This is my first sax…so…no compromises!

Hi, this is Minoru Kubota from Aizen here.

“I want to start off on the sax, but which one do you think would be right for me?”
“Everything’s so expensive. Couldn’t I go for something just a bit cheaper?
“I wasn’t a good-quality sax that’ll last me a long time…but I haven’t got a clue.”

I meet players-to-be with these concerns every day.

There’s a sax you can start playing right now

And keep right on playing for year after year to come

And it’s not going to break the bank!

At Aizen, we’ve enjoyed the support of sax players at all levels from amateurs to pro musicians. Now, we bring you the original Aizen saxophone you’ve been waiting for. Our standard model – the Hibiki – is ready to go!

Comments from the pro alto sax player Takuji Yamada:

Trying out this newly released model, I was just blown away again at how good Aizen makes them. I checked the price first thing, so I expected the kind of sound quality and control you’d get in that price range – as in, kind of ordinary. But when I picked it up and started moving the keys, right away I got the feeling that I was dealing with something different than other makers would put out at this kind of price. And the minute I blew into it, I knew it.

That’s not to say that the more expensive a sax is, the better it is. It’s more like, there’s a reason why they’re charging so much. When you compare so-called beginners’ saxes or mid-level players’ saxes with high-end models, the difference you notice right away is the controllability and the sound quality.

Right now I play on a high-end Aizen model, and the controllability’s really outstanding. You won’t often find a modern-made instrument that fits in the hand like that, I reckon. This standard model got the same controllability handed down to it from Aizen’s previous models.

Different makers set the left-hand palm keys at quite different heights. I get the feeling that with Aizen, they’ve set the keys carefully in a position where you don’t have to strain your arm any. They’re positioned with the whole arm in mind. Now, if the relative heights of the keys are off in any way, the sax feels weird to play. With saxes in this price range, what you so often get is that the D palm key is set high. Different players have different ideas about this but personally, I prefer it when it’s not too high.

When it’s too high up, your wrist movements end up too strong. You push right down from the shoulder, and your arm kind of moves away from your side. I think keeping the D palm key low is best, especially for newer players.

Oh, and the springs! Wow…I always thought it’s like, “Okay, we’re gonna make a pretty cheap sax, so of course we keep the springs cheap”. So with this Aizen model, I thought the key response was just fantastic. That’s down to good-quality springs.

Next up, of course, is the tone. Really important. With saxes at this price, you normally don’t get a lot of resistance when you blow, so they’re pretty easy to play. But you don’t feel much depth or body in the tone, in my impression. And you always get the sense that it’s hard to get any resonance going, and the response just isn’t quite there. It’s a problem, really. The Aizen model clears that hurdle as well. There’s just the right resistance to get the right depth into the tone. The sound doesn’t thin out when you hit the higher registers, you get a proper good sound up there – and the lower notes have plenty of heft. You get a real good sound right across the range.

Obviously I think this sax would be fine for playing classical, too – it’s suited for wind-instrument ensembles. In my opinion, a good instrument is an instrument that helps the player put out a tone as close as possible to what they want to play, no matter what the genre.

And you want a mouthpiece that really gets your instrument’s sound out there. There’s no doubt that Aizen mouthpieces go bet with Aizen saxes – well of course, right?

The market for saxes has gotten really interesting over the last ten years. The main reason is that there are more and more people around who aren’t caught up on this brand or that brand. They just want to find great instruments and enjoy them, and they’re willing to keep looking. So, different new makers have come on-stream, Aizen being one of them. And I think Aizen’s the one among them all that’s really doing something original and new. I’d recommend any player to try out Aizen’s line of saxes and mouthpieces, and get something of that freshness that Aizen’s bringing to the scene.。

An easily affordable saxophone for beginners to start playing on

When they’re making saxophones for beginners or mid-level players, most makers keep the cost down by using cheap parts and components. Not us. At Aizen: We. Do. Not. Compromise on quality.

We only use the best-quality springs for all our keys, with outstanding response and durability. The result is a feel on the keys that’s just as good as on a high-end saxophone for professional players. And the takeaway? Easy, rapid phrasing when you play.

The pads are a high-quality, durable leather, giving a proper, airtight seal over the tone holes. This ensures a stable, steady sound when you play. The thumb hook comes in metal as standard, optimizing the resonance of saxophone.

At Aizen, we know the materials and parts we use really matter when it comes to sound and playability. That’s why we never compromise on quality. Instead, we’ve been able to get our prices lower for this Hibiki Model by bringing more efficiency to every single step of our manufacturing process.

High-quality performance satisfies many players

The Aizen Hibiki Model’s sound is all about fat, rich, smooth contours – a quality sound that punches its weight against any competition at any price. The airflow’s exceptionally smooth and easy. Even beginner players can get this sax going no problem.
At the same time, there’s a good level of response to the incoming airstream, so depending on the mouthpiece and the playing style, you can express an incredibly wide range of tones – all the way from a sharp, edgy, modern sound to those round, mellow sub-tones that really go front and center in standard jazz playing.

Another thing about the Aizen Hibiki Model is that you get a clear, consistent sound with sharp, correct articulation right through the full range of octaves. This is a piece of equipment that’s got its basics as an instrument 100% together. That’s why we think players new to the sax can choose the Aizen and feel confident that they’re doing the right thing. It’s got the quality.

The Aizen’s got the fundamental basics right. That’s why it can take on the whole range of genres – styles where the individual player’s the key, like jazz, rock and fusion. But just as well the classic genres of orchestral and big-band ensemble play.

The Aizen Hibiki Model gives you Outstanding Bang for Your Buck.

This is a sax which looks good as well. From the exquisite hand-engraved patterns on the bell to the mother-of-pearl shell used on the key buttons, to the beautiful yellow sheen overall, this looks nothing like a middle-of-the-road piece of work.

Carry-cases come as accessories for both our alto and tenor saxophones. Finely finished in high-quality leather, our carry-cases protect the sax from damage and exude an air of luxury. Each case comes with a pocket that can hold the flute case inside and a strap for carrying from the shoulder.

At Aizen, we always go the extra mile for our customers.

・Excellent sound quality
・Superb satisfaction and control
・The joy of playing a sax with all the components working as one
・Player and instrument form one single being

I’ve been playing vintage saxes for decades, and using mouthpieces from the same era. But I’ve never experienced anything quite like this.

“With my Aizen, I got the chance to experience that peak feeling!”
This kind of feedback is what keeps us in the game at Aizen. It isn’t easy work, but we have a little secret: We are completely stone crazy about saxophones.

At Aizen, we want to get as many more people as we can to love the sax like we do.！
We want to get as many people as we can to realize just what a fantastic instrument this is！

Everything we do is for the fans of the saxophone. Helping them is what we’re all about.

We do all we can to bring you the joy of playing the sax.

The Aizen Hibiki Alto Saxophone (Standard Model)	The Aizen Hibiki Tenor Saxophone (Standard Model)
• Eb alto saxophone • With high F# key • Body&Keys in yellow brass • Gold lacquer finish • With handcrafted etched decorations • With carry-case • With Aizen mouthpiece • With full range of accessories	• Bb Tenor saxophone • With high F# key • Body&Keys in yellow brass • Gold lacquer finish • With handcrafted etched decorations • With carry-case • With Aizen mouthpiece • With full range of accessories