{"id":56498,"date":"2024-07-30T08:03:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T15:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/?p=56498"},"modified":"2025-08-09T11:08:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T18:08:35","slug":"keilwerth-sx90r-tenor-sax-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/2024\/keilwerth-sx90r-tenor-sax-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Keilwerth SX90R Tenor Sax Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"saxophones<\/a>
Left to right: SX90R tenor, SX90R Shadow tenor, SX90R alto Front: 1957 Toneking alto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Keilwerth Tenor Sax SX90R: Model JK3400-8-0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Country of origin:<\/span><\/strong> Germany<\/p>\n

Finish:<\/span> <\/strong>Gold lacquer key and body finish<\/p>\n

Price:<\/span><\/strong> varies greatly depending on where you live, and what currency you buy them in. This one is $9750 Cdn. at Matterhorn Music<\/a><\/p>\n

Serial #:<\/span><\/strong> 130931<\/p>\n

Date of manufacturing:<\/span><\/strong> circa 2021<\/p>\n

Date of review:<\/span><\/strong> 2024<\/p>\n

Set up used:<\/span> <\/strong>Dukoff D5 refaced by Bob Carpenter to a 109 opening; Harry Hartman Copper Carbon Classic<\/a> tenor saxophone 2.5 reed; and Rovner Light lig.<\/p>\n

I have been meaning to write this review for over a year now. I have just had a lot of things happening that have prevented me from doing so. Then in May, my 1957 Toneking alto (laying down in photo on right) and my brand new Shadow tenor (middle horn in stands) went to the shop for David to do some minor adjustments. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to get all the info I needed to get both the review of this tenor, as well as the SX90R alto<\/a>, finalized. <\/p>\n

I hope you find this as enjoyable and useful a read as it was for me to re-try both of these fantastic new horns by the Julius Keilwerth Company. <\/p>\n

Availability<\/h3>\n

At the time of writing this horn is available for purchase through the Authorized Buffet\/JK dealer, Matterhorn Music. Contact the shop<\/a> and speak with David directly to find out more about this amazing horn. <\/p>\n

Initial Thoughts – March 2023<\/h3>\n

I worked PT for David in a number of different rolls for about 4 years. During that time I had the opportunity to unpack, and be the first person to play this SX90R tenor when it first arrived at Matterhorn Music. These were my notes from that day:<\/p>\n

When I first tried this horn, I didn’t have my regular MP with me, so I just grabbed a new Otto Link HR piece from the shop to try the horn with, and used a Harry Hartmann, MH Hemp Fiberreed M. I loved the SX90R from the first time I played it, and couldn’t wait to try it out with my own set up. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With the Link and Hartmann reed the SX90R simply vibrated under my fingers\u2014much like my King Zephyr does. I said to David: If I was playing tenor all the time, I would seriously be thinking of ways to buy this horn. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I brought my regular Dukoff S7 and L\u00e9g\u00e8re 2 \u00bc reed set-up, and I found the SX90R was a totally different animal. What a difference changes closer to the source of tone will make. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tone<\/h2>\n

This Keilwerth SX90R tenor has a big, full, powerful tone, with tons of presence regardless of what range or dynamics your were playing. It subtoned beautifully, and had a screaming altissimo range that I’m sure hurt the ears of commercial tenants over the shop. \ud83d\ude09 <\/p>\n

Its core tone is beautiful, and with the right MP\/reed\/lig setup it would make a great horn for players looking for that tone and timbre. Me? Not so much, so my refaced Dukoff allowed this horn’s natural overtones to come out and fill the entire shop with the sound the JK is known for: complex, deep, and rich, yet also bright and extremely loud when played to its limits.<\/p>\n

As my quoted comment from 2023 shows, the SX90R is extremely malleable. Depending on the set-up and attitude a player chooses\/uses, various aspects of its complex tone can either be accentuated, or minimised, to get exactly the qualities a player is looking for.  <\/p>\n

Response<\/h2>\n

The SX90R tenor is a free blowing horn with very little resistance. In contrast, my 1957 Toneking tenor<\/a> has more resistance, and is a bit harder to subtone on. That said, when played head to head the SX90Rs pedigree is obvious. The last 7 decades of saxophone development at Keilwerth have however, allowed the SX90R to be a more refined, and quicker responding horn than its predecessor. (It most definitely is not your grandfather’s Toneking.  \ud83d\ude09  )<\/p>\n

When compared to the SX90R Shadow I own though, the SX90R is not quite as quick to respond to changes in air flow. (More about that when I do the review on the Shadow.) <\/p>\n

The SX90R tenor\u2014like its smaller alto cousin<\/a>\u2014plays 100% evenly up and down the entire range of the horn. Again, this shouldn’t have to be stated, but far too many pro<\/em> horns, or trying to pass themselves off as such, don’t have an even scale. <\/p>\n

What I really love about playing the SX90R tenor is the ease with which the altissimo notes pop out. After being a Selmer playing for nearly 40 years, I gotta’ say, not having to fight to get my G3 to speak is a fantastic treat. The rest of the altissimo notes come out just as easily. All the tricks I used to have to employ to get F#4 and higher, no longer apply. The notes just come out in tune, consistently, each time. <\/p>\n

Fun fact about this SX90R tenor that Matterhorn Music has in stock: it played straight out of the box. When it came in originally, I unpacked it and tried it. No problems. It subtoned down to low Bb immediately after shipping from Germany. <\/em><\/p>\n

Feel<\/h2>\n

In a smiley\/emoji:   \"\"<\/a> Yup, I loved it.<\/p>\n

The SX90R tenor is extremely well laid out ergonomically. It feels fantastic under your fingers. In many respects it is identical to my SX90R Shadow\u2014which may be why I enjoy the horn as much as I do.<\/p>\n