Jazz Lab SAXHOLDER Saxophone Harness - Black

Like many saxophone players, I suffer terribly with neck and shoulder problems. My cervical spine is in such poor condition that I can actually feel the vertebrae cracking against each other in the mornings. I have been searching for an alternative to a neck-sling for ages, especially since I started doubling my tenor with the baritone sax. I tried harnesses but found them far too restrictive and couldn't breathe properly. I tried a Neotech shoulder strap for saxophone which just goes over one shoulder instead of round the neck, but after any length of time with the baritone the muscle on the left shoulder (I think it's called the Trapezium) just went dead and I could hardly lift my arm. In desperation I started looking at playing-stands for the baritone, and would have forked out the two to three hundred quid required for these if I had been convinced that they would have worked. Unfortunately they all look as though you have to play seated, and I didn't fancy being that restricted. Then I saw this Saxholder. For just over £40.00 I thought this was worth a risk, and I'm absolutely delighted with it. At first glance it looks a bit fragile, but it seems well made and I have no reason to suppose that it won't stand up to the job required of it. Certainly it works well with both tenor and baritone, without even having to make much adjustment to the length of the cord which holds the hook. Other reviewers have remarked that the pad which rests on the stomach or abdomen is prone to slipping about a lot, but I have had no problems although I have a fairly flat abdomen. (Sorry everyone, I'm not casting any aspersions here). It does move slightly to one side when you ease the weight of the sax off (like sitting down between tunes with the weight resting on your thigh), but when standing up playing, the weight of the sax keeps this nicely in place as a proportion of the weight is transferred to the abdominal pad. This is adjustable up or down, to accomodate players with different length torsos. I find mine is best at the longest setting where the pad rests just below my belt. This is not restrictive in any way, and doesn't affect my breathing. I even think that it improves my posture as I tend to keep my back straighter, and therefore breathe more effectively as well. The shoulder hooks are quite comfortable and don't feel as though they are going to slip off. After a while I know that I have been wearing the baritone, but it is 100% better than anything else I have found. The only improvement I can think of would be to make the shoulder hooks perhaps slightly wider and more padded, but then they might not hook over the shoulders quite so effectively. Otherwise it's brilliant, and when folded up into it's bag you can slip it into the bell of the horn.

Amazing product! Takes the weight of my tenor sax comfortably onto my shoulders, no more neck ache! I can now practice for much longer. You hardly feel the harness when it is on and it is equally comfortable both standing and sitting. I can't recommend it highly enough. Yes it is a bit pricey but in my opinion it was money well spent.

I love the Jazz Lab Alto Sax Harness. It fits perfectly on my shoulders and takes the whole weight of the saxaphone away from my neck. It is adjustable and extremely comfortable. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for comfort whilst playing.

I had to purchase this item elsewhere due to a delivery issue, so this review is product based only. I play a tenor sax and was playing in my first concert this evening. Having been used to practicing at least 2 hours a day, the old neck strap was literally a pain. You feel all the weight of the sax in one point and I was forever adjusting it due to fatigue and/or pain. My massage therapist suggested getting something that sits on my shoulders preferably as wide as possible so this was the one I ended up buying. When I put it on the transformation is immediate. It didn’t feel like I was holding the same saxophone. The weight as the description says is transferred across a much wider area making the tenor sax feel almost weightless in comparison to the neck strap. What it didn’t say was that if you’re used to playing your instrument while struggling with fatigue, this will change the way you play. I was lucky in that I had time to practice, but I found that notes that had ‘questionable’ tones were brighter and more focused because they required less effort. I could’ve played all evening such was the lightness of the sax with this harness. I dare say that there are others out there which do the job, but what I loved most about this was the ease in getting it on and off. If I was to mark down a point I would say that the stem could be less ‘scratchy’ which can be resolved with a light sanding and when leaning forward just be careful as it can feel like it’s going to slip off. It didn’t but it’s just a precaution. Otherwise it’s a great piece of kit and gets my massage therapists approval.

I'm learning the tenor sax, couldn't get on with the usual neck straps, I found they were hurting my neck by putting pressure on the vertebrae. This harness is light, easy to use, the sax stays secure on the hook. The chord locks in place, but can quickly and easily be adjusted with the sax hanging on it. By spreading the weight across your shoulders and sternum, playing is very comfortable. Highly recommended.

This is a truly great product. I love to play saxophone, practice every day and play in a band, but oh my poor neck. I discovered this saxholder and bought one. I took my time to adjust it so it fits comfortably and WOW! No more neck pain, no more restricted throat and juggler and no more restricted breathing. Most of my playing is sitting down so it just took a little while to angle it correctly to distribute the weight to each shoulder. At first the slight pressure on my abdomen felt a little strange but I soon got used to that. Now I can play breath and articulate much more freely and for much longer and the sax can be moved freely too. A realy great product.

I play mostly tenor saxophone, and was getting serious neck pain, but this nice product has solved the problem completely. It's comfortable and robustly made, and fits neatly in the bell of the tenor in its case. It works standing or sitting. I also use it for baritone sax at the same adjustment as for tenor, and, at its shortest cable adjustment, for curved soprano. I honestly think I would have been forced to give up playing without this, and recommend it unreservedly.

The idea behind this product is a good one, and it definitely alleviates the undue stress put on your neck by traditional saxophone straps. However, wearing this for long periods of time can also put a bit of stress on your shoulders and dig into them because of the stiffness of the plastic frame. I think it could be more padded in this area around your shoulders. The main issue I had with this though is that, when coming to transport my saxophone, I realised that the Saxholder strap doesn't actually fit in a standard saxophone case. It just doesn't fold away compactly enough to fit in the little compartment where you can normally keep all your other little accessories like reeds etc. If the rods attached to the part that goes over your shoulders could just telescope in a little more, then it would occupy a smaller space. Additionally, if the parts going over your shoulders were removable, then it would make the shape less awkward. Instead, you have to carry the Saxholder strap separately from your sax case which could easily get lost if you are transporting lots of equipment. Apart from this, the product is good overall. I tried to switch back to a traditional neck strap to see the difference, and noticed how much heavier the instrument feels after having become used to using the SaXholder. However, it could still do with a few improvements as detailed above.