It's important to note: This article and video are about a product that we have NOT spent considerable time with. We cannot comment on durability or wear over time. This entire article is based on personal opinions.
I've never known Keilwerth to make anything less than a great saxophone, and I don't believe this one to be any different. It's been years since I've played a Keilwerth saxophone (probably....10 years?), and it was just like revisiting an old friend. I remember being really young, and the saxophone retailers near me used to carry Keilwerth products and I would go there just to spend a few minutes blowing on one of those saxophones (also, the Guardala saxophones- if anyone remembers those). I have always thought these were solid instruments, and my opinion today doesn't differ.
Keilwerth SX90R Shadow Alto Sax
Big Core Tone
The first time I blew this horn (on this occasion), my airflow just worked perfectly with the horn. I'd say I was in amazement, but to be honest it's extremely similar in body shape to the two P. Mauriat Tenor Saxophones that I play (the 66RX Influence and the 600XJ).
This horn has such a big tone. It seems to spread endlessly- and not in a way where it feels like there's no core to the sound. The opposite, in fact: I feel like there's a massive sound coming out of the bell. It feels like it's on the darker side which is a little intriguing for me. The body is lacquered with nickel which is typically a MUCH brighter sound on me when I play that finish. I can tell that the horn has been set up from the factory well also, as it's super even in tone and volume from top to bottom.
Built like a tank, but doesn't weigh as much as one.
To be honest, these horns always look like they weigh a ton to me. It's a big horn, but it feels just right in my hands. Part of that is because the keyboard is setup well, and part of that is because these horns feature adjustable palm keys (tool included).
You can take one glance at this horn and see that they're made really well. There seems to be a lot of care that went into making these, and you can tell when you look at little things like the soldering or even the (lack of) glue. Sometimes on new horns, I notice a lot of horn manufacturers will over-glue pads when they seat them, and then not clean up their work when the glue seeps out on the side of the pads. Not on this horn. Everything was beautifully-done, top to bottom.
Cosmetically, there's a few nice touches here that were immediately noticeable.
First: The black leather pads. I know that it makes no difference, but I love that the pads match the horn somewhat. They could have put any pads in there, but someone took the time to acknowledge that the black leather pads would look great with the nickel finish.
Second: Metal Resonators. Do you know how many pro-level horns come with plastic resonators? Yes, there's a tone difference. In my personal opinion, metal resonators ALWAYS win over plastic.
Third: Black Pearl Key Inlays. Again, this is only a cosmetic decision- but I just really love when a company has taken the time out to think through the entirety of a horn.
Why Keilwerth?
Owned by Buffet-Crampon, Keilwerth has been making instruments in Germany since 1925.
Although the company has changed hands a few times, the quality of the product has never diminished. In fact, Keilwerth has been known for so long for their great saxophones that through the history of the company, they've made some stencils for other companies as well, including Armstrong, Couf, Selmer Bundy, Buffet, and King.
Many special thanks to my friend Joe Nvosel (@dearleaderjoe on Instagram) for bring me this horn to try. Joe is a friend of mine who is based in Zagreb, Croatia and he's a saxophonist and travel/food blogger who is lucky enough to journey around the world doing his craft.
Joe is a student of one of my saxophone friends in Croatia named Sasa Nestorovic who is a member of one of the oldest touring classical saxophone ensembles, Zagreb Saxophone Quartet. We all had a fun saxophone hang, and Joe also got to try my P. Mauriat 67RX Influence Alto Saxophone too.
These horns have massive tone and are built like a tank. One unique feature is the height-adjustable palm keys.
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