[ConnorTsax]

I'm curious- Does anybody have a horn that was special in some way that they either owned and later sold or tried out but never bought?

Mine was a Yani T901 that I sold after acquiring a t991. Love the 991, but I truly miss some of the 901's characteristics.

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

1. I played a Mk7 tenor that sounded way better than my Mk6, they wanted 2500 and I should have jumped, 2. a yamaha silver custom at a store in Hollywood, sounded great only 1700 should have jumped and lastly a King Super 20 from many years ago, 1700 great horn and piece with it. Should have grabbed that K

 

[Dr G]

You might be interested in seeing the oh-so-similar "List the Horns You Should Have Kept":

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-you-should-have-kept&highlight=Horn+you+kept

 

[1saxman]

Oh, I've been waiting to tell this sad tale on myself for so long....
1965, High Point, NC. I've been there since the first of the year playing with a group. One day a musician I knew offered me a pawn ticket on a 'Selmer alto sax' for $35. I was broke most of the time but I took that offer, went down and paid another $35 to get the horn. They brought out a 'tweed' Selmer case in great condition. It was a Selmer Paris alto in very good condition. Unfortunately I have no idea what the serial number was. I remember that it seemed to have extra lines of script under the Selmer logo on the bell, and it had MK VI features. Since then, I have been able to ID it as a very early VI. It also had a Runyon #6 metal mouthpiece with it that I thought at the time seemed to have been refaced or at least had hand work since manufacture. I later realized that it could have been sold and modified by Santy Runyon himself, and this horn must have been pawned by somebody passing through who probably was from NY. I played it a few times and it was an exceptionally sweet and easy-playing set-up.
Naturally, I didn't have it long and it ended up back at the same pawn shop. In Dec., 1965 I was drafted into the Army and the alto and I were separated forever. Something like that haunts you forever. I didn't have a decent alto again until I got my USA in 1983.

 

[turf3]

The King Super 20 tenor, with the pearls on the keys, that was for sale for $400 at Pete's Pawn and Music in Garland, Tex. in 1978 (where I bought my Conn 6M).

Also the wooden flute I sold to finance my Conn 12M.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

A King Super 20 tenor, $500 in 1982. If only............

 

[Samusax]

I can think back to 3 different SML altos that I came across and should have bought at least one of them. The first one might have been a Rev B that a friend who buys instruments to resell had bought - I tried that one and didn't think much of it at the time but it played well. The next was a Rev B I saw at a flea market for around $400, but I still didn't know much about them and didn't buy it. The last one was a Rev D that the same friend bought to sell - it needed an overhaul but played as is and I remember being very impressed by it, the action felt comfortable and the sound and response was great. I passed on it because I had just bought another horn that I was getting overhauled, and I didn't want to spend the additional $. I ended up selling whatever the other horn was and should have taken the Rev D. I'm waiting to come by another...

 

[kreacher]

You might be interested in seeing the oh-so-similar "List the Horns You Should Have Kept":

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-you-should-have-kept&highlight=Horn+you+kept

See? No one cares. They only care to jump at every opportunity to share their stories, even if the same 3 times a year

 

[Grumps]

Well, I'll go with the distinguishing tangent in regard to horns you tried, but didn't buy...

I was in USA Horn many years ago, gauging sales/trade interest in an SBA alto I had brought with me. I was there for a long day and tried nearly every horn I could. At the time, I was also playing a VII tenor and each and every Selmer off the wall, from the VI's to the III's, I preferred over the VII. But one horn in particular... a mustard yellow, ugly as all hell, brite-dipped five digit VI tenor missing a key guard... really wowed me. I was in the market for a VI at the time and offered two grand. I'd have gone up to $2,200, but they were stuck at $2,500, so I passed.

Often I think what might have been had I bit. Heck, I probably could have flipped it for double down the road. But not too long after that experience, I got to play some old Conn tenors and realized that Selmer was no longer for me. So I really can't regret not buying the horn, as I'm very happy with what I've got now.

 

[germanwatches]

In 2000, I bought a new silver Borgani Alto and pawned it a year later for $400.00. I was deep in the weeds.

 

[1saxman]

See? No one cares. They only care to jump at every opportunity to share their stories, even if the same 3 times a year

We all like to tell our tales, and after all, he did ask. When somebody appoints you as Content Editor of this place, maybe I'll care what you say about things. Not.

 

[sparq]

I missed a chance at a Selmer alto with Low A for $ 100, because I had never seen an alto with Low A before. Then again, I may have been saved from purchasing a stolen horn.

 

[ZootTheSim]

You might be interested in seeing the oh-so-similar "List the Horns You Should Have Kept":

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-you-should-have-kept&highlight=Horn+you+kept

Or this even more similar thread:

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?15501-The-ones-that-got-away

 

[B Flat]

The horn I had that got away in the previous lists (36 Conn 12m) was recently replaced with a Conn transitional 33 Baritone.
So I’m a happy Chappy once again.

 

[turf3]

Or this even more similar thread:

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?15501-The-ones-that-got-away

Oh my GAWD - someone's created a thread on a subject that's been covered before! Surely the world will end!

 

[ZootTheSim]

heh, exactly, turf. I was pointing it out for the OP's sake, in case there are other stories of interest on the older thread (including my own). The new thread has brought out new stories, which is awesome.

 

[BOPITY FUNK]

A Conn 12M in a second hand shop in the '70's silver plated, fab condition,rolled tone holes....£50.00 2 weeks wages back then.....

 

[LiAm84]

I have a long list of horns I wish I had bought when the chance arose. I won’t torment myself (or bore you) with listing them all.
The most recent one was a Buescher bass sax on eBay UK for a very reasonable price last year.

 

[Dr G]

We all like to tell our tales, and after all, he did ask. When somebody appoints you as Content Editor of this place, maybe I'll care what you say about things. Not.

And the OP may enjoy reading stories that people choose not to tell again. So WIN/WIN, eh?

 

[Dr G]

The horn that got away...

A closet queen 5-digit Mk VI tenor. A band friend told me that his neighbor was selling an old Selmer. I made the connection, and learned that the old horn was available for an asking price of $3000. I was headed out of town to give a presentation at a science conference, so I gave the info to a friend. He made the 100 mile trip with cash in his pocket, and netted the most pristine vintage horn that I have ever seen - even the neck cork was original and uncompressed. That horn is worth over $20k in today’s wacky market.

Yes, I did get to play it - several times, in fact. It was really interesting to play an original factory setup and learn what a truly remarkable horn they could be. I would certainly pay $3000 for another one of those!