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How Do I Choose the Best Saxophone Stand?
A quality saxophone stand is a must for the protection of the musician's instrument. Although several factors are at play when choosing a saxophone stand, the size, weight and type of saxophone are the primary considerations. You should therefore select a stand that is sturdy and strong enough to handle your sax of choice. The stand's feet need to be solid so as to support the weight without tipping over. A smooth finish is also important; rough spots could scratch the horn.
Doing some research before you buy could save you headaches and regrets later. It will likely take some time to decide which saxophone stand is ultimately right for you based on what you desire versus what you can afford. While it's not always necessary to invest in the most expensive stand, cheap stands are usually too lightweight and flimsy to support the instrument properly. Internet music stores may offer the best prices, but it's always preferable to test several stands at a music store before buying a stand. Unless you already know the exact make and model of saxophone stand you want to purchase, buying from an Internet retailer can sometimes result in frustration or disappointment.
As part of the shopping around process, it also helps to visit Internet forums for saxophonists. Discussions about certain types of saxophone stands can be found there, and the opinions expressed are usually those of professional working musicians. You may also want to post a question soliciting advice from other forum members requesting recommendations on which saxophone stand would best suit your needs. Once you find a few models that interest you, research them further by checking out customer reviews online. Reading the experiences of other sax players who bought the same stand will likely influence your decision to some degree as well.
Depending on whether you play alto, soprano, tenor or baritone saxophone, the stand should be carefully evaluated and tested for its capacity to hold the instrument steady. It's a good idea to bring your instrument along with you to the music store so that you can see how well the stand supports the weight of that particular instrument. Try playing your sax using the stand to determine if it offers adequate comfort and ease of use. Naturally you want the stand to be stylish, too — especially if you will be using it onstage — but looks are not nearly as important as quality of construction.
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![A type of woodwind instrument, saxophones are made of brass and commonly heard in jazz, R&B and sometimes rock.]()
By: DangubicA type of woodwind instrument, saxophones are made of brass and commonly heard in jazz, R&B and sometimes rock.
Discussion Comments
@Emilski - I haven't bought a saxophone stand for a long time, but when I did, I did what the article said and just checked out some online forums. Unfortunately, the forum I always used to use is not long online, and I'm not aware of any off the top of my head with good review threads.
Reviews on the actually purchase websites are a lot more common now, so I would just go that route. Check a bunch of different sites for the same stand and read all the reviews. To be honest, I don't have a really high priced stand, and it has always worked just fine. Another way to do it would just be to visit a local music store and try out some stands, and if you find one you like in the store, search for it online and see if you can find it cheaper.
I'm not sure about the soprano sax and clarinet stand thing for sure, but you might try to same thing. Take the clarinet to a music store and test it out on some soprano stands. My guess is the fit probably wouldn't be very good, since the soprano bell is a quite a bit larger than a clarinet's.
So, I have read that you can use the same stand for a tenor or alto saxophone. Is that correct, or is it better to just get a stand that is specially designed to hold one or the other? Does anyone know any good online stores that have saxophone stands for sale? Reviews on the site would be nice. Like the article mentions, you are taking a certain risk buying a stand online, but from my initial searching, the online stores are cheaper and have a wider variety of stands.
On a related note, could you use the same type of stand for a soprano saxophone and a clarinet? They both sort of work the same way by standing the horn up by the bell. My friend plays the clarinet, and for some reason the clarinet stands are more expensive than soprano sax stands, so it might make sense to get the other if they will both do the same job. Does anyone have any idea?
@cardsfan27 - When I was in bands, I had a couple saxophone stands that I used regularly. I was in a small band, and I was the only person that played the tenor saxophone. During songs that called for a soprano saxophone, I would switch to that, since it and the tenor are in the same key. It just makes it easier to play, especially in jazz band.
It would have been silly to keep both of the cases next to me to lay them in between songs, so instead I had a soprano and a tenor saxophone stand to hold whatever horn I wasn't playing at the time.
I have also known people who write music and will keep one of every instrument on a stand in their studio so they can play a section of a song to see what it sounds like.
This may be a silly question, but what exactly would be the purpose of having a sax stand really? Anyone I have ever seen play just takes their instrument out and plays and then puts it back in the case.
I can see where people would have a guitar stand so that they could just pick up the instrument and play any time they wanted, but a saxophone is a lot more delicate, and you wouldn't want it to be getting dust or anything on it. Plus, you would have to take the reed on and off all the time anyway. It just seems like it would be as easy to keep it in its case all the time.
I guess I could understand about someone who is playing on stage, but I am just wondering more about at home use.
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