Soprano saxophones might not be as popular as the alto or even tenor saxophone. However, it remains quite an amazing type and greatly “sort after” saxophone among saxophone enthusiasts. With its very unique tone, the soprano sax possesses a distinct tonal character that makes it an awesome fit for many genres and styles of music. Although not very popular [to non-sax players], the soprano sax has been extensively used in genres like jazz, smooth jazz, blues, gospel, funk, free jazz, pop, and many other genres. In this article, we will look at five amazing types of soprano saxes you can choose from, should you want to make that purchase.
 | 1.Editor’s choice for best soprano saxophone – Yamaha YSS-475II An all-round soprano sax with amazing intonation and ergonomics, perfect for players of all levels. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 2.Best cheap soprano saxophone – Sky Band Approved Bb Gold Plated Soprano Saxophone A nicely crafted and affordable saxophone with good intonation and playability, awesome for players on a tight budget. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 3. Best curved soprano saxophone – Jean Paul USA Soprano Saxophone Professionally designed soprano sax designed by a reputable brand for the seasoned and beginner player. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 4.Best Professional soprano saxophone – Yamaha Custom YSS-82Z Professional Soprano Saxophone Modelled after the classic ’62, this professional soprano sax features some vintage attributes and top-notch sax engineering that makes it truly unrivaled. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 5. Best vintage soprano saxophone – summina Professional Red Bronze aesthetically superior design, this soprano saxophone is designed for the seasoned player who is after playability, ergonomics, aesthetics, and that coveted ‘vintage vibe. | Buy on Amazon |
5 Best Soprano Saxophones Reviewed
Editor’s choice for best soprano saxophone: Yamaha YSS-475II
When it comes to saxophones, Yamaha remains a respected and “highly sought after” name. This is greatly because of the fact that they have built a reputation of making some of the best saxophones for players of all levels over the years. The beauty of the soprano saxophone does not just lie in its tone but also in aesthetics and overall playability. The Yamaha YSS-475II is a typical example of an all-rounder soprano saxophone. It is designed with superb ergonomics, intonation, and eye-catching aesthetics. It features a multi-color design that makes it look ultimately irresistible even to the most casual onlooker.
Crafted in Japan, this amazing soprano sax comes with everything you will need to get started playing. It comes with an original Yamaha soprano sax mouthpiece, a ligature, and a sturdy case for carriage, reed, and cleaning accessories.
Being a free-blowing saxophone, the YSS-475II is perfect for beginners, intermediate, and even seasoned professionals. It is quite a versatile saxophone with awesome intonation that fits diverse playing scenarios. Featuring a custom style Bb spatula, high F-sharp key, and an adjustable thumb rest for extra comfort and versatility, this saxophone was not just designed to play but to be as comfortable as possible. Also, it features a quite advanced body taper, a key post rib plate, and a lower vent tube. The keys are a combination of light and comfortable. It also has bullet point headless pivot screws, beautiful laser engravings, and quite an exceptional tonal projection.
The custom style Bb spatula helps not just with comfort but also with enforcing and encouraging correct playing techniques. For players who opt for alternate fingering, the high F-sharp key is there to make things a lot easier. The body taper helps improve intonation and facilitates optimal airflow while playing. The lower vent tube helps to reduce noise on the lower vent key action. Apart from being quite a comfortable, playable, and highly versatile saxophone, this soprano sax is also quite sturdy as it was designed to last for longer playing years. This is one sax that will stick with you throughout your musical journey, regardless of how long.
Pros
- The lightweight design makes it quite easy to play for longer periods.
- Ergonomically designed.
- Perfect for players of all levels including absolute beginners.
- Free blowing and easy to play.
- Lower vent tube helps reduce noise during playing.
- The keys are designed to encourage good technique.
- Long-lasting saxophone.
Cons
- Not exactly affordable for some players.
Best cheap soprano saxophone: Sky Band Approved Bb Gold Plated Soprano
Getting a good-sounding soprano saxophone shouldn’t always require you to break the bank, especially if you are a beginner or student. The Sky Band soprano saxophone is an awesomely made saxophone considering the very low price and good quality. To get something similar to this from other brands might be a lot costlier than this. First, this soprano sax spots an awesome finish that makes it look a lot costlier than it actually is. Just to give you some more options to choose from in terms of aesthetics, this sax comes in three colors which are gold, green and black, respectively. Although the prices slightly differ, with the gold colour being the costliest, all three colours still remain affordable enough for most sax players.
It comes with everything you will need to start playing the saxophone, which means you can start playing straight out of the box. The intonation is awesome and playability is great, which makes it a perfect choice for beginner players looking for something decent to start with while waiting to transfer to a more expensive model. Although being quite a versatile saxophone, this soprano sax would be an awesome fit for school bands, marching bands, and even private music classes. It comes with a lightweight case for protection and ease of carriage, a cleaning rod, and a soft cloth for polishing the sax when it needs one.
To make things a lot more attractive, this soprano saxophone comes with a “one-year warranty against manufacturer’s Defects.” What this means is that should you spot any defect that is likely the fault of the manufacturer, you can return it and get a new one within the period of one year. The projection and overall tone is great for beginners and intermediate players.
Pros
- Affordable enough for most beginners and intermediate players.
- Perfect for school bands and marching bands.
- Comes in different colours that you can choose from.
- Comes with a one-year warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
- Great intonation and playability.
Cons
- You might need a repairer to help unstick the sticky valves after purchase. However, this is not the case with all purchases.
- Not exactly an awesome fit for professional usage because of its overall make and intonation.
- Does not come with enough reeds, which means you will need to buy extra reeds.
Best curved soprano saxophone: Jean Paul USA Soprano Saxophone
The curved soprano is a distinct type of soprano sax with unique tonal qualities. Players in the classical settings often prefer the curved soprano as they can easily play it while sitting and can also make use of a neck strap, unlike the straight that is more comfortable while standing. The Jean Paul USA is an amazing professionally crafted soprano saxophone for players of all levels. The overall intonation and ergonomics are superb and perfect for diverse playing scenarios.
Regardless of style, be it jazz, blues, smooth jazz, or even classical music, this amazing saxophone is versatile enough as it will shine just perfectly. It is awesome both for solo works and ensemble playing. It comes with a Rico H Ligature that does a great job for players trying to craft their tone. Also, it comes in a professional carrying case and professional mouthpiece. This Jean Paul Soprano Saxophone comes with everything you will need to start playing straight out of the box. It is such a perfect saxophone for beginner, intermediate, and even pro musicians. The projection and intonation on the SS-400GP is just superb. It is awesome for performers, teachers, and even session players.
It comes in two colors to choose from, which are silver and gold. Although the silver is a bit more costly, the saxophone is still greatly affordable considering the awesome quality. To get something similar to this [in quality] from other expensive brands, you might need to spend almost double of this. This saxophone is super versatile, playable, ergonomically designed, and free blowing.
Pros
- Comes with a professional carrying case.
- Comes with a Rico ligature and professional mouthpiece.
- Versatile enough for diverse playing styles.
- Perfect for players of all levels.
- Comes in two colors to choose from.
Cons
- Some might come with minor imperfections. However, this is very rare.
- A few might come with sticky keys, which is no big deal as a repairer can easily unstick them.
- Not exactly affordable for the beginner player.
Best professional soprano saxophone: Yamaha Custom YSS-82Z Professional Soprano Saxophone
With a vintage vibe that you might never get from other soprano saxophones, this piece of beauty was specially crafted for the seasoned professional looking to attend the next level. At first sight, the careful and artistically superior hand-graving adds more than just beauty but character and style to this already beautiful piece. The YSS-82Z doesn’t just look super cool, it also plays amazingly well with an unrivaled intonation that makes it your best bet for any professional playing scenario. Be it on live stages with thousands watching or in small jazz bars, or even inside recording studios, this amazing soprano saxophone will always shine with a visual and tonal beauty that can hardly be rivaled by any other brand.
The overall make, intonation, and playability of this saxophone are second to none and it lives up to every penny on its price tag. The custom YSS-82Z Series Professional Soprano Sax is a straight neck lacquered soprano saxophone. With this model, you will be sure to go right back to the days of the vintage Yamaha soprano sax designs – every note takes you back in time. This was designed to have the feel and looks of the classic ’62’ models. These custom models come with bodies that are made of a very special brass alloy for a way lighter weight, amazing playing feel, and unrivaled tonal flexibility, ergonomics, and playability.
Designed for the seasoned player, this saxophone plays perfectly well across all registers. Also, it boasts of a huge dynamic range, which means it can play as soft and as loud as you wish. This is every professional’s dream soprano saxophone. They come in four finishes which are, silver-plated, gold baked epoxy lacquer, black lacquer, and un-lacquered. Each of these four finishes has a distinct tonal character that will always make it stand out. On the un-lacquered models, the finish will get polished on arrival and will gradually morph over time. This saxophone is a perfect blend of comfort, aesthetics, and amazing tonal character. Regardless of style, this is one soprano saxophone that will never let you down. It Is also built to last.
Pros
- The lower vent tube design helps to reduce noise.
- Perfect for the seasoned professional.
- Versatile enough for all playing styles and genres.
- Features a lightweight design.
- Super comfortable and supportive of long playing sessions.
- Features unique hand engravings.
- Unrivaled intonation across all registers.
Cons
- Not exactly the most affordable saxophone on the market.
Best vintage soprano saxophone: summina Professional Red Bronze
Made of high quality red bronze to emit that vintage vibe, the Summina Professional Soprano Sax is an amazing saxophone with superb intonation for the seasoned pro and even the enthusiastic intermediate and beginner player. It features an antique surface design with an attractive carve pattern, water-resistant leather pads for protection from moisture, and bluing steel needle. It also has very comfortable key inlays made out of abalone shell, and includes everything you will need to start playing straight out of the box. It comes with a durable carrying case, free blowing mouthpiece, neck straps, cleaning cloth, grease, brush, and gloves.
Professionally designed, this sax boasts of superb and flawless intonation, key ergonomics, and playability.Although not quite as expensive as other premium brands, this still remains a professionally crafted saxophone with a vintage look and tonal character that makes it stand out from the rest. With a professional carrying case, neck strap, and beautifully engraved bell, this amazing sax was not just designed to play beautifully but to also be super comfortable.
It features a quite comfortable, and ergonomic key design that helps encourage proper technique and also supports longer playing sessions. This was specially crafted for the seasoned professional who wants to move to the next level.
Pros
- Ergonomic design.
- Versatile enough for various playing styles.
- The water-resistant leather pads add an extra layer of protection to the pads.
- The keys are quite comfortable and made of abalone shell.
- Comfortable enough for longer playing hours.
- Affordable enough for most players
Cons
- For the price, none that I can think of.
Soprano Saxophone Buying Guide
What are the things to consider when buying a soprano saxophone?
You should consider the brand, whether you are buying curved or straight, playability, overall mechanics of the body and keys, intonation, and budget. However, you should also consider things like playing style, weight, and ergonomics.
Choosing a new soprano saxophone should not be such a tedious task, especially for beginners. But it serves to know if you want to get a curved or straight soprano. Handling these two types of soprano saxes will help you decide more firmly which is best for you. Also, looking at what your favorite players use can also help you arrive at a choice. Deciding on a brand is also another important part of buying a soprano sax. It is always better to have a brand in mind other than just hoping to make a good choice. Also, setting a budget is another important factor in choosing the right sax for you.
What is a good brand for soprano saxophones?
Some of the most amazing soprano saxophone brands are Yamaha, Selmer, Allora Vienna, Mendini, Jupiter, Jean Paul, etc.
Although some of these brands are quite expensive, in some cases, price does not always translate to quality. It might be shocking to find out that some less expensive brands sound better than the more expensive ones. It is important to know that a lot of factors contribute to a soprano saxophone sounding good. One major factor will always be “player technique.” A very expensive saxophone in the hands of a total beginner might sound like a very cheap saxophone while a very cheap saxophone in the hands of a seasoned professional might sound like a very expensive model.
What key is the soprano saxophone?
The soprano saxophone is in the key of B-flat. What this means is that if you play the note C on the soprano sax, that note will give you B-flat on the piano or chromatic tuner. The soprano sax is tuned a major second above concert pitch.
Is the soprano saxophone good for beginners?
The soprano saxophone will be a bit harder for beginners to start with because it is always hard to play in tune. This is because of how small and sensitive its mouthpiece is to embouchure change. But with some determination and the right practice, any beginner can play the soprano saxophone.
What genre of music are soprano saxophones used in?
Soprano saxophones are greatly used in jazz, classical, smooth jazz, blues, and even pop music.
Conclusion and Winner(s)
Buying a poorly made soprano saxophone can ruin your musical experience and in turn demotivate you. It is always a great idea to choose the best possible soprano saxophone that you can afford. All the soprano saxes mentioned in this article are pretty spectacular in their own rights. However, a few just stand out from the rest. The Yamaha YSS-475I is an amazing and very versatile soprano sax. It is free blowing, ergonomically designed, lightweight, and perfect for players of all levels. Being a professionally crafted saxophone, you can rest assured when it comes to durability and playability. The aesthetics are top-notch as it looks just as awesome as it plays. From the total beginner to the seasoned pro, this is one soprano sax that perfectly fits.
Second, on my list is the Jean Paul USA Soprano Saxophone. Also being a very versatile and professionally designed curved soprano saxophone, this sax comes with professional accessories that will enable you to play it straight out of the box. Coming in two colors to choose from, this soprano sax does not just play great, it also looks super cool. It can work just fine as both your major soprano and backup soprano saxophone. An amazing saxophone from an amazing and reputable brand.
Last update on 2023-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
