Showrooms in the South?????

[DeltaBlues]

I would like to try a variety of new saxophones. I live in Mississippi. Just wondering where there would be a good music shop to where I could look at the different finishes and maybe even try a few out. I know I'd have to travel somewhere. Atlanta? Baton Rouge? Memphis? Dallas?

[DeltaBlues]

I live too far away from Vegas.

[brassnaked]

Greenville, SC Matt Arron has a company called Saxforte where you could play Selmers, Yanagisawas, Keilwerths, Rampone & Cazzani, alto, tenor and soprano...just a thought.http://www.saxforte.com/

[awholley]

Definitely NOT Dallas. :-(

[Morry]

There's not much within driving distance of Mississippi, so why not take a plane trip to WW&BW. I don't think you'll find a better selection anywhere. I've heard that you can go to a practice room and request to try horns 3 at a time for comparison. I've been nearby, but never had the opportunity to stop in.

[SaxPlayer1004]

Sax Forte doesn't have a retail store.
"We are located in Greenville, South Carolina and work to keep costs low. We do not have a traditional retail location"

"Do you have a retail store?

saxƒorte is located in a non-retail location. Let's face it, saxophones are not an impulse purchase so the wisdom of a fancy retail location is questionable and accounts for why dealers with traditional retail locations tend to charge so much for the instruments they sell."

J.l. Smith in Charlotte has a few pro horns to sell
www.jlsmithco.com

[brassnaked]

Sax Forte doesn't have a retail store.
"We are located in Greenville, South Carolina and work to keep costs low. We do not have a traditional retail location"

"Do you have a retail store?

saxƒorte is located in a non-retail location. Let's face it, saxophones are not an impulse purchase so the wisdom of a fancy retail location is questionable and accounts for why dealers with traditional retail locations tend to charge so much for the instruments they sell."

J.l. Smith in Charlotte has a few pro horns to sell
www.jlsmithco.com

I never said that Saxforte had a retail store...even without a retail store, I'm sure Matt would still welcome someone to come by for the purpose of SERIOUSLY test playing some horns and doing side-by-side comparisons and of course...hopefully selling a quality horn in the process.
DeltaBlues: I suggest you call Matt and speak with him on the phone...you will find him one of the most informed and nicest people to deal with.
J.L. Smith is out of the saxophone business...period...at least as of last week when I called, I was told they no longer have ANYTHING to do with saxophones. Maybe they just didn't want to do business with ME!

[SaxPlayer1004]

I'm not saying that he wouldn't, but he does have a no return policy, so you'd have to ask him.

[bkiser]

If you are seriously interested, he will invite you to make an appointment to visit his location.

[saxamaphonegirl]

bkiser is right.
I've dealt with Mathew before. If you are truly serious about purchasing one of his horns, then he would be more than happy to let you come into his home and try them.
Notice I said purchase... I doubt he'd be inclined to let anyone come in and noodle around. He doesn't accept returns, he doesn't send horns out on trials because he doesn't like to sell "used" horns. You like it, you buy it.
I know it's weird, but it's worked for him and I love the horn I bought.

Even with this no return policy, he's a good guy/businessman. He sells quality horns at a reasonable price. Taking into account the dollar fluctuating and import costs of a smaller seller. He's very nice, straight forward about what he sells and more than willing to do anything to satify a customer. It never hurts to email him and see what he says.

The horn I bought from him was adjusted and packed like you would not believe. The thing was packed in styrofoam peanuts, nearly the equivalent of the horns own weight. There was AT LEAST a foot of space on each side of the sax case and the box, packed full of those little peanuts.

While I don't have any closer suggestions that I've personally experienced, I thought I'd give you a little idea of how Mathew works.
If you were going to fly to WWBW, maybe the USA Horn in New York?
or
Alabama Music Center.
#205-879-9191
That could be an option. A SOTW poster reccomended it in this thread: http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28356

Good luck and I hope you find a place where you find a great horn. :)

[Morry]

If you have an idea of what you're looking for, Mr. Prewett at Alabama Music Center would have some horns out and waiting for you when you arrived. He doesn't have one of everything, but he had various horns in the back, including 10m, Mark VI, Jupiter, Yanigasawa, various other Selmers, B&S, Silversonic, etc.