Testimonials

I have been playing the SeaWind Phil Dwyer Edition alto and tenor exclusively since December 2012. Prior to that I had a matched set of 47k series SBAs, both of them beautiful instruments. I don’t feel that I gave anything up with the switch, and actually have discovered many advantages to playing the SeaWind horns. First off, thanks to Claudio, the setup is absolutely first-rate. I have play-tested many SeaWind horns so far and they all came ‘out of the box’ playing perfectly. As I got more used to the horn I found the mechanics to be superb and the tuning was as close to perfect as I have found before. The body alloy really responds as it warms up, with the overall sound being focused, rich and punchy, with the altissimo and overtones popping out effortlessly. Overall a very encouraging instrument to play, I find it really allows me to execute whatever ideas I have at the time. I’m not the only one who thinks SeaWind saxophones are great to play, see what some of our friends have to say after trying, or purchasing, one of our horns.

Phil Dwyer

See What Others Are Saying

"When I first laid eyes on the SeaWind alto I was struck by the beauty of the instrument's engraving and delighted that it played as good as it looked. Good timbre, great pitch and feel. I recommend it highly.”

PJ Perry
SeaWind Artist

"I loved playing the SeaWind Phil Dwyer Edition tenor. The sound was round and even through all registers, and the overtones literally popped out for me. It is certainly solid mechanically and is a beautifully designed horn. I would highly recommend this saxophone for any serious player."

Mike Murley

“Head over heals in love with my new SeaWind sax! I could go on about the perfect mechanical performance, silent operations and exquisite artwork, but the most salient feature of the Phil Dwyer Edition SeaWind sax is that it is so easy to play. If you are a beginner or someone who tried sax and quit because it was too hard to finger and make a beautiful sound or if you are pro who wants the best horn at a decent price... you will love SeaWind saxophones!”

Hilary Kyro
SeaWind Alto Owner

"My SeaWind Phil Dwyer Edition tenor sax sounds more "vintage" than my previous "vintage" horn. It allows me to accurately deliver the sound I want to hear, while having a smooth and modern feel in my fingers."

Oliver Miguel
SeaWind Artist

"After a long and exhaustive search for “the” horn, fortunately my Qualicum musician friends Phil Dwyer and Claudio Fantinato ended my quest by inventing the SeaWind Phil Dwyer edition saxophones. I played multiple models of virtually every new and vintage saxophone. None compared to the sonic character, flexible tone, dead-on intonation, state-of-the-art ergonomics, and aesthetic beauty of the Seawinds. The tenor was such a monster I knew I also had to get the alto. These horns have created new horizons for my playing"

Connor Stewart
SeaWind Alto & Tenor Owner

"I am so excited to have found a new horn that gives me my own personal voice with SeaWind. Perfectly balanced, I get around the saxophone better than ever! This horn helps me perform at my best with more ease and flexibility throughout its entire range, thanks to some great engineering and design"

Christine Jensen

"Immediately noticeable is that the sound is big and warm without losing any brightness as well as being very even up and down the horn. A joy to play!" Charlie Huntley is a first call recording/television/concert saxophonist in Hong Kong and Asia.

Charlie Huntley

"My SeaWind tenor saxophone exceeds expectations; the difference I feel with this horn is much greater than I thought it could be. Exquisite design, and master craftsmanship and stunning aesthetics aside, the horn is functionally superior. It looks sharp at a glance and the superior design and craftsmanship are apparent with a closer look, but the magic of this horn is when you start to use it. This horn is more responsive than other saxophones. It gives me greater dynamic range, a richer spectrum of harmonics, and a more malleable sound that responds to subtle nuances. Basically it is a top shelf saxophone with a broad range of expressive possibilities – it can make more sounds that my other sax. A handful of different musicians have commented that there was an immediate improvement in my playing with my Seawind tenor saxophone. Having this horn also excites me to play more often. In summary, since I bought my Seawind tenor saxophone, I have a better sound with a broader range of subtleties in timbre and dynamics as well. I practice and enjoy the music even more than I did with my intermediate quality horn. It's like driving an extreme high-end sports car except not as dangerous."

Tony Morrison
SeaWind Owner

"I bought the SeaWind Phil Dwyer Edition alto back in June of 2013 and I absolutely love it. For a part-timer like me, the horn is perfect: even action, nice tone, consistent tuning and predictable performance from top to bottom. I recently went straight from conducting a cross-examination to playing a show and the horn did all the heavy lifting for me when I needed it the most. Add to that some beautiful and unique west coast etching on the bell and this is easily my most rewarding investment to date."

Tiro Clarke
Lawyer and SeaWind Alto Owner

"I have been playing the tenor for a few hours at home. I don't know which one of you had to "go down to the crossroads" to be able to produce a horn like this. Maybe both of you did as the horn is sooooo good. This is the most amazing tenor I have ever had the pleasure of playing."

David Beecroft
SeaWind Artist

I am very pleased with the purchase of the "Dwyer", as they call it at Long and McQuade. It has a vibrant feel and great balance of intonation between octaves ( ever notice how most horns are flatter in the lower octave when you use a tuner?-the Seawind is spot on!) I've used the horn on 2 very disparate gigs so far, on Friday at the Orbit Room where I am expected to deliver high energy r and b solos. For that type of environment, I need a horn that lets me step on the gas and stays with me as I do all this wild high note stuff as well as blending with a really powerful trumpet player (Tony Carlucci). On Saturday, I used the Seawind at a wedding where I'm called upon to play super quiet subtone cocktail type stuff, again the horn delivered wonderfully. It is very apparent to me that a lot of thought has been put into the design and build quality of this horn. Another very important thing is the way this saxophone is set up out of the box-excellent! When I bought the horn, I did pop tests on all of the tenors on the rack at L and M (finger a low Bb, and move your F finger up and down, if the horn is set up well the body tube should resonate with a conga like sound). By far, the SeaWind had the most resonant "PoP!", and that's compared to new Selmers, Yammys, Yannis and Keilwerths. Phil, thanks to you and your partner for developing such a cool Canadian product. Best of luck. JL.

Jim Lawlis
SeaWind Owner

“The SeaWind Baritone Saxophone is one of the more powerful and responsive I have tried in recent years. It’s unique alloy blend and professional setup are unmatched in today’s modern saxophone market. No other company produces an instrument of this quality at such an affordable price. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a contemporary instrument.”

Gareth Bane

I am known for playing only vintage saxophones. Then 3 years ago I had the opportunity to play SeaWind’s prototype baritone for a couple of weeks. I didn’t want to love the instrument, but I did. As primarily a bari player I already had 3 saxes, but this SeaWind combined the best qualities of all my horns all in one neat package. It has the tonal flexibility to do everything that my great vintage baris—Selmer Mark VI & Martin Committee III—do, with the added bonus of having the low A key that is so important in to today’s modern baritone sax repertoire. In short, the SeaWind has the adaptability to play any style of music. Personally, I’ve used the SeaWind bari to play all styles of music ranging from classical to rock; from concert band to jazz and big band. The SeaWind was flawlessly able to produce the exact tone and blend necessary for each style. As a saxophone instructor, the SeaWind baritone is the only modern horn that I would recommend for my students who are considering a purchase of their first bari. These are far and away simply the best baritone saxophones on the market today that are pro-quality; utilize only the finest materials; are hand assembled by one of Canada’s best saxophone techs; yet won’t break the bank. How strongly do I believe in these SeaWind baritones? Strongly enough that earlier this year I replaced my German-made B&S Medusa low A baritone, with a SeaWind. The SeaWind is now the bari I am using in pit orchestra work.

Helen Kahike

"My SeaWind baritone sax is an absolute delight to play! With its rich sound and ease of playability, it has served me well time and again. A staggering amount of love and attention goes into the making of each horn, and at such a reasonable price you really can't go wrong."

David Zucchi
SeaWind Artist

The SeaWind Baritone Saxophone is an excellent horn, beautifully crafted in both design and high quality components. It has such a rich sound from top to bottom and the key layout makes it very easy to play. I would recommend this instrument for any aspiring baritone saxophonist or music program purchase!

Rod Alsop
SeaWind Owner

From the first time I tried the PJ Perry SeaWind alto, I felt it was for me. I have been playing on a 1936 Selmer balanced action alto for the past 30 plus years. I liked it because it played well, is just a couple of years older than I am, and was similar to the saxes played on by Charlie Parker, and my favourite - Paul Desmond. For this one, I am taken by the ease of its playing from bottom to top, the beautiful sound, as well as the nice feel of the instrument. The west coast Native Artwork is beautiful too.

Ben Salvatore
SeaWind Owner

"Thanks again for making such a lovely clarinet, I've been truly enjoying playing and practising every time I pick it up. Then I put it down and pick up my SeaWind flute or my SeaWind tenor ... some day I hope to own your full product line!”

Jonathan Lunn
SeaWind Owner

I wanted to buy a new alto sax, just because I like saxophones. Not that there is anything wrong with my 2 years old Yanagisawa. I tend to over research things. I thought about the Rampone & Cazzani, it looks real nice, but there's troubling rumors of build quality out there. Then I though about a Selmer Series II or III, but they're everywhere, churned out by the thousands. Incidentally, I bought your tenor sax #36 about a year and a half ago from Saxquest and I love it. It just fits well, well constructed and really nice engraving. So I thought about it, and just bought the PJ Perry Alto #8 and couldn't be more pleased. Wow, what a horn. The main thing I have found is I have a lot of confidence in it. For one thing the keys fit better and the palm keys are much better positioned. I’m not sure what it is, but playing across the range is so much easier now. These are both great instruments and although they don't get much by the way of reviews, discussion, I think a lot of people are really missing out. Thanks for building these instruments, they are really something else.

Kevin Eason
SeaWind Owner