How Are Saxophones Made?

If you’ve ever wondered about the mysterious process by which a saxophone is made, you’re not alone. I have too, so I did some research to figure out what exactly this process involves.

So, how are saxophones made? Saxophones are formed from thin sheets of brass which are welded and hammered into the shape of a tube. Manufacturers then drill into the tube to create the tone holes, and separately solder and attach the various posts and keys. Continue reading to get a full description of the process.

Step one: Forming the body of the saxophone

The process begins with thin rolls of brass. The brass is unrolled into sheets, and is shaped into a tube. This forms the body of the saxophone. The connecting edges are then welded together so that the brass maintains its tube-like shape. Many manufactures may specifically use an argon welder, which is intended to preserve the homogeneity of the metal, ultimately maintaining ideal acoustics.

Some manufacturers may form the body with two sheets which are formed into half-shells and assembled by brazing. High-pressure fluid can then be used to inflate the body, forming it into its correct dimensions.

The tube is then placed in a sulfuric acid bath, which removes any oxide residue created from the welding process. If the tube is left uneven after the welding process, then workers manually hammer the tube into a perfect conical shape.

The body is then shaped into the form of a cone. This is done by forcing the tube into a mold which is just slightly too small for it. As the saxophone goes into the mold, it is tapered ever so slightly inward, forming the classic conical shape that the saxophone is known for.

Many saxophones are curved, and the process of curving the saxophone will usually be done at a separate station. Often, the saxophone will be put into a separate die which gives the saxophone its desired curve. A die is much like a mold; it is a manufacturing tool designed to form an object into a particular shape.

Step two: Forming the bell of the instrument

The bell goes through the same initial process as the body of the instrument. It is first formed by brass sheets, and the edges are welded together. It then goes through the same molding process that the body goes through.

Bells often have a unique outward-flaring shape to them, and this shape often cannot be produced entirely by machinery. After being formed, the bell is often then placed on a machine which spins rapidly. Workers then use various spatula-like tools to shape the bell into having the iconic outward flare. 

Step three: Drilling the tone holes

At this point, the body tube and the bell are placed on a different die which holds it in place. Drills are pressed into the tubes at precise points to ensure that the tone holes are created in the exact location that they need to be in. 

Before this process was computerized, it was done in a slightly different way. The body of the saxophone would be mounted onto a mandrel which was loaded with pulling balls. A drill press would be lowered and threaded into the pulling balls. As the drill would get raised, it would pull the ball out of the tube, creating a tone hole that flares outward and is the size of the pulling ball. This process would then be repeated for each tone hole.

It is much more precise nowadays to minimize human interaction with this process.The slightest mispositioning of a tone hole can drastically affect the intonation of the instrument, which is why the process which involved the pulling balls was eventually replaced.

Step four: Producing the other parts of the saxophone

The saxophone consists of many smaller pieces, such as the keys, the rods which hold the keys, the posts which hold the rods, and the ring that the neck strap attaches to. All of these parts are produced by putting heated metal into a mold of the proper shape. 

Alternatively, these parts may be formed with a punch-out press which cuts the shapes out of a slab of metal. Since the part created by the punch out press is not created in the exact shape that it needs to be in, it is then molded with a variety of tools that involve drilling, bending and shaping it. They are then further processed with cutting tools to form the perfect shape of the part.

Posts are often made through the same initial punch-out process, but require additional work to get them into their proper shape. After being punched-out or molded from heated metal, the post is placed on a rotating lathe. At this point, it is sculpted as it spins, eventually being formed to the appropriate size and shape. It is then drilled, as all posts need to have a small hole in them in order to attach to the keys.

Most of the smaller parts are made well in advance of the rest of the saxophone which they will eventually be attached to. The parts are kept in storage, and are eventually soldered to the body of the saxophone when they’re needed.

The keys, meanwhile, need to be fitted with pads. Pads are pieces of felt or leather that ensure that the key is capable of sealing the tone hole properly. Typically, the pads are attached to the bottom of the keys via glue.

Step five: Soldering the smaller pieces onto the body

The next step is to attach the individual parts of the saxophone to the body, primarily via soldering. First, the posts are attached to the body and bell via soldering. These serve to hold the rods and keys in place. The bell is then attached to the body, again through the process of soldering. Other small parts, such as the ring which connects to the neck strap, will also be soldered to the saxophone.

At this point, an artisan will also engrave the brand logo into the bell of the saxophone. This is a difficult process which requires a skilled artisan. Considering that this task occurs so late in the manufacturing process and risks ruining the instrument if a mistake is made, many manufacturers do not go through with this additional step. The manufacturer may instead stamp their logo into the bell, which is a process that is low-risk and generally computerized. 

Step six: Finishing touches

The body gets buffed and polished to make the saxophone look pristine. Manufacturers often use a buffing wheel for this process. In cheaper brands of saxophones, this step may be skipped.

The final cleaning process involves an ultrasonic bath which eliminates excess oils and residues. If the manufacturer is one that typically lacquers their saxophones, then they will complete the saxophone by spraying it with a lacquer coat and placing it in an oven to solidify the lacquer.

Step seven: Assembly and inspection

The rods and keys are attached to the posts. This process doesn’t typically require soldering or welding, since the most of the remaining parts are meant to fit the posts. Most of the keys are attached using long screws in the shape of a rod. These screws fix the rods and keys to the posts. 

The manufacturer will usually take care to make final inspections. This will often involve placing a pad light inside the saxophone to check for leaks, as well as having a musician playtest the saxophone to ensure that it works properly.

Related Questions

How are saxophone mouthpieces made?

Generally, mouthpieces are made out of hard rubber, metal, or plastic, and are manufactured via computer-controlled machinery. There are also some more modern methods of manufacturing saxophone mouthpieces, such as through 3D printing. However, these modern manufacturing methods do not necessarily produce higher-quality mouthpieces.

What is the saxophone made out of?

Saxophones are nearly always made out of brass. In some instances, some parts of the saxophone may be gold-plated or silver-plated. The very first saxophones produced by Adolphe Sax were actually made out of wood, not brass.