[YeetIntoTheSun1]

So you know what they say, "mony a mickle maks a muckle" Well I am looking to buy a Tenor saxophone. It doesn't matter to me much how it looks like, the material or lacquer. (granted i don't know how all these affect the tone.) I just want a buzzy, edgy, big tone. I am not able to afford very expensive saxophones and my planned budget is 300-500 right now. I know there isn't many options available, but I have seen some within this price range out there. I am okay (and probably better off) buying a used one. All I ask is that the website is reliable (e.i.: Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, WWBW; no shady sites/ebay) that I can produce a good tone on it (buzzy, bright, edgy) and that it can last at least 5 years.

Thank You!

 

[NuclearSax]

Did you not like all the answers people gave you in your previous discussion thread?

 

[Lucille]

So you know what they say, "mony a mickle maks a muckle"

What???

So you know what they say, "mony a mickle maks a muckle" Well I am looking to buy a Tenor saxophone. It doesn't matter to me much how it looks like, the material or lacquer. (granted i don't know how all these affect the tone.) I just want a buzzy, edgy, big tone. I am not able to afford very expensive saxophones and my planned budget is 300-500 right now. I know there isn't many options available, but I have seen some within this price range out there. I am okay (and probably better off) buying a used one. All I ask is that the website is reliable (e.i.: Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, WWBW; no shady sites/ebay) that I can produce a good tone on it (buzzy, bright, edgy) and that it can last at least 5 years.

Thank You!

I am right where you are now. Found 2 nice playable altos on an auction (Goodwill) but now, want a tenor also. Found what I might like from one of the vendors here, but even though it is advertised, (and still is) I I was told it was a pending sale with a deposit so sadly, I couldn't buy it. Back to the beginning for me but this time I have the benefit of all my research.
After a LOT of reading and research, my options are to buy imported from a place like Costco (Jean Paul Tenor, $649) with a terrific warranty, an open box sale from a reliable source, or to deal with Ebay using research skills and seller feedback.
I suggest plenty of research, and hope that you, like I have so far, end up with something that will make you reasonably happy. There are no absolute guarantees but you can always buy a reasonably decent horn and upgrade later.

 

[Gendreauj]

My experience with having a Jean Paul instrument, it didn't sound good. Pitch was off, sounded tinny. Do you have a music go round in your area? Also look at their website. There are many used tenor sax sax in your price range. Before they are sent out, they are inspected. Also there are several tenor saxphones on Shopgoodwill website. Recently I bought one off of that site. Did get lucky it is in excellent shape.

 

[germanwatches]

(Jean Paul Tenor, $649) with a terrific warranty, an open box sale from a reliable source, or to deal with Ebay using research skills and seller feedback.

About a year ago, I purchased a new Jean-Paul for my nephew and it is still functioning as it should. It's a great value.

 

[Lucille]

https://www.costco.com/jean-paul-te...e-and-stand---ts-700cm.product.100428732.html

 

[Sherlock70]

Gendreauj is right when he recommends shopgoodwill.com. There is an Amati Super Kraslice on now for 85 bucks. No one in America knows of Amati. They get no respect because they were sold cheaply and because they were made in Czechoslovakia so there is a fair bit of prejudice against the brand. I have a Lafleur that looks much like this, and its a good horn. It might need some work, but the work will stick... you won't consistently have to take it back in to get readjusted like some cheap Chinese horns.

 

[Sherlock70]

Gendreauj is right when he recommends shopgoodwill.com. There is an Amati Super Kraslice on now for 85 bucks. No one in America knows of Amati. They get no respect because they were sold cheaply and because they were made in Czechoslovakia so there is a fair bit of prejudice against the brand. I have a Lafleur that looks much like this, and its a good horn. It might need some work, but the work will stick... you won't consistently have to take it back in to get readjusted like some cheap Chinese horns.

Edit: There are mostly student level saxes here, but there is a vintage Selmer that is at 11 grand now and rising.

 

[Lucille]

you won't consistently have to take it back in to get readjusted like some cheap Chinese horns.

Can you please cite your authority for the above quote so that readers know which brand and how often an adjustment might be required?

 

[Sherlock70]

Can you please cite your authority for the above quote so that readers know which brand and how often an adjustment might be required?

Really, I am not an expert. I have one and have done a fair amount of research on these saxophones. There is almost no information about them, and what I could find I had to translate. My tech loves my horn, although she has only seen it twice. Once to fix it when i bought it and once 2 years later to redo the cork on the neck and tell me that it didn't need anything else other than a clean. It has great tone and from what I get from other people that own these horns they say the same thing. Sorry I don't have any more credentials, but these can be much better than other cheap saxophones that I have tried to play.

 

[YeetIntoTheSun1]

Did you not like all the answers people gave you in your previous discussion thread?

LOL, sorry I did; I posted this before though, and since no one was answering me I got all the answers I needed in that other thread

 

[YeetIntoTheSun1]

Gendreauj is right when he recommends shopgoodwill.com. There is an Amati Super Kraslice on now for 85 bucks. No one in America knows of Amati. They get no respect because they were sold cheaply and because they were made in Czechoslovakia so there is a fair bit of prejudice against the brand. I have a Lafleur that looks much like this, and its a good horn. It might need some work, but the work will stick... you won't consistently have to take it back in to get readjusted like some cheap Chinese horns.

Thanks Gendreauj I will look into this one

 

[YeetIntoTheSun1]

Do you have a music go round in your area? Also look their website. There are many used tenor sax sax in your price range. Before they are sent out, they are inspected. Also there are several tenor saxphones on Shopgoodwill website. Recently I bought one off of that site. Did get lucky it is in excellent shape.

no music go rounds unfortunately. i do have a goodwill here however

 

[YeetIntoTheSun1]

no music go rounds unfortunately. i do have a goodwill here however

do they offer delivery?

 

[HeavyWeather77]

For real, like in the other thread: if you need an affordable horn that will actually work, 2nd Ending is the place to go.

Here's the deal with saxophones. A phenomenal, top-of-the-line horn will completely suck if it hasn't been set up properly, or recently, or ever. A modest but serviceable saxophone with a decent setup will be far superior than the most expensive Selmer that's out of shape. If you buy a horn from Goodwill or Music Go Round, it will almost definitely be in terrible playing shape, and you'll have to waste money on getting it tuned up. If you buy from a good used instrument shop, you won't have to worry about that, at least not nearly as much.

In addition to 2nd Ending, worldwidesax.com and saxquest.com are worth a look.

 

[YeetIntoTheSun1]

For real, like in the other thread: if you need an affordable horn that will actually work, 2nd Ending is the place to go.

Here's the deal with saxophones. A phenomenal, top-of-the-line horn will completely suck if it hasn't been set up properly, or recently, or ever. A modest but serviceable saxophone with a decent setup will be far superior than the most expensive Selmer that's out of shape. If you buy a horn from Goodwill or Music Go Round, it will almost definitely be in terrible playing shape, and you'll have to waste money on getting it tuned up. If you buy from a good used instrument shop, you won't have to worry about that, at least not nearly as much.

In addition to 2nd Ending, worldwidesax.com and saxquest.com are worth a look.

as I told swperry1, i created this thread before i got an answer on the other thread. I am now considering buying one from 2nd ending or saxquest

 

[Lucille]

2nd ending

Just check to see if their advertised horns are actually in stock, the one I wanted was not available. However, he seems to have plenty of stock listed he can discuss with you and work up for you.

 

[jeffguevin]

My issue is that by your own admission you know nothing of these companies, yet you have broadly tarred all of them with the same brush, without differentiating one from another, and with no facts to back your claim of frequent readjustments.

Obviously the Internet is chock full of opportunities to be rude and angry, but I'd like to suggest you tone it down. Sherlock70 may not be an authority (nor am I), but his characterization of the dangers of buying cheap Chinese horns on eBay is hardly rare. There are countless threads on this site that offer the same advice, not to mention a lot of reviews elsewhere on the web. Also, I don't think you need to worry about Ammoon being "tarred" here when the ten thousandth person says that their mass produced, unbelievably cheap horns are, in fact, cheaply made. They'll be fine.
For my part, I have a nice old Buescher alto and a cheap as hell Lade soprano. The difference in materials and craftsmanship is so glaring that there's no room for doubt...not least because I had to reassemble the Lade when it arrived in about a dozen pieces. It plays fine, but I expect when it gets out of adjustment, or the Gorilla Glue I used to reattach one palm key wears out, it'll be hard to find a tech to revive it.

 

[Gendreauj]

Edit: There are mostly student level saxes here, but there is a vintage Selmer that is at 11 grand now and rising.

Saw that one too.

 

[Gendreauj]

Sometimes you get lucky on Chinese made musical instruments. I have bought several, only one was worthwhile. It says something that most techs will not repair them. Buy used well known brands or known stencils.