Blog » Borgani 432 Sax

Reading Time: 3 minutesJanuary 12, 2015

BORGANI 432 SAX

We are very proud for our first Tenor Sax with pitch 432!” – Borgani USA

Photo: Enrico Marchioro with his brand new Borgani Tenor Sax Special Edition made on request with pitch 432

I received a mail from one of the visitors of my blog, saxophonist Enrico Marchioro, who informed me he became the first owner of a Borgani 432 Saxophone.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with “432 Tuning” read this article for more info. For saxophonists, composers (that like to compose for saxophone) and 432-fans in general this is great news. Till now the Saxophone could not be used optimally when using 432Hz as Concert Pitch due to some intonation issues.

But, with the Borgani 432 Sax this might change!

ABOUT BORGANI

In 1872 Augusto Borgani founded the Borgani Musical Instruments company in the town of Macerata, central Italy. With entrepreneurial spirit and strategic vision he sent his eldest son Arthur to the USA, where, in Elkhart Indiana, he learned the most innovative production techniques of the time, working for the CONN Industry. This valuable experience enabled the Borgani Company to rapidly exceed the production standards of the day.

The hand-made production was devoted exclusively to professional saxophones, successfully confirming the Borgani brand as being among the elite of world products. After years of research and experimentation, began the production of saxophones with various precious metals, mixed together, and on a brass base in 1990. Thus the Seven Borgani Sound Alloys were born, which is to this day the backbone of the Borgani production line.

To celebrate the 125th year since its foundation, Borgani officially presented to the market the innovative Jubilee Soprano Sax in 1997. This was, and still is, the only SOPRANO which permits the user to change the bell. The brand, which in 2012 celebrated its 140th anniversary, continues to be perceived by the market as having its very own and specific characteristics, while the entrepreneurial spirit of the founder Augusto Borgani continues to be passed down from generation to generation as an everlasting example of the creative capacity of an historic Italian factory.

Source: www.borgani.eu

Visit their website for more information and product cataloge with photo gallery and audio fragments.

THE BORGANI 432 SAX

When Enrico Marchioro contacted Borgani the first time with his idea about making a 432Hz saxophone he was told they did not make saxophones for Concert Pitch 432Hz. This did not discourage Enrico, he contacted Borgani again, and an agreement was reached.

At the Borgani factory in Italy they worked out the required modifications. A new larger neck was designed with a modified position of the octave tone-hole (and consequently modifications made to the octave button mechanism). Various tone-holes in the body needed to be modified as well.

For Our Company was an interesting challenge to achieve the building of a Sax 432 Hz. It shows that our Company is mainly focus on musicians’ needs. For a Family Company like us it is also an important and big economic effort but we hope that we could return of this investment with new Saxophone players that could be interested on 432 Hz Sax. About the Sax, we mainly change the tone holes on the body of the instrument and redesign the neck dimension.

Kind regards, Orfeo Borgani.

Overall quite an undertaking that requires the expertise of skilled craftsmen that only companies like Borgani (specialized in handmade instruments) can provide. Thanks to the open-mindedness and willingness of the Borgani craftsmen (to go one step further then other companies) and Enrico Marchioro for chasing his dream, the first 432Hz sax came to “life” at the end of 2014. It’s only a matter of time before more Borgani 432 Saxophones will leave their workshop … 

In case you are wondering how much a 432 Borgani sax would cost … well, that does depend a bit on the kind of finish and so, but you should think about a price between 4000 and 5000 Euro.

Perhaps I will become the proud owner of one myself some day in the future …

Are there alternatives? More info in the article “432hz Saxophone Redesign Lobby“.


Creative Commons License