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Kessler Custom ‘Handmade NS’ Tenor Sax – Solid Nickel Silver Tenor
Retail: $3,549.00
$2,399.00
Financing Starting at $54.57 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
In stock
Kessler Custom “Handmade NS” Nickel Silver Tenor Sax
Professional Tenor | Solid Nickel Silver Alloy | Rich Core & Tonal Presence
Kessler Custom “Handmade NS” Nickel Silver Tenor SaxHandmade Series Features
The Kessler Custom Handmade NS solid nickel silver tenor sax is just as the name implies, a completely handmade professional tenor sax. Built by a only 4 skilled artisan technicians, countless more hours are spent on each saxophone ensuring the best build quality with the lowest amount of stress in the construction. The techniques employed on the Handmade models’ construction produce an instrument that has better vibration, response and tonal performance. When combined with our direct sale approach, this gives the customer a saxophone that offers performance without compromise!
Handmade NS Improvements
Our Handmade NS models are equipped with several improvements not found on the other models in our Kessler Custom line.
– Upgraded Solid Nickel Silver Tenor Sax Body Tubing
– Pisoni Pro Pads
– Highest Quality Blue Needle Springs
– Handmade Professional Mouthpiece
– Double Arm Low Bell Keys
Additional Information
Nickel-Silver Alloy
Typically, saxophones are made out of the alloy called “cartridge brass” (also known as “yellow brass”). While the exact formulation of brass can vary from vendors and suppliers, the typical formula is a brass that consists of 70% copper and 30% zinc. Our standard “Handmade Series” tenors are typically made from a higher copper content (85% copper) “RedBrass” alloy for a darker tone.
Our new Handmade NS solid nickel silver tenor sax models instead employ the use of Solid Nickel-Silver (60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc). This concept was made most popular in the Keilwerth pro horns, specifically their current “Shadow” model. This alloy weighs more than brass which helps to give the horn a substantial tonal depth, but nickel-silver is also quite vibrant which gives the horn amazingly quick response. It is a harder alloy to manufacture with which increases the cost, but it provides an amazing sonic enhancement to the sax.
A Nickel Silver Tenor sax will feel more vibrant and get a bit more grit & edge to the performance of the sax but without sacrificing tonal depth and complexity. Our Handmade NS Nickel Silver Tenor Sax will blow you away!
Pisoni Pads
Kessler Custom Handmade Series saxophones utilize the Pisoni Pro pads. These pads are the best leather pad available on the market today and are the same pads you will find on the Selmer Paris horns new. These pads are a firmer pad than typically found on most saxophones. In order to use these pads, a saxophone has to be manufactured to a much higher level of build with more precise toneholes. Once installed, these pads offer 2 major benefits:
Stability
When combined with the better tonehole manufacturing necessary to use the Pisoni Pro pad, these pads are more stable and less likely to develop little leaks. They also provide a much firmer feel to the mechanism of the sax.
Tone Projection
Pads are made from leather and felt which serve as an acoustic dampener which is why saxophone pads use resonator discs. However, even with a resonator, your air column still comes in to contact with the leather and felt of the pad. With the firmer Pisoni Pro pad, you will have less acoustical dampening from the pad which yields better projection, response and power.
Brushed Matte Antique Lacquer Finish
The “Brushed Matte Lacquer” is fantastic! There is no gloss to it leaving the horn looking like a “raw” saxophone. The Matte Lacquer also weighs less than traditional lacquer. This give the player the perception of the horn being more lively, vibrant and a bit edgier in tone. In reality, this is only a perception of the player as this finish doesn’t actually effect the sound of the horn. The other benefit of this finish is that it hides minor scratches that every horn is bound to receive better than high gloss finishes
Does the finish impact the sound? Depends on who you ask… Dave Kessler chimed in on this topic on his personal blog… go give it a read and see his thoughts on the topic.
While our Hanmade NS nickel silver tenor sax is only available in this one finish, we do offer our standard Handmade Series tenors in 3 finish other options:
Retail: $3,199.00
$2,099.00Financing Starting at $47.75 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
Retail: $3,329.00
$2,199.00Financing Starting at $50.02 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
Retail: $3,379.00
$2,249.00Financing Starting at $51.16 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
Retail: $3,549.00
$2,399.00Financing Starting at $54.57 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
Anniversary Model!
Retail: $3,899.00
$2,549.00Financing Starting at $57.98 per month
Based on 60 months and 12.99% annual percentage rate
Professional Setup
Every horn we send out to a customer is not released from us unless it has been completely setup in our shop first. This is because the setup on the horn is of the utmost importance! Sometimes, a saxophone (regardless of who the manufacturer or the price point is) comes in needing 20 minutes of adjustments and then the very next one can require 2 hours! So if you were to get 5 of the same model right out of the box, they will all play different which leads people to believe that they are “good” or “bad” saxes… but the reality is that the one that was the best out of the 5 was likely the one that needed the least amount of work and on the flip side, the “bad” sax was the one that needed 2 hours worth of adjustments!
Once the same 5 saxophones are properly regulated and adjusted to perfection, they become near identical saxophones that even the pickiest of players would be challenged to pick a true “favorite” horn. However, since most stores do not or even can not perform this setup, the player never knows this and is simply relying on the luck of the draw. This is why we perform our setup (in our www.SaxophoneRepairs.com ProShop) on them before delivering your new sax to you. You trust us with your purchase and we want to make sure that you are rewarded by giving you your ideal saxophone setup flawlessly!
| Bore | Professional French Style Bore |
| Body Material | Solid Nickel Silver Tenor (keywork is brass) |
| Body Construction | Completely Handmade – Fully Ribbed Body Construction |
| Pads | High Quality Leather with Metal Domed Resonators |
| Range | Low Bb to High F# |
| Finish | Antique Finishing with Brushed Matte Lacquer for Raw Brass Look and Response |
| Finger Touches | Black Pearl (updated 2018 – formerly Abalone) |
| Mouthpiece | Several professional mouthpiece options |
| Ligature | Rico H-Ligature in Gold Plate |
| Case | Gig-Style Hard Case |
Case Options
Stock Case: GL Cases – GLE Series Contoured Case
Weighing approximately 7 pounds and providing an exceptional fit for the horn, the GLE Series case from GL Cases will be the default “stock” case moving forward with Kessler Custom Handmade Tenor saxes. Read more about this case on its product page by clicking here.
Case Upgrade Options
Case Upgrade Options
We also stock a carefully selected variety of premium cases that you can upgrade to for a nominal fee from either GL Cases or BAM France! Upgrade Options are:
Case Upgrade Options (Click to View)
GL Cases - GLI Series 'Trekking' Case 
GL Cases – GLI Series Trekking Case – Upgrade Fee: $175.00
Read more about this case on its product page by clicking here.
BAM Cases - 'Trekking' Case 
BAM Trekking Case – Upgrade Fee: $230.00
Read more about this case on its product page by clicking here.
BAM Cases - 'SoftPack' Case 
BAM SoftPack Case – Upgrade Fee: $230.00
Read more about this case on its product page by clicking here.
BAM Cases - 'Cabine' Case 
BAM Cabine Case – Upgrade Fee: $300.00
Read more about this case on i’s product page by clicking here.
Financing Available
Click Here for more information on financing program details and to apply!
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Craig (verified owner) –
I’m getting back into playing after a 15-year break. I used to play in my 20’s and wanted to reconnect with my long lost passion. I spent a LOT of time online looking for Selmer’s. Mostly because one of my old teachers had one and I really loved the sound. I started seeing Kessler sax’s coming up in the searches and I was blown away by the look of this horn in particular. I’d also like to note that I’m ordering from Canada so that adds about 30% to the price.
I couldn’t find a horn that sounded this good for this price. I spent a lot of time online listening to you tube reviews and was really impressed by the sound.
I live in a remote area in Canada and don’t have access to a music store to try the horn first. Most of the stores I looked at in Canada were out of stock on all the horns I wanted and the price points for what I wanted were around $4000-5000 which was too much for me. So I took a chance and bought this horn.
WOW! Its beautiful in every way. It sounds amazing. The sales process was reasonably smooth and one of the owners handled my order personally. ( If you are ordering internationally I’d suggest calling in your order first to avoid invoice adjustments due to international shipping. ) The response time to my questions and calls was speedy and professional. I also appreciated the little hand written note on my horn saying someone had tested it and the little extras such as a quality neck strap, Kessler cork grease and a cleaning cloth. The case was awesome and monogrammed with the Kessler logo too! I really liked the “small store” feel of my online experience.
I’d highly recommend using Kessler and Son’s for your next instrument purchase.