Buying a sax - Questions

[emmalto]

Hi again, I've come over to the appropriate board now to pose a few beginner-type questions.

Sax.co.uk - heard a few good things about them and particularly like the idea of being about to rent the sax first for three months before making a financial commitment.

http://www.sax.co.uk/trevor%20james.htm

How does the Trevor James sax fair compared to other beginner sax's? At first I was tempted by Sax.co.uk's Sakkusu, but having thought about it, wouldn't it be better to pay the extra hundred quid and get a Trevor James? I'm not entirely sure what you get in the 'pack' as they don't seem to list it - if anyone knows or finds it on the website please let me know.

Does anyone have any other tips on buying a sax when you don't really know what you're looking for (and can't play a note?!)

Thanks

 

[pauloalto]

I have heard many good things about Hanson (www.saxophonesdirect.com). I bought a Yamaha YAS 275 for just over ?600 and have since been told that the Hanson SA-5 (?500) is better, and even their students models (?250) are very good. Also they offer the following...

What is a buyback scheme?
Put simply: If you buy a student or advanced model Hanson sax directly from us, and at any time in the future you stop playing or changes instrument, we will buy it back for the price paid less ?15 for each month of use and the VAT originally paid.

I would give them a ring and have a chat. I know a lot of other people here will recommend them.

Good luck!!

 

[fecklesseric]

Hi emmalto,

I got a TJ horn from sax.co.uk for xmas a couple of years ago.
(my wife has been regretting it ever since)

The shop is good, and the horn is s'posed to be one of the better student models. It's certainly better (in my opinion) than the yamaha student model my son has on loan from school.

However, if you're not sure about continuing, and want to try sax out for a while, the hire purchase is expensive at ?125 per quarter.

Like PauloAlto says, Hansons are getting a good name and their rental scheme is ?15 / month. Or if you've got the cash, buy it up front and use their trade in scheme @ ?15 / month.

Either way, you can stop at any time, or upgrade without having to worry about wasted cash.

 

[Linky Lee]

I'd agree that the Trevor James is one of the better student saxes, if not the best. The problem is as many people have pointed out, is that you can get a Hanson SA-5 for less which is a lot more sax than the TJ. It's an intermediate horn really, and a good one at that.

Many players could be content with an SA-5 for their entire playing career, though lots of people will want to upgrade once they get addicted which I can assure you, you will.

I would highly recommend the Hanson's as an ideal generic horn for any beginner, they are good enough to stand up as top quality horns. The Hanson will allow you to progress as quickly as you need, as it won't hinder some aspects of your playing like many cheap horns can. Due to badly manufactured parts and using cheaper materials.

You may want to go to the workshop and play around with some of the different models, for the extra few hundred pounds you may find it pays of later when you carry on playing, and it's still ?15 less each month on the buy back scheme, so you don't loose any extra money by purchasing the more expensive model.

As for choosing what one to buy, I believe the Hanson is the best bet. Though because I find a saxophone suitable doesn't mean you will. Based on my knowledge of their saxophones though, I would say that they will be good for most players. They balance nicely, the keys are in the right place, a quality mouthpiece is supplied, and their after-sales support it fantastic, which means of you have any problems or questions, they will give you concise, honest information.

Their name isn't big yet, but it's growing all the time. You may find you have a highly regarded horn under your hands in a few years time. I can see the SA-8 being generally regarded as an equal or more to a Yamaha YAS62 in a very short time.

 

[peter_fitton]

Emmalto wrote:
Hi again, I've come over to the appropriate board now to pose a few beginner-type questions.

Sax.co.uk - heard a few good things about them and particularly like the idea of being about to rent the sax first for three months before making a financial commitment.

http://www.sax.co.uk/trevor%20james.htm

How does the Trevor James sax fair compared to other beginner sax's? At first I was tempted by Sax.co.uk's Sakkusu, but having thought about it, wouldn't it be better to pay the extra hundred quid and get a Trevor James? I'm not entirely sure what you get in the 'pack' as they don't seem to list it - if anyone knows or finds it on the website please let me know.

Does anyone have any other tips on buying a sax when you don't really know what you're looking for (and can't play a note?!)

Thanks

Emma, the extras in the "pack" consist of Pete's DVD (or video) and a sax stand if you buy or rent a TJ alto from Sax.co.uk, or, if you get a tenor you get a stand + John O'Neill's Jazz Method book and CD. All of these things are very well worth having

Other things you'll need like a strap, cork grease, reeds etc usually come as standard in the instrument's case.

I bought an ex-rental Trevor James tenor from Sax.co.uk for not much more than half price and am very pleased with it, so it might be worth checking out what they've got in ex-rental saxes under the "extra special offers" link in the cybersax catologue.

I think that Sakkusu saxes have not been around for very long, but as they are sax.co.uk's own brand they should be pretty good. Also, they are supplied with a Yamaha mouthpiece, which can't be a bad thing and means that you won't have to fork out for a new mouthpiece straight away - some of the mouthpieces that are supplied with new saxes, even quite expensive ones, are notoriously awful.

Cheers

Peter

 

[jambo]

Check out www.saxhire.co.uk

The Sax Packs are better prices form this guy than than other places. I got my first sax from him.

 

[emmalto]

Thanks for that info all, will do some more Googling when I get home. In the meantime, I've found the TJ website, and included in that package are as follows:

BG Ligature & neckstrap
Vandoren Reed
TJ Mouthpiece & cap
Cork grease
BG Mouthpiece protectors
Prolite case

I've heard that the Vandoren reeds are good, but what about the other items?

 

[fecklesseric]

Hi Emma,

All fairly basic stuff, but it works.
The grease and mpc protectors are the same as anywhere else.
I replaced the ligature and mpc fairly quickly, although the TJ mpc is OK - I just wanted to experiment with a different sound and got an Ottolink. I also got a better strap (but didn't need to).

You should only need get more reeds at first, although sticking to the well known ones (Rico, Rico Royal or basic Vandoren) until you've got a bit of control would probably be best. Maybe go to sax.co.uk and get 10 as a mixture of different brands and strengths - have a chat with them first - and see which you prefer after playing each for a couple of days.

Cheers,
Eric

Emmalto wrote:
Thanks for that info all, will do some more Googling when I get home. In the meantime, I've found the TJ website, and included in that package are as follows:

BG Ligature & neckstrap
Vandoren Reed
TJ Mouthpiece & cap
Cork grease
BG Mouthpiece protectors
Prolite case

I've heard that the Vandoren reeds are good, but what about the other items?