Jean Paul USA Soprano Saxophone, Gold (SS-400GP)

I bought this saxophone 18 months ago, and it was one of the best purchases I have made at Amazon. It has given me 18 months of real pleasure. Some background may be instructive. I learned to play the clarinet when I was about 14 and enjoyed this instrument throughout my life. When I became a Senior Citizen, it became more difficult to play the notes in the high register. I then stopped playing the clarinet for 20 years. I inherited an alto saxophone after these 20 years and with the help of some books and you tube, I learned to play it. Because of its keys and the conical bore, I found the alto saxophone easier to play than the clarinet. The clarinet has a cylindrical bore, and many of the holes are occluded with fingers rather than keys. I found this curved saxophone to be of high quality and it comes with an excellent case and the backing of a responsible company. I enjoyed playing the lighter curved soprano saxophone so much, that I decided to also buy a straight soprano saxophone. As this company did not sell a straight saxophone, I bought a considerably more expensive Yamaha Model YSS-47511 straight saxophone. This is also an excellent instrument, and I also enjoying playing it. However, even with the neck strap the straight soprano saxophone is more difficult to hold in the proper position for this senior citizen. I usually play the straight soprano sitting on the couch and resting the bell on my new knee. I include these personal details, as most experts say that when playing the soprano saxophone, maintaining the proper pitch is more difficult than with an alto. This is probably true, so it is best to learn the basics on an alto. Once you do this, and you want to try to play the lighter soprano saxophone, I think this instrument is an excellent place to start.

This is a beautiful horn.Flaws:- Screws came loose, had to tighten- Mouthpiece needs to be all the way in or else it's more than a semi tone flat- Weird ergonomics , slight stickyness of some lower pads- octave key a little too loose (idk how to fix that)- no swab (should include a swab)Pros- appearance- case (i love this case)- tone (very dynamic)- mouthpiece, interestingly enough. i bought a yamaha 4c but i have to say at times i like playing on the stock one moreIf you are like me and want to start on soprano but have had experience with other woodwinds, especially if low on funds, you will fall in love with the jean paul curved soprano.

The saxophone arrived in a “Home dinner delivery box”...not what I expected at all. I have a Jean Paul Alto Sax, and the quality was superb. This soprano does not live up to the Jean Pail quality that I am used to.The soprano sax arrived like it was used before. The reed was dried. Mouthpiece was used. Finger prints and debris all over the soprano sax.I cleaned it up, and it looked fine but the playability was worse than the cosmetics. The keys are sticky, which resulted in some keys not even opening up when I lifted my fingers. The low Bb and B are unplayable. I am an experienced soprano sax player, so this isn’t a problem with my embouchure.For my seasoned saxophonists, this ain’t it. I’d look for something else.

I liked that the horn was set up very well and I didn't feel like I needed to do any major adjustments to it just to get it to play. There were no real leaks in the pads and everything else seems to be properly in place. While the instrument does come with a mouthpiece, I suggest that you shop around for a better one and ligature to really let your sound shine. The neck strap that is included is too long to be used without choking yourself so you will need to try to find some solution for that.Soprano sax is difficult in general and the curved format magnifys these difficulties. If you can't position the horn properly on your body due to neck strap issues, it's impossible to playing tune because you will never create a proper embrouchure.Once you get past the setup issues, the horn is really a joy to play. From the lows to the highest notes, it's very responsive and I would have no qualms with using this on any gig in place of my Yamaha.My only real negative is the thumb rest is uncomfortable for me. While it's adjustable, it's still metal and it is hard. This may not be your experience. I wish they had a plastic version of it. While it's wouldn't be as aesthetically pleasing to look at, it's easier on you when playing a long time. My solution was to put a rubber cover over it.In conclusion, The Jean Paul Amateur Soprano Sax should drop the amateur from the name. It's a solid horn for people on a budget and if you are a great player, you will sound fantastic on it.