[Willman0527]

Where did you live and what was the year?

Im just trolling through Craigslist and some guy wants 2900 for his alto and Ive been low balling him on the price for a while.

 

[milandro]

I am assuming that this is in the States so that 2900 could be U.S. dollars (this is after all a very international site!). If that is the case and you are sure that it is not a scam and the horn has suffered no major problem, it is absolutely a bargain (if you are buying this for yourself that is) and you should jump on it even if it needs an overhaul and has been re-lacquered and is not too buffed, if you are buying this to resell it (some here would say " flip it") then I would not buy it at that price if it was heavily buffed because reselling it at a profit, after an overhaul, would be probably giving you a slim margin or no margin at all.

The lowest that I have ever seen a Mark VI alto over here is 3000€ (and that was a silver plated one which is less desirable on the market, who knows why.......) so selling to Europe offers always more possibilities to make a profit.

 

[Willman0527]

I am assuming that this is in the States so that 2900 could be U.S. dollars (this is after all a very international site!). If that is the case and you are sure that it is not a scam and the horn has suffered no major problem, it is absolutely a bargain (if you are buying this for yourself that is) and you should jump on it even if it needs an overhaul and has been re-lacquered and is not too buffed, if you are buying this to resell it (some here would say " flip it") then I would not buy it at that price if it was heavily buffed because reselling it at a profit, after an overhaul, would be probably giving you a slim margin or no margin at all.

The lowest that I have ever seen a Mark VI alto over here is 3000€ (and that was a silver plated one which is less desirable on the market, who knows why.......) so selling to Europe offers always more possibilities to make a profit.

Yeah its for me I have been looking everywhere out of and in state for the best deal like the old thread I made and still looking, but this one is more about the lowest price anyone has seen for any selmer mark vi instrument, not me.

 

[super20dan]

last year i saw a mk6 sop at a pawn shop for 1500$-should have bought it!

 

[Kamm5]

free on my alto

 

[bruce bailey]

I remember new Mark VI sopranos for $140 in France in the early 60s.
For the US, prices at NY discount stores in 1965 were about $350 for an alto, $600 for a bari. I paid $184 for my alto new in France with a tenor for $206. I got a new VI soprano in January of 1968 at retail for $310 and a Bari one month old in 1969 for about $800 in the US.

 

[TommyD69]

North Versailles (pronounced Ver-sale-s for all you Euros - with apologies) Pennsylvania, 1970 alto (in 1972 my sophomore year of high school) for $600...

 

[mrpeebee]

A former band member of mine bought a (damaged) Mark VI tenor for about 200 euro in Indonesia (were he was travelling for work) back in the 90's. Don't remember the repair costs, but it must have been around 500 euro. So that still gives a very cheap Mark VI! I played it once, very good horn, but not as good as my SBA tenor .

 

[sandster]

In the late 60's, (say 1966), I bought a new MIV for $500 in Vancouver BC. I sold it a few years ago for $3300, (it needed some work), and had enough money from that deal to reroof my house, (metal). My replacement tenor is a gem, an old, mysterious, silver, gold bell beaut.

 

[bfolkestad]

I have a couple of Mk VI's I think there are some deals out there but the horns need a grand woth of work to make them paly best, do you want a cheap MkVI or a horn that plays good? My first VI was purchaced in 1985 for $1150, played awsome still does, just about wore out thanks to tenor madness it keeps coming back to life and sounds awesome. Really I play a MkVII for my tenor I like it and it is better than 20-30 MKVI tenors I have tried. I guess dumb luck on finding the right tenor for me (paid $1500 for it) My latest MKVI alto was for my son and it was a tick over $4k

My Favorite alto is a serial 157xxx, my sons is a 224XXX and my tenor is a 268XXX

So I would say 5 digit horns are the most desirable but also are $10-15k for good players, all of my horns play great. I have also worked on some new horns that play better than the 5 digit horns. If you want a player look at www.tenormadness.com and his custom horns.. I am having a custom silver tenor built and it will play like a $15k horn for $5k

just my 2cents

Bob

 

[Steve Stockham]

I was able to buy a MkVI alto from a gentleman for $500 in 1993. Even then, one could have expected to pay $1500-$2500 for one in prime condition (which this one was.)

 

[Pete Thomas]

My alto was £200 new in the 70s.

In the mid 80s (by which time I wasn't so keen on these horns) I bought a tenor in a junk shop for £300, sold it that afternoon to a friend for £600, who sold it the next day for £900. He thought it was one of the bett ones.

 

[mi000ke]

bought my tenor new from Emilio at Rayburn's in Boston in 1975 for $700, which included a Florida Link.

 

[JL]

I bought my 121,xxx VI tenor in Oakland, CA around 1980 for $1000. Best $1k I ever spent. But that was then, this is now!

Where did you live and what was the year?

Im just trolling through Craigslist and some guy wants 2900 for his alto and Ive been low balling him on the price for a while.

If you're low balling him on that price, you are trying to steal the horn (I'm assuming the horn is in at least reasonably good condition). It's already priced below today's market value. If you're not willing to move on that good a deal, then forget about buying a MKVI. Look for something else.

 

[andre251]

I remember new Mark VI sopranos for $140 in France in the early 60s.
For the US, prices at NY discount stores in 1965 were about $350 for an alto, $600 for a bari. I paid $184 for my alto new in France with a tenor for $206. I got a new VI soprano in January of 1968 at retail for $310 and a Bari one month old in 1969 for about $800 in the US.

You need to use an inflation calculator to show the modern day prices for your prices to be justifiably lower.

http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm

140 in 1961 is around $1030

 

[andre251]

ok, everyone needs to show their inflated price.

 

[Pete Thomas]

ok, everyone needs to show their inflated price.

I don't think the database has enough room for all those.

 

[Willman0527]

Re: What is the lowest price you have seen for a Mark VI soprano/Alto/tenor/bari??

If you're low balling him on that price, you are trying to steal the horn (I'm assuming the horn is in at least reasonably good condition). It's already priced below today's market value. If you're not willing to move on that good a deal, then forget about buying a MKVI. Look for something else.

Yeah I'm still a college student so I really don't have a lot of money to spend:|. I have been saving for a new sax for on the side jazz band with some friends as a replacement to my intermediate horn, and have been looking at a Mark vi. The one he is selling is in a okay condition about 50% lacquer and needs new pads but it was his deceased brother and he wants to sell it quick but i don't think anyone is in the area who wants to buy it since he listed it for 3800 and then dropped it down to 2900. I don't intend on flipping it, I will play it for the rest of my life:mrgreen:.

 

[JL]

Re: What is the lowest price you have seen for a Mark VI soprano/Alto/tenor/bari??

The one he is selling is in a okay condition about 50% lacquer and needs new pads but it was his deceased brother and he wants to sell it quick but i don't think anyone is in the area who wants to buy it since he listed it for 3800 and then dropped it down to 2900..

If it needs new pads, you're going to have to spend some $$ getting that done. Given the circumstances, especially the part about the seller wanting to sell quick and no one in the area except you wanting to buy, I don't blame you for trying to get the best deal you can. If he wants to sell it now, locally, you're in a good position as the buyer. You might try pointing out to the seller that the horn needs at least a pad job and you'll need to spend $500 or more to get it playing. Maybe he'll drop the price even further. it's worth a shot.

I will say that the prices on a MKVI 20, 30 years ago, and what some of us bought our horns for way back then, has nothing to do with your current situation. Better to ask us for advice on how to snag this horn, or how to raise the money, or something like that.

 

[85zenki]

Believe it or not, here in Orlando Florida, I paid $350.00 US money for my alto mark VI 112xxx last year. It need it a lot of work,but it is all done now and I am happy.