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WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. To find links to manufacturer specific pages about Prop 65, please visit our Prop65 Page by Clicking Here.
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Kessler 20 Tenor Sax – Handmade Series
Original price was: $3,179.00.$2,999.99Current price is: $2,999.99.
No Interest if Paid Off in 18 Months
Purchase your New Kessler Custom instrument with Synchrony and pay zero interest if paid off in 18 Months (Deferred Interest)Click Here for More Info
At advertised price only. Expires 9/30/2026
No Interest If Paid Off in 18 Months*
Est Avg Monthly Payment to Payoff in 18 Months: $166.67
*Synchrony Deferred Interest Promo
Estimate does not include shipping or tax (if applicable).
Est Avg Monthly Payment to Payoff in 18 Months: $166.67
*Synchrony Deferred Interest Promo
Estimate does not include shipping or tax (if applicable).
In stock
Kessler Custom – Kessler 20 Tenor Sax
Nickel-Silver Neck & Bell | Red Brass Body & Bow
Kessler 20 Tenor Sax – 20th Anniversary Model
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Kessler Custom brand, we are pleased to launch the new “Kessler 20 Tenor Sax”. This sax is a hybrid of our Handmade and Handmade NS models with a throwback to the King Super 20 bi-metal concept. Featuring the same acoustic bore as our Handmade line, the Kessler 20 employs the Solid Nickel-Silver Neck & Bell (similar to the King Super 20 & Yanagisawa WO32’s Solid Silver neck and bell option) with the Red Brass Body & Bow tubes (similar to the Bronze tubing on the Yanagisawa WO32). This combination brings in the focus and tonal core of the Red Brass with some of the added liveliness and quicker response from the nickel-silver.
Handmade Series
The Kessler Custom Handmade Series tenor sax is just as the name implies, a completely handmade professional tenor sax. Built by a only 4 skilled artisan technicians, countless more hours are spent on each saxophone ensuring the best build quality with the lowest amount of stress in the construction. The techniques employed on the Handmade models’ construction produce an instrument that has better vibration, response and tonal performance. When combined with our direct sale approach, this gives the customer a saxophone that offers performance without compromise!
Kessler 20 Series Features
Our Kessler 20 Tenor Sax is equipped with several improvements not found on the other models in our Kessler Custom line.
– Upgraded Solid Nickel Silver Neck and Bell for enhanced response and tonal presence
– 85% Copper Content Red Brass Body & Bow for tonal depth and tonal core
– Pisoni Pro Pads
– Highest Quality Blue Needle Springs
– Handmade Professional Mouthpiece
– Double Arm Low Bell Keys
Additional Information
Custom Selected Alloys
Typically, saxophones are made out of the alloy called “cartridge brass” (also known as “yellow brass”). While the exact formulation of brass can vary from vendors and suppliers, the typical formula is a brass that consists of 70% copper and 30% zinc. However changing the alloy of the sax (not the finish), can have a massive impact on tone & response.
Nickel-Silver – Neck & Bell
Nickel-Silver (60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc) in the sax world was concept was made most popular in the Keilwerth pro horns, specifically their current “Shadow” model. This alloy weighs more than Brass, Red Brass or Bronze which helps to give the horn a substantial tonal depth, but nickel-silver is also quite vibrant which gives the horn amazingly quick response. It is commonly used in professional French Horns for this responsiveness without sacrificing tonal depth. It is a harder alloy to manufacture with which increases the cost, but it provides an amazing sonic enhancement to the sax.
The Nickel-Silver neck alone adds vibrancy and response. Adding it on the bell increases again the response but also brings out some of the subtone depth than many tenors lack.
Red Brass – Body Tube & Bow
Red Brass is like yellow brass in that it consists of copper & zinc. But instead of the 70/30 mix, it employs an 85% Copper & 15% Zinc mixture. This alloy gives a more copper color to the metal (hence the name Red Brass) but also increases the mass. This gives a sax a richer, more focused tonal core than standard brass.
Kessler 20 Combination
Combining these metals in this configuration gives an amazing blend of depth and core while also featuring enhanced response and power. It is truly an amazing combination to play!
Kessler Custom Handmade Series saxophones utilize the Pisoni Pro pads. These pads are the best leather pad available on the market today and are the same pads you will find on the Selmer Paris horns new. These pads are a firmer pad than typically found on most saxophones. In order to use these pads, a saxophone has to be manufactured to a much higher level of build with more precise toneholes. Once installed, these pads offer 2 major benefits:
Stability
When combined with the better tonehole manufacturing necessary to use the Pisoni Pro pad, these pads are more stable and less likely to develop little leaks. They also provide a much firmer feel to the mechanism of the sax.
Tone Projection
Pads are made from leather and felt which serve as an acoustic dampener which is why saxophone pads use resonator discs. However, even with a resonator, your air column still comes in to contact with the leather and felt of the pad. With the firmer Pisoni Pro pad, you will have less acoustical dampening from the pad which yields better projection, response and power.
Every horn we send out to a customer is not released from us unless it has been completely setup in our shop first. This is because the setup on the horn is of the utmost importance! Sometimes, a saxophone (regardless of who the manufacturer or the price point is) comes in needing 20 minutes of adjustments and then the very next one can require 2 hours! So if you were to get 5 of the same model right out of the box, they will all play different which leads people to believe that they are “good” or “bad” saxes… but the reality is that the one that was the best out of the 5 was likely the one that needed the least amount of work and on the flip side, the “bad” sax was the one that needed 2 hours worth of adjustments!
Once the same 5 saxophones are properly regulated and adjusted to perfection, they become near identical saxophones that even the pickiest of players would be challenged to pick a true “favorite” horn. However, since most stores do not or even can not perform this setup, the player never knows this and is simply relying on the luck of the draw. This is why we perform our setup (in our www.SaxophoneRepairs.com ProShop) on them before delivering your new sax to you. You trust us with your purchase and we want to make sure that you are rewarded by giving you your ideal saxophone setup flawlessly!
| Bore | Professional French Style Bore |
| Neck Material | Solid Nickel-Silver |
| Body Material | Red Brass |
| Bow Material | Red Brass |
| Bell Material | Solid Nickel-Silver |
| Body Construction | Completely Handmade – Fully Ribbed Body Construction |
| Pads | High Quality Leather with Metal Domed Resonators |
| Range | Low Bb to High F# |
| Finish | Polished with Gold Lacquer Coat |
| Finger Touches | Mother of Pearl |
| Mouthpiece | Several professional mouthpiece options |
| Ligature | Rico H-Ligature in Gold Plate |
| Case | Standard Series Case |
Case Options
Stock Case
In order to keep costs down and absorb some of the impacts of tariffs, starting in 2026, the stock case on the Handmade Series will be the same case as the Standard/Deluxe Series. This stock case offers solid protection and convenient portability.
Case Upgrades
If you want a better case, we offer a carefully selected array of case options. The BAM France cases are the top recommendation that we give and you can upgrade for a discounted rate. Models available are shown below:
Case Upgrade Options (Click to View)
BAM Cases - 'Conservatoire' Case
BAM Conservatoire Case
The new affordable standard from the most trusted case manufacturer, BAM. The Conseravtoire case provides excellent protection, portability and style at an affordable price.
BAM Cases - 'SoftPack' Case
BAM SoftPack Case
Read more about this case on its product page by clicking here.
BAM Cases - 'Trekking' Case
BAM Trekking Case
Read more about this case on i’s product page by clicking here.
BAM Cases - 'Cabine' Case
BAM Cabine Case
Read more about this case on i’s product page by clicking here.
Financing Available
Multiple Financing Options Available!
We have a myriad of different financing options available for your new instrument! From affordable monthly payments over a longer period of time to other options that can include 0% Interest or Deferred Interest options, we can help find a way to make the instrument of your dreams become the instrument of your reality! Give us a call!
United Midwest Savings Bank
UMWSB offers flexible, long term financing with term lengths of up to 60 months at an affordable 12.99% APR. Better yet, their financing has No Pre-Payment Penalty so you can pay off your balance at anytime and only pay for the interest for the length of time you had the loan! Minimum of $850 required for UMWSB Financing
Click Here to Find Out More
Synchrony
Synchrony Financial is one of the national leaders in consumer financing. With deferred interest options (Interest if waived if paid off in promotional term) and sometimes, they offer manufacturer partnered promotions to offer you an even better term length. Minimum of $299 required for Synchrony Financing
Click Here to Find Out More
1 review for Kessler 20 Tenor Sax – Handmade Series
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. To find links to manufacturer specific pages about Prop 65, please visit our Prop65 Page by Clicking Here.
WARNING: This product (or finish option) can expose you to chemicals including Nickel, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. To find links to manufacturer specific pages about Prop 65, please visit our Prop65 Page by Clicking Here.
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jrspro76 (verified owner) –
This horn is a work of art, beautiful craftmanship and the response is second to none. Playing on this horn is very easy and smooth. I was pleased that the nickel-silver did not add a significant of weight to the horn; while the horn is lighter than a Keilwerth but plays just as big if not bigger. The neck is a big part of why the horn feels so free and responsive. The aesthetics are fantastic, beautiful engraving, the springs and pads are top notch and is very quiet mechanically. For the price point you will not buy a better horn, and I would say this horn would holds its own against higher priced industry popular horn and vintage horns like the Selmer Mark VI
I am a professional saxophonist that has owned a Keilwerth, Selmer Mark VI, and played on Yamaha’s and Yanigaswaws. If you have a chance get this saxophone.
David Kessler –
J – so glad you love it as much as we do! Thanks for sharing!