[elmiguel]

Would you trade your main horn for one of a lower value if it plays/feels/etc. better than yours?


For example:

Take your main sax and subtract, say, $1500 from the price you bought it for.

•Would you trade it for a horn worth that result, that plays/feels better, even though it could very likely mean a loss in the value of your new horn?

•Would you try to sell your main sax and use whatever money you can get from that sale to purchase the lower-value one?

or,

•Would you not trade it away and keep playing your current horn, knowing that the lower-value sax plays better for you?


Note: This is assuming you can't do a "trade + cash" deal with the seller.

 

[Soul Patch Paul]

An interesting question, elmiguel. Since "value" is a VERY relative thing, I would go with what felt right and sounded right for me. Maybe when I was younger I would have stuck with the big brand/high dollar idea of a "good" horn (been there, done that), but not at this point in life. I have friends who just HAD to have some particular horn because of the "cult following" that horn seemed to have and because one of them sold for a LOT of cash. But the older I get the less I believe the horn is THE big factor in a player's sound. I know too many guys who sound amazing on an old clunker of a horn. I'll be curious to see how most people respond. Thanks!

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

Would you trade your main horn for one of a lower value if it plays/feels/etc. better than yours?


For example:

Take your main sax and subtract, say, $1500 from the price you bought it for.
YES
•Would you trade it for a horn worth that result, that plays/feels better, even though it could very likely mean a loss in the value of your new horn? YES

•Would you try to sell your main sax and use whatever money you can get from that sale to purchase the lower-value one? YES

or,

•Would you not trade it away and keep playing your current horn, knowing that the lower-value sax plays better for you? YES


Note: This is assuming you can't do a "trade + cash" deal with the seller.

I did all of that with a Selmer SA80II Tenor and bought two extremely well made Taiwanese horns with the extra money.

Don't be fooled by people who say only vintage or expensive horns are professional grade or can hold up to professional grade playing or schedules.

My schedule is extremely full every month and after some set-up issues were resolved they have made fantastic tools in which to ply my trade.

B

 

[SactoPete]

I'd agree with the above, with the caveat that you need to be really careful about what you perceive as "better". Playing a horn in one context might seem like it is the cat's meow, but that might not translate into other situations. A horn that sounds great in the practice room might get overwhelmed at a loud gig. Free-blowing and snappy might be feel great to honk on, but does it have the dynamic depth you need? Think of all the scenarios. You might get really lucky like modman, which would be great, but you don't want to find yourself trading one set of issues for another, with less money in your pocket.

 

[CiaranAudio]

No other Alto has ever come close to feeling as awesome as my JK. If my horn got stolen, I'd take the insurance money and go get another one. Well, maybe in Black Nickel, but thats not really all that important.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

I'd agree with the above, with the caveat that you need to be really careful about what you perceive as "better". Playing a horn in one context might seem like it is the cat's meow, but that might not translate into other situations. A horn that sounds great in the practice room might get overwhelmed at a loud gig. Free-blowing and snappy might be feel great to honk on, but does it have the dynamic depth you need? Think of all the scenarios. You might get really lucky like modman, which would be great, but you don't want to find yourself trading one set of issues for another, with less money in your pocket.

Absolutely, listen to Pete. Not all new horns whether Taiwanese, German, Chinese etc... horns are equal nor are they all the same. The difficult part and sometimes costly part is having to purchase these new horns through the internet prior to playing them. The rule I followed was research the horns, research the seller, talk to the seller person to person on the phone, and NEVER buy a horn without a 100% money back return policy!

B

 

[BOPITY FUNK]

An interesting question, elmiguel. Since "value" is a VERY relative thing, I would go with what felt right and sounded right for me. Maybe when I was younger I would have stuck with the big brand/high dollar idea of a "good" horn (been there, done that), but not at this point in life. I have friends who just HAD to have some particular horn because of the "cult following" that horn seemed to have and because one of them sold for a LOT of cash. But the older I get the less I believe the horn is THE big factor in a player's sound. I know too many guys who sound amazing on an old clunker of a horn. I'll be curious to see how most people respond. Thanks!

I agree, I also agree with Sacto Pete. You dont necessarily have to "trade down" to lesser quality---I've wrote many times on here about the top class stuff that is out there.
B+S, Early Yamaha's, 1950's Conn's, Martins, all these horns can be bought used for a fraction of the price of new Selmer and such like.
Even if you want Selmer there are bargains to be had in SA80 series 1's, Mk7's There are good 800/880 Yanagasawa's, French Vito's, Yamaha Vito's, Beaugnier, etc.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I would have thought it's a no brainer, but apparently not.

In an ideal world I would sell the more "valuable" one and by the cheaper one that is better, but if that isn't possible for some reason and I had to make on on the spot decision, then yes I would do a direct swap.

Option B is something I've done a lot of, first with my MKVI tenor for a Conn 10M. Would I have just traded if necessary? At the time yes, because the MKVI just wasn't cutting it for the work I was doing and getting that job done well was my priority.

 

[gary]

Me specifically, I can't imagine making much money selling my horns and buying newer, but less expensive, horns. I've got a JK alto, JK tenor and TK Melody soprano. Time spent driving here and there to the Post Office, buying shipping materials, and paying for shipping all add up and cut further into the "profits". It's just not worth it when the end result would be (according to the OP's premis) the same as far as playability goes.

 

[JayeLID]

:|

:silent:

:scratch:

Wait.....if there was a horn I wanted...and liked better than one I had...and the one I had has a higher market value than the one I wanted to replace it with....

...why, exactly, wouldn't I just sell my horn for its market value, take that $ and buy the one I wanted...and pocket the rest of the $ ?

...and why would I conceivably trade someone a horn of greater market value for one of lesser market value.....straight-up ?

...unless I misunderstood the scenario.....:|

 

[JayeLID]

And, and, and.....:idea:

If I knew the market value on my current horn was pretty good, and that it likely will appreciate as opposed to depreciate....

....and I didn't need to sell it at all to get the other horn (which I like better)....

...because I can afford to get the other horn.... without having to part with the one I have....

...why would I not, then, keep the current horn ?


I think this question would have served better to be kept quite simple:

Would you give up a horn of greater value for a horn of lesser value if you liked the horn of lesser value...more ?

 

[JayeLID]

Or...or...or...:smilebox:

2 separate questions/polls...the second being:

Would you keep (and continue to play) your horn knowing that it has a great market value/is a sought-after model, and will likely appreciate in value, even though you have played other horns of lesser market value which you prefer ?

 

[SactoPete]

Too much coffee tonight JayeSF?

 

[Pete Thomas]

...unless I misunderstood the scenario.....:|[/COLOR]

It's obviously hyperthetical, but I was imagining there I am playing my MKVI, someone comes up and lets me try their Bundy. I find that it' is a horn that suits me much better, I prefer the sound , ergonomics intonation etc. Although I've played plenty of other Bundies, this one is somehow different and I get a really special feel from it.

In this scenario I am not offered an option to buy it later, I'm offered the deal, swap y MKVI here and now or no deal.

That's how I saw the question.

 

[hgiles]

I'd keep the horn of higher 'value' and get it adjusted. And come up with the cash to buy the other.

 

[dave2sax]

If it was me....

I'd buy the cheaper horn that I thought I liked better, but keep my old one.

After playing on the cheaper horn for a while, then I'd decide what to do with the old one.

If the cheaper horn didn't live up to expectations over a reasonable period of time, then I'd get rid of it and have my main one to fall back on. If it was proven beyond any doubt over time to be a better horn, then I could sell my old one without regret.

That's the only way I know how to do that without (possibly) doing something you may deeply regret.

 

[JayeLID]

Too much coffee tonight JayeSF?

Sumthin' like that, yeah.....

It's obviously hyperthetical....

That must be why I got so hyped on it.....

 

[Grumps]

Some years ago I bought an alto True Tone on Ebay on a whim and I ended up selling my SBA alto in favor of that $250 Buescher. So I picked the second poll option, though I bought the less expensive horn first and then later sold the more expensive one to recoup the minimal investment and then some.