Saxophones Saxophone Recommendations New or Used Under $1500?

[DavidUK]

Buy a Yamaha to learn on without drama. Then indulge your other saxophonic desires when your budget allows.

 

[skeller047]

If you are just starting saxophone I believe you will be best served by a good quality intermediate model, made in the last 30 or 40 years. Two reasons for this:

• Keywork will generally be better, likely copying the Selmer SA80 design. There is a good reason this style is the generally accepted default and has been for 50 years. I realize this somewhat contradicts my previous post, but I still think it’s true. The tilting table/seesaw low Bb is not the only thing that changed with the Balanced Action and Mark VI horns.
• Technicians will be more likely to adjust and tweak the action successfully. Saxophone mechanical adjustment is WAY more complicated than guitar setup, and the ability to properly service older style instruments is both rare and expensive.

If you buy a used instrument, which is generally a good idea, you have to realize that it will very likely need some work. Unless you have access to an experienced tech, buying online may well result in a frustrating situation as you try to learn to play on a substandard instrument.

Regarding tone - mouthpiece and reed will have a much larger effect than the horn itself. In your first couple of years, just learning how to make a good sound will be your primary focus. You can’t change your embouchure like you can a set of strings…

 

[Crevy]

George at 2ndending is sending me a list of some options tomorrow, I'll let you all know what he suggest. I asked for suggestions under 1000, he said he's sending suggestions in the 500-750 range. I'll see what he has and that would take care of setup, etc I may go a little higher but we'll see.

 

[skeller047]

George at 2ndending is sending me a list of some options tomorrow, I'll let you all know what he suggest. I asked for suggestions under 1000, he said he's sending suggestions in the 500-750 range. I'll see what he has and that would take care of setup, etc I may go a little higher but we'll see.

George is one of those techs who knows how to set up older style horns. You are doing the right thing.

 

[Crevy]

Is this see saw Bb thing called a tilting table?

The Thomann as580 has it. It's a yas62 copy. I use mine for busking and rainy parades because it was cheap. Despite it being cheap it has good intonation, a lovely action and a flexible tone. Bought in 2022 and still plays great top to bottom.

I can't seem to find a link

TAS580GL. £569 Inc VAT

I have no idea. I just was made aware of it through the video I linked earlier.

 

[progger]

George at 2ndending is sending me a list of some options tomorrow, I'll let you all know what he suggest. I asked for suggestions under 1000, he said he's sending suggestions in the 500-750 range. I'll see what he has and that would take care of setup, etc I may go a little higher but we'll see.

This is a wise route. 🙂

 

[DavidUK]

George at 2ndending is sending me a list of some options tomorrow, I'll let you all know what he suggest. I asked for suggestions under 1000, he said he's sending suggestions in the 500-750 range. I'll see what he has and that would take care of setup, etc I may go a little higher but we'll see.

And he's a well respected member here. Good move.

 

[jonf]

This is a wise route. 🙂

I'm not so sure it is.

 

[mizmar]

I'm more interested in tone, then probably anything else. If I have to wait a little bit of extra time in the future, if I need it to be serviced, I don't mind that wait, if it means I'm going to get a great tone.

I've never owned a vintage horn but I'm sure it's easy to produce a bad tone on one, in the wrong hands. Equally, it's quit possible to produce great tone on a modern instrument...
... The "right hands" are ones which have spent many many hours wrapped around a brass tube while the right face blows wind down it!
Maybe spend your waiting time practicing on a reliable instrument?

 

[DavidUK]

I'm not so sure it is.

Ah... you read it differently to me.
I'm thinking an overhauled Yamaha Vito, Jupiter 7/8+ series, or something else "modern" unless the OP doesn't let on he's a beginner. I don't think George would push him down the vintage route.

 

[Crevy]

I've never owned a vintage horn but I'm sure it's easy to produce a bad tone on one, in the wrong hands. Equally, it's quit possible to produce great tone on a modern instrument...
... The "right hands" are ones which have spent many many hours wrapped around a brass tube while the right face blows wind down it!
Maybe spend your waiting time practicing on a reliable instrument?

So with that logic you're saying all horns are the same. Ummm no.

 

[Pete Thomas]

So with that logic you're saying all horns are the same. Ummm no.

That doesn't follow at all. mizmar is absolutely correct. The quality (or not) of tone generation comes from player/embouchure, mouthpiece, reed, saxophone in that order. The actual tone properties of the saxophone do come into play, but less important then the other factors.

Further, when people discuss saxophone tone, they often are talking about the player's sound which is not the same thing as tone.

A vintage Buescher, Selmer MKVI or solid silver Yanagisawa will have a negligible impact on the sound of a beginner. Likewise professionals can very often get a good sound on cheap (Chinese) instruments.

 

[Crevy]

Ah... you read it differently to me.
I'm thinking an overhauled Yamaha Vito, Jupiter 7/8+ series, or something else "modern" unless the OP doesn't let on he's a beginner. I don't think George would push him down the vintage route.

I'm actually hesitant to say that. No matter the instrument people usually have canned answers if you tell them you're a beginner. They always say "start with this then buy that", I'd rather just skip this and buy that. "This" is a waste of money. With all respect, I'm going to go ahead and ask it... What about a sax for beginners could be so important that you don't want to miss? The fingerings are standardized, the action is probably higher (I'm guessing), the mouthpiece seems like it would be of more concern for a beginner, yes? Help me understand.

 

[Crevy]

That doesn't follow at all. mizmar is absolutely correct. The quality (or not) of tone generation comes from player/embouchure, mouthpiece, reed, saxophone in that order. The actual tone properties of the saxophone do come into play, but less important then the other factors.

Further, when people discuss saxophone tone, they often are talking about the player's sound which is not the same thing as tone.

A vintage Buescher, Selmer MKVI or solid silver Yanagisawa will have a negligible impact on the sound of a beginner. Likewise professionals can very often get a good sound on cheap (Chinese) instruments.

Oh I didn't mean I disagree with that at all. I mean looking for a horn that has the tonal properties you might not be able to access as a beginner but can grow to access is all I'm trying to do. Get a horn that is known to be of good tone and grow into it. The same logic applies to many things, something you can grow into.

 

[mizmar]

So with that logic you're saying all horns are the same. Ummm no.

Not with my logic, ummm no.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Oh I didn't mean I disagree with that at all. I mean looking for a horn that has the tonal properties you might not be able to access as a beginner but can grow to access is all I'm trying to do. Get a horn that is known to be of good tone and grow into it. The same logic applies to many things, something you can grow into.

OK, but I was just pointing out that your interpretation of what mizmar said, wasn't what he actually said or meant. What he said was basically the same as what I said.

the action is probably higher

Not really. I can't answer for everyone, but can give an answer based on my own professional experience, and for me I just work with whatever action it is set to - messing around with higher or lower action that standard tends to just give you tuning or intonation issues.

 

[mizmar]

I do think it can be important to have an instrument that you really want to pick up and play. Whatever your tastes; tenor, alto, new, old, shiny, tarnished... Sure, it could be part what maintains motivation.
And a horn in poor working order can be discouraging. You don't want to be fighting the horn; it's mettle, you are meat, it will win.

But, the folklore round these parts attributes "the sound", in priority order, to: the player -- the Reed, mouthpiece (or vice versa) ----- Horn.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I just erased a long post. 🙄

Buy whatever you want. 👍

 

[Crevy]

I do think it can be important to have an instrument that you really want to pick up and play. Whatever your tastes; tenor, alto, new, old, shiny, tarnished... Sure, it could be part what maintains motivation.
And a horn in poor working order can be discouraging. You don't want to be fighting the horn; it's mettle, you are meat, it will win.

But, the folklore round these parts attributes "the sound", in priority order, to: the player -- the Reed, mouthpiece (or vice versa) ----- Horn.

I would agee 100% with that.

 

[Crevy]

I'm not so sure it is.

Why?