Xaphoon Standard C

Im a complete beginner to any reed instrument but I saw the Xaphoon on Thomann and thought 'For just over E70 I could get sax sounds!?!? Wow!'

As a total novice I was very surprised to get nice low sax type tones from the Xaphoon after 20-30mins or so of practice. Im somewhat used to the tin whistle and while they are very, very different, conceptually in my mind there are some similarities that make the Xaphoon not completely alien to me.

It came with the 2.5 reed which I immediately (and unintentionally) broke so Im glad of the advice from the other reviewers to get some 1.5 strength reeds. This made it easier for me to get a sound although I still have to work on my fingering and mouth shape... but its not going as bad as I expected! Its quite fun to have access to these type of sounds for this kind of price. It allows you to dip your toe into this world without investing in a full on saxophone. I appreciate it!

To echo others - get some spare 1.5 reeds. It is a little bit of a shame the finish is as rough as it is with the seams from the mold easily viewable. And a carry bag/cloth pocket would have been wonderful - its something Im going to have to source elsewhere.

All in all Im delighted to be trying out an new instrument, a new way of making sounds and something to practice and test myself with for such a great price. Im sure I need to spend many, many more hours with it bt the few I have so far have been a lot of fun.

If your considering it - its an easy one to recommend!

I was always curious how playing the sax feels, and I like its sound very much. So, without breaking the bank to get a sax which I may or may not use, I got a Xaphoon.
It's a very interesting instrument. I like the fact that it's very small and unpretentious, virtually maintenance free. Despite its size, it produces a nice full sound.
I also bought a 1.5 rico royal reed, as some have recommended for beginners. I will experiment after I become reasonably adept to see if I like that better than the original 2.5 reed.
I only rated it 4 stars for quality, because on the sides you can see the lines where the plastic was molded. However, that does not influence the playing or comfort, since you never touch that area during playing. So the finish isn't anything to write home about, but then again, you get the instrument for playing, and that it does very well.

Pros: small, nice full sound, relatively easy to learn, lots of fun, moderately priced compared to sax/clarinet;
Cons: the finish feels a little cheap (unlike 10e Yamaha recorder), it could've included a cloth bag (like aforementioned recorder).

I did read some reviews noting the negative aspects about this product that I have now experienced myself, prior to buying it.
But I thought I should give it a go.

But my experience is that the fingering is quite difficult and awkward, and the mouthpiece is very big and uncomfortable to put in my mouth compared to a regular saxophone mouthpiece.

I wonder if the fingering holes could have been easier to cover if there was a kind of rubber along the edge of the holes.
And why can't the mouthpiece be the same sleek shape as a regular saxophone mouthpiece?

Maybe I just need to give it some more work, but it being so difficult and uncomfortable does not compel me to do so.

I have never tried a reed instrument before Xaphoon and thought that it could be a good introduction. And it was! It took me about a week to get used to playing on it, but once I felt a little more confident, it became so much fun. The sound is amazingly strong and pleasant. You can take it everywhere you go. The build quality is very good.
It comes with a 2.5 tenor reed which I swapped for a 1.5: it's just easier to learn how to blow through a mouthpiece this way.
I would recommend Xaphoon to all the musicians who are fascinated by woodwinds, but not sure where to start.
The one and only thing I didn't like was the state in which it was delivered: all covered in dust.
Don't forget to get something to clean it on the inside!