In November 2004, Jack Tyler delivered a masterpiece to the market—the Boston Sax Shop Cloud strap, which quickly became my go to tenor saxophone strap and the most comfortable saxophone strap ever made. Well, I suppose Jack didn’t want to let the momentum dissipate. A few weeks later, he introduced another piece of incredible gear, the Ambassador II Tenor Saxophone Case.
I bought the original Ambassador case, and I watched for years as Jack pushed to maintain superior quality control. He put his heart into that case, and it was a shame the manufacturer, in the end, wasn’t as committed as Jack. But having now purchased the Ambassador II, I’ve realized that we, the saxophone community, could not have been better served by the six to seven year developmental period that has resulted in this masterpiece of design and manufacture. And this masterpiece of design and manufacture costs just less than $600, which is a tremendous bargain.
The Ambassador II: The Pinnacle of Saxophone Case Design
Let me now articulate what this case represents. It is a case that makes the Walt Johnson cases of yesteryear practically obsolete. Those were great cases, but the Ambassador II represents a significant improvement as it is lighter, has back straps, and has a storage pocket on the exterior.
It is also a case that replaces the Bam Cabine and its characteristic lines, finish, and outstanding quality control as the modern go to case for tenor saxophonists. My biggest problem with the Bam Cabine are the latches. They are “quick release” latches, and they release a little too easily. Moreover, many of the parts such as the valance, the feet, and the latches on the Bam Cabine seem to be made from plastic while every component on the Ambassador II appears to be metal.
The BSS Ambassador II, in my opinion, is a great case at the most ideal price point achievable. Ultimately, how much more does a consumer want to pay to shed 3 pounds with a vacuum infused carbon fibre single instrument case from SJQ? Is $700 per pound of reduction too much? That’s definitely up to the consumer.
BSS Ambassador II case details
- Hard wearing, heavy duty ABS shells.
- 4 Southco latches (these are the same as on vintage Walt Johnson cases)
- Aluminum valance (that shiny middle part) for maximum durability with without being heavy
- 5 Steel hinges on spine
- Double leather handle to prevent a ‘whoopsie’ if you forget to latch. We had these lined with ballistic nylon to prevent stretch and wear.
- Plush, high density memory foam interior with velvet top layer (no styrofoam here)
- Big ol storage pocket on the outside for all your goodies, neck/mouthpiece pouch included for bell storage.
- Steel feet and steel strap D-Rings (notice a theme in the all metal parts yet?)
- Included backpack straps with steel hooks and braided cable failsafes
- Fits snug all Selmer/Selmer style saxes AND Vintage American horns with reverse bell keys (Yup you read right) plus Yamaha/Yani etc. Basically the only horns it will not fit are Keilwerth/Couf.
- 7.9Lb
- Overall dimensions: 33.5” x 12” x 8” (at bell)
- Pocket demensions: 12″ x 5″ x 3″
This review reflects my personal experience and opinions. Product specifications and pricing are accurate as of the date of writing but may change. I have no financial affiliation with any of the brands mentioned.
The Boston Sax Shop is also a repair shop. You can read more about the type of people they are and the work they do by reading Outstanding Saxophone Repair Shop in Boston
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