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Saxophones Sop dilemma

Halfers

Halfers

Finger Flapper
Messages
2,418
Location
Hampshire
Well, it's not really a dilemma. From what I hear, with a Sop, go cheap or go expensive. I have no option but to go cheap. The Sakkusu straight sop at £299 is cheap. It's January, it's Tax bill time, it's not a good time to spill out £300. The Hire route is simple and cheap as chips at Sax.co.uk. £60 odd upfront for the SOP, then either send it back after 4 Months, or pay £16 a Month for 14 Months and the Sax is yours, effectively at 0% Finance. No Brainer for me. The next level up is £500 to £600 and £33 a Month on the hire scheme. Don't really want to do that.

So it's hire at cheapo monthly prices or nothing at all? Any thoughts on whether the cheapo Sakkusu is worth a punt, or should I keep my foot off the GAS until I can go to the next level (silly question regarding the GAS, but hey ho!)
 
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I haven't tried the current Sakkusu.
Another one to look at would be the Headwind soprano, though it costs £50 more.

But if you want to go cheap then a used Elkhart Deluxe or a Tick-Logo Sakkusu (with a distinctive "Tick" logo and and black key pearls) might be a better instrument. They were made in Taiwan and you should be able to get one for under £300.

A used Bauhaus-Walstein could also be a candidate if you can find one.

I had a Sakkusu Tick Logo and it was good - my teacher bought it from me.
When I upgraded, my feeling was that the cheapest real upgrade would be a used Yamaha 475, which costs a lot more.
 
Given the issues I found on the Sakkusu tenor I reviewed (and similar issues on another example) I'd be inclined to recommend going with the cheaper Gear4Music - or even the slightly dearer Rosedale. What you'll save on the purchase price you can put into a setup.
Alternatively, go for the Sakkusu, get a repairer to run up an inspection, then send it back to Sax.co to have the faults put right...assuming they're still offering that 1 year's free service option.
Not sure if G4M do similar finance deals though.

Better still, hold fire and spend a bit more.

I think there's another Sakkusu tenor coming in next week, and I'll be keen to see whether any of the issues I found have been addressed...
 
Stephen Howard said:
Given the issues I found on the Sakkusu tenor I reviewed (and similar issues on another example) I'd be inclined to recommend going with the cheaper Gear4Music - or even the slightly dearer Rosedale. What you'll save on the purchase price you can put into a setup.
Alternatively, go for the Sakkusu, get a repairer to run up an inspection, then send it back to Sax.co to have the faults put right...assuming they're still offering that 1 year's free service option.
Not sure if G4M do similar finance deals though.

Better still, hold fire and spend a bit more.

I think there's another Sakkusu tenor coming in next week, and I'll be keen to see whether any of the issues I found have been addressed...
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The Rosedale Sop is £20 cheaper than the Sakkuso at the moment, though, as you say, the Finance deal isn't quite so attractive.
 
6441 said:
@Stephen Howard do you have an opinion on the Gear4Music curved soprano?
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I can't recall when I last saw one - but as a general rule of thumb cheap curved sopranos seem to suffer with more build issues than straight ones, and sopranos are harder to make than altos and tenors. Put those two together and it often spells trouble.
However, if you're prepared to spend another £80-100 on a setup they can sometimes be quite good horns for the money.
The Bauhaus Walstein was the best of the bunch, but it was also the most expensive.
 
How it sucks to be short on cash! :oops:

Says the man who still has over 10 horns in stock. Yeah, right, I've been through a period of GAS when I could afford it. But I've been a good boy for... Over 2 years! For horns I mean. Not sooo good with mouthpieces, but over 6 months is almost unheard of. And I sold 3 horns in the last 3 months. I think I deserve a . :manicure:

Sopranos are expensive here too. I sold my Dolnet in just over 24hours! Just over 300£. A vintage high pitched thingy. Completely fresh with new pads, etc... Not a bad horn in itself, but not everybody's choice.
 
Halfers said:
From what I hear, with a Sop, go cheap or go expensive.
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That's pretty specious advice. If that's the advice that is out there, it's foolish - sorry, but it seriously is.

So, cheap would be something like those new/newish asian budget jobs one sees for under $400...expensive would be something like a used Yani or Yama which puts you at around $1300 +. Or a new name-brand one for $1500+....

The notion that it is a bad idea to try to find something budgetarily-in-betwixt ???

I am apoplectic.....

If you have $600-700 but people are suggesting that you need significantly more for a really good player - or suggesting that you pocket $200 because that $200 will not get you a horn significantly better than a $350 asian cheapie....I can only shake my head.

There are a good amount of used Sopranos in the $500-800 range....something as simple as many a Jupiter; some very decent vintage Italian makes (Borganis and their stencils, for example...and I have even seen Grassis go for under $1g somewhat regularly), or something like a Weltklang stencil.....are all gooid players and when set up right are not particularly finicky.
You can even venture into a vintage-vintage horn like a Martin, Holton, or Buescher for under $1g.

They are out there.

Just my 2 cents; I am not trying to dissuade you from pursuing an asian cheapie...I just wanted to challenge the premise your thread begins on; because it's quite challengeable.

Best of luck in your search.
 
JayeNM said:
That's pretty specious advice. If that's the advice that is out there, it's foolish - sorry, but it seriously is.

So, cheap would be something like those new/newish asian budget jobs one sees for under $400...expensive would be something like a used Yani or Yama which puts you at around $1300 +. Or a new name-brand one for $1500+....

The notion that it is a bad idea to try to find something budgetarily-in-betwixt ???

I am apoplectic.....

If you have $600-700 but people are suggesting that you need significantly more for a really good player - or suggesting that you pocket $200 because that $200 will not get you a horn significantly better than a $350 asian cheapie....I can only shake my head.

There are a good amount of used Sopranos in the $500-800 range....something as simple as many a Jupiter; some very decent vintage Italian makes (Borganis and their stencils, for example...and I have even seen Grassis go for under $1g somewhat regularly), or something like a Weltklang stencil.....are all gooid players and when set up right are not particularly finicky.
You can even venture into a vintage-vintage horn like a Martin, Holton, or Buescher for under $1g.

They are out there.

Just my 2 cents; I am not trying to dissuade you from pursuing an asian cheapie...I just wanted to challenge the premise your thread begins on; because it's quite challengeable.

Best of luck in your search.
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It's not a strongly held belief. No need for the apoplecticy (if that's a word - if it's not, then you know what I mean).

Basically, I'm not in the market for anything other than 'cheap' at the moment. Probably from the limited, but respected opinion I've had so far, I won't bother. If it was worth a punt for peanuts I'd have considered. As it stands, I'll just buy peanuts instead ;)

EDIT: Of course, it's Apoplexy. No need for the apoplexy, either :)
 
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Ivan said:
I understand the pull @Halfers, but if you buy cheap you risk getting a duff horn that nevertheless eats a chunk of your GAS fund and delays getting a properly playable sop

Voice of experience
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Yep. I think I'm going to take a step back! Nothing to see here folks, just a mild GAS attack. Nothing to see, move along now..
 
Maybe an old soprano from the 20's. I think the sopranos from 20's sounds better than a modern. And you can find them for less money as well. I have 4 Bb sopranos: Conn NW -25, Kohlert Modell 1927, Buescher TT -28 and Schenkelaars (Keilwerth, Nauheim stencil c-50). The best one for me is the Conn.
 
Alice said:
Do you really want to play a sop? Or is it just to add to the collection? If your heart is set on it, I think @thomsax is offering the best advice.
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Very much so. I'm also setting up a new Business and shelling out a few grand on related expenses over the next few Months. Possibly not the best time to pick up a new instrument, but hey, lives are messy. I've got to have some financial priorities so as by the sound of it the cheapest option might not be the best (as ever, but it was worth asking the question), I'll hang on for the time being.
 

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