Forum of the Saxes

DdogonGod · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 14

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 · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject:

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

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JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Louis Scuderi · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:31 pm Post subject:

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

www.kesslermusic.com
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reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

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 · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 14

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 · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 14

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

How does that look?

JPSaxMan · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:58 pm Post subject:

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

_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

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 · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

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 · Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 63

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 · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 63 Location: brighton- uk

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.
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DdogonGod · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 14

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

I found that Buescher. What does everyone think?

DdogonGod · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 14

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