Saxophones If buying saxes was an investment fund……

[thomsax]

I wonder how many instruments where built in Elkhart overall?

If I remember right (Japp Kool's book; "Das Saxophon") around 1930 1 million (from 1850) saxes hade been made worldwide. C 800 000 saxophones were built by american manufacors. Beside Elkhart, saxes were made in Cleveland (Ohio), Chicago (Illinois), Elkhorn (Wisconsin), Grand Rapid (Michigan), Worcester (Massachusetts) and maybe more places? Later when Conn moved out from Elkhart, saxes were made in Nogales (Arizona) and Abilane (Texas) as well. From the late 60's to 1991 Yamaha produced c five million wind instruments. I can't say how many saxophones.

To be frank, to invest in saxophones is bad. At least in Sweden. I sold two very good Martin altos (The Martin Alto and a Martin HC Comm II) with custom pad job (sterling silver resoators/reflectors, premium pads .... ). The Keilwerth alto, Martin Handcraft Imperial and Indiana by Martin went for more money. I did the pad job myself. So buy cheap saxes and install cheap china pads. Write about the cheap saxes and use words/prahses like "nearly as good as", "most undevalued saxes" .... and internet will increase the value of your saxes.

 

[Phil]

Investing in saxophones is the ultimate in non-diversification.

 

[jazzereh]

Did not think you were serious at first. And maybe you aren't.

But, not many saxes actually go up in value, especially if purchased new. Buy a sax to play, not for an investment. And, when I was working I was a CFP and CIM, so just ride out this market if you really have a diversified investment portfolio, it'll be ok. Beyond that generalization, I have no idea about your circumstances so can't offer anything specific. And, after all, this is a sax forum.

 

[Targa]

………what would you buy for your retirement?

So my retirement fund has lost 33% of its value because of the current crises.

I just wonder if I cash out now and put everything in saxophones will it be better than what I have at the moment?!
Or it just sounds better? :-?

Down 33% since when? Is the fund managed or self invested?
At their worst since the start of the year none of the major markets are anywhere near that much down and have recovered most of the losses since the start of the war in the Ukraine.

 

[MarkSax]

Down 33% since when? Is the fund managed or self invested?
At their worst since the start of the year none of the major markets are anywhere near that much down and have recovered most of the losses since the start of the war in the Ukraine.

It’s a combination of my converting most of my USD to GBP a year ago, the hedge fund I put my money in down-valuing their investments by almost 20% and requiring more time to get back to normal levels (that’s what they say) the inflation rate at 10% p.a and my self-invested shares losing about 12% over the past months. Planning for retirement was and became more complicated, hence my wondering whether buying various saxophones over the past 12 years would have been a better investment. My house is mortgage free so at least that’s that.
Big thanks to all who replied. Gives me a better idea how others think about the situation.

 

[mizmar]

If I remember right (Japp Kool's book; "Das Saxophon") around 1930 1 million (from 1850) saxes hade been made worldwide. C 800 000 saxophones were built by american manufacors. Beside Elkhart, saxes were made in Cleveland (Ohio), Chicago (Illinois), Elkhorn (Wisconsin), Grand Rapid (Michigan), Worcester (Massachusetts) and maybe more places

Interesting. I was wondering, as all this took off, if European makers where all like "you don't know who made what" "poor quality control", "where's the craftsmen ship", "what can you expect form workers fed on hamburger and coke", "they used to make them in Paris, but now? Who knows"...

 

[PigSquealer]

Wish I had a crystal ball. Maybe a time machine too. I only need to go back to 2011. Double up on bitcoin and Tesla. Crap I didn’t buy enough. Fast forward to November 2021. Sell everything….Buy Selmer factory!

 

[thomsax]

Interesting. I was wondering, as all this took off, if European makers where all like "you don't know who made what" "poor quality control", "where's the craftsmen ship", "what can you expect form workers fed on hamburger and coke", "they used to make them in Paris, but now? Who knows"...

C.G. Conn was the cluster for the ameriacan saxophone manufactoring. F.A. Buescher and H.C. Martin worked for Conn before they started thier own saxophone manufactoring. Influences, like the french saxophonist Lefebre, from the old world was also important. H.N. White imported Evette Schaeffer and Kohlert saxophoned before they started to make thier own saxophones.

………what would you buy for your retirement? A rare sax in good condition in premium finish. Just one sax that I can think of to buy and that will also increase in value: "The Martin Magna Bartione" to low A with silver neck pipe. But I'm 66 years and already ...... .

 

[MarkSax]

I’d buy a few Conn 10m rth from 1937-1939 and a few MK6s in the 70000-100000 range ( only because of the associated myths) but if I could really travel back, I’d buy real estate in Central London or the 17th arrondissement in Paris.

 

[Trigger]

Well I just got my 3rd MKVI alto that needs a complete restoration so it’s off to Paul carrington this weekend , hopefully it doesn’t cost more than it’s worth 😱😱
Investment perhaps not

 

[DavidUK]

When are you due at Paul's?
I'm going as well, shortly. Might bump into you.

 

[Trigger]

I’m going Saturday morning

 

[thomsax]

Investment perhaps not

I had over 50 differnt saxes for 10 years ago. My saxes can't pay my bills!!! Today I play Martin HC (Comm I) - 38, "The Martin Magna Tenor" -59 and "The Martin Baritone" -62.

My problem is how to get rid of the saxes that I don't use without getting angry, rude ..... . I was in a foreign project that gave away saxes. They picked up the saxes and a tech made them playable. It was great.

To own saxes is is good. You can play them and have fun. You often make new friends as well. This is the real investment. Memories and friends ..... I'm an old and rich man that still is honkin'.

 

[Phil]

A lot of people lost money when the vintage sax market lost steam.
There was a time you could have pickers and find deals. That is harder now. Margins are thin and most the big profits have been made…at least for now.

 

[thomsax]

You are right. You can only lose money when you have the money in your hand/wallet or on your account. You have to sell them first. That's why I don't like to sell saxes. The expected value of your saxophone(s) is, more or less, a chimaera. My saxophone journey, that started in the late 70's, is a "big spender".

 

[MarkSax]

@thomsax
Would you believe i lived in Malmö in the 90s? Sweden was my first refuge from England at the time and so different from London. I remember a place where life was good even with little money and public services were so much better than what I knew. I had to play my sax in the park or between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m because my neighbour hated the sounds I made and she would still be at work. And every weekend my friends and I would sail to Kobenhavn and busk. Also the place where I met the woman who changed my life….but that’s another story.

 

[thomsax]

Malmö is a nice town. But changed a lot over the years. But that goes for most towns here in Scania. I lived in Lund before I moved back to the countryside.