I can understand any nonmusician thinking that a saxophone is a brass instrument due to its looks. Saxophones have, probably since inception, been the orphans of the instrumental families; neither belonging entirely in the woodwind family because it is made of metal, and not really belonging in the brass family because it uses a reed. But then you all knew that already, right?
On further thought, I can remember seeing clarinets made of metal. And of course, flutes now are almost all made of metal. So, what was my point again?
Oh yeah, merging all into MBA.