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 and models/series 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.

Jump To a Brand

BetterSax

The BetterSax saxophones are all made by Conn-Selmer in their Chinese factory. This includes the original run of EAS111 altos Jay 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

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

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

Keilwerth

All modern Julius Keilwerth saxophones are manufactured in Germany. Some models were made German, 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

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

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. Earlier 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 II – Elkhart, Indiana USA
La Vie Series – Taiwan
La Voix II Series – Taiwan
Omega Series – 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