Saxophones well once again ,,need new alto sax ..

[zuzuxx]

well i understand that yamaha yas 280 is reccomended like best from all these so called student sax
but here in eu price is what it is 850€ up to 1000€ with reeds ,better mouthpeace ,stand ,tuner some other stuff
from alternatives we got in shops
I.M. GRASSI AS 20SK alto sax+ case cca 600€
Canorus as501 cca 500€ alto
Buffet Crampon 200 + case 600€
Odyssey OAS130 Alt Sax with case 550€
and all on thomann site ,it have tooo manny modells which are from same china shop by writings on forums
so --
thomann tas 350 450€
and rest under thomann brand from cheap tas-180 290€ up to custom line 1350€
so is that yamaha yas 280 that better from these 400-600€ saxophones to justify 50% up to double
price ??
or i can go by with some of these cheper saxophones ?
i mean go by ,like i wont have problems with pads and leakege etc
thanks

p.s. sorry for just another what to buy but ,when u have different names for different markets for same sax
plus u dont know which is good which wasnt (beside these expensive ones they must be great )

 

[Colin the Bear]

There's always second hand. A well regulated second hand Yamaha may be in your price range. A lot of well known makes come out of China. My cheap as chips G4M alto is going strong 6 years on. I do my own repairs. A pro repairer may decline to work on a cheapie. If you're not going to do your own work a Chinese instrument may not be the right choice.

 

[zuzuxx]

i dont mind work on it ,,but i dont want to loose pads in 1 year ,or loose some parts
can u suggest one cheper (around 5-600€) or to bite bullet and swipe my cc and get 1k € 280 ?

here in croatia i dont see any listing for ok lookin sax ,,just some cheap (3-400€ that they want a bit over new price for it )
and one beaten like he went rally or something ..
ebay same if u want eu it cost double then in usa

 

[Colin the Bear]

UK is in the EU for a while yet. Some decent saxes over here. Keep an eye on the yard sale.

 

[kevgermany]

Do you have local sax techs? They often have a few saxes for sale, well set upready to play and good support later.

Pads . As long as they seal, they're ok. Decent pads last many many years. But there's a temptation to change too early, especially if the repairer is unscrupulous. Another issue is that it's difficult to tell how long a pad will last. Some nasty looking things seal well and keep going for many years. Other nice looking ones go quickly. But changing a pad isn't expensive. Repadfing the whole sax is.

Makes to consider new are Yamaha, Jupiter. Avoid buying outside your country if you can, effectively there's no warranty. And some shellers, G4M for example, just send saxes out without setting them up. Probably a safe bet is a sax from sax.co.uk. Their house brand, Sakkusu is well respected, but they have a wide selection and set the saxes up before shipping. Not sure on the warranty situation, though.

 

[nigeld]

The problem with cheap Chinese saxophones is quality control - they are not checked as carefully, which is partly why they are cheaper.
If you get a good one, it will be fine, but if not, it will need attention.

There is a second-hand Yamaha alto in the Café Yardsale.
For Sale - Yamaha YAS-280 Alto Saxophone setup by Stephen Howard

 

[oscarkeston]

I tried some of Trevor James student models and was impressed - you could look into buying one second hand and getting it shipped?

 

[gladsaxisme]

Hi ZUZUXX
You don't say if you have a sax at the moment,if you do what is it.If you go to sax.co.uk they show a whole range of saxes from budget to top of the range if you find something in your price range you may be able to get it locally to you or they may even post one to you I personally like the ELKHART range but I did notice they seem to be getting a bit pricey they also have a SAKUSSU RANGE which I believe are very reliable horns and like nigeld has said it's always worth keeping an eye on the cafe Yardsale...good luck

PS I wouldn't go near the thorman range I have a tenor which looks great and plays OK but on closer inspection the build quality leaves a lot to be desired

 

[Phil]

Yes, I make mouthpieces but here are my thoughts.

I know a very good player who for years played a Vito...basically a YAS-23 with a different name. He knew how to play and had a sound concept. He did spend good money on reeds and had a good custom made piece. In fact he came to my house for a day having the piece made to his personal specifications.

Eventually he got a good deal on a vintage Selmer that he could not pass up. He sounded a bit better but I probably would have not noticed had I not heard them both together. Obviously, being the player and himself, he could hear it more. He fully admitted that he only sounded a little better but to him it was worth it for the long run.

SO...from that I say: Buy a good basic horn. When or if you have a clear sound concept buy the mpc that will get you in that zone. Then forget gear and practice like crazy. Dont go cheapo in terms of build quality or you will be sorry and your tech will be paid in short order what you saved. I would also suggest buying used from a reputable source (not ebay). Buying a used student horn IMHO is pretty crazy given the loss factor when you decide to sell it.

At some point in the future look at moving from a solid student to a pro horn...but that can be years....like my customer. He was caught up in music, not gear. He didnt care if people laughed at his little Vito...he could play them under the table.

 

[zuzuxx]

thanks for all suggestions ,,,
no i dont have any sax ,,only 2 guitars ,and 2 keyboards ... but love sound of sax
so i hope to get one and learn it ,to get that sound i like ..not squeeeking which will prolly get
well now i need o worry for warranty too ... i guess best way is to call yamaha.hr and get best deal for yas 280
and hope they will set him up ..
thanks

 

[Phil]

Just keep in mind that you can pickup a well functioning used alto for around 500
My guess is a new one is 1500

that is a boat load of cash for a warranty.

I have never needed a warranty for a horn. The things that go wrong are things like yearly adjustments, palm key pads going bad after a few years...stuff a warranty really does not cover.

Find a good shop and you can probably get a years service agreement for not much dough.

Spend 12-15 on a student horn...sell it for 4 or 500

Just sayin...

 

[gladsaxisme]

I have bought many second hand (used ) alto saxes off eBay and when they describe them as in like new condition they always have been so I wouldn't be worrying to much about the warranty side of things when you are saving a good few hundred over buying new and as far as the cheaper Taiwanese saxes go I just got my Elkhart Deluxe out that I bought a short time ago and it plays like a dream every bit as good as my YAS 62 and maybe with a lighter action.It was described as in nearly new condition and that's exactly what it was so don't be overly worried about buying second hand just see how they are described and check out the pics there are some great bargains out there

 

[kevgermany]

I've bought all my saxes used. Two, described as needing overhaul/repad played well with minor tweaks and still haven't been repadded. The rest, mostly described by the seller as playing well, have needed work. Sometimes a lot of work.

YMMV, a lot will depend on how good your local tech is, as well as the seller. Some 'playable saxes' will play, but only with a good mouthpiece and at high volume. If you buy used, make sure you get a good player to test it over the full tonal range and from PP to FF on each note. The PP usually finds more problems.

 

[DavidUK]

An almost mint Japan made YAS-275 will cost you £500. I have such a horn my tutor is just holding for a student (let me re-phrase that... ).

Had a few Vito altos (YAS-21 or 23 equivalents) and apart from no front F# they are every bit as good and can be picked up for around £200.

BUT... you're in Croatia. Makes it trickier perhaps?

Either of these used would be better than any of the others you list new. That's if they play of course! I always check my for sale saxophones before sale to make sure there's no disappointment. But "trusted sellers" on Croatian sax forums may be few and far between?

 

[zuzuxx]

well i contated 2 of these "trusted" they selling chinese sax that was played under month ,but have paint chiped on pic
they want 20% over new one cause it was great
other is serviced some unknow brand to me ,want same money that cost new yas 280
and it look rly bad
that is localy
i ask local teacher ,they use sas-75 , roy benson and some amati for students
and all of them are beaten ,,, but for kids are ok i guess
and dont have any for sale
but he give advice cause i'm old to buy profesional one or top student
like Keilwerth st or jk ,,or Schager academica .all around 1+k € new
never heard for these ....
here in cro market is wierd ,,, old kinda working keyboard cost 1-2k € same time
on ebay cca 300-500 for same
sometime someone post normal price similar to ebay but ...

 

[zuzuxx]

just got msg from teacher one from ebay yamaha yas 475
Alt Saxophon Yamaha YAS 475 - Top Zustand | eBay

is this any good ?

 

[DavidUK]

just got msg from teacher one from ebay yamaha yas 475
Alt Saxophon Yamaha YAS 475 - Top Zustand | eBay

is this any good ?

Yes, semi-pro, just under YAS-62 (no annealed bell on the 475). If it is in good condition the price is OK. Make a bid maybe?

"The instrument was used very little for 1 year several years ago. It is in top condition, almost new! Likewise, the full functionality has recently been confirmed by means of a light test. Included are everything in the original and as seen in the pictures, the mouthpiece, a carrying strap and the suitcase.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact me anytime!"

Negatives for this ebay seller: No recent feedback; not selling any other items nor instruments; fairly new ebayer; could be hacked account as no activity last 12 months; seller is in Germany. Ask some questions of the seller to try and get an idea if they're "normal"!!

 

[kevgermany]

Can't get through to this link on eBay. Be careful.

Roy Benson is a German brand, made in China. Lots of sellers on eBay.de.

Keilwerth is a top German brand. ST means student. These aren't made in Germany, unlike their high end saxes, but you'd be good buying one new, as long as it's been properly set up.

Amati is a Czech brand. Good, but probably not as good as Yamaha.

 

[Jeanette]

@zuzuxx how close are you to Italy, you might want to check these out?

Instruments

Jx

 

[DavidUK]

Tutor's student has played my immaculate YAS-275 and now wants to buy a new silver Yamaha she liked it so much! Can't win sometimes eh?

Ho hum... never mind. It'll sell quick elsewhere.