Do you know anything about buying a saxophone?

[zulu]

My sis wants to buy her husband a tenor sax for a gift. Soliciting help from anybody who knows more than us (zilch) about buying a used instrument. At least of good "student" or intermediate quality. Thanks!

 

[Rocky]

I would think a used/refurbed one would get you a lot more value, though it doesn't seem as 'gifty.' Most band/orchestra instruments these days are super expensive for the good ones, or crappy quality for the inexpensive ones.

 

[davismanLV]

I remember one of our members here from Texas found a super nice, very vintage trumpet here in Vegas and wanted me to be feet and eyes on the ground here. I was like, "Dude, I know absolutely NOTHING about trumpets and I'm terrified!! He said, "Don't worry, we'll FaceTime and I'll talk you through everything." So when he had an issue with the seller and cancelled the whole deal, I was so relieved. I know @chazmo could tell you about trumpets, but I have no idea about a sax. Someone for sure.

 

[twocorgis]

I know that for student quality instruments, Yamaha is generally well regarded. I know a bit more about their brass instruments, not so much saxophones. I know that pad wear is a concern with them, but I don't know how to assess that. I imagine there should be some good information out there on the instrument.
EDIT: Just found this primer, and not surprisingly, they recommend a Yamaha.

Buy a Student Saxophone the Smart Way - A Saxophone Buyer's Guide - www.GetASax.com

Don't waste your money buying a saxophone on Amazon, Wal-mart, eBay, or at a chain retailer. Buy a saxophone the smart way with one of the five options listed here.

www.getasax.com

 

[GAD]

I went down this rabbit hole 10-15 years ago and ended up with a Yamaha. That same article may have had an influence.

I bought it from a local pro refurbisher and sold it for what I paid five years later.

 

[zulu]

Great info thank you!

 

[Minnesota Flats]

One of my daughters wanted to play saxophone. She was told that, all else being equal, those who first learn to play clarinet well make better sax players than those who start on sax. I assume that that has something to due with developing proper embouchure. She played both clarinet and piano for a couple of years but opted to focus on piano rather than tackling sax.

 

[zulu]

My brother in law played sax through elementary and high school. Was in the jazz combo at school and won some competitions. Apparently he was pretty good.
Never played after finishing school.
So he'll be starting over but not starting from scratch.

He also has a lung capacity off the charts. Astounded his doctor. Can hold his breath for 5 minutes.

 

[chazmo]

I remember one of our members here from Texas found a super nice, very vintage trumpet here in Vegas and wanted me to be feet and eyes on the ground here. I was like, "Dude, I know absolutely NOTHING about trumpets and I'm terrified!! He said, "Don't worry, we'll FaceTime and I'll talk you through everything." So when he had an issue with the seller and cancelled the whole deal, I was so relieved. I know @chazmo could tell you about trumpets, but I have no idea about a sax. Someone for sure.

Yeah, sorry, Zulu... Can't help you with saxophones.

I don't know if your local HS has a band director or not. You could consult with that person for advice. Generally music educators have gotten some background in all band instruments.

 

[Brad Little]

I played saxophone for a long time, alto and soprano, but that was 50 years ago. At that time, Yamaha was just getting into high end saxes and ran into trouble because they duplicated a patented mechanism without Selmer's permission. Right now, there's a Buescher Aristocrat from the '70s on Reverb. IIRC, this was an intermediate model between student and professional. At that time, they were owned by Selmer, but I don't know if they still had their own factory or shared space with Selmer USA. If the pads are in good shape, it looks like a good deal, but might be worth calling or contacting the seller, it's a brick and mortar store, so somebody could probably answer to the condition of the pads. USA made, in Elkhart Indiana, at that time the band instrument capital of the world.
Tenor on Reverb

 

[Brad Little]

Oh, it looks like there's no mouthpiece. A good one, like a Brilhart, will probably run $100 or so.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Same as buying a guitar. Aim high.

 

[jp]

If it was me, I would go and consult a few used "horn-centric" shops closest to you that are not the equivalent of a Guitar Center or general family music store. Try to find the place where all the professional horn players take their instruments for service. Each large city has one or two. I'm suggesting according to what my jazz buddies do/did when searching for a new instrument.

Just like with guitars, there are used horn shops with knowledgeable people who won't try to sell you what you don't need. I also think that it would be important to make sure your sister's husband is involved in the tryout because, just as we are with guitars, he may be particular about the mouthpiece he likes, feel of the action, etc. He may also have a preference for a newer vs a vintage horn in your sister's price range.

Good luck!

 

[Steelman]

Zulu, saxophone is a wonderful instrument. I still play alto in my local community college orchestra though I retired from teaching there several years ago. If I take a horn to a gig (rarel;y) I take my tenor. (BUt I diodn't grow up playim reeds)

For your husband I advise against buying a "classic" sax. Sure, they are cool, they have soul. But buy a modern horn with good ergonomics--that is, easier finger movements. This important on a sax. What does a guitar have? A neck and strings. A sax has hundreds of little pieces that all have to work together at the right time.

I respectfully disagree with Minnesota. Your husband is not a 3rd grader, where perhaps going from clarinet to sax makes sense. He is an adult who wants to play sax? Get him a sax.

My advice? First do not buy a brand new $500 sax from E Bay. Take JP's advice: hop down to one or more music stores and look at their selections of used horns, perhaps with a certain wareranty. As GAD says, go for a Yamaha. They are well built, made in massive numbers, and are good values. Plus technicians like them: important because they must be serviced every few years--and occasionally fixed.

Buy a used horn from a shop and you have started to build a relationship with that shop,. They know you. They'll take care of you. They'll show your husband how to put it together, take it apart, clean it, and store it. Brass instruments can suffer from "red rot," which is when the copper leaches out of the metal and degrades it because of the moisture left in the horn body. This is bad. So the horn must be cleaned after each session.

Stay in touch here Zulu; let us know what you have found, OK?

 

[Minnesota Flats]

I respectfully disagree with Minnesota. Your husband is not a 3rd grader, where perhaps going from clarinet to sax makes sense. He is an adult who wants to play sax? Get him a sax.

I defer to a person who actually plays the instrument, himself, which I do not.

 

[Steelman]

Minnesota, if you heard me play you might have doubts, ha ha! It's not even a "double" . . . maybe a triple! But I have fun playing with the kids, following the conductor, . . . and breathing deeply.

Another point is the player's desire to play a particular istrument, a great motivator.

Anyway, happy music making to you up in the Land of a Whole Bunch o' Lakes.

 

[Steelman]

Zulu, any news to report?

Another decent student brand you might run into is Bundy, as in Bundy II. Bundys and Yamaha YTSs are very common on Craig's and in shops.

Again, with orchestra instruments you usually have 3 levels: student; intermediate; pro.

 

[Steelman]

Right now there is a Bundy II Tenor on Craig's List / Rhode Island for 400: "In great shape, plays great. Perfect student horn. Comes with case and all accessories."

Frather away, there's a good old Yamaha for 600: "Yamaha YTS-21 Tenor Saxophone. Excellent Condition. Just repaired to put it in nice playing condition. Well-known as a top student model tenor saxophone. Includes hard case, neck strap, mouthpiece, ligature, mouthpiece cap."

 

[zulu]

Zulu, any news to report?

Another decent student brand you might run into is Bundy, as in Bundy II. Bundys and Yamaha YTSs are very common on Craig's and in shops.

Again, with orchestra instruments you usually have 3 levels: student; intermediate; pro.

Hi Steelman, thanks so much for your input!

To clarify, it is my sister and I shopping for a sax for her husband.

Based upon helpful input here, we're looking for a used yamaha yts-23, but open minded as long as it has a clean bill of health from a reputable source. They live far from any metro ares, but, They will be traveling through Portland Oregon next week. I found a few band instrument shops they can check out and a contact for a long time Portland repair guy that buys and sells horns.

She likes to shop craigslist and likes vintage stuff, but I've cautioned her about the pitfalls. We shall see.

The input and discussion has been extremely helpful!

 

[jp]

They will be traveling through Portland Oregon next week. I found a few band instrument shops they can check out and a contact for a long time Portland repair guy that buys and sells horns.

FYI: These are the places in the PDX metro area that I know of to have a good selection of woodwinds. You might have already checked these out. Hope this helps!

Wally's is that small service repair shop where a lot of the local musicians go. They usually have a strong selection of altos and tenors. I would definitely check in with them. They'll also give you expert advice.

These two places are larger shops that offer a large selection of new and used horns--many brands and levels.

Beacock's Music is in Vancouver, WA across the Columbia River. This is a massive music store that's been in business for a long time. They are local and family-owned but are known for great service and a large selection of all band gear. I've only perused guitar gear and later kicked myself for not grabbing a cool 60s Hagström I played.

Music & Arts So I think this national chain owns Woodwind and Brasswind which is also owned by Guitar Center. Uggh! They are known, however, for having a massive selection, but I've never dealt with them. I've heard it's fun to browse, but who knows what the sales experience will be. YMMV.

EDIT: Update on my Music & Arts recommendation. I know I earlier said, no Guitar Center-like stores, but I don't have personal experience with M&A, so I can't say whether it will be good or bad.