Beware: Fake Keilwerths made in China

Originally published in 2021. Updated in 2026.

2026 Update Info	Definitions	Consequences	Fake Keilwerths	Fake Shadow Tenor
Compare & Contrast	Necks	Front Views	Left Hand & Palm Keys	G# Lever Mechanism
Right Hand & Palm Keys	Rolled Tone Holes	Bell	Left Side	Extra Real Shadow Pics
More Counterfeit /Knockoff Keilwerths	Counterfeit SX90R Alto	Counterfeit SX90R Shadow Alto	Counterfeit SX90R Shadow Tenor	Knockoff SX90R Tenor
Not Just Pro Model Horns Are Copied	Counterfeit EX90 Series III Alto	Knockoff ST90 alto	Fake ST131	Concluding Thoughts

2026 Update

I was originally tipped off to knockoff and counterfeit Keilwerth saxophones for sale back in the summer of 2021, when I just happened to come across a post by a member of SOTW who bought one through this local brink and mortar store. This seemingly rando thread that I stumbled upon sent me down a rabbit hole of information about the dark side of cheap fakes and counterfeits originating mostly from China.

When I originally wrote this article in 2021, counterfeit and fake Keilwerths were hardly a blip on the radar screen in comparison to the other 3 of the big 4: Selmer, Yamaha, and Yanagisawa. Fast forward 5 years, and now the fake JK listings are as plentiful as the other 3 brands on those trashy sites like Ali Express, and yes, even eBay—since it doesn’t police fraudulent sales anymore apparently. 

If you take a good look at these JK fakes, knockoffs, et al, you’ll see that they look pretty much the same as the fake Selmers, etc. Why? They likely come from the same factories.

Those sales that have photos that look like real Keilwerths usually contain stolen JK images, and are actually fraudulent sales. If you drill down a bit in the sale description you’ll see that the manufacturer is listed, and it isn’t Keilwerth. It’s a safe bet that whatever you get is not going to look the photos in the ad copy.

Furthermore, as you can see by the cheap-ass, copper-coloured, fake alto shown here, it’s not just the professional model SX90R that is being copied. The student model (ST) is also being counterfeited. No the ST is not available in “phosphor bronze” in 2026—nor to the best of my knowledge has it ever been.

This particular seller is even using a counterfeit of the Julius Keilwerth logo. That takes some serious cojones. Just saying.  

Definitions

I thought it would be helpful here to get some definitions cleared up. So let’s look at the terms commonly used in the world of fake goods.

* Fake would be similar to knockoff.

A victimless crime? No, no it is not

I can’t think of the number of times I have seen discussions in saxophone discussion boards in which players argue that it’s OK to buy these cheap horns—knockoffs, counterfeits, replica, copy, or fake—because [insert excuse of choice here]. Quite frankly, it makes me question the ethics of a great many of people out there.

All these fraudulently-produced horns have serious consequences for individuals, companies, and even the environment.

Counterfeits are manufactured illegally, and therefore those producing them are not required to comply with safety and production standards. Since knockoffs, counterfeits, replicas, copies, and fakes are produced with inferior materials to reduce costs as much as possible, trademark owners can suffer both financial and reputation damage by having these cheap goods passed off as the real thing. This can trickle down to the workers in the authentic factories suffering financial hardships as well.

Then of course there are the secondary victims if you will: People who inadvertently buy counterfeit goods thinking they are buying the authentic, high-end item. When they find out that they indeed have a fake, what do they do? Do they hang the fake sax on the wall and call it art? Or do they then pass the horn to yet another unsuspecting buyer?

So as you can see, in the end there is nothing victimless about these cheap knockoff or counterfeit items.

Getting back to the fake Keilwerth saxes

Now that we are clear on the definitions, let’s take a look at some of these knockoff and counterfeit Keilwerth horns that are for sale and compare them to the originals. If you know what you are looking for, the fakes are usually quite easy to spot.

Keilwerth has made life very easy by providing an online catalogue of their saxophones [currently unavailable] that can even be downloaded for reference. Additionally, larger photos of their saxophones can be found on their website as well.

Fake Keilwerth SX90R tenor

In July 2021, I noticed discussion about this counterfeit Keilwerth Shadow on Sax on the Web. A member had bought it at his local brick and mortar store, but then began to wonder if the horn wasn’t a fake. A few photos posted to the forum later, and he got the answer he was really didn’t want to hear: It wasn’t a real JK horn at all.

Compare & contrast a counterfeit JK Shadow tenor to a real one

Fake

Real

What’s different?

• The upper octave key is shaped differently on the two horns.
• The way the octave key attaches to the neck is different as well.
• The stamping on the front of the upper key is quite different.
• The engraving on the neck is very different.
• Easiest to spot: The Shadow is made of German nickel silver, which is why the engraving shows silver underneath where the black nickel plate has been removed through the engraving process.
• The counterfeit horn shows yellow brass under the engraving. This is a dead giveaway that we are NOT dealing with an authentic Keilwerth SX90R Shadow horn.

Fake

Real

What’s different?

• The neck and lyre fastening screws are black nickel plated on the real Shadow, but not on the counterfeit horn.
• The high F# key is shaped differently.
• The chromatic F# key is shaped differently.
• The right pinkie keys are shaped differently.
• The right palm keys are shaped differently.
• The JK logo on the right side of the bell on the counterfeit, looks nothing like the real one.

Fake

Real

What’s different?

• Post shapes are vastly different. JK has a rather unique post shape that is a carryover from their vintage days. This Chinese horn has conventionally shaped posts.
• The front F key is shaped differently.
• The left palm keys on the counterfeit horn are not adjustable. On the real Shadow they are shaped differently because they come with an Allan key for adjustment.
• The key touches are the most obvious difference. Real JK horns have oversized, thick, black, mother of pearl buttons on the keys. The company got a German GebrM for it in 1962. The counterfeit’s buttons are much thinner, and don’t appear to be made of mother of pearl.
• The real JK has MOP on the G# key. The counterfeit’s appears to be black glass or plastic, and appears to match those on the key touches.

Fake

Real

What’s different?

• The SX90R Shadow has the G# lever mechanism to prevent sticking keys.

Fake

Real

What’s different?

• As mentioned above, the right palm & pinkie keys are different. As are the chromatic and high F# key shapes.
• The key guards are also different. Not only are they different in shape, but the real Keilwerth guards have felts that are adjustable on the bell and bow keys. On the counterfeit it appears that there is some red glass or plastic glued into the center of the adjustment area, making adjustment of the felts impossible.

Fake

Why is this super obvious?

• The SX90R Shadow is just that: an R.
• R stands for rolled tone holes.
• No rolled tones on this counterfeit.

Fake

Real

What’s the difference?

• I hardly know where to begin, so let’s start with what was already stated at the top: Real Shadow models are made from German nickel silver. Therefore, when the black nickel plate is engraved, what is exposed is silver. The counterfeit’s engraving exposes brass underneath.
• The real Shadow has an inner bell that is silver plated. The counterfeit does not have its inner bell plated silver.
• The floral engraving on the counterfeit is NOTHING like that on the real Shadow. It’s like they didn’t even try. Maybe they thought people wouldn’t notice the difference?
• Then there is the script. On the counterfeit is looks like it was engraved by someone who isn’t good at their job… Wait… They’re not. The real Keilwerth Shadow’s engraved script is flawless.
• Even the placement of the script is very different on the two horns.
• And again the lack of rolled tone holes is very obvious on the fake Shadow. You can see the rings on the real JK Shadow.

Fake

Real

What’s the difference?

• The engraving on the bow and body tube is very different from horn to horn.
• The clothes guard is different on the counterfeit above, to what we see on real Keilwerth horns.
• The bell to body support rings vary greatly. The one on the counterfeit horn does not even look like a JK support. Instead, it, like many of the key shapes, appear to be the same as those found on Selmer saxophones. Me thinks that the companies that counterfeit these Keilwerth horns also produce fake Selmers. Just a guess.
• The counterfeit is stamped with: Made in Germany, as well as Unique Code, where the serial number should be. .

A few extra shots of the REAL Keilwerth Shadow tenor

So is this fake Keilwerth from SOTW a knockoff, counterfeit, replica, copy, or a fake?

That’s a good question isn’t it? Was it sold as a “copy” or “95% copy” of a SX90R Shadow? In other words was it sold as a knockoff? Or was it perhaps sold as the real thing, thus making it a counterfeit. Or some other description that puts it in the replica or copy category.

That’s part of the downstream problem of these fake horns. When they change hands, no one knows anything about them anymore. They are often, either knowingly or unknowingly, sold as the real thing.

More cheap- non-Keilwerth, but Keilwerth-labelled saxophones

Since I originally wrote this article in 2021, I have kept up with the Keilwerth copies floating around out there, and I must admit I continue to be saddened by not so much at the creators of these knockoffs, but at the buyers. Because let’s face it, if there was no one was buying them, no company would slap the Keilwerth name on a of a horn. Just saying.

As I was doing research for this article, I came across a fairly wide variety of fake Keilwerth saxophones. These fakes varied in their sophistication from fair, to 100% accurate because sellers used real JK images that they stole from the Net. Below are some of the many fake horns I saw.

I have already pointed out most of the differences between a fake and a real Keilwerth, so I won’t go through all of the details again. I will just point out what makes these hard to distinguish from the real deal.

All of these were for sale on aliexpress.com or eBay. And no, I will under no circumstances link to their page.

What is very interesting to note that ALL the fake listings I ID’d 5 years ago, are STILL active today. Meaning this sellers are still fraudulently trying to steal, yes I wrote steal, your hard earned money on fraudulent sale, or illegal product. 

Counterfeit SX90R alto – stolen photos from authorized Keilwerth dealer

This horn had me scratching my head because it looked so much like a real SX90R, that I took a look at my colleague, Dave Kessler’s, website to see the photos he took. Sure enough, the photos in the aliexpress ad were stolen from the Kessler & Sons Music website.

Here are the originals that Dave took of the horn in his shop’s inventory.

Who knows what you are going to get if you order a horn from the shyster on aliexpress. Whatever it is, it sure as hell isn’t going to look like the horn in these photos.

The seller wrote the following in their online description about the supposed SX90R they were offering for sale:

JK Keilwerth SX 90R High Quality Alto Saxophone Brass Gold Lacquer Eb Flat Sax Musical Instruments with Mouthpiece Accessories

But a simple click on the Specifications tab brought up the following:

Type: Falling Tune E (F)
Tone: Eb
Origin: CN(Origin)
Head Material: Bakelite
Model Number: JK Keilwerth SX 90R
Surface Material: Gold Lacquer
Body Material: Brass

Place of origin is China.

Overall impression

This is an obvious case of fraud, and anything bought from this seller is going to likely be a counterfeit. Whatever you get when buy one of these certainly is.

Pro tip

Any SX90R sax is going to cost more the $450.26 Cdn. Really, it will. North of 6K is a realistic amount of money.

You get what you pay for. In this case you are buying illegal goods since this is a counterfeit. It is made from substandard materials by people who are not nearly as well trained, compensated, or protected as the workers at Keilwerth are.

Counterfeit Shadow alto

Like the alto above, it was advertised as a real Keilwerth. The seller wrote:

New Germany JK SX90R Keilwerth Saxophone Alto Black Nickel Silver Alloy Alto Sax Brass Musical Instrument With Case Mouthpiece

A click on the Specifications tab showed us the following:

Origin: CN(Origin)
Type: Falling Tune E (F)
Tone: Eb
Head Material: Bakelite
Body Material: Brass
Model Number: Germany JK SX90R Keilwerth
Surface Material: Black Nickel Gold

Oh look, imagine that, a $443.76 Keilwerth that is made in China.

Overall impression

This fake SX90R Shadow alto looks to be by the same company that made the tenor I dissected in gory detail at the top of this article. It too has “a unique code” instead of a serial #. I didn’t bother checking the rest of the features, but at first blush, they seem to be the same as those found on the tenor.

Pro tip

Any time you see new pro horns being offered for sale with the same case that you see for Selmer student horns, it likely ain’t a pro horn.

Counterfeit Shadow tenor

 

Like the seller of the SX90R alto in the first ad featured above, this seller is providing photos of a real SX90R tenor. In this case they likely stole the original pics from an authorized Keilwerth dealer, some other source, or maybe even took them themselves. Whichever the case, whatever you get when you buy this “Shadow” from the seller, is most assuredly not the real deal, and guaranteed not going to look like the Shadow in the advertised in photos. How can I say this with certainty? Besides the price, read the description: Brand name is Margewate, and then read the Overall Impression. That is pure fiction.

The seller wrote this about their SX90 R counterfeit:

Keilwerth JK SX90R New Arrival Tenor Saxophone B Flat Brass Nickel Plated Musical Instruments Sax With Case Mouthpiece

The specifications tab shows us the following:

Brand Name: MARGEWATE
Type: Falling Tune B (C)
Tone: BB
Origin: CN(Origin)
Head Material: Bakelite
Model Number: Keilwerth JK SX90R
Surface Material: Silvering
Body Material: Brass

Overall impression

This horn looks identical to a genuine SX90R Shadow. Everything from the post shapes, to the engraving, to the G# lever mechanism, to the clothes guard, to the adjustable left palm keys. In short: everything.

Pro tip

A Keilwerth SX90R Shadow cannot be had for <$620.00 Cdn. It cannot. Whatever you get when you order it, it won’t be real. It will be a counterfeit from China. I am also almost willing to bet that it won’t look like the horn we see in these images.

Knockoff SX90R tenor

This fake Keilwerth is not a counterfeit since the sellers straight up advertise it as a copy. They write:

95% copy Germany JK SX90R Keilwerth Tenor saxophone black Tenor Sax Top Professional Musical instrument With Case free shipping….

LAIIMAN JK SX90R saxophone Tenor black Nickel silver alloy Tenor Sax Musical instrument With Case Mouthpiece Accept OEM LOGO

Good News : we accept OEM logo , if there have any other logo on the bell please tell us at any time. Thanks again .

Brand: LAIIMAN(can be customized brand)
Product Name: Tenor saxophone
Key type: Germany SX90R key type
Material: Brass
Tube body Technology: Black Nickel Gold
Keys: Black Nickel Gold
Type: JK SX90R
Tonality: B-flat / Bb
Applicable: Beginner, Test, Playing

Overall impression

If I read this correctly, I can order this horn with any logo I want. It doesn’t have to have the JK logo… I think…

Regardless, this horn likely comes from the same or similar factory that the first horn in this article did. It looks more like a Selmer knockoff than a Keilwerth one. Change the logo, add to the confusion. I wonder if the Made In Germany is swapped out for Made in XXXX depending on the logo?

Pro tip

Again, I am starting to feel like a broken record, but if you are buying a horn for $ 584.78 – 609.72 Cdn, you get what you pay for. If you pay for , that’s exactly what you are going to get.

Think pro horns are the only ones being copied, think again

As I was perusing the fake Keilwerth saxophones being offered on Aliexpress, I was stunned to discover that intermediate and even student model JKs were being sold. I am not clear why this would be the case.

Why would a factory executive authorize the development of these instruments? Is there really this much of a market for them? I can see people/dealers wanting to buy knockoff or counterfeit pro model horns, but intermediate and student ones? Really? Just how much of a global demand is there for these types of fake Keilwerth saxophones?

Counterfeit EX90 Series III alto

Much like the new Mark VI saxophones being sold on Aliexpress, this EX Series III is no longer in production. As a matter of fact, Keilwerth stopped EX production circa 2010.

Like the seller of the SX90R alto in the first ad, and the SX90R Shadow tenor featured above, this seller is providing photos of a real EX 90 Series III. This means that whatever you buy, is NOT going to look like or be what you see in the ad. Check out the brand name (Margewate).

This is how the instrument was described on Aliexpress:

Julius Keilwerth EX 90 Series III New Eb Tune Alto Saxophone Brass Black Nickel Body Gold Lacquer Key Sax with Case Mouthpiece.

A click on the specifications tab shows us the following:

Brand Name: MARGEWATE
Type: Falling Tune E (F)
Tone: Eb
Origin: CN(Origin)
Head Material: Bakelite
Model Number: Keilwerth EX 90 Series III
Surface Material: Black Nickel Gold
Body Material: Brass

And another Chinese-made horn. Surprise surprise. What is surprising is that it costs $449.00 Cdn.

Overall impression

I freely admit that I am not an expert on intermediate or student model horns. They have never appealed a great deal to me. I did do a fair amount of research on the EX series, but compared to the SX90R series, there are surprisingly few photos of them available.

What confuses me about this horn is the front F key. The EX normally has a button front F. This one does not. I have recently come across a few others that do not, and the serial numbers of those horns do not fit into Keilwerth’s serial number conventions. However, it appears that the serial numbers might fit into Amati’s. Since we can’t see the serial number on this horn, we are left with a few questions.

That said, we know that whatever EX90 Series III you order today from these clowns, will be a counterfeit.

Pro tip

The EX90 is no longer made. Buying a new one, is like buying a new Mark VI. It is bullshit. Oh, and they were never made in China. The parts for the Series III were made in Germany and they were assembled by Amati in the Czech Republic. 

Knockoff ST90 alto

The seller says the following about this knockoff ST on Aliexpress:

Copy Germany (JK)Keilwerth ST90 Gold Lacquer Alto Saxophone Eb Wind Brass Instrument Sax Alto Western Instruments Sax

A click on the specifications tab shows:

Tone: Eb
Type: Falling Tune E (F)
Model Number: ST90
Body Material: Brass
Head Material: Bakelite
Surface Material: Gold Lacquer

Overall impression

Here we have a horn where the photos don’t match the description. The photos show a ST90 Series IV. These horns were originally made in Taiwan by KHS. However, like the EX90 above, the Series IV was discontinued circa 2010, and is now being produced as the ST Series—which happens to be how the fake is being advertised.

This horn in the photos does look like real used Series IV horns I found for sale online. Wherever the photos come from, it is highly unlikely that any ST alto you get from this seller will look like this, since they are not selling a Series IV. Sigh…

Pro tip

Spending $668.54 Cdn on a knockoff student model Keilwerth is about the stupidest thing you can do. Real ones are available from reputable sax shops like Getasax, World Wide Sax, etc. for just a few dollars more. They might be used, but they will be very good condition, and you know you will be buying the genuine article.

Fake ST131 alto

In 2026, I happened across this oddity that cost me an hour+ of my time that I will never get back. Before listing it as a fake, I did a lot of checking on the Keilwerth pages, as well as Keilwerth dealer websites to see if this model appears anywhere. It doesn’t. They only place it shows up is on a few China-based websites that are known to sell counterfeits and knockoffs.

This is how the instrument was described on Aliexpress:

2026 New Brand New Germany ST131 Keilwerth Alto Saxophone Professional phosphor bronze Sax With Mouthpiece Case

A click on the specifications tab shows us the following:

Is Batteries Included: No
High-concerned chemical: None
Model Number: ST131
Type: Falling Tune E (F)
Tone: Eb
Head Material: Bakelite
Body Material: Phosphor Bronze Copper
Surface Material: Gold Lacquer
Origin: Mainland China

Overall Impression

A few points here:

• Keilwerth’s current student model is the ST110. The alto version is the JK2103-8-0 (Alto). To the best of my knowledge, lacquer is the only finish available.
• Keilwerth discontinued it’s copper horns (C models) years ago. Only copper necks are available now for some of its pro horns.
• Student horns were never available in copper bodies to the best of my knowledge.

Pro Tip

ST is Keilwerth’s designation for the student model saxophones. This is not, nor will it ever be a counterfeit of Keilwerth pro model horn. It is indeed a fake.

AI gets it totally wrong

This is a great example of how the Google-generated AI descriptions can be dead wrong. This is how Google’s AI Overview describes the ST131 Keilwerth Alto Saxophone:

The ST131 Keilwerth Alto Saxophone is a professional-grade instrument, often identified as part of the Julius Keilwerth professional line (such as the Shadow or similar series), designed for high-level performance with a rich, versatile tone. These saxophones are frequently characterized by high-quality materials, such as phosphor bronze or black nickel, with intricate hand engraving, and are often made in Germany.

Key Features & Characteristics:

• Tone: Known for a “huge,” warm, and powerful sound that is versatile, making it suitable for jazz, funk, and classical styles.
• Build: Often features advanced mechanisms like adjustable palm keys, a G# lifter, and rolled tone holes (as seen in the SX90R series).
• Appearance: Distinctive, often featuring black nickel, gold lacquer, or vintage finishes with extensive hand engraving.
• Components: Usually equipped with high-quality pads (e.g., Pisoni) and Mother of Pearl or ebony key touches.
• Origin: Produced in Germany with a focus on traditional craftsmanship.

The ST131 is often positioned as a top-tier instrument designed for professional musicians or advanced students looking for a bold, distinctive voice.

Clearly this AI description is totally wrong, and is an example of why AI should not be trusted, and why it can lead to problems. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Concluding thoughts

So there you have it. I hope this article stands as a good reference piece in the future should you be looking at a used, or possibly new, Keilwerth saxophone. I could have gone on and on about more fake and counterfeit Keilwerths, but I think you get the idea. I tried to choose some examples that covered the spectrum.

To wrap then, I’d like to offer you these concluding points:

• Although I pulled all of my examples from Aliexpress, they are by far and away not the only online site peddling in illegal counterfeits and knockoffs. Amazon and eBay are two other prime sources where crap like this can be found, and yes, sadly there are lots of others.
• As the member from SOTW learned, sometimes counterfeits can end up in your local brick and mortar stores because the staff are not sophisticated enough to be able to recognize a fake from the real thing. Additionally, the risks for buyers of used horns go up considerably if they are going the used horn route and buying from a private person.
• One person’s counterfeit is another’s knock-off is another’s replica, is yet another’s fake or or copy. The definitions can be a bit fluid and tend to flow into each other.
• Bottom line: they are all illegal, and damaging to both the trademark holding company, and to buyers and sellers alike. They can cause irreparable financial harm to the company; lead to staff lay offs; ultimately stifle innovation; and potentially lead to restructuring or even shuttering of company operations.
• Why? All because consumers are willing to buy cheap, shitty, disposable copies of something that was never meant to be disposable to begin with.

Bottom line

Now more than ever before, you really need to know your stuff before you hand over your hard-earned cash. That’s why I strongly encourage people to buy from a reputable, used saxophone dealers. My personal favourites are: Get A Sax. Brian is a Keilwerth fan himself, and knows what to look for. PM Woodwind. Paul generally has a fantastic collection of gently used vintage and modern saxophones. Chadd over at World Wide Sax is also a Keilwerth guy and knows his stuff. And of course my good friends Ed and Kat over at Bellingham Wind Works. Tell any of them that I sent you and they will make sure you get treated extra-specially right.

If you are looking to buy a new horn, please do yourself a favor and buy from an authorized dealer—such as Bellingham Wind Works—or Matterhorn Music if you are Canada. This way you get the warranty and the peace of mind that comes from knowing your are getting the genuine article.