[Keith Ridenhour]

I picke up a King Cleveland for a student off ebay for 250 that I wanted to keep. (it played so fat and dark!!) Also got a Bundy 1 that was rusted as heck but a very good player for 150 dollars. Both are good starter horns for tenor. But when I bought I expected to pay at least a couple of hundred to fix them up if needed. THats the way ebay is. Lots of sales from people who don't have a clue about sax or playing it describing tone and playability. Altos? I'd go to the horn wanted on this forum and I guarentee someone will have a beater (looks bad plays good) in their closet that they'll want to sell. K

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Everybody quotes repad prices and I would really encourage a newbie/beginner to stop by the local repair shop and chat it up with them developing a relationship. There are few shops around here who will see one bad pad and scream "repad" kind of like going in to fix a flat tire and coming out with a new transmission? Some horns are crap and need a repad. I ask the sellers on ebay what condition the horn is in and if they said it was great and it came back very poor I send it back. If you can't judge a horn by your playing go to the local music store and rent a teacher for 30 bucks to try it out? I have had some real stinkers come off ebay that I wanted to keep and I;'ll get it just playing and then go from there over time as money permits. If you by a new horn watch 30% disappear from its value as you walk out the door. Thats assuming you didn't pay the 1500 dollars retail for the 1200 dollar internet buy horn. I feel real sorry for the students who don't get a decent teacher to help through this. My latest student has a 1500 dollar rental horn that always needs an adjustment. I think I set him up (if he doesn't buy it from me I'll keep it) good student alto for 200 dollars. It isn't perfect but if you are 16 and learning to drive why buy a 100K race car. K