I bought this sax 5 months ago when I first started learning. Five months later, after daily practice sessions it is holding up and playing fine. I have been playing it pretty hard and there have been no failures so far. I rather like the horn! The case is not the best and will not protect against any kind of a hard blow, but mine is still in good working order (zippers, etc) and has survived weekly bus trips to band classes. Even the mouthpiece cork is still in fine shape. I recommend this sax.

I’ve played saxophone the last 20 years, 15 of which have been on tenor. I wanted a cheap alto that I could carry on my car and play whenever I get some time - and truly, I think that for $280 this horn over exceeds what one could reasonably expect for the price range. Sounds and plays good over all its range, if I get 2 years out of the instrument the investment will be waaay worth it.

I just got this saxophone in the mail today. The sound achieved by the sax was actually way better than I expected. I used to play in middle school and high school and it literally has been 20 years since I haven't touched a sax, this is the perfect fit for someone who is ready to jump back in without having to drain your wallet. The package was a lil beat up from shipping you know those brutes at FedEx throw it harder if it says fragile. However the sax inside that super nicely packed case was unharmed, it came with everything advertised. Yes it's cheap items it's not high end gloves, reeds, mouth piece, or cleaning cloths however for starting with nothing this is all you need in one package. The synthetic reed that comes with don't throw it away like I did lol! It looked weird like a mock up reed it's very plain and black however it gives a full sound I'd say it's a better reed than the cane one's that come with the sax. I will suggest dropping a lil more cash and investing in your own 4C Yamaha mouth piece and some decent cane reeds depending on your level choose the right size I like 2.0 and 2.5 but beginners like young adults should probably start at 1.0, or 1.5. Always try cane reeds first before buying a synthetic one like Légiére reeds because those are 30 dollars per reed so you wanna make sure you have the right size before you blow your cash on it. From what I know Legiere will replace 1 reed per year if yours breaks or is the wrong size. Anyway back to the sax. The pads are very good for the price and the finish is beautiful with very nice craftsmanship. The mouth piece and the neck fit perfectly. Non of the keys stick. It also comes with a free sax stand usually those run for 30 bucks a pop. Not the greatest quality on the stand but padding is good and sturdiness is great it's made of a strong aluminum not bendable easily, and it's incredibly light weight. Frankly I'm amazed and I from now on may become an Eastar fan. The quality plus price cannot be be

My son was needing a saxophone and all the local rental places were out and could not give me a date for availability of one. My only option was spending $1600+ for a well know and reputable brand used sax. After a bit of research and a couple of review sites, it seemed this brand was actually in top 5 for student level sax. Yes! $1000 saved and I won’t be out a chunk of money if my son decides to switch instruments next year. This will pay for itself in 1.5 years instead of renting. My son will own his first saxophone which will be neat.

This review is written 6 months after purchase. My son wanted his own saxophone, so we agreed that he would pay half. He is very pleased with it. He said he can't hear a difference in sound between his Eastar saxaphone and the Yamaha saxophone that his bandmates are playing. His High School band teacher said he's doing very well. He was renting in Middle School, but was given an older saxophone with many problems (I don't remember the brand) so he learned, with the help of his teachers, how to fix problems on the old rented saxophone.

It works. No problems I recommend for a kid or beginner

I truly loved this saxophone, I am a 4 year percussion and the second I pick this horn up I could play scales and simple songs. If you are questioning on buying this horn PLEASE buy it. The only thing I don’t like is the neck strap being to long, but otherwise amazing product.

I've now played the Eastar AS-II for enough months that it is officially cheaper than had I been renting an alto sax. I am a beginner, so I cannot compare it to high-end saxophones, but I'm very happy with this purchase. I can play the full range of notes from low Bb up to high F. This saxophone came with all the cleaning supplies, sax stand, and case, so it is a complete beginner package. The only negative I can say is that the reeds that came with the saxophone are not the best. I bought a pack of 10 CeMeow 2.5 Alto reeds (~$10), and those play much easier. But this is a saxophone review!

The Eastar is a nice alto sax . . ..The color is probably what you want in a sax . . . .the fingering buttons are a little flimsy but they work . . .I had a sticking problem with a few buttons so I smeared vegetable oil under them . . .and that solved the problem . . . .

My main is bassoon, but I used to play saxophone in marching band and wanted to take the risk to see if this horn was worth it. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of the instrument and case. The item shipped very well and came with everything needed to start playing right away (except cork grease), but my cork didn’t need any on arrival. I’m still breaking in some reeds, but the saxophone is very responsive in the low range and I’m able to hit altissimo notes.