Beginner Saxes If you had GBP£2,000/USD$2,700...

[DavidUK]

In the UK I'd probably wander along to Hansons and find something there. Not so easy to find outside the UK I guess. Watch out for Chinese Hanson knock-offs. Yes, they're out there!

 

[Adrian63]

Good morning..
Well it's looking good in that a new alto is coming your way soon but don't run away with yourself...
You sound a little undecided as to alto or tenor based on your size ? I'm pretty sure that would not be an issue . No need for harness or mods ; they're really not that big . His name slips me for now but the guy who taught Lenny Pickett played tenor in a wheelchair . I've seen young kids getting on fine also..it won't I'm sure be any problem . I'm not trying to sway your judgement but better you be SURE before you go out and buy...
I've only played a 62 tenor I had on loan for a while . Though not my thing there is no doubt it was a very decent horn . Absolutely no need to be thinķing of upgrading right now If at all. I know pro players who play 62 and probably always will . Sure there are more expensive Yams but the 62 is a pro horn. It's a very grey and fine line : what is considered intermediate / pro....imo it comes down to one's level of ability .
I'm sure a 62 would be a horn for life .
As to Jazz or classical ? Don't worry about it . You don't have to fit into a specific category...just enjoy playing .
Good luck in your search : take your time man and get this right..
Best
Ade

 

[Adrian63]

What was that guys name ? It's going to bug me all day now...

 

[Adrian63]

No disrespect but Ryan ( Cannonball ) is not the tallest of guys but what a great tenor AND bari player..

 

[Adrian63]

The guys name is Bert Wilson I'm pretty sure..

 

[CliveMA]

If I was taller and better built (i.e., stronger and less frail), I would definitely prefer the sound of a tenor.😉

10 year-old boy on Tenor Sax. If you prefer the sound of Tenor you will find a way to make it work for you.

View: https://youtu.be/u4FNjQJpJR4

 

[CliveMA]

I searched for someone like you on tenor sax. Here is Grace Kelly, Asian female, 5' 4.5" (164cm), 117lbs (53kg) on a BARITONE sax (way bigger than a Tenor), standing and jumping around!

Is Tenor a possibility for you?

View: https://youtu.be/BbRf7Ctp3Lo

 

[Adrian63]

So there you go...
The clip it seemed was only available on you tube .
What do we think ? I'm not entirely sure that what we are hearing is actually the kid on the clip though if not it was incredibly well syncd..
Maybe I'm just being negative but it sounded ; well...too good : too well produced for a " living room session "...
I'm going to listen again..thoughts ??

 

[Mark Hancock]

So there you go...
The clip it seemed was only available on you tube .
What do we think ? I'm not entirely sure that what we are hearing is actually the kid on the clip though if not it was incredibly well syncd..
Maybe I'm just being negative but it sounded ; well...too good : too well produced for a " living room session "...
I'm going to listen again..thoughts ??

That kid is Kirill Poudavov. I'm pretty sure it's legit, he's an awesome player - check out his tenor sound these days!

 

[JayeNM]

Ok, I can try the Eastman 52 (although I can’t find an Eastman 640 locally). The Yani AW01 I can find too. No local Buffet dealer AFAIK. I know I can try P. Mauriat. Any P. Mauriat suggestions? Kessler...I don’t think we carry locally.

Mauriats are in your price range...some people like them.

More Mauriat players over at the 'other sax forum' (not necessarily recommending you go there, or if you do...wear your crash helmet)....

My opinion of them differs from some other peoples', and concurs with some other peoples' as well. IMHO, after having serviced around 7 or 8 over the years....I am not overly impressed with their build quality/precision. But sure, try some, why not ?

If a place has a 52nd St. Eastman, try that. They can probably GET a 640 if they carry the 52nd. They are very similar instruments, the 640 is I believe a bit cheaper and doesn't have rolled holes. Also I think some slight differences in keywork design, but both are nice. They do not sound identical, I am thinking the neck specs are a tad different. I prefer the tone of the 640's.

See if you can find a shop which carries Yani. Tha AW01 - in a shop - is gonna be out of your price range, but the online Thomann price for one is under your max budget.

 

[Adrian63]

Thanks George for getting back on topic...
Yeah Mark : old Krill can certainly play : I guess you may be right about the first clip though I'm still not 100%...
George : Mauriats.." some people like them ".. ..rather short and ambiguous . I only ever tried a bari ; man it was so heavy it was ridiculous , I mean unplayable heavy !!
As to how it played I can't recall so it didn't leave any lasting impressions. Some people love them but that could be an endorsement thing..

 

[JayeNM]

You sound a little undecided as to alto or tenor based on your size ?

Well, let's take a look at another factor, here. A 2500 budget can get you a pro Alto, new.

A 2500 budget cannot get you an equivalent Tenor model to the ones folks have been suggesting, new.

Now I dunno how important that is to you. IMHO, in a lot of instances it doesn't matter. But 2500 budget for a new Tenor cannot get you a new Yani, a Yama 62, or an Eastman, for example. You MIGHT be able to find a Buffet 400 new, either open box or closeout, for that, actually

Not that it cannot buy you a GOOD new Tenor:

Buffet 100
Jupiter 1100 series
Yamaha YTS-480 or YTS-26

are 3 which jump to mind...

(although I'd personally buy the Jupe or Buffet over the Yamas....they both have more Mojo and are built just as well)

so...again, I dunno if that matters to you or not....some people get really focused on 'beginner', 'intermediate', professional' labels....

(although playing Devil's Advocate, one cannot really argue with a whole lotta merit that the models available for 2500 are 'as good as' an Eastman or Yani AW01, etc...ether....

....the issue more becomes, 'how 'as good' do I need ?')

 

[ChampagneBears]

Whoa! I wake up to all these wonderful suggestions and encouragement. You guys are fantastic!

I think I will stick with alto for now. I’m pretty sure actually. I do have GAS but I’ll satisfy that with a cheap guitar instead lol.

Thanks to all those that suggested models I should try. I will try those as soon as my local shop allows us to.

Although Grace Kelly is much younger than me, she still inspires me. According to what’s written online, it appears we’re about the same height although I don’t think I look that small! Well, I shouldn’t let age/size define what I can/cannot do. I will rent a tenor in the future and try it.

 

[JayeNM]

I do have GAS but I’ll satisfy that with a cheap guitar instead lol.

That won't work..... 😳

 

[ChampagneBears]

That doesn't work..... 😳

Hehehe

I’m getting an alto AND a guitar, just to be clear.

 

[DavidUK]

Is there nowhere you can go which has new and vintage (reconditioned) horns too? I've had a few Yamahas including two YAS-62 Purple Logos and a YTS-62 PL and they weren't keepers. What knocked them off their perches were 80's SA80II alto; 80's Grassi 2000 Pro tenor; 1958 Buffet SDA alto. All needed total overhauls and including this each cost under £1300, the last two under half this. OK, so I bought them needing an overhaul but even at retail prices with a warranty I'm sure I could find a used horn better than a new 62.
Plus... little if any depreciation.
Plus... when you scratch it, it's just another scratch (although my Selmer was absolutely mint).

 

[ChampagneBears]

Is there nowhere you can go which has new and vintage (reconditioned) horns too? I've had a few Yamahas including two YAS-62 Purple Logos and a YTS-62 PL and they weren't keepers. What knocked them off their perches were 80's SA80II alto; 80's Grassi 2000 Pro; 1958 Buffet SDA. All needed total overhauls and including this each cost under £1300, the last two under half this. OK, so I bought them needing an overhaul but even at retail prices with a warranty I'm sure I could find a used horn better than a new 62.

Not that I know of. The dealers/stores sell new. They may have 1 on consignment that I saw, but I didn’t notice exactly what that one was. I am not aware of shops or even techs that sell used a significant number of used instruments. I searched Kijiji.com, which is the local classified site. That’s where I saw the used YAS62 and YAS480.

 

[just saxes]

If you can figure out what the best PRC-made saxophone available right now is, and what necks are compatible with it, IMO the lowest possible (retail) option is a PRC offering with a boutique neck.

PRC altos are ahead of the curve relative to any other pitching in PRC offerings.

This is complicated by the realities of the moment re global markets, the pandemic, and (for US users, not sure about EU) shifting trade politics. Not trying to be political, but all these things I've mentioned are realities and factors.

A top quality PRC offering, if you can figure out what that is, could be yours from anywhere between US$300 and US$900 or slightly more. A very good boutique neck that matches it is $1300 or less, maybe as low as $700 depending on a lot of other factors too complicated to recount in 200 words or less.

I am not trying to promote myself, saying this, but my PRC and ROC altos are almost the same, performancewise -- there are other differences not too performance related, i.e. if you come to the shop you will not notice them, but if I point them out you will understand -- but the bottom lines are around US$1500 and US$2500 respectively. There is not that much difference on day 1, but a bit more on day 250 or 500. Altos from PRC, again, are ahead of tenors or other pitchings as far as bottom line pro-level performance. But they do need help from the final point-of-sale for that to hold.

If I'm lying, Lawd, strike me dead right now.

You cannot beat this price point for non-PRC, non-ROC products, unless you are plugging into an "alternate-facts" supply line. For retail, new saxophones, this is the "short version" of the basic, widespread truth right now.

 

[CliveMA]

But 2500 budget for a new Tenor cannot get you a new Yani, a Yama 62, or an Eastman, for example.

I have no idea about Canadian market but $2500 usd is doable in Australia.

I paid usd $2400 equivalent in Aussie dollars for my new Yam Yts 62iii in February. Current advertised price usd $2570. Better with some negotiation. Plus some accessories: swabs, cloths, half dozen reeds etc.

 

[Zugzwang]

I really think you should try some different makes before buying… Sax.co in the UK are quarantining/decontaminating their saxes after trial I believe… they’re a massive shop, so maybe more feasible for them, but if you’re definitely going to buy from one shop, discuss trying one at a time with a giant deposit to convince them you’re serious. Then you can try a tenor 😎 - and definitely try Yanigasawa - their tenor felt too cramped for me, and I have smaller hands than you 😉 (also sounded too perfect and pure). Good luck.