Eb Alto Saxophone with Case - Mark I Model - 2 Year Warranty

I ordered this saxophone for my daughter who is starting band in 5th grade. Don't know how long she'll play or if she'll like it, so didn't want to spend a ton. However, if she does keep up with it, I didn't want her to have junk. So, decided to go middle of the road. The instrument is OK, but right away she started having issues with the valves. One still doesn't close properly, so the band teacher wrapped a rubber band around it to keep it closed. A button fell off one of the keys - super glued it on. The mouthpiece had to be adjusted because it was bending the reeds therefore making it difficult to make sounds... Bottom line is...you get what you pay for. The problems aren't worth my time sending it back or dealing with the seller, so just took it to the local music store for adjusting. Hopefully, nothing else will go wrong with it.

I have waited almost 2 years to review this product because unless you have played a saxophone for a while you really don't know it's true value and quality (if any).I would say this is one of the best choices if your are looking for a low cost instrument to begin learning to play the saxophone. It is far better than its cheaper competitors. So, for the price I paid I am happy with what LJ Hutchen has delivered to me.I have a private instructor who is a professional musician. He tried the sax and tested it throughout the whole range. He also checked for leaks and some of those design and construction details that only experienced sax players now about. His overall impression was that this is "one of the best student level, low cost saxes he's seen so far". He was specially impressed with its solidness and its ease of playing. He said it performed like a more expensive model.But my experience with the instrument hasn't been an eternal honeymoon because after a short while the thumb rest fell off, as well as the neck cork and some of the tiny pieces of cork glued on to the keys. Being a full time industrial engineer I assume this was caused maybe because the instrument had been sitting in a hot warehouse for a long time after it was manufactured (the glue might have been degraded by the heat). I might have been also because I left it in the trunk of my car a few times under the intense tropical sun ( I live in the Dom. Rep.).- If it wasn't so, then perhaps the glue they used was not of the best quality.Having said that and despite the minor problems encountered, I give this sax a 4 star rating and judge it as one of the best saxes in the low cost category. As a general advise, I wouldn't recommend anyone to pay less than $400 for a student model sax. If you feel you can invest a little more thus get better quality, then check out the Roy Benson RBAS202 Eb Student Alto Sax selling here on Amazon for $ 599, or even the RBAS302 which they advertise as a "professional model" for $ 645.

Cons -Case is very poor quality considering 400$ you are paying for this equipment. I understand that this is low end sax but case could be better quality. The strap that holds top and bottom section of case came off. It was just glued instead of stitched very poor quality. Also handle/strap to carry the sax does not look very sturdy and I fear in another couple of months will come off ( i hope not ??). Also the Sax strap that they give is of no use as its not padded at all. You will have to spend another 15-30$ to get the strap.Pros -Sax looks good quality. It sounds good.Looks sturdy. But its only 3-4 weeks so might be to early make a call on the built quality. So from Sax performance wise me and my son are satisfied. Another pro is price.I would have give 4 stars if case/strap quality were better.

The media could not be loaded.  Pros: 1. Great sound for the price. 2. Comes with everything you need to get started. 3. The case is well designed and feels sturdy. (Wish it had a lid/flap to close where you store your strap and other accessories.) 4. It arrived quickly and packed well.The reason for only three stars.Cons: 1. This saxophone is difficult if not impossible to play in tune. To the untrained ear this is no big deal. Certain notes are more out of tune than others. The worst note for me is c#. 2. Though it comes with everything you need to get started, to get the best sound you must replace the mouthpiece. The factory mouthpiece it comes with is horrible. I purchased one for about $65 at my local music store, the sax instantly became easier to play, and the sound was much better. (I was thinking about sending it back until I purchased the new mouthpiece.) 3. The strap is a factory strap, but again, if you plan to play long term you must replaced this strap with a padded strap. 4. The ligature seems to not to screw firmly around the mouthpiece.Summary: This is a great saxophone for a beginner and would recommend it provided that one would replace the mouthpiece, ligature, and strap. I would also recommend this sax for a casual user as well. Would not recommend for someone who wants a true quality sound with each note. But for the price, even with the cost of a new mouthpiece, ligature, and strap, it is a good deal, a great deal for a new player.UPDATE - I have had this horn for almost two years with no real issues. I have given the alto sax and additional star for its durability. I have posted a video of me playing this sax so the sound quality could be heard.**SECOND UPDATE - In the comment section of my review, I was contacted by the Vice President of Hyson Music, Justin Varuzzo who stated, "All of our new LJ Hutchen clarinets and LJ Hutchen alto saxophones (as of fall 2012) now include American made student mouthpiece kits, including the ligature and cap. The mouthpieces are superior to our previous ones that were made in China. The American manufacturer producing our mouthpieces supplies mouthpieces to many of the biggest names in the industry." Hyson's decision to listen to its customers and change the mouthpieces for its instruments demonstrates to me that are committed to manufacturing a quality sub $400.00 saxophone. This LJ Hutchen Alto Saxophone based on the durability of the sax, the sound, and the customer service has earned another star from me. I would highly recommend this saxophone.