*Almost* Perfect: Jean Paul AS-400 Review | The BEST beginner saxophone for $500?

When I started making saxophone content for YouTube, I could never imagine just how many brands of beginner saxophones there are out there.

Because when I first picked up the saxophone 20-something years ago, it seemed like you could count the number of different brands to choose from on your hands.

But now, with the power of the internet and websites like Amazon and eBay, the list is virtually endless.

In fact, almost every week someone asks me what I think about a saxophone brand I've literally never even heard of.

What makes the situation more confusing is that a lot of these brands seem to solely exist on Amazon or eBay.

If you Google the brand name, the most you'll get is usually some product pages, but no actual information about the company that you're buying from.

Then, 12 months later, the listings are gone, all information about the sax is gone, and another half dozen brands have sprung up to take its place.

Take my review of a cheap pink eBay sax from a few years ago.

That brand, Largo Australia, was actually very popular on eBay at the time, but now it's virtually disappeared off the face of the planet.

So these days, when a new saxophone brand pops into the market, you can be forgiven for not immediately sitting up and taking notice.

And then there's Jean Paul.

When I ask my beginner series community what sax they're playing, so many have mentioned they play the Jean Paul AS400, and everyone who I have spoken to has had nothing but good things to say about it.

Chances are, if you're watching this video, you've heard some good things about it too.

Like you guys, I've watched the videos by Better Sax and Saxology praising this model, and with the wave of positivity out there and the fact that it comes in right at the coveted $500 price point, I've even felt comfortable recommending it to you guys before I've even had a chance to get my hands on it.

But does this saxophone live up to the hype around it, or is it just a masterstroke in marketing?

Guys, I'll cut straight to the chase right here and give you my verdict right now.

As a beginner saxophone, this instrument is almost perfect.

And quite frankly, for $500, I don't think there's any instrument I've seen that can compete with it at that price point.

So what makes it so good, and what are those things that hold it back from being absolutely perfect for a beginner?

Well, stick around and find out, because in this video I'm going to unbox this instrument, playtest it, and share my honest thoughts on whether it might be right for you.

So, as with all of my review videos, a quick disclaimer here, guys.

Jean Paul kindly provided me this instrument for the purposes of an unbiased review, but it's important to note there are no pre-arranged talking points, and all of the views expressed in this video are entirely my own.

If you did like the look and sound of this Jean Paul AS400, you can follow the affiliate link in the description below to pick one up for yourself.

It doesn't cost you any extra, and quite frankly, it's not why I make these videos.

But if you are looking to buy one of these saxes anyway, it is a great way to support the channel.

So, with all of that being said, let's get right into it.

So, this is how the sax arrived, and first impressions are good.

The sax appears well packed, certainly more so than the cheap sax I bought from AliExpress a while ago.

Inside the box, we can see there's no padding between the case and the box, which does make me cross my fingers about the quality of the case, but I must say, this is where I'm genuinely impressed.

The quality of the case is outstanding.

It's nothing like the canvas-style cases I've seen with other cheap saxophones.

This feels really well-made, it's firm, it offers great protection as far as I can tell, and if it's not completely waterproof, well, then it does come pretty close because water does not seem to stick to this thing at all.

The front pouch and the shoulder straps at the back of the case are also really handy inclusions.

Opening it up, the case feels plush and well-molded, and of course, here we can see the saxophone wrapped up in a fabric bag.

You'll also notice the corner compartment filled with accessories, so before we get the sax out and take a closer look, let's quickly go through what's included in the case.

First, we have an assembly, care, and maintenance guide.

This is a great idea for a beginner, and I can really tell some thought and care has gone into the preparation of this booklet.

Second, we have a warranty card, we've got a service info card, we've got a tube of caulk grease, and look, caulk grease is cheap.

You know, these sticks cost only about $2 or $3 to buy in a shop, but it's actually a really nice touch that they've given us a Rico branded stick and not a generic, cheaper brand of grease that goes oily and horrible after one use.

Next, we've got a single Rico reed, size 2, which is good for a beginner.

Then we've got a neck strap, which I'm also pleasantly surprised with.

It's lightweight, it has padding around the neck area, the hook has a spring-loaded latch so it shouldn't accidentally slip off the saxophone, and the thing that's going to be most useful, especially for young players, is that the buckle is really easy to adjust up and down.

I can't tell you how many times I've sat in lessons with children who have struggled to adjust the neck strap and can't easily feed the strap through the buckle.

This makes it super easy for everyone, and you know what, it's actually a really important feature.

Next, we've got a microfiber cleaning cloth, and finally, we have a mouthpiece, ligature, and a cap.

Now, for the purposes of this review, Jean Paul also provided me an additional mouthpiece, the AS4, which they sell separately on their website for $69.99.

You can also get it as standard with the silver-plated version of this sax, which is $150 more expensive than the lacquered version.

So, now that we know what's included in the case, let's put it all together.

Well, my first impressions of this horn are really good.

It feels solidly constructed, particularly for the price point.

There's a really nice, even, light spring tension across the whole sax, and we get a really nice, satisfying clacking sound if we press the keys down, which is a good sign that the sax is actually sealing properly.

Now, one thing that stands out to me while I've got my fingers on the keys is that ideally I would like the key heights to be a bit lower.

You can see with the images I flash up on screen that when you compare it to my own Pro sax, the key heights on the Jean Paul are really quite high.

That means there's more distance for the keys to travel when you press them down, which also means your fingers have to work a lot harder than they really need to.

Now, it's worth considering this is only an entry-level sax, but it's precisely because it's aimed at beginners that I think it would really benefit from having a lower key action.

After all, the easier it is to play, the better.

The rest of this sax, it feels very much like any other good modern saxophone.

The key layout is very familiar, it just feels good.

Now, there is a little bit of play with the side keys here, particularly with the side B flat, and that means there's a point where if you press the key lightly, the key will move, but the actual pad will still be sealed shut.

But with a normal amount of pressure, there's no issues at all.

That's something that's pretty normal to find on a beginner horn that you wouldn't normally find on a professional horn.

But of course, this sax is also less than a tenth of the price of most Pro horns made by the likes of Yamaha and Selma.

Now, whilst I'm on this topic of ergonomics, this brings me to the only thing I really don't like about this sax.

And whilst I wouldn't call it a total deal breaker, it is a serious design defect and something that I wouldn't expect to find on any saxophone regardless of the price point.

And that is, it's virtually impossible to transition smoothly between a low E flat and a low C using the rollers on those keys.

You'll notice that what happens is when you press the low E flat key down, a ledge is created, and it's basically impossible to then roll your pinky onto the low C.

Now that I've played the sax for a few weeks, I've sort of trained myself to go around the rollers completely and use the top of the key, which is uncomfortable, but I can kind of do it.

But the reality is, it shouldn't be that hard.

Now, I reached out to a Jean Paul rep about this, and they are aware of this issue.

They said that right now it's a limitation with this student model.

They did say that this wasn't an issue on their Pro model, which retails for $1,300, but of course, that'll be cold comfort for anyone that plays the AS400.

I really do hope that they fix this issue, because even though it's not a key movement that a beginner will use very often, it's still a serious drawback on what is, by almost every other measure, a perfect sax for this price point.

Visually, the sax is really appealing.

The base model comes in this shiny gold lacquer and includes some classic floral engraving on the bell and the bow of the sax and all of the consumables, meaning the pads, the springs, the felts, and the caulk.

They all look and feel like they're good quality and have been set up properly before leaving the Jean Paul workshop.

So, before I share my final thoughts on this sax and give you my opinion, here's the bit you've been waiting for: the playtest.

And for the playtest, you're going to hear this saxophone with three different mouthpieces.

First, you'll hear the stock mouthpiece that it comes with, then you'll hear the AS4, which is the more premium mouthpiece that they sell through their website.

And to round it all off, I'll use a Yamaha 4C, which has always been my recommended mouthpiece for a beginner, and that you can pick up online for usually about $50.

So, let's take a listen.

So now we've come to my final thoughts about this saxophone.

First things first, this sax has a beautiful tone.

Although they describe it as bright on the Jean Paul website, to me it's actually quite dark for a beginner horn, but I really like it.

Certainly, the AS4, which is the more premium mouthpiece, has a brighter sound and feels a bit better to play to me than the generic piece they have, but both are exceptionally free-blowing and very, very easy to play.

So much so that it was actually a little off-putting for me because I'm not used to having this instant response to any little bit of air that I put in.

The sax, it plays in tune, it feels good to play, it's very affordable, and there's only three things in my opinion that separate this sax from being that mythical, perfect instrument for a beginner that it really could be.

Firstly, I'd love for the key heights to be a little bit lower. In my opinion, there's just a bit too much travel as it is, but the reality is, most beginners are really not going to be able to tell much difference anyway.

Secondly, I'd love to see the company include a pull-through cloth, also known as a swab, with the sax, because it's got everything else.

It's really the only accessory that's missing that you'd potentially have to purchase separately, apart from maybe some extra reeds, of course, and a simple reed case.

And last, but certainly not least, is the issue I spoke about with the low E flat and C keys.

The fact that it's basically impossible to move your pinky finger over the rollers is a major issue.

And although it's not something that you're going to be doing very often as a beginner or even an intermediate player, there's no doubt that it should be something that you can do.

You never want the instrument itself to be a barrier between what you can and can't play.

I just hope that in the near future, Jean Paul address this issue, because it's literally one of the only things holding this instrument back from being that perfect beginner saxophone.

In the meantime, I suspect if I took this sax to a woodwind technician, they could quite easily drop the height of the low C key by using a thicker felt under the key guard and therefore make it possible to actually roll the pinky between those two keys.

Now, I have to say, what I do love about Jean Paul, the company, is how candid they are with their story.

They recognize that for a lot of individuals and families, $1,300 is just too much for a beginner instrument.

They're also very upfront with the fact that this saxophone is Chinese made.

But what separates it from so many other beginner saxophones at this price point is that each and every Jean Paul instrument goes to their Miami workshop for both quality assurance and to get set up professionally before it ships to the customer.

Whenever I've contacted them, they've been great about getting back to me and answering my questions, although of course, I am a reviewer, but it's just so refreshing to have a company making saxophones at this price point who, A, you can contact at all, and B, have a brand identity and seem really committed to making good instruments.

So if you're thinking, "Yeah, but I saw a sax for $300 on Amazon that looks the same," ask yourself the question.

Does the company have a website?

Is anyone going to check the instrument over before you buy it?

And who can you contact if you have a question or if you have a problem?

That's really what you're getting with this Jean Paul saxophone that you're hard pressed to find anywhere else in that sub-$500 category.

And for that reason, it's the only saxophone you can buy brand new at this price point that I feel comfortable recommending to the SaxTuition community.

Well, with that in mind, what did you guys think of this AS400?

Have you played this sax before, or do you want to play it?

I'd love to hear from you, so please leave your thoughts in the comment section down below.

And if you're interested in purchasing this saxophone for yourself or for someone special, you can do that by clicking the affiliate link in the description of this video.

And finally, if you're just starting your saxophone journey, make sure to watch Lesson 1 of the SaxTuition Beginner Series.

You can do that right here on YouTube, and I've put a link up here and a link to the entire course in the description down below.

Well, thanks again for watching, guys.

Jean Paul AS-400 Review | The BEST beginner saxophone for $500?