[PrezFan]

I've taken my alto with me for a private lesson... apparently, my tone sounds pretty decent when I put my mouthpiece on my teacher's sax (which he wasn't too hot on me doing at first)--much different from the duck noises I get out of my own instrument. After inspecting the $100 Chinese-made sax, he and I reached the conclusion that I would need to buy a better one if I wanted my tone to sound anything like it did on his one.
I decided to go for a tenor now-- and I know a store downtown that will sell Selmer tenor saxophones for roughly $900.
It would take me about 3 months with my minimum-wage part-time job to afford it, assuming that don't spend any money during that period. Let's say it takes me 5 months to buy the thing.
What should I do in the meantime? Is it worth it, at all, to continue practising on such a worthless instrument? If you guys have any suggestions for learning how to play music on an out-of-tune, horrible sounding saxamaphone, please let me know.



and if I'm annoying you with all these dumb questions and long posts--hey, at least I won't be bothering you for 5 whole months!

thanks for your help.

 

[BYOB]

Just a random question - is it a Selmer USA store, or a Selmer Paris store?

If it goes for roughly 900, I'd go find a used YAS-23.

 

[Bernards20040]

Keep playing on your old horrible horn.
practice timing and technique and try and play in tune.
playing on a leaky out of tune horn can be good for you it will help you with the intonation issues which all horns have.
Just don't get frustrated with it and if you do put it down.

 

[Crowfield]

Keep playing on your old horrible horn.
practice timing and technique and try and play in tune.
playing on a leaky out of tune horn can be good for you it will help you with the intonation issues which all horns have.
Just don't get frustrated with it and if you do put it down.

Surely that's not correct. I would think that particularly as a beginner you need a decent horn. It's difficult enough to learn to play on a good, in-tune horn in the first place, without having to fight against an instrument that has mechanical problems.
Get the best horn that you can afford!

 

[hornfixer]

I agree with BryanQ. You can get a good used Yamaha for $450 (1 1/2 months work), and you would be good for life.

 

[Joe Jazz]

As my mother used to say "you get what you pay for"! $100 spent on a Chinese sax is wasted money, IMHO. You'd have been better off saving the $100 towards something decent, like a used YAS-23. It's hard to get enthused about practicing on a piece of junk that would make a great lamp! Hopefully you've learned your lesson. Some people can't afford to play sax right now and don't have the patience to wait until they can. Those people should consider buying a $10 recorder and learning to read music in the meantime.....

 

[Jonathan C.]

I'm about to list a Selmer Bundy II, which is pretty comprable to a Yas-23, modern keywork etc. It will be in great playing condition before it ships out. I will probably ask up to $200 for it. Let me know if you are interested.

~Carbs

 

[Enviroguy]

Yes, a used Yamaha YAS-23 alto or YTS-23 tenor is a good choice. Also, you might try contacting Dave Kessler at Kessler music. He's supposed to have some great new student level saxes in you price range. Here the link:

http://www.kesslermusic.com/

And look at this shop-branded bad boy:

http://www.kesslermusic.com/solist/TS441/ts441.htm

It's available in red brass for about $769.

 

[Canadiain]

Dont spend $900 on a (chinese made?) bottom of the range Selmer USA horn.

A: Its new, so as soon as you leave the store it looses half its value.
B: They are "OK" horns, but you can get better, you are paying for the Selmer name big time
C: A used Yamaha student alto is half the cost, and can be resold later for what its going to cost you as a private buy (not from a music store)
D A modern used "2nd grade" reputable horn like a Jupiter or an Antigua Winds 520 can be got for ~$300 or less if you are patient on ebay, and might not have to be replaced as you progress for a long time.
E For $900 you can get an excellent vintage horn that could last a lifetime.
F Something like a used Bundy has got generations of sax players up and running

Options C D and F will get you on a good horn a lot sooner.

Practicing rhythm and timing etc on the "bad" horn in the mean time is a good idea, but I wouldn't worry about intonation, you will just groove habits that will need to be undone again on a better made horn if you try and lip notes into tune at this stage.

If you decide to buy from the states, remember to factor in higher shipping costs, as well as tax and handling charges crossing the border.

Good Luck.

 

[DaveKessler]

http://www.kesslermusic.com/solist/TS441/ts441.htm

It's available in red brass for about $769.

Enviroguy... Thanks for the referral post. However, I have never offered the TS441 in RedBrass. We have only ever offered the alto in RedBrass.

 

[PrezFan]

thanks for the suggestions. The store is actually not a Selmer store, and since I'm in Canada I don't know if it's 'Selmer USA' or 'Selmer Paris,' or whatever... But I suppose you're right, that I'm paying mostly for the name.
You guys know alot about the different makes.... What's the real difference between Selmer, Bundy, Yamaha and Keilwerth? Those are the names I hear most often. A good sax is a good sax, no?

 

[Ferret]

Enviroguy... Thanks for the referral post. However, I have never offered the TS441 in RedBrass. We have only ever offered the alto in RedBrass.

I think he was referring to your alto, as the OP is asking about an alto sax. ^^ He must have posted the wrong link.

 

[Enviroguy]

Enviroguy... Thanks for the referral post. However, I have never offered the TS441 in RedBrass. We have only ever offered the alto in RedBrass.

Sorry Dave. I meant to say RedBrass neck. But that is one nice horn. I guess I was just wishing for a full RedBrass version. But that would make my GAS attack too strong to resist.

 

[coolsax2k7]

nm

 

[Canadiain]

thanks for the suggestions. The store is actually not a Selmer store, and since I'm in Canada I don't know if it's 'Selmer USA' or 'Selmer Paris,' or whatever... But I suppose you're right, that I'm paying mostly for the name.
You guys know alot about the different makes.... What's the real difference between Selmer, Bundy, Yamaha and Keilwerth? Those are the names I hear most often. A good sax is a good sax, no?

A selmer Paris will be clearly engraved as such, and will be "Made in France", and will have an extra zero on the price

The difference in the top horn (in addition to reputation and a higher price) is the care and attention to detail. But for a starter horn most if not all of the subtlety involved is lost on a new player anyway, so what you need is something that plays mostly in tune, is solidly built to take the odd knock, and is comfortable to hold and play.

There is enough information here already about Selmers (there are two kinds, not related), Bundys (also Selmer USA?) Yamahas (A wide spread from student to killer pro horns, with prices to match) and Keilworths that I don't want to repeat it.

A good sax is a good sax, and other brands make good saxes too, but as a beginner its hard to tell the good from the bad at that stage, which is why the brands like Yamaha that make only good saxes are a natural recommendation. I think personally that there is a fair amount of snobbery in the sax world towards the 2nd tier and lower horns, some of them are outstanding value, but as a beginner its sometimes easier to go for the "name brand".