[1953SBAALTO]

Keep an eye on the marketplace here and you should be able to find one, but if you're having serious guilt about letting a family member spend that much, keep an eye out for a used modern Selmer.

I paid about $2300 for a used Series II tenor in 2006. Odds are good if you buy a used Selmer Paris it won't depreciate much should you decide to sell it. Same goes for a VI, but you'll spend less up front for a II or III or Ref horn. If you don't have the commitment or desire (or need because your college instructor says you have to have a VI), why do you want a VI?

And again, don't be biased by serial numbers. You can find an absolute beast of a player in the 200K range just as much as you can find a 57K dud. There are plenty of people out there that play VIIs too.

FWIW IMHO no one should pay Roberto's prices for a saxophone.

 

[1953SBAALTO]

As for where else to look, here is a list of websites that I have compiled over the last few months:

www.stohrermusic.com (SOTW member abadcliche)
www.2ndending.com (SOTW member JayePDX)
www.saxoasis.com (SOTW member les)
www.usahorn.com
www.worldwidesax.com
www.vintagesax.com
www.junkdude.com
www.cybersax.com
www.saxalley.com
www.pmwoodwind.com
www.saxquest.com
www.kesslermusic.com

And expect to pay a premium going through a dealer vs a private sale.

 

[1953SBAALTO]

Add to that list: TenorMadness.com

and it's Saxquest.com (vs "sawquest" - that's an entirely different matter).

Oops. I'll edit the post. :mrgreen:

 

[1953SBAALTO]

@Dr. G.

I know my son wants a Mark VI. I also know he's not getting one.

My parents couldn't afford to buy me one, so I worked 3 jobs one summer and bought an excellent SBA.

I am always surprised of he fact that some person comes to SOTW with a precise question and receives unrequested advise to buy a horn that he was not interested to buy or has requested any opinion about, very peculiar!

In this case, I would say it is warranted. The OP indicated some reservations about his family spending that kind of money and he was provided some very good budget friendly alternatives.

P.S. Back to the OP's comment about vintage horns not coming down in value. The market and pricing is not as strong as it was say 5 years ago. Depending on where the world wide economy goes the next few years, vintage horns could again drop in value as people need to off load them to pay bills.

 

[1953SBAALTO]

Wesley, Mk VI tenors are all over the map regarding tone and projection...

On that note:
http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?195160-My-Search-for-a-Mark-VI

 

[1953SBAALTO]

Of course nobody has mentioned the venerable MK VII tenor....in many ways better than a VI tenor and financially easier on the wallet.

back to the original and continuing folderol...

See my post #14.