Best Alto Saxophones for Classical 2026
Perfect alto saxophones for classical - easy to play and learn on
Last updated: January 14, 2026 • Next update: January 21, 2026
#1
⭐
4.5/5
(33 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
9/10
Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax Set II
by
Startone
Pop
Classical
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Great for beginners and professionals
✓ PROS
- • Wide variety of available music
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
✗ CONS
- • Requires regular maintenance
- • Can be loud for apartment practice
Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax Set II*Bundle offer comprising*, Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax*Alto Saxophone*Tuning: EbWith high...
⭐
4.5/5
(33 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 518650
$472
#2
⭐
4.9/5
(22 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Selmer Signature Alto Sax SE-ASIB
by
Selmer
Jazz
Rock
Blues
Key Feature:
• Great for beginners and professionals
✓ PROS
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
- • Great for beginners and professionals
✗ CONS
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
- • Requires regular maintenance
Selmer Signature Alto Sax SE-ASIBAlto SaxophoneKey: EbRenewal of the Selmer Super Action 80 Series IIRetention of the...
⭐
4.9/5
(22 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 575738
$7,908
#3
⭐
4.6/5
(19 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Forestone RX Red Brass GL Alto Sax
by
Forestone
Blues
Classical
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Most popular and versatile saxophone
✓ PROS
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
- • Great for beginners and professionals
✗ CONS
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
- • Requires regular maintenance
Forestone RX Red Brass GL Alto SaxEb Alto SaxophoneMaterial: BrassFinish: CopperFlanged tone holesHand-engraved...
⭐
4.6/5
(19 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 570958
$5,498
#4
⭐
4.5/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
Rampone & Cazzani Performance Line Alto Sax
Pop
Smooth Jazz
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Excellent for both lead and harmony
✓ PROS
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
- • Most popular and versatile saxophone
✗ CONS
- • Reed replacement costs add up
- • Quality instruments are expensive
Rampone & Cazzani Performance Line Alto SaxAlto SaxophoneBody and keys made of brass in vintage finish (brushed and...
⭐
4.5/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 511162
$2,914
#5
⭐
4.9/5
(17 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Yamaha YAS-480 Alto Sax Set
by
Yamaha
Smooth Jazz
Pop
Blues
Key Feature:
• Excellent for both lead and harmony
✓ PROS
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
- • Wide variety of available music
✗ CONS
- • Reed replacement costs add up
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
Yamaha YAS-480 Alto Sax Set*Bundle offer comprising*, Yamaha YAS-480 Alto Sax*Alto Saxophone*New modelSuccessor to the...
⭐
4.9/5
(17 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 521467
$2,265
#6
⭐
4.6/5
(23 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Selmer Supreme Alto Sax SE-ASUP
by
Selmer
Jazz
Pop
Classical
Key Feature:
• Most popular and versatile saxophone
✓ PROS
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
- • Great for beginners and professionals
✗ CONS
- • Quality instruments are expensive
- • Reed replacement costs add up
Selmer Supreme Alto Sax SE-ASUPAlto SaxophoneBody and keys patinatedWith exclusive "Supreme" engravingNew...
⭐
4.6/5
(23 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 529630
$8,468
#7
⭐
4.4/5
(31 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Yamaha YAS-82 ZA Alto Sax
by
Yamaha
Smooth Jazz
Pop
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Most popular and versatile saxophone
✓ PROS
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
✗ CONS
- • Requires regular maintenance
- • Reed replacement costs add up
Yamaha YAS-82 ZA Alto SaxAlto SaxophoneBrass body with amber lacquer finishV1 S-bowAdjustable front F keyImproved low...
⭐
4.4/5
(31 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 579075
$5,718
#8
⭐
4.5/5
(52 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
BetterSax Classic Alto Saxophone
by
BetterSax
Pop
Blues
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Great for beginners and professionals
✓ PROS
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
- • Most popular and versatile saxophone
✗ CONS
- • Requires regular maintenance
- • Reed replacement costs add up
BetterSax Classic Alto SaxophoneAlto SaxophoneProfessional boreOctave key inspired by King and Yanagisawa...
⭐
4.5/5
(52 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 553607
$977
#9
⭐
5.0/5
(29 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Buffet Crampon Prodige Alto Sax Set
Blues
Jazz
Rock
Key Feature:
• Excellent for both lead and harmony
✓ PROS
- • Great for beginners and professionals
- • Excellent for both lead and harmony
✗ CONS
- • Quality instruments are expensive
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
Buffet Crampon Prodige Alto Sax Set*Bundle offer comprising*, Buffet Crampon Prodige Alto Sax*Alto Saxophone*Material:...
⭐
5.0/5
(29 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 614402
$988
#10
⭐
5.0/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Thomann Antique Alto Sax Alto Sax Set
by
Thomann
Jazz
Smooth Jazz
Blues
Key Feature:
• Wide variety of available music
✓ PROS
- • Great for beginners and professionals
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
✗ CONS
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
- • Reed replacement costs add up
Thomann Antique Alto Sax Alto Sax Set*Bundle offer comprising*, Thomann Antique Alto Sax*Alto Saxophone*With high F#...
⭐
5.0/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 576696
$622
#11
⭐
4.7/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Yamaha YAS-62A 04 Alto Sax
by
Yamaha
Smooth Jazz
Classical
Rock
Key Feature:
• Wide variety of available music
✓ PROS
- • Great for beginners and professionals
- • Wide variety of available music
✗ CONS
- • Quality instruments are expensive
- • Can be loud for apartment practice
Yamaha YAS-62A 04 Alto SaxAlto SaxophoneBrass body with amber lacquer finish62 S-bowTwo-piecehand-engraved...
⭐
4.7/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 590650
$3,298
#12
⭐
4.4/5
(23 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Buffet Crampon Prodige Alto Sax
Smooth Jazz
Rock
Pop
Key Feature:
• Great for beginners and professionals
✓ PROS
- • Wide variety of available music
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
✗ CONS
- • Reed replacement costs add up
- • Can be loud for apartment practice
Buffet Crampon Prodige Alto SaxAlto SaxophoneMaterial: Gold brassClear lacquer finishLeather pads with metal...
⭐
4.4/5
(23 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 580266
$988
#13
⭐
4.9/5
(19 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Thomann TAS-180 Black Alto Sax Set II
by
Thomann
Pop
Smooth Jazz
Blues
Key Feature:
• Excellent for both lead and harmony
✓ PROS
- • Most popular and versatile saxophone
- • Great for beginners and professionals
✗ CONS
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
- • Can be loud for apartment practice
Thomann TAS-180 Black Alto Sax Set II*Bundle offer comprising*, Thomann TAS-180 Black Alto Saxophone*Alto...
⭐
4.9/5
(19 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 553029
$527
#14
⭐
4.6/5
(13 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax Set
by
Startone
Smooth Jazz
Blues
Pop
Key Feature:
• Most popular and versatile saxophone
✓ PROS
- • Perfect pitch range for most music
- • Wide variety of available music
✗ CONS
- • Quality instruments are expensive
- • Reed replacement costs add up
Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax Set*Bundle offer comprising*, Startone SAS-75 Alto Sax*Alto Saxophone*Tuning: EbWith high F#...
⭐
4.6/5
(13 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 509155
$428
#15
⭐
4.4/5
(31 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Selmer Signature Alto Sax SE-ASIL
by
Selmer
Pop
Jazz
Classical
Key Feature:
• Great for beginners and professionals
✓ PROS
- • Most popular and versatile saxophone
- • Wide variety of available music
✗ CONS
- • Reed replacement costs add up
- • Learning curve for proper embouchure
Selmer Signature Alto Sax SE-ASILAlto SaxophoneRenewal of the Selmer Super Action 80 Series IIRetention of the specific...
⭐
4.4/5
(31 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 575734
$7,424
How to Choose the Best Alto Saxophones
Budget Planning
- • Under $200: Entry-level
- • $200-$500: Intermediate
- • $500-$1000: Advanced
- • $1000+: Professional
Quality Check
- • Sound clarity & tone
- • Build materials & finish
- • Hardware durability
- • Overall craftsmanship
Key Features
- • Your musical style
- • Skill level match
- • Intended use case
- • Brand reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
Key factors include build quality, sound characteristics, playability, brand reputation, warranty coverage, and value for money. Consider your musical style, skill level, and intended use to find the best match.
Budget depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners can find quality options for $200-500, intermediate players should consider $500-1500 range, while professionals often invest $1500+ for premium features.
Higher-priced alto saxophones typically offer better materials, craftsmanship, and performance. They're worth it if you're serious about music, perform regularly, or need professional-grade features.
Top brands combine quality, innovation, and reliability. We evaluate brands based on build quality, sound performance, durability, and customer satisfaction to recommend the best options for different budgets.
Both have advantages. Online offers better prices and selection, while stores allow hands-on testing. We recommend researching online first, then testing in stores if possible. Many online retailers offer excellent return policies.
