Is this Borgani 24K a good buy?

[dexter_fan]

I have the opportunity to buy from an Italian seller a Borgani 24K Tenor for 850 euros. Is this a good buy? He also sells the Pearl silver for 100 more. How about this?
I never played any of the new Borganis, I just read very good things about them here. How can be described the tone of a 24K and of a Pearl Silver tenor? Any resemblance to Selmer or Keilwerth?

Thanks everyone.

[deblcooper]

€850 ? This sounds too good to be true! The 24k has a rich bright timbre. The sound is a little more focused, but it doesn't resonate like the Vintage unlacquered. The Pearl Silver has an amazingly strong timbre that can purr or roar. Comparing the Pearl Silver to a Keilwerth... Borgani wins, hands down.

[rispoli]

Mmmmm, interesting...

[dexter_fan]

Thanks Deblcooper, I also had a feeling that 850 euros is too good to be true for a Jubilee 24K tenor, also because the seller says it is in mint condition.
If I go for it I guess I'll ask to have it shipped with a safer C.O.D.

I was actually interested to know how it compares with the Keilwerth EX series, I guess your answer referred to the SX and as a consequence there should be no battle with the EX...

[deblcooper]

Yes, I was referring to the SX90. Sorry, I thought that's what you were referring to when you mentioned Keilwerth and Borgani in the same sentence! Seriously, they are two different horns with two different sounds. It really depends on what you are looking for.

You will definitely be "noticed" with a Borgani pearl silver .. on stage. It's as flashy as the sound is empowering.

Did you receive any serial numbers from this seller? Pictures? If so, you should send an inquiry email to Orfeo. He keeps tracks of all of his saxophones. If you need help, let me know.

I haven't met anyone outside of Norway that will send anything C.O.D. so it will be interesting if you can do this. ... but then I have been pleasantly surprised before.

All the best,
deb

[dexter_fan]

Did you receive any serial numbers from this seller? Pictures? If so, you should send an inquiry email to Orfeo. He keeps tracks of all of his saxophones. If you need help, let me know.


Yes, serial number is 173XX for the 24K gold and 19XXX for the Pearl silver and no pictures because he has no digital camera available (but said he could get one quite soon). C.O.D is possible in Italy, I am going there in a week (I now live in Canada but I am Italian) and I will ask to have it delivered there. Out of the country I don't believe it would be possible.

Your advises sound really helpful and I am now more willing to give it a try. I am sure the Keilwerth EX do not even compare to it and would be only 150 euros cheaper.

Regards
Andrea

[dexter_fan]

No answer from Orfeo Borgani, but it is likely to be a Jubilee model of 2000.

[josephmd]

Have a look at Roberto's Woodwind website for current prices. I agree it sounds too good to be true.

[MMM]

Hey Dexter Fan, come on give us an update!

Ciao,
M

[dexter_fan]

Here you go the update:

I didn't purchase it because it turned out to be a pre-Jubilee model, one of those with silver keys and old Borgani logo. Was not the Jubilee 24K the seller claimed it to be.
Perhaps if I had the chance to play it I might have finalized the purchase anyways, because it might have sounded great, however it was not the case.
I read Borgani jumped up in quality since the Jubilee models, hence used older models might not be worth 850 euros (at least not without trying them first).

I purchased instead an excellent Keilwerth EX-90 series II, which plays really well although too close to my main axe, a B&S 2001. I like it a great deal but I want to trade it for something more differently sounding than the B&S, perhaps a Yanagisawa, P.Mauriat, Cannonball or Grassi.
I tried Yamahas 23, 52, 62 and I did not like the tone, very unexciting.
I am still missing the Z, but that's sort of expensive for a second sax...

[MMM]

Thanks Andrea,

so didn't he have a Silver Borg as well? WHat happened to that?

Cheers,
M