Customer Reviews

LJ Hutchen Eb Alto Saxophone with Plush-Lined Case

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

This sax plays excellent. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to buy a nice sax at an affordable price. It looks really nice and does not look or sound cheap at all.


UPDATE:

This sax has been working out perfectly during the time I've been using it. I just encountered a little problem and had to contact Customer Service for the problem to be solved. It was a wonderful experience; very nice people and they really care about their customers. The problem was solved fast so they shipped the sax fast too. I'm very satisfied with this product and Customer Service too. If you really want to buy a new affordable sax, i would go for this brand. It has been a great experience.

Great saxophone! I bought my LJ Hutchen sax about a year ago from a music store for a much higher price (I really kicked myself when I saw it here for so cheap!) I am buying another one for my nephew to play on for his school band this coming fall, and this time through Amazon! This sax has a clear sound and it really plays great. I know my nephew will love it!

I have to admit I was a little wary about purchasing a NEW sax for less than $500. I was sure I would be getting a lemon, but thought that for the price I had to at least give it a try! I have been playing Sax (alto and soprano) since the 80's. I was playing on an old Artist II Alto and was ready to replace it. The sax arrived quickly and works very smoothly. I gave it 4 stars because I didn't like the mouthpiece that it came with. Like most saxophones, if you really want a quality sound, you need to get a NICE mouthpiece. It works, but with my own mouthpiece the sound was incredible. My 2nd day playing it, one of the ivory-colored buttons fell off one of the keys. I called customer service and they are supposedly sending some super glue to reattach the button (fairly minor problem). It was nice that I could buy it and know that if I wasn't happy I could send it back. This one's a keeper for me though. I especially like the lower notes on this sax. Usually I have a rough time playing the really low notes (C,Bb), but with this sax, I'm able to play these low notes so well-controlled. Quite pleased and would recommend this sax to anyone. I would recommend going to one of your local music stores and trying out a few different mouthpieces to get an even better sound.

I am thrilled with this saxophone - it not only looks great, it also sounds great! The case is nice and sturdy with top and side handles, and is also nicely lined. My son just started taking lessons, and fell in love with it the moment he saw it - which is motivating him to practice almost daily (without my prodding!). This is my second LJ Hutchen purchase from Hyson (purchased a flute last year for my daughter which we are equally happy with).

I purchased this saxophone three weeks ago. I have a musical history in accordion, piano, and violin. As instruments go, this is by far a great (and affordable) instrument to pick up. The LJ Hutchen Sax is inexpensive and excellent quality. I really enjoy the sound quality.

As far as the instrument construction goes, the pads are all proportionally sized, properly spaced, and form good seals. This is the chief concern for saxophones as air leaks are fatal for the sax.

Great instrument. It couldn't be more pleasing to the ear or eye!

I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY SON. HE IS A BEGINNER STUDENT IN BAND. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PLAY AND GET SOUND FROM THIS INSTRUMENT. HE HAS EXPRESSED NO PROBLEMS AND SEEMS TO LIKE IT. I BOUGHT A SELMNER MOUTH PIECE TO GO WITH IT. GOOD INSTRUMENT FOR THE PRICE. GREAT FOR BEGINNERS.

I bought this saxophone for my child who is in middle school band. I was initially looking for a used horn when I ran across this one in my searches. Any comments I found about this instrument were very positive. I found an article about Paul Effman who started the L. J. Hutchen company and I was intrigued.

The instrument was shipped promptly and arrived in perfect shape. A close friend of mine happens to be a musician and plays the soprano saxophone. He also played alto sax in the past. He checked out our new sax by playing a few tunes for us. He was very impressed with the instrument's sound and build quality. His comment was "this is certainly nicer than any instrument I played when I was in middle or high school band".

My child's band instructor was also impressed. I definitely feel like I got more than my money's worth. My child loves playing this saxophone.

I bought the LJ Hutchen Eb Alto Saxophone for my son. He has had much success with this saxophone and he gets a great sound for a low price. I would recommend this saxophone to anyone who wants a quality bargain for their music students.

This was purchased for my 10 yr. old daughter. Her music teacher approved of it and she loves it. It sounds much better then the school rental.We are very happy with it !