Glory Gold Laquer E Flat Alto Saxophone with 11reeds,8 Pads cushions,case,carekit

Ok, In my past, I've purchased a good 5 or 6 chinese saxophones, but unfortunately none really sounded like a real sax. Some even sounded like a trumpet. Some were ok. Like the tenors were more sax sounding than the altos, and the altos were better than the sopranos. But I've been pleasantly surprised with my Glory alto sax! No wonder it's rated number 2 in the list of best budget saxes of 2016! Number 1 was a sax more than 4x more expensive. It's definitely better than the 25% more expensive Mendini sax I own! It just sounds more like a sax, and the notes are more dead on than with the mendini, which in octave 2 gets more than a quarter note off scale. The instrument is beautiful (I got the plain black with golden keys), it's heavy, but not too heavy (mendini was heavier); it sounds great, and is easy to play. The provided mouthpiece is a practice mouthpiece, it doesn't go very loud. I paired it with a $20 Yamaha 4c mouthpiece, and it was a tad louder in the mid tones. It also more easily could play the lower notes. With the stock mouthpiece low D and C were hard to impossible to play. With the Yamaha mouthpiece, only the low C. I definitely will go for a better mouthpiece soon! I think mine needs to be set up, as the 4 lowest notes are really hard to play. The neck strap like usual needs replacement. I wonder why in this day and age they would still provide a non-neoprene padded strap for anything heavier than a soprano. Though the neck strap comes to good use for my EWI, which I have lost the strap for. My impression of the Glory sax lineup, is that in essence, they're all the same saxes, with as difference that there is the basic sax, the upgraded one (with a design in the bell and on the body), and the vintage saxes, with eye for detail on the paint and body designs. But all should emit about the same sound quality. Since for me this was a budget conscious choice, I went with the base model, and only paid $10 more for the black version with the golden keys. The reed on the sax was a bit of poor quality and chipped, so I have ordered synthetic reeds (bamboo/plastic mix, not regular plastic) for this sax. Overall I would say for beginners there is no better bargain out there to start out with. Whether you play in class, or play in a band, this sax is up for the task of the beginner and intermediate. Professionals too, can purchase one of these funky color saxes, and enjoy a decent sax sound. This sax probably doesn't have the reliability or sound quality of a $2k+ sax, and parts may be harder to find, but really, at $300, you just buy yourself another sax; which is what one repair with parts on a $2k sax easily cost anyway! So for the beginner and intermediate this is a great buy. For the pros, (aka, anyone with 2+ years of experience playing in bands) it's a nice gadget as tertiary sax, to take to sketchy gigs, or in places were sound quality matter less over looks! I would definitely buy a Glory sax again, it's the first Chinese sax, I would use in live settings! It sounds great!

I played from middle school until senior year. Im in my 30s now, and didn’t play until I bought this horn to get my feet wet. My old horn was a $2,500 Yamaha. Not sure what model, but it was nice, and honestly the tone of this instrument sounds fine comparatively. My only complaints are; the cork pieces that support the keys are not cut precisely, the pads are inexpensive and will stick if you don’t dry them after playing, and the c# sounds a tad flat. I’ve gotta say though, after I got my embouchure back into playing shape, and my muscle memory came back in my fingers this cheap sax really started playing nicely for me. If you put a fat reed (I’m playing a 3 now) on a decent mouthpiece (using a Selmer C* for now) I believe this Alto will provide a tone that’s indistinguishable from a superior horn to the untrained ear. Chinese assembly line saxophones have really come a long way since I was a kid. The technology is there to make these horn serious competitors to other entry level instruments. The fact that they look awesome is a huge plus too. I got the antique finish on mine. It feels and looks like a very unique and quality horn. I periodically jam with some friends and when I upgrade I plan on taking this horn with me to gigs. If something happens it’s inexpensive enough that replacement won’t break the bank. Don’t bother with the mouth piece this thing comes with though. I could hardly get the one that came with mine to play. It’s worth it to do some research and buy a quality mouth piece. TLDR: after playing this horn for 3 months, I think it’s a real bargain. Sounds, plays, and looks far better than I anticipated.

I am a semi-pro musician. I play a lot of local town gigs and have my own band, about 2 or 3 a month, so I'm not some guy who is just getting back into the sax after 20 years and can't play. I know what you're thinking, "what kind of paid musician plays on this Chinese crap?" Here's my assessment of this brand. This is my second Glory alto sax. The first one I got was the blue with silver keys (I love that horn). I have played the blue sax for 2 years: it is in tune, has a clear sound, and the action is great. I have not had any problems with it breaking down bigger than losing a cork or 2 and by now it has a lot of miles on it. The pads are just now starting to look a little worn, and I am overstating "a little worn"...it still plays about 99% as good as it did when it came out of the box. Now the new horn...the ENGRAVED FLOWER DESIGN-Glory High Grade Antique finish series PR4. The horn is beautiful, and just like the blue one plays near-perfect right out of the box. There is a little flutter on low C if I play below mf, but I'm gigging so no worries there! This horn is loud while still having the great, clear sound of the blue model. Every pad (EVERY pad) has a metal tone booster, so plan on playing this in a big band and not having to blow your brains out. I haven't had much volume trouble with the blue one, but the metal tone boosters are a plus in case I don't have a mic and am playing in a big club. Finally, the engraving is top-notch and stands out over dark silver-brush finish. Both of these saxes were obviously meticulously set up right before being shipped, something you probably can't say about that $3000 selmer you just got! Yes, these come off an assembly line, but so far the machinery and keywork is perfect. They are near-flawless Selmer USA clones, and this new one feels a bit closer to an SA. The action feels a little faster, and the keys are slightly lower than the blue's (not much, but noticeable). The springs are a little stiff, but I think they are the same as the blue's and know they will break in nicely. Cost...come on. Get the 3-year accident protection. So the new horn cost me 275-ish altogether and if I drop it or if a key breaks or someone steps on it, I can cash in the protection for a new sax! Both saxes and I'm only in for about 550 and so far have not had to use the protection plan, but why not get it just in case when these amazing saxes are so cheap! One more thing, this sax came in the sporty gig bag seen (black with light-blue trim). I swapped cases on my saxes to have the gig bag match my blue sax and the straight black case match my new sax. Inside it comes with a case strap, neck strap, mouthpiece (have never tried it), some reeds, cleaning cloth, silica gel, cork grease, tweezers (!) and a flat-head screwdriver. Finally pro-level saxes for a very affordable price. Once I save a little more, I will be buying a tenor.

I bought 4 of these Glory Alto Saxophones recently for a band class I'm teaching this year for beginners at our small school in rural Alaska. Obviously the most compelling feature is the price (relative to many student models that start near or over $1,000), but I was also drawn by the overall decent reviews. Alto sax is the instrument I first learned to play almost exactly 30 years ago, on a "bundy" (Selmer company) student sax that I still have. It seems to me that what shoppers really need is a review written a year or two down the road after purchase, because it's easy to think one thing at first and then another thing a while later after putting some hours on the horn. So I intend to do a followup on this review in a year or two from now, and I will say how they held up under the abuse of my excitable students. For now, my first impressions are that the saxes look and sound fine. I took each one out and played each for about 10 minutes, playing in a variety of styles. A few of the keys are located a little off from where I'm used to (especially the octave key, more to the right), but I was able to play without any significant problems. The tone was fine, actually better than my old Bundy, especially at the lower end, but also on the high notes. So I'm satisfied with the purchase so far, though we shall see how they do over the long haul and I will update then. I can tell they are cheaply made and some details give the impression that they were put together in a rush. Specifics: 1. Tight fitting mouthpieces. Apparently the diameter of the upper cork portion of the neck is fairly inconsistent because all four were different. One was VERY difficult to get on, even with lots of grease and keep in mind I'm not new to the sax so I was trying the usual tricks. I tore the cork a little bit in getting it on, and it required so much effort that a child definitely would not have been able to get it on at all. I left it on for a while once I got it on so it compressed the cork and that of course helped, though it will probably continue to be a little difficult to tune on an ongoing basis, especially for a kid who will likely accidentally unseat their reed in the twisting/pushing/pulling process. One of the others was difficult, though not quite as bad, and it did not tear the cork. The third was somewhat difficult, but an improvement and probably about what I would expect for the first time. The fourth was about as easy as it is to put my mouthpiece on my 30-year old bundy student sax. I think this might be a bad thing, in that once it compresses the cork some more I could see it falling off on its own or just being really loose all the time. We shall see, and like I said that is why an update in a year or two is important. 2. One of the four saxes had a bunch of what appears to be cork grease on the inside of the lower part of the neck (or crook). A bunch of cork grease. Weird because nothing touches that portion of the instrument. That part of the neck goes IN to the lower part (body) of the sax - there is no friction or connection point on the INSIDE of the neck, which is where the grease was. This was only found on one of the 4 that I bought. 3. A few pads are off-center and one (one of the right pinky finger keys) was even glued diagonally and not in the center of the "pad hole," like it was done in a big hurry. That pad causes the particular key to not open as far as it is supposed to. It rests in open position, so this means that the key that closes it is constantly depressed slightly from normal position. This should have no effect on how it plays. 4. One of the octave keys, at the top, is off center. Meaning if you try and lift it way up it actually hits the little side bars on the way up. It isn't rising at a 90 degree angle. More like 70 degrees or something. If you pull it above the sidebars (which you can do since it barely hits on the way up), then release it, it sticks on the same side bar on the way down. This is not a big deal actually because when you are playing you only use the octave key - it seldom gets lifted in this manner except by accident. But I point it out to show just the sort of little things you might notice. I am happy with the purchase so far, but this sort of stuff is why it can be sold at such a low price. 5. There are extra keys that I am not used to. Between the A# side key and the D# side key on the right hand (lower) end there are 2 more side keys, situated closer to the main 3 right hand keys. I looked online and I think they are for high f# and f# trill. Maybe these are commonplace now. 6. These things ship ready to play. They go so far as to put a reed on the mouthpiece. The reeds are 2.5 "glory" branded and I bought Rico 2.0 reeds instead for the kids to start out on. I want all the help I can get to help them make their first sound, to minimize initial discouragement. I will try and monitor these reviews so if you have a question fire away. So far so good and I would buy them again. Don't expect the quality of a Yamaha sax, but it might be 90% as good for 1/4th the price. If my child was wanting to learn the alto sax I would strongly consider going this route, or buying a name brand horn on craigslist.

Beautiful Instrument. An Excellent Piece for the Price! I have not play a sax (Bari in Jr. High) in over 40 years. I play other instruments, but I was aware that my embouchure would be weak at best. With that said, I was pleasantly surprise at how well the pads sealed and the low register boomed out that B and Bb. Key placement is comfortable. More good mark for the horns intonation which was true to the strobe (tuner). It is solidly constructed and the antique nickel finish I selected exceeded my expectation. The supplied mouthpiece wasn't bad. After practicing with a Bari medium (seemingly more akin to a #3) synth reed for a week to build up some strength, I stepped down to the Legiere 2.25. Very sweet and easy to control. I have started working out with a metal M/P to compare tone and projection, but throwing one of the supplied bite pads on the stock M/P gave it a good feel. The case looks kind of elementary school with the bright bead stripe on the outside, but it is well made and cradles the horn in a nice plush molding. It would be great to have just enough additional inner compartment for another M/P, but I'm not going to be whiny at all for this price point and the overall quality of the gear provided. It does have a generous outer zipped storage. Plenty for the neck strap (had to uograde that), reeds and other somewhat flat accessoried. Love the inclusion of the sax-saver insert. Bought one for the M/P too. All in all I chose this sax after comparing and searching all of the reviews I could find for horns in this price range. It is rated very high and the player who demo'd it had all good things to say and play. Now, I can report, first hand, that the positive feedback was not at all exaggerated in my opinion. The Glory Alto performs Gloriously!

My five star rating is of course based on the price. It is a less expensive sax but as a newcomer to this instrument it was a great simple investment in something that i will grow from. I've waited a while to express myself better about this instrument. I have now had a month of lessons using this horn and it has been more than satisfactory. I know it is a relatively cheap piece as now that I know a little bit more about sax's, and I am more familiar with the price range these instruments can grow into. I wasn't quite sure if I would stick to practicing and learning material as I already play piano, and guitar professionally. At this time, I can honestly say I am sure now that I will stick to the saxophone as well as my other instruments, and I am happy that this was my first horn. Well worth the price I paid

We got this saxophone for my 7th-grade son instead of paying the sky-high monthly rental fees, and it’s been such a great decision. The gold lacquer finish looks beautiful — it really stands out — and it came with everything he needed, from reeds to a care kit and case. The sound quality is clear and smooth, and his band teacher was actually impressed by how well it plays for the price. The reeds included are fine for starting out, but upgrading to higher-quality ones gave it an even better tone. Overall: A fantastic beginner saxophone set that saves money and sounds great. My son is proud to own his own instrument, and it’s performing beautifully in band practice.

I knew I wasn't getting a top of the line sax for this price but I was hoping for one that worked. I just wanted a cheaper sax I so I could dabble and maybe pick up a new instrument for fun. What I got was barely functioning and even more cheaply built than I imagined. The pads to close the holes are terrible. The bars attaching the keys to the body of the instrument are too short. I'm sure this makes it easier to assemble but makes it easier to fall apart too. And to top everything off it seems everything is being held together with a cheap epoxy. I've had the thing for a few years but only had it out to play a dozen or so times and the post holding a button on just fell off. There is also some funky looking grime coming out of one part. Not sure what it is or where it came from. (I've played plenty of woodwind and brass instruments and not seen anything like this) This could be a qc problem because before it fell apart it was functional. It would still be a rough instrument to learn on because you won't know if something bad is happening because of you or the instrument. While the post was in the proccess of falling off I was very confused why one note was always a half step up. It wasn't until I checked all the keys again that I saw the post fallikg off cause a hole to never close properly. The only thing what's left is good for is an almost attractive decoration for a music room or something. It seems, once again, you get what you pay for.