[saftaffe]

Soooo...
I have bought a new horn. When the "new-horn-honeymoon" is over, I will evaluate and consider selling my Yamaha YTS-62. (If I'm able to let go of it/her/him).

What would be a fair price to ask?
What are your experiences of selling horns on a international marketplace, through something like eBay or equivalent, and how to ship it safely?

The horn is a "purple logo" Yamaha YTS-62.
Serial number 013595.
Original case, thumb-hook, strap, neck, mouthpiece and cap in excellent condition.
Also included is an extra neck screw, a custom brass thumb-hook and a new gold lacquered Yamaha custom V1 neck.

The horn is well used by me. Before me it been lying new in its case since it's original owner passed away in the 80s.
When I bought the horn, a few years ago from the son of the late owner, it was hardly played at all. Not a scratch. Thought it needed a complete overhaul with new pads and corks (that had retired out of age and boredom). It also got the tone holes leveled.
Since the re-pad it's been regularly serviced to keep in top shape and is completely leak free with pads in good condition. The body octave pip has gotten re-soldered after it somehow got loose.
I have saved all the receipts for jobs made ( if that stuff might be worth anything for a potential buyer???).

It has all the usual scratches on the left side of body and the bell, on the low Bb and B key-guard, and on the pant-guard. It has one original screw missing from the pants-guard as well. One minor(you can hardly see it from the outside) dent far out on the bell, just beside the logo.
The "Yamaha Japan" logo on the bell have flaked a little.

More pictures (a lot): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1OFBrG4XT3EQUymFUHF4lpjHiH8srn40e

Oh and also, it plays and feels great! This has been my main horn since I got it and I'm not yet shure if I even want to sell it at all...

What are your suggestions for price to ask and where to sell it?

 

[saxcop]

In the US I would list it for $2000 US with both necks.

 

[Eulipion2]

Agree with saxcop on the price, disagree with you for even considering selling it! My stamped logo 62 from the late 90s is an amazing horn. I'd sooner sell my left leg!

 

[liggy]

I do regret selling my 61 and 62 tenors. They had this light, responsive quality to them.

 

[HeavyWeather77]

I agree with the choir. If you don't need the money and if you have the space at home, keep it as a backup or 2nd horn. Those are great instruments, worthy of any gig or recording session.

 

[saftaffe]

Yeah, you’re probably right. I’m not in any hurry to get rid of it. So I’ll wait and see in a few months if I still sound as much better, as I believe I do at the moment, on my new sax. Might just be the sensation of playing something different, but I think I play so much better and sound so much better on my new horn

Is this my excuse to start swapping saxes once a month?

 

[MLucky]

I played a YTS-62iii as my main horn for a few years, and when I finally decided to sell it, put it on craigslist for $2100, and it sold the next day. Which make me think maybe I should've asked for a bit more? But it seemed like a fair price and it went to a nice kid who was delighted to have it. I do sometimes regret selling it, especially as I'm now down to one tenor and don't have a viable back-up

 

[Reet McVouty]

I would wait at least a year before selling. Sometimes a new love affair turns out to be nothing more than infatuation...

 

[IBeOmega]

I would think the price depends on the pads. If it's running original pads, I personally wouldn't pay $2k for it but you can probably get that.
If it's been overhauled in the relatively recent past it's worth more.

I agree with the consensus that you should hang onto it if you can afford to. I have two altos and it's great being able to play a different horn when I'm in the mood, and not having to worry if one of them needs adjustments. I would love to have a second tenor around.
And a second bari and soprano, but you know....

 

[Isle of Jazz]

When I sent my old purple logo YTS62 to Tenor Madness for an overhaul in 2006, a customer offered to buy it for $2000. I didn't sell.

 

[saftaffe]

I would wait at least a year before selling. Sometimes a new love affair turns out to be nothing more than infatuation...

You are probably right! I think I'll wait until I get a too bad conscience for never letting it out of its case.

 

[saftaffe]

I would think the price depends on the pads. If it's running original pads, I personally wouldn't pay $2k for it but you can probably get that.
If it's been overhauled in the relatively recent past it's worth more.

I agree with the consensus that you should hang onto it if you can afford to. I have two altos and it's great being able to play a different horn when I'm in the mood, and not having to worry if one of them needs adjustments. I would love to have a second tenor around.
And a second bari and soprano, but you know....

It had an overhaul with a complete re-pad 2 years ago.
And since then Ive been notorious with the swab, pad dryers and cleaning after playing.

You are probably right with having a second tenor.
The question I keep asking myself if its worth having a good horn with good pads in the wardrobe just in case, for a few years. Only to sell it for a lot less after the pads gotten old and dried of just waiting to get played.
Or if Im better off selling it sooner when its still plays great without the need of another overhaul.

But in any case I wont be selling it in a while yet.

 

[BigBen23]

If you don't need the money and you do prefer the new horn, I'd consider giving to a young musician who can't afford a pro level horn but has shown the talent, discipline and drive to be very good to great musician. I've done that with more than one of the estate sale finds I've acquired here in Florida and every I've been blessed more than 2k could have. in any case though it's your sax do what you will my friend.

On another note anyone looking for a good case, those old Yamaha hard cases are great cases and most of time if you look on various local marketplaces you can find one for free. (I absolutely despise Zippers lol)

 

[saftaffe]

Thanks for all the advise!
I'm still in love with this horn. But so am I with my new one. So I've made up my mind and going to sell this.

Sale add:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?378432-Yamaha-YTS-62-purple-logo-tenor

I'm open for part trade suggestions if you have a vintage Ampeg SVT, Ampeg SVT-VR, Ampeg SVT Heritage, Ampeg V4B or equivalent

 

[BOPITY FUNK]

I would wait at least a year before selling. Sometimes a new love affair turns out to be nothing more than infatuation...

Ain' that the truth...very well put. Apart from anything else these early 62's are future classics as are 10m's and Martins. There is a temptation to be blase about Yamaha saxophones but, back in the day when Selmer (Paris) had lost the plot - and a lot of credibility-the 62's were a revelation.

 

[nigeld]

In the UK, I just paid £1200 for a stamped-logo YTS-62 Mk1 in excellent condition. This seems to be about average for recent eBay sales (i.e the completed sales, rather than the asking prices for the ones that didn’t sell). I guess a purple-logo one would fetch a little more, but $2000 seems way too high over here.

 

[saftaffe]

In the UK, I just paid £1200 for a stamped-logo YTS-62 Mk1 in excellent condition. This seems to be about average for recent eBay sales (i.e the completed sales, rather than the asking prices for the ones that didn't sell). I guess a purple-logo one would fetch a little more, but $2000 seems way too high over here.

Nice! Yeah, you might be right. But Im not in a hurry, so I will let it rest for awhile on this price and maybe adjust it in a while. Or I might change my mind and keep it

I checked recently sold ebay listings before deciding on a price, and it seams to be around 12-1500£ for a purple logo 62. But I think mine is in much better condition than all those, from what i could tell by the pictures. Mine has also the original and unused mouthpiece, case, lig, cap and strap. And the V1 custom neck (and the original as well) which is 430£ new. So Im gonna take a chance and put the price a bit high and see if I adjust down after a while or not

Im open for trades otherwise. I have a huge GAS for an heavy Ampeg tube amplifier, and a lot of other stuff I might "neeed".

 

[blaine hoopes]

I thought I had found my new one and only Tenor and I put my purple logo YTS-62 in the case for several months. Then just a couple of days ago I pulled it out and it took about 10 seconds to remember all the things I love so much about it.

Just saying that you might want to put the YTS away for 6 months and enjoy/explore your new horn ... then pull the YTS out and play it and see if you still feel the same way about your new horn.

 

[saftaffe]

I thought I had found my new one and only Tenor and I put my purple logo YTS-62 in the case for several months. Then just a couple of days ago I pulled it out and it took about 10 seconds to remember all the things I love so much about it.

Just saying that might want to put the YTS away for 6 months and enjoy/explore your new horn ... then pull the YTS out and play it and see if you still feel the same way about your new horn.

Good point! I did that. My first post is from early March

Still love the horn. But I love my new horn even more
I am asking a high price for it, if I dont find a buyer I might consider lowering the price, or keeping the horn. We will see

 

[BariMelt]

So the obvious question is...what is this magical new horn you are playing?