to take a chance and buy a $100 (CDN$) flute from amazon. It's a flute, what could they get wrong on that. I hope the gloves are nice though. That's kind of a deal breaker. :P
The difference in sound between the cheap tenor and the Yani is way more obvious than the soprano and alto....and anyway your facial expression during the play test told everything! Ah, ah, I spent a good moment.
that bell looks totally pointed in a strange direction
I bought the Lade alto sax and the octave key had broken off. A bit of glue and it's been fine since but .... yeah. Still happy with it! As a beginner, I just wanted something that would play decently enough. So thanks again for the video, Jay!
oh that's too bad... At least it's working for you now.
@@bettersax You know, it's just another instance of REALLY helping me appreciate how incredibly clarinets/saxes are made and how hard they are to maintain and repair. And it was satisfying that my fix worked and has continued to stay on (knock on wood). But yeah, wasn't a great beginning for Lade on that one....
I now have an Selmer alto; played a Selmer tenor and Selmer flute in college (early 1970's), and grew up with a Martin alto; I still love the Martin, but the Selmer suits me fine for now (I'm and old dude, been playing since 1962; yet, I'm still not as good as you! but, I keep at it....
I really appreciate your time looking at saxaphones
The cheap one has an airy sound, could be a result to that missing key. The second one sounds great.
When you started playing the Yani it sounded like the storm was over and the sun came out. What a difference.
So apart from the case, the saxphone from Lade is of quality. That is what I need to know, thanks. So it is not totally a fail, like a 50/50.
If you live in the united states and want to buy a cheap saxophone, Mendini is a good brand. it plays well and reviews are good. the alto saxophone price is around A$200-$250.
Your service is invaluable
Best Wahes!
For 500 $ you can have the great Thomann TS350 antique
You can get a really impressive solid
case with it
And it play just very well (with an Otto link tone edge and Rico select jazz Reed)
It's actually my main saxophone today and i'm going to my repair sax one time per year juste for checking
YES IT'S FINALLY HERE!
Try a cheap bari sax? That would be a good tester for everything again!
There aren't any cheap baritone saxophones are there?
@@bettersax lol yeah, that's so (unfortunately) true. If it ever fits your budget, I'd love to hear it... I play bari, so I'm fine with mine, but a number of people only double on it, so having a serviceable cheap one would be a huge benefit.
@@bettersax people seem to like the Taishan bari's... run about $1500.
@@bettersax True. They are hard to find, but I seem to remember seeing one in and about the Internet for less than £1000? Not sure what it is tho so that don't really help. No worries then 👍