[wongkw]

I came across an internet classified ad for "Genius" brand saxophones for sale for $350 CDN. It said soprano, alto, and tenor were available. I tried to research this brand on the internet as well as this forum and could not find anything. Has anyone heard of this brand before and if so, can you provide some info?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[HUTMO]

run far run fast

I have no experience with these saxes but the fact that you could not find anything about them should be a red flag.

HUTMO

 

[Dave Dolson]

Kevin: Welcome to SOTW.

There are tons of house-brand or names-from-the-blue new saxophones coming from Taiwan and China (or India and other places, I suppose). All one has to do is to contact a factory and buy a bunch - they'll put most anything on the bell, as directed by the buyer.

This doesn't necessarily mean cheap, unplayable JUNK. You should play (several) before reaching any conclusion about a GENIUS (or an ACME or a DOLSON or whatever name is on the horn).

If you can't find one to test, I'd recommend buying the more well-known brand names on Taiwanese saxophones these days (like Kessler, Unison, Mauriat, Cannonball, etc.). DAVE

 

[wongkw]

Thanks for the responses and the welcome.

I emailed the person advertising the "Genius" brand and asked about the quality (how they compare to Yamaha's for example) and low price. He admitted that they are a chinese brand and it would be unfair to compare them to a Yamaha. He did say that a friend purchased and alto and is very happy with the tonal quality produced. The low price is due to the high volume the supplier has on hand.

I'll pursue this further and see what they are like, then decide if they are worth purchasing. I would much prefer to get something like a Yamaha or Cannonball from a local music store but can't afford those right now. I figure if I buy something inexpensive such as this, it will give me a chance to see if I am serious about playing the instrument before paying for something more expensive.

 

[CountSpatula]

Used YAS-23s can go very cheap...

And sellers sometimes tell you anything to get money

(But there's some great guys here on SOTW )

 

[danarsenault]

Be a genius, walk away.

 

[wongkw]

After reading everyones advice here I'm starting to lean away from getting one of the "Genius" saxophones. I'm going to still see what reponse I get from the advertiser of this model though.

I've been looking on eBay to see what's available there. I've seen some more popular makes there such as Yamaha, Selmer, and Bundy, for decent prices. What should I look out for, and ask when bidding on eBay saxophones?

 

[Dave Dolson]

Kevin: Wise decision to not buy the Genius. Look at it this way . . . you pay $350 for a Genius, then a few months later conclude it is NOT what you want. Then you pay the $2000 for a PM or a CB (or whatever) and now you have a decent horn and it only cost you $2350 to get it. No, you won't get your $350 back when re-selling the Genius.

Asking us to tell you what to look for in an eBay purchase requires more band-width than any of us have, let alone SOTW. Whatever you buy used on eBay (go for the brand names), figure in about $700 for an overhaul. DAVE