subcontrabass saxophone

Until 1999, no genuine, playable subcontrabass saxophones were made, though at least two gigantic saxophones were built.

The subcontrabass saxophone is a type of saxophone that Adolphe Sax patented and planned to build but never constructed.

He also makes bass saxophones, contrabass saxophones, subcontrabass saxophone (available as a special order), and contrabass clarinets.

Inventor Adolphe Sax had a patent for a subcontrabass saxophone (or bourdon saxophone), but apparently never built a fully functioning instrument.

In September 2012, instrument manufacturer Benedikt Eppelsheim of Munich, Germany completed building the first full-size subcontrabass saxophone.

Instruments tuned below contrabass instruments, such as the double contrabass flute or subcontrabass saxophone, may be referred to as "double contrabass," "triple contrabass," "subcontrabass," or "octocontrabass" instruments.

The baritone saxophone or "bari sax" (commonly abbreviated bs or bars to distinguish it from the less frequently used bass saxophone) is one of the largest members of the saxophone family, only being smaller than the bass, contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones.