Where Are Saxophones Made?

For some people, where a saxophone’s made is one of the determining factors in buying a horn. To help you make an informed buying decision, or just to satisfy your curiosity, I’ve created this list to help you figure out where each instrument is manufactured.

This list is organized by brand to help make your search easier. It mainly features modern sax models from major brands, but also includes some well-known vintage and discontinued saxes. That said, this is an ongoing project and doesn’t account for every saxophone ever made.

BetterSax

The BetterSax saxophones are all made by Conn-Selmer in their Chinese factory. This includes the original run of EAS111 altos Jay Metcalf sold through his website, along with the revised EAS112 and any other saxophones that have since released.

• EAS111, EAS112 BetterSax by Bundy Alto – China
• BetterSax Classic Tenor – China
• BetterSax Tradition Alto – China

Bundy

The earliest Bundy saxes were made by Buescher and Selmer in Elkhart, Indiana. (See “Selmer USA“)

The original BetterSax alto sax also features Bundy branding (BetterSax by Bundy). But otherwise, there’s no meaningful connection besides the name.

Cannonball

Almost all Cannonball saxophones are made in Taiwan, with the exception of the A90 student saxes. This specific Taiwan factory only works on Cannonball saxophones, and doesn’t produce saxes for any other brand. The final setup and hand-engraving are all done in-house in Sandy, UT

Student & Intermediate Cannonball Saxophones

• A90-L “Falcon Series” Alto – China
• AA-L “Alcazar” Alto – Taiwan
• TA-L “Alcazar” Tenor – Taiwan
• AScep-X “Sceptyr” Alto – Taiwan
• TScep-X “Sceptyr” Tenor – Taiwan

Professional Cannonball Saxophones

• A4-X “Stone Series” Alto – Taiwan
• A5-X “Stone Series” Alto – Taiwan
• A5-25 “25th Anniversary” Alto – Taiwan
• Akey-L “Key Artist Series” Alto – Taiwan
• AVR-X “Vintage Reborn” Alto – Taiwan
• GA5-X “Gerald Albright” Alto – Taiwan
• T4-X “Stone Series” Tenor – Taiwan
• T5-X “Stone Series” Tenor– Taiwan
• T5-25 “25th Anniversary” Tenor – Taiwan
• Tkey-L “Key Artist Series” Tenor – Taiwan
• TVR-X “Vintage Reborn” Tenor – Taiwan
• GT5-X “Gerald Albright” Tenor – Taiwan
• B5-X “Stone Series” Baritone – Taiwan
• B7-X “Artist Series” Baritone – Taiwan
• B8-X “Stone Series” Baritone – Taiwan
• S5-X “Stone Series” Soprano – Taiwan
• SA5-X “Stone Series” Arc Soprano – Taiwan
• SC5-X “Stone Series” Curved Soprano – Taiwan
• SVR-X “Vintage Reborn” Soprano – Taiwan
• GS5-B “Gerald Albright” Soprano – Taiwan
• GSC5-SB “Gerald Albright” Curved Soprano – Taiwan

Eastman

All modern Eastman saxophones are made in an Eastman-owned factory in Beijing China. Before that, the 52nd Street series and other saxophones were made by an independent factory in Taiwan.

• 200 Series – China
• 400 Series – China
• Bravo Series – China
• Rue Saint-Georges Series – China
• 52nd Street Series (1st Generation, Pre-2020) – Taiwan
• 52nd Street Series – China

Growling Sax & Victory

All Growling Sax and Victory saxophones are made in Taiwan, except for the Avant-Garde student saxophone. Final quality control is done in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

• Avant-Garde Series – China
• Origin Series – Taiwan
• Red Lava Series – Taiwan
• Revelation Series – Taiwan
• Special Edition Series – Taiwan
• Triumph Series – Taiwan
• Uprise Series – Taiwan

Jean Paul

Jean Paul saxes are all made in China, then go through final setup and quality control at their headquarters in Doral, FL (just outside of Miami).

Jupiter

Jupiter is one of the many brands owned by KHS. Their entry-level saxes are made in China, while their higher-end saxophones are made in Taiwan.

• 500 Series – China
• 700 Series – Parts made in China, assembled in Taiwan
• 1000 Series & Higher – Taiwan

Keilwerth

All modern Julius Keilwerth saxophones are manufactured in Germany. Some models were made in Germany, then assembled in the Czech Republic. A few intermediate models were made in Taiwan.

• CX90 – Germany
• MKX – Germany
• EX90 series I – Germany
• EX90 series II – Germany
• EX90 series III – Made in Germany, assembled by Amati in the Czech Republic
• ST90 series I – Germany
• ST90 series II – Made in Germany, assembled by Amati in the Czech Republic
• ST90 series III – Taiwan
• ST90 series IV – Taiwan (made by KHS/Jupiter)
• SX90 – Germany
• SX90R – Germany

Leblanc

The earliest Leblanc saxes were made in France. During the 1960s, Yanagisawa saxophones (made in Japan) were also distributed in the USA under the Leblanc name. Eventually, Leblanc-branded saxophones were retired after the company was acquired by Conn-Selmer & Steinway.

In 2024, Conn-Selmer reintroduced Leblanc saxophones to the market. These new Leblancs are made in Taiwan.

Nexus

Nexus saxes are manufactured in Taiwan, with final setup and quality control done by the good folks at Boston Sax Shop.

• Nexus One – Taiwan
• Nexus Premier – Taiwan
• Nexus Select – Taiwan

P. Mauriat

All P. Mauriat saxophones are made in Taiwan. Some older models have the word “Paris” stamped on them, and old marketing mentions being made with “quality French materials”. Despite that, the instruments have no real connection with France.

Prelude

Prelude is a product line created by Conn-Selmer, likely in response to the rise of cheap Amazon instruments. As you’d expect, they’re made in China.

Rampone & Cazzani

Rampone & Cazzani is a boutique brand that handmakes their saxophones in Quarna Sotto, Italy (about 50km south of the Swiss-Italian border). The company’s origins date back to the early 1800s as flute makers. They made their first saxophone in 1875.

Selmer Paris

Selmer’s factory is located in Mantes-la-Ville, just west of Paris, France. While every saxophone is made in France, Axos models are assembled in Asia to help cut down the cost. Similarly, Mark VI saxophones were assembled in various markets including the USA, France, Britain, and Canada.

• Axos – Made in France, assembled in Asia
• Mark VI – Made in France, assembled in various countries
• Mark VII – France
• Reference 36 – France
• Reference 54 – France
• Series II – France
• Series III – France
• Supreme – France

Selmer USA (Conn-Selmer)

Despite the shared name and history, Selmer and Henri Selmer Paris are technically two separate entities. Selmer USA saxes have been manufactured in various locations. Early Bundy models were made at the Selmer Company’s headquarters in Elkhart, Indiana. More recent Conn-Selmer models have been made in Taiwan, China, and Vietnam.

• Bundy – USA
• La Vie Series – Taiwan
• La Voix II Series – Taiwan
• Omega Series (1980s – 2001) – USA
• Omega Series (Post 2001) – Taiwan
• Prelude Series – China
• AS42 – Taiwan
• AS400 – Taiwan
• AS600 “Aristocrat” – Vietnam
• TS44 – Taiwan
• TS400 – Taiwan
• TS600 “Aristocrat” – Vietnam
• SAS201 – Vietnam
• SAS301 – Taiwan
• SAS411 – Taiwan
• SAS511 – Taiwan
• SAS711 – Taiwan
• STS201 – Vietnam
• STS301 – Taiwan
• STS411 – Taiwan
• STS511 – Taiwan
• STS711 – Taiwan
• SBS311 – Taiwan
• SBS511 – Taiwan

Yamaha

Historically, all Yamaha saxes were made in Japan. Sometime around 1998, they shifted production of their student and intermediate wind instruments to a Yamaha-owned factory in Pasuruan, Indonesia. Pro-level Yamaha saxes are still manufactured in Hammamatsu, Japan.

Student Yamaha Saxophones

• YAS-23 – Japan
• YAS-26 – Indonesia
• YAS-280 – Indonesia
• YAS-200AD “Advantage” – Japan
• YAS-200ADII “Advantage” – Indonesia
• YTS-23 – Japan
• YTS-26 – Indonesia
• YTS-280 – Indonesia
• YTS-200AD “Advantage” – Japan
• YTS-200ADII “Advantage” – Indonesia

Intermediate Yamaha Saxophones

• YAS-300AD “Advantage” – Indonesia
• YAS-480 – Indonesia
• YAS-580AL “Allegro” – Indonesia
• YTS-300AD “Advantage” – Indonesia
• YTS-480 – Indonesia
• YTS-580AL “Allegro” – Indonesia
• YBS-480 – Indonesia
• YBS-52 – Japan
• YSS-475 – Japan
• YSS-475II – Indonesia

Professional Yamaha Saxophones

• YAS-62, 62II, 62III – Japan
• YAS-875 – Japan
• YAS-875EX “Custom EX” – Japan
• YAS-82Z, 82ZII “Custom Z” – Japan
• YTS-62, 62II, 62III – Japan
• YTS-875 – Japan
• YTS-875EX “Custom EX” – Japan
• YTS-82Z, 82ZII “Custom Z” – Japan
• YBS-62, 62II – Japan
• YBS-82 – Japan
• YSS-875 – Japan
• YSS-875EX “Custom EX” – Japan
• YSS-82Z “Custom Z” – Japan

Yanagisawa

Yanagisawa is a specialty shop that only makes pro-level saxophones. All of them are manufactured in Tokyo, Japan.

• 800 Series – Japan
• 880 Series – Japan
• 900 Series – Japan
• 990 Series – Japan
• WO Series – Japan