5. Materials Science

Nowadays saxophones are made of sheet brass, with brass being an alloy of zinc and copper. Only very rarely are saxophones made of other materials. Such examples include body or neck made of silver or an alloy containing a higher amount of copper, resulting in a red tint.

Most of the time these slightly softer materials are meant to give the saxophones a softer, more rounded timbre. Most saxophones are produced with a gold-coloured surface. To prevent the shiny brass from tarnishing, it is protected with a clear lacquer that’s sometimes refined with additional color pigments.

Also quite common are silver or gold plating for the brass body. Nowadays you can also buy saxophones in different colours or dark finish versions – even multicoloured ones. While the surface finish has no big influence on the sound, it does impact the appearance of the instrument, making it a question of personal taste. Among purists however, a refinish of an old instrument whose lacquer has worn through is considered a crime.