Good Tenor Sax

DdogonGod · Good Tenor Sax

I'm looking into MAYBE getting a tenor sax. Right now, I own an Antigua Winds alto sax and play a school-owned Selmer Paris tenor sax. The previous two years I played a Yamaha tenor sax, also school owned. I definitely can't afford a sax over a thousand dollars. Ideally, I'd like to get a pretty good tenor sax for about $500. I really like my Antigua Winds alto, although my one band director thinks it's crap. In my opinion, the Antigua alto is far superior in quality to the Yamaha tenor, which I constantly had trouble with. Right now, I like the Selmer, but I don't think there's anything that great about it. It definitely doesn't play the high notes as good as the Yamaha. I don't think I'd mind an Antigua, but considering my alto was like $1200, it's out of my price range. So, I'm open to other brands.

I really like jazz, but would like a tenor that would be versatile (jazz, concert). What do you think?

JPSaxMan

A good tenor for under $1k might be asking for trouble.

A Kessler Custom might be a good alternative, but I don't know if they too are under $1k Confused

Louis Scuderi

Kessler's tenors are all under $1,000. The lacquer is $895, and the two other finishes both go for $995.

www.kesslermusic.com

reisio

Could probably find a nice vintage horn for that sort of price. People often figure old & crappy looking means it will sound bad and play like crap.

DdogonGod

If I were to get an used sax or vintage sax, what brands should I look into? Would ebay be a good place to look/get it?

DdogonGod

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Coues...PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

How does that look?

JPSaxMan

If that's what ya want, go for it. It looks like a good horn (after all, pos's aren't made in Paris). I've just never seen one such as that Confused

reisio

Never heard of it, but I live in the Americas.

Most of the old vintage horns that were popular in the USA are decent. Conn, Martin, Selmer, Buescher, King.

JazZz

I recently went through trying to get a tenor off of ebay and here's some things I did:

I got a beat up old holton, it was black in the picture. It had no case, nothing but the body and the neck. I ordered a case (GIG) mouthpiece and all the other needed accessories. I then brought the sax to my local woodwind shop and they repaired it. For a complete overhaul it cost $750US for a complete repad, adjust, new hinges, cleaning, and corks. Pretty much I said "how much will it be to get this thing playable" and they made it playable. The old black tenor is now a shiny Silver, looks brand new.
Total: $975...my summer job money went to good use Very Happy

moral of the story: Get a fixer upper from a respected brand and put a little work into it. Ebay has a lot of Chu's, Kings, Conn's, and Old Selmers. Stay with the respected brands and it'll be cool.

P.S. if you get a fintage make sure it's a low pitch and for a tenor make sure you're not accidentally buying a C Melody. Some sellers who have little instrument knowledge do not know to tell that information.

darby dylan

i'm sure that even of yamahja you can get a horn for under 1K.
And there not that bad and otherwise you could have one of this cheap japaneese brands because a vintage one is quiet expensive.
On ebay is quiet a good place too.
regards,

dylan

jules

If that couesnon is (a) in good condition and (b) as good as the altos they used to make, grab it. Their alto saxes are really good quality bits of kit.

DdogonGod

http://cgi.ebay.com/buescher-aris...ategoryZ16234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I found that Buescher. What does everyone think?

DdogonGod

Ok. In addition to the one above, here are two other tenor saxes that I found.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Marti...ategoryZ16234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/CONN-22M-Teno...ategoryZ16234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

JPSaxMan

I would go with the Martin Handcraft before the Buescher or the Conn for they both seem to be the student horns of the famous companies after their famous vintage American horns were made :D

DdogonGod

Is there anywhere else that I could get a cheap tenor sax besides Ebay?

JPSaxMan

Keep your eyes open here, on SOTW, and maybe on Sax Planet if I ever get a classified ad there. Good luck man...you'll need it. Cool

Louis Scuderi

Given those three horns, I'd go for the Martin. But, be prepared to pay top dollar.