Welcome Ryan.
If you check my signature, you’ll get a summary of my possible answer.
We will need more details about the models you are targeting.
Selmer can be anywhere from nothing special made nowhere in Asia to a top made in France horn.
Buffet is quite similar, but a tiny bit passé, as they progressively went almost out of the saxophone market since the 90s. Can be very good horns, but with marginal market presence.
Yanagisawa would be the easiest case to qualify, though their older models can be tricky to clearly identify. Mostly good to excellent horns. You could probably almost afford a new one.
I won’t speak for Mauriat, as I’m not familiar with the brand. No big fan of what remains basically a marketing front end.
By the way, is there a reason why Yamaha is missing in this list ? Your budget would buy you a top brand new horn from them, let alone used ones.
As I said above, my signature speaks for me. I play a Selmer Super Action II alto from 1989 I bought used in 2006 at the low end of your budget. Still among the best altos money can buy in that range.

 

As dexdex said, you will need to specify the model of each brand as they varies. But in general, the latter two are not in the same league of the first two (if the Selmer means Selmer Paris). The budget range 2k~4k is too broad. Basically you can get a very good condition used Selmer Series II for $3k and put the end of the discussion. The matthewmusic (in Netherland) sell brand new Yany AW-10 for $3k if you order it from US. Anyway with your budget you should target for the higher end model of the Selmer Paris, Yany and Yamaha, and look no others.

 

But in general, the latter two are not in the same league of the first two (if the Selmer means Selmer Paris).

That's a pretty bold statement. Buffet SDA and S1 are top-tier horns.

 

Selmer Paris, Yanagisawa and Yamaha are the big 3 in Saxophone manufacturing and design everyone else is either copying them in same way or their mechanically they aren't on their level. the best bang for your buck brand is Yamaha but if you want an in house sound Selmer Paris is your choice; thirdly if you want a mix of both Yanagisawa has more tone than Yamaha but just as good or better build quality but not quite as much tone as Selmer Paris but better Build Quality. in short play them all and which ever one you like better go for it.

 

Try them all if you can. Selmer Series I or II, Selmer USA 162, Viking (if you can find one). There are many options out there.

 

Don't only go to "the big 3" thing. There are plenty of Taiwanese horns that are just as good but don't have the hypnotic following by those that bow to brand names.
Just one example: I sold my Selmer Ref. 54 alto after playing a P.Mauriat System 76 for a week, that I bought used. One sax can be very different from another of the same brand. It's a matter of trying as many as you can, of as many brands as you can. Also, don't be too swayed by price. High price doesn't always equal better horn and low price doesn't always equal worse horn.

 

Ryan,
you are on the right path IMHO. The three brands you mentioned produce great instruments.
On the Selmer Paris lineup it will depend on the music you like to play.
Superaction Series II is considered a workhorse on jazz and popular music genres. SA Serie III is the horn of choice for classical players, I owned one and really liked it though so those labels should not be taken as law.
I have no experience on the newer Reference series, for that kind of money I chose a Mark VI over any newer horn.

Yanagisawa is in my opinion a real solid choice, mechanically they own the game.
I own and love my T991 and A991. They can do it all.
Like them so much I never found a reason to want to change them.

Yamaha's I owned and sold 61's, 62's and finally bought and still have a A82z.
Nothing wrong with the 62's but also nothing special tone wise for me. 61s are hard to find in good condition nowadays, they all seem to have been beat up.

 

Thank you all for the responses, I didn't include Yamaha because I'm looking at used altos currently and didn't see any Yamahas but I will definitely put that into consideration. Here are the models I am looking at:

Selmer Paris Series III
Selmer Paris Super Action Series II
Selmer Paris Balanced Action
Yani A-900
Yani AW01 (new)
P. Mauriat Le Bravo 200
P. Mauriat Master 97
As for Yamaha, I will look into their stuff more.

 

Selmer Paris Series III
Selmer Paris Super Action Series II
Selmer Paris Balanced Action
Yani A-900
Yani AW01 (new)
P. Mauriat Le Bravo 200
P. Mauriat Master 97
As for Yamaha, I will look into their stuff more.

Not to repeat what many already said, but I'll add that I would definitely not get the Le Bravo. It's definitely the worst from this list and it's not close. The ones I've seen were just like basic Chinese student models at a higher price (though not sure if these are made in China or not). They sounded... fine, but actually had a couple of issues worse than the average Chinese student model.

I know many think the Balanced Action is just about the greatest saxophone ever made, but personally I'm not crazy about them. Objectively they're great, I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying them, but it's just their type of sound that I like less than other models (Selmer and others).

 

Don’t look any further. If they are in good shape, the 3 Selmers and the 2 Yanis are great buys.
We don’t know how well you play, but if you can try them, take the one which clicks most for you.
The Selmer BA might look like the highest value, which it obviously is. Just keep in mind that some of them can be more demanding to play in tune, compared to a modern Series III or a recent Yanagisawa. It is an older lady.

 

I'll definitely look more into them, thank you so much! Now I just need to convince my parents 😅

 

Well if you have a saxophone instructor, get em to play test it first, make sure it is the one you want to pick up and learn, get the best price, and have him convince your parents!!

 

I didn't take to the A901 I had, though my current, older, Yani alto is a keeper. Similarly the 62s I've had have gone. Out of the 100 or so altos I've owned the stand out was an SA80II, eclipsed only by my current, fully overhauled, '58 Buffet Superdynaction. Tricky to find the older SDAs though.
I'd go SA80II, lovely tone and super flexible.

 

100 Altos? Ok, that’s a lot of altos! Haven’t owned 100, but I have owned most brands at some point. I’d add B&S Medusa or late Model 2001 altos to your list! The best playing and sounding alto I’ve owned was a Medusa Goldbrass model, which came with 3 necks! Incredible effortless subtoning and a beautiful complex tone and great intonation. Play one if you can find one, as they’re amazing.

 

Play them if you can and decide for yourself. It doesn’t matter how well known the brand is if you don’t like the horn. When I picked out my Yamaha 62 two decades ago, I knew as soon as I played it why I liked it better than the other horns. I think all of these brands are reputable enough that the difference is whether you like the horn or not.

 

People seem to recite this until they’re blue in the face, but you have to try the horns first to have any idea how they compare. It’s just the way it is.

I tend to dislike Yanagisawa saxophones tonally and weight wise, but love their ergonomics. I have complete and total disdain for P. Mauriats regardless of how they play, which is not to my liking. Selmer saxophones sound amazing but are more poorly put together than their Japanese counterparts. But I love the tradition behind the horns, the way they play, and their ergonomics. Buffet makes beautiful and amazing sounding saxophones. Their Senzo is a dream.

Don’t forget to consider Eastman, Nexus, and Yamaha saxophones.

Good luck in your quest.

 

People seem to recite this until they’re blue in the face, but you have to try the horns first to have any idea how they compare. It’s just the way it is.

I tend to dislike Yanagisawa saxophones tonally and weight wise, but love their ergonomics. I have complete and total disdain for P. Mauriats regardless of how they play, which is not to my liking. Selmer saxophones sound amazing but are more poorly put together than their Japanese counterparts. But I love the tradition behind the horns, the way they play, and their ergonomics. Buffet makes beautiful and amazing sounding saxophones. Their Senzo is a dream.

Don’t forget to consider Eastman, Nexus, and Yamaha saxophones.

Good luck in your quest.

Yeah, good point, if you are torn between two saxes which both feel good to you, choose the lightest(weigh yourself with and without the sax). You will really feel the difference after a 3 hour gig LOL

 

Yani for the win just a amazing sax

 

I like the Selmer and Yani, and the P. Mauriat is ok too.... but I always show up early for the buffet!

 

These are all good saxophones. I haven't owned a P. Mauriat, but no one has anything bad to say about them. From your list, I think I'd say Yanagisawa especially altos. I've had a bunch of Mk. VIs but I'm not wild about their intonation. Balanced Actions, 6Ms, Super 20s and Zephyr Specials are all better in that regard, To me, the Yani has the best keyword with the best intonation and they still have that hand built quality feel to them. If it's a Buffet, it would have to be the Super Dynaction or S series. The Dynaction was beautifully made, but I couldn't get it to play the way I wanted. I have an SML Rev D, which is great. Weird combination of Selmer-like keywork, rolled tone holes and good intonation. I have a A991 that I use with a Meyer 6M medium chamber. Hard to beat.

 

Yanis and Selmers would have better resale value(you probably do not think of reselling it, but worth keeping in mind). I found that some Yanis do not age well, I have 3 and they look a bit ratty (all play wonderfully though), as opposed to my Yamaha and the Selmers of the same age. Something about older Yani's lacquer that just doesn't hold.I was told by a tech person that Yamaha's pads tend to dry out more than those of Yanagisawa-something to consider. Second hand Yamaha 62, classic solid horn, if you come across one. Of course try them all, but you will find out that you sound like you on all of them-the keywork might feel better for you though. Good luck!

 

I will comment on the saxes my son has, and what I know from what he's told me and from what I've heard. first, he has a Selmer Mk VI (1957), a Buffet Super Dynaction (1969) and a P Mauriat R66. The Buffet and the P Mauriat are dark sounding, and loud. If you're playing live, these are great horns. With the right mouthpiece, you can go toe-to-toe with the trumpet. The Mk VI, especially with his Ponsel neck, is clear as a bell. Great sound for most studio work, and better with altissimo. If you're doing rock in a large auditorium or outdoors, it's tough to beat the PM. The Buffet is a great all-around horn.

 

This is a very well thought out comment originating from someone who has experience with the horns. Just over a year ago I traded in my Selmer Mark 7 for a P Mauriat. In evaluating my new horn, I spent a lot of time at Paul Maslin's place in Chicago trying out several (a bunch of) Selmers and Yanis - along with only one P Mauriat. P Mauriat is what my ear liked the best and so I got it. I can't say it was better or worse....just that is was different and to my liking. I get a lot of compliments from my band (traditional American Band, not Jazz Band) on how good I sound with the new horn. (I consider myself an intermediate player, but I lead the sax section in my band). Between Yani, Selmer and P Mauriat, I don't think there is a way to make a mistake. (I don't know Buffet). Benefit of the P Mauriat is that you can get new for the price of used in the Selmer and Yani space. Disadvantage, is that P Mauriats are unknown when it comes to future resale value. Selmers and Yanis have great resale track records.

 

From the three that you’ve listed, I see only two that I’d consider a professional saxophone.
It’s the first two you mentioned.

 

Buffet Super Dynactiion 1960s.

 

1. Your budget is fine. You should easily be able to find used professional altos in excellent condition in that price range. For that matter, you could even buy a new pro alto in that price range if desired -- not a top of the line, "premium" sax, but a pro horn nonetheless (Yany AWO1, Selmer Axos, Yamaha 62).

2. Here's a link to my comparison of the Selmer Series II and III altos, which I owned at the same time (temporarily): Selmer Series II vs. Series III: Long-term alto comparison. There are also some comments along the way about my Yanagisawa A990μ.

3. Don't feel obligated to try everything out there in order to reach a "perfect" decision. There is no perfect decision. It's much better to conduct a solid test of two or three brands/models than to spend time theoretically agonizing about how a dozen different options should be ranked.