Buying a used sax

Stretch for the SML on the pro vintage listings.

Or get the Yamaha, of the ones you are looking at.
 
I forgot to mention that I don't plan on getting too deep into sax. Just looking for something that'll let me play decent and that's easy on the wallet.

For those who have seen this post (or something similar), I apologize for flooding this forum with my questions. I just want to make a good decision.
 
+1 to Carl's comment. Also, the Vito made by Yamaha would do you too, since it's basically the same horn.

I usually recommend to my students that they start with a Yamaha. In my years of teaching saxophone I have found that those students who have a Yamaha come along faster and easier than those with either a Bundy II, or those with an original Bundy sax. The Yamaha horns have much less resistance, & are easier to play in tune. As well, the Yamaha you're looking at will do you for many years. I know many players who when they do buy pro horns, keep their Yamaha 23s as back-ups saxes. There is nothing wrong with this model. If you don't plan to go too far into the world of saxophone playing, this may be the best horn for the job.

BTW, we haven't met before. I've been away due to a death in the family. I'm the CE/Moderator for the saxophone section of the forum. Welcome to our little section of the web, UTEP Horn Guy.

If you'd like to ask me some questions, feel free. You can ask here, start a new thread if more appropriate, or you can send me a PM (private message).

Regards,

Helen
 
I looked at that list of horns on junkdude's site. I've dealt with junkdude before and was pleased (two Morgan soprano mouthpieces), so this is no slam on him. But none of those listings tripped my trigger.

Oh, maybe any one of them would be decent enough, but if you are planning to drop over $500 "just to not get in too deeply" (or however you put it), you might as well drop $800 or so and get a new horn of comparable quality and one you KNOW will play well. Nothing will discourage a new saxophonist more quickly than a horn that doesn't play well, sound well, or respond well.

Your next major issue will be a decent mouthpiece. No one can tell you what will work best for you, but as I recall, Kessler's new saxophones come with one of his upgraded mouthpieces and that may be the key to you enjoying your saxophone experience . . . or not.

Believe me, I have no interest in Kessler's business other than I like the guy and I've purchased several instruments from him over the years. They all play superbly. DAVE
 
Dave Dolson said:
... Kessler's new saxophones come with one of his upgraded mouthpieces and that may be the key to you enjoying your saxophone experience . . . or not.

Believe me, I have no interest in Kessler's business other than I like the guy and I've purchased several instruments from him over the years. They all play superbly. DAVE
Click to expand...
I have friends who have ending up buying new from Kessler (Kessler Custom) after asking me questions similiar to yours. Don't be in a hurry. If you don't have the money right now save a couple of months to get what you want. BTW, the friends who bought the Kessler Custom (including me) still have our instruments and some of them are 5 years old or so.

(Wish we had the Kessler link at the top of our site as much as we recommend Dave and Chuck. Great guyz.)
 
I had a student buy one of Kessler's horns too. Quite nice and the mouthpieces they come with play quite well. The only issue you may encounter with a non "big name" horn, is ignorant techs who will refuse to work on them in the future. A decent tech will evaluate the horn they are presented with, but some will just say no.
 
Carl H. said:
The only issue you may encounter with a non "big name" horn, is ignorant techs who will refuse to work on them in the future. A decent tech will evaluate the horn they are presented with, but some will just say no.
Click to expand...
I don't deal with techs like that; life is too short to deal with ignorance. I know about 20 techs in the Seattle area and none of them have refused to work on a Kessler. Weak techs suck. :emoji_rage:
 
Gandalfe said:
I don't deal with techs like that; life is too short to deal with ignorance. I know about 20 techs in the Seattle area and none of them have refused to work on a Kessler. Weak techs suck. :emoji_rage:
Click to expand...
+100

My tech was pleased with the example of Kesslers work I brought her to look over. Shipping it from NV to IA it got rattled around pretty good. The only thing that needed adjustment was 1 adjustment screw. I had it left as is and used it in a lesson in trouble shooting with the new owner. He found it and we "fixed" it right there on the spot. He was pretty jazzed about doing it himself.:)

(I must ad that it was well packed and there was no damage of any sort to the instrument from shipping, just an adjuster screw loosening 1/8 turn.)
 
We've actually had this conversation in http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2834 :).

1. If you're wanting to spend the $625, either the YAS-23 or the Yamaha-made Vito would be excellent.
2. If you'd rather spend $700, Kessler's Custom Standard horn is decent, from what I'd hear. (Hey, Dave: when am I getting that bari to test, eh?)
3. I'd skip the SML-made Reynolds Contempra because it's a) $925 and b) doesn't have the original neck and c) I don't like beginners playing vintage instruments.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I feel very appreciative that so many of you guys (and gals if any) are helping me with making a decision. I also feel kinda stupid for basically posting the same thread twice :-/

I've decided to go with the Yamaha 23. It seems to be a happy-medium point between the Bundy II and the Kesslers. That and geographically speaking, a Yamaha would seem to be easier to repair than a Kessler.
 
UTEP Horn Guy said:
I forgot to mention that I don't plan on getting too deep into sax.
Click to expand...
It is to smile. That will likely change. The saxophone is an alluring mistress (or master, depending on your bent).
 
UTEP Horn Guy said:
I feel very appreciative that so many of you guys (and gals [emphasis added] if any)...
Click to expand...

I thought my name would provide a hint towards my gender. :emoji_smile:

No worries; no offense taken. Now that we've got that cleared up though, good luck with the horn purchase. Hope it works out for you. If the 23 is sold, remember that this particular Vito on Junk Dude's site is basically the same, so you'd be fine with that too.

Let us know how things are going, and keep checking in. All the best.

Cheers...
 
Yes, good luck on whatever you buy. But, I will disagree with the repair-comment. Basically, a saxophone is a saxophone and unless you need a part replaced (subject of much previous discussion around here, and a rare occurrence), a repair-tech could easily repair the Kessler models along side Selmer-Paris and Yanagisawas. DAVE
 
I agree with Dave abotu repairs. A repairer would normally check the instrument and decide what to recommend based on that. Simply refusing to work on an instrument they don't know sounds strange.

Re the Vito made by Yamaha, I recently saw one of those. It had a problem of too short key arms for low B and especaily low Bb. I know it was a problem since it was new and not from a bend, etc. It's the only Vito Yamaha I've seen. I've never seen this problem on actual Yamaha student models though and I don't know if it was just a rare mistake. Anyway I'd notice this when considering a Vito made by Yamaha.
 
There are times in our shop when the customer brings in one of the ultra cheap Chinese saxes they got on Ebay that needs more than a neck cork or other minor repair that we decline to work on the instrument.

Experience has taught us that it is very likely that many springs are loose in the posts, pads do not have sufficient glue and fall out to the touch, key corks are falling off or are missing, and wavy toneholes make it next to impossible to make the sax leak free short of a mechanical overhaul. In short---what started out as a $45 play condition turns into a 3 or 4 hour session of chasing manufacturing defects just to get it to play a scale which usually is horribly out of tune.

Rather than charge the customer what it would take to make the instrument "right" which often exceeds what they paid in the first place, we politely decline the repair and suggest they replace it with one that is going to be more dependable. Some thank us for our honesty so they don't throw good money after bad, and others go away disgusted.

Obviously this is not the same as techs who won't work on anything but the major brands, and we do try to evaluate each instrument on its own merits, but the truth is that some raise a red flag as soon as the case is put on the counter.

John
 
FWIW, I'd want to have a tech that'd be honest enough to give my horn a once-over and say, "It's not worth it for you to get this repaired" or "I'm sorry. To get this into 'playing condition' will be $500."

I do have a bit of a problem if I just said, "I have a Monique (or some other low-quality Chinese horn) ...." and was refused service out-of-hand. At least let me describe what's wrong. I should understand that one of the answers might be, "It's not worth it for you to get this repaired."
 
I agree with John and Pete. However, I once played a MONIQUE that was a real saxophone. The owner, a music store owner and repair-tech, bought new a bunch of these Chinese cheapies and went through them before selling them. When he finished with them (new pads, felts, corks, some swedging as he described it), they played. One may question the cost of his time and work, but I recall him telling me he got his money's worth out of the deal. He brought one to a gig and I played it.

Of course, Kessler's horns are not of the dubious quality we are discussing here - in my opinion, based on ownership and testing, Kessler's horns are the equal of any of the better Taiwanese saxophones we see on the market these days. DAVE
 
Dave Dolson said:
Of course, Kessler's horns are not of the dubious quality we are discussing here - in my opinion, based on ownership and testing, Kessler's horns are the equal of any of the better Taiwanese saxophones we see on the market these days. DAVE
Click to expand...
People just don't believe unless they happen to get a chance to blow one. Kessler Music's rep is growing though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom