I would say the player and the sax together are responsable for the sound. You can do a lot with a student sax. It’s often the player that is the limit. But a professional classical saxophoneplayer is not playing on a student alto. The focus on an occasion like that the music/tones that the player produce. On the other side on a club gig with a bar walk as an ingredience to the performance the focus is not on the music/tone that much. If it’s a student, intermidate or student sax you’re using for the bar walk is not that important. I would say a cheap student sax would be better for this. Both players are paid. There are are samples of blues-rocksaxplayers that are not playing “pro-level” saxes and I just love the way they play.
The pro sax helps a pro-saxplayer pay the bills! So you must have a relialbe sax that works in most situations; in the studio, on stage, big band, combos, different genres …. otherwise you won’t be the first call anymore. Most professional player I know have at least two saxes that plays in the same way or as close as possible (same models, setup …).
I’m not so familiar with modern saxes (my youngest sax that I use is 50 years old!) but the differences between a pro sax and ”student” sax is critical specifications and tolerances, choice of materials and quality control. That means there should be better “built-in” qualities on a pro horn. So a pro sax should be better than a “student” sax!?!?! And that’s the case when I compare a student Martin with a prolevel Martin. The Magna is far better than the Medalist.
For some days ago I read that we are changing our behavior as consumers (worldwide). The “step-in”, student, beginner …. is the right stuff to catch the consumer and if they move on they go directly to the “top of the line”, pro, extravaganza level. We already have this. Computers, cars …. . The intermediate, “step-up” level is more or less going to disappear!??! So you buy something that looks and also shares the name/brand (™) as the real stuff. So would there be any saxophone producer making a complete line (from “student” to professional) of saxes in the future? Today is just Yamaha, KHS (Jupiter), Denak (Amati) and Weril (maybe I missed someone?) that are officially making and selling a complete line under their own name (at least these producers says that they are making pro saxes). Yamaha and Jupiter is making their studentsaxes in Pakistan respective China (outsourched?).
Today I’m buying less expensive saxes (odd brands) and trying to make them good Rocksaxes for pub or club gigs.
Off topic again.
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