Saxophones Why do I keep finding these!? Buffet S1 Alto

[DavidUK]

:shocked:

Having found the SDA recently, a convoluted path has lead me to stumble across a Buffet S1 Alto in totally original and mint condition. It's as if it has just been manufactured. 1976 model with not a single mark on it and pads soft as a baby's bottom, Not even a stain on a single pad!

I can't resist, but the seller, an older gentleman, is in two minds whether to sell this or his other Alto. He says if he sells the S1 I can have first refusal (it's not on sale anywhere currently).

He's talking about £250-300 as an asking price which I think is reasonable, but am I likely to prefer the S1 to the SDA, and why? Also, what can I say to him to convince him to keep his other Alto, a Yamaha 32 Purple Logo, also in immaculate condition, and sell the S1 instead? He wants the same for the 32 but I've told him I'm not after that model.

Hmmm......

 

[Ads]

I`m just grateful that my GAS didn`t extend past Squeezeboxes and the trade-ins for the 62 has cut those down to size considerably (I`m down to 4 now plus a Piano accordion which i`ve not fixed and tuned yet) . Sax wise I only need two tenors (one Pro one, one cheapo) and one Alto (Pro) - even my wants only extend to adding a Sop of some kind (though I love the bari, thankfully they cost too much) and the thoughts of throwing hundreds away on chasing the perfect Mouthpiece makes me shiver.

I don`t envy you at all David , I know what its like to see loads of instruments and all you want to do is grab the lot as I say I`m glad I`ve not got SAS (Sax Aquisition Syndrome), though I`d probably grab that Purple 32 to xchange to a Purple addict for a nice Soprano.

Your options in my opinion 1:- get the purple Logo 32 and swap it to Ian Saxman for a classic something you want more than another old Buffet, 2:- Buy the S1 and start a buffet collection 3:- buy neither and scream as loud as you can " I only need one Alto" . 4:- get the Yam, and sell it as well all your other horns and get an Andy Shep Signature

 

[DavidUK]

Trouble is, saxes are just so sexy to behold. You always want another one just as a work of art! Who plays one just ​to make music?

Mind you, the 32 Purple Logos are a little dull to look at, as no doubt they are to play! :shocked:

 

[Ads]

Who plays one just ​to make music? :shocked:

ME , but then when you consider that my only horn up til very recently epitomised scruffy looking then you`d understand - this idea of having Saxes which look nice is very new to me - LOL

 

[DavidUK]

ME , but then when you consider that my only horn up til very recently epitomised scruffy looking then you`d understand - this idea of having Saxes which look nice is very new to me - LOL

I do prefer to have some scruffiness to a sax. Just a few marks or a little tarnishing. Then you don't feel bad about being the first person to mark it!

 

[thesaxman71]

just tell the seller how lucky he is having a 32 and then rave on how great they are (which indeed they are) and say if he was selling the 32 it would be way out of your price range and in keeping his 32 he is keeping a better sax so he may as well sell the other alto (to you), now this is a win win situation as the seller will either think
A... his 32 is an amazing sax and to sell the sa1 alto to you for a good price as you would of already made him think it is an inferior sax to the 32.
B... his 32 is a great sax but will feel fine with his sa1 and as you stated it is too expensive, he will, for a sale, want to give you a bargain price on the 32.

win win situation!

 

[thesaxman71]

Mind you, the 32 Purple Logos are a little dull to look at, as no doubt they are to play! :shocked:

haha keep thinking that and sell me one cos you think they are dull.....little do you know they are one of the most powerful and brighter saxes to play with one of the best intonations around even against pro level saxes, never judge a book by it's cover! 😉

i hope you get to play one sometime, enjoy.

 

[thesaxman71]

Your options in my opinion 1:- get the purple Logo 32 and swap it to Ian Saxman for a classic something you want more than another old Buffet

that ain't gonna happen,(putting on one's SNOBBY head, but only with tried and tested reason) i have a 62 standard minimum policy in my personal saxes i play, but saying that 32's are classed as intermediate models but actually play better than a lot of pro model other brands, i have tested.

as for the Andy Shepherd "Newcastle" i am hoping it is sold already or it may end up on it's way to me, for what reason i can not justify it, but GAS says i need it haha.

 

[Chris]

Who plays one just ​to make music?

Me. It's a bit like collectors of any musical instrument. Selfish:shocked:. Instruments are meant to be played not looked at, or hung on a wall..

Chris..

 

[Greg Strange]

All these horns you seem to accumulate - do you actually play them...?

Greg S.

 

[majordennis]

Who plays one just ​to make music?:

Me, when I proudly took my new shiny alto to my first teacher (a rather stern lady) she said "Do you want to play it or just look at it", I've applied that to every sax I bought since, don't care what it looks like if it plays, that IMHO is the benchmark.

 

[Greg Strange]

haha keep thinking that and sell me one cos you think they are dull.....little do you know they are one of the most powerful and brighter saxes to play with one of the best intonations around even against pro level saxes, never judge a book by it's cover! 😉

i hope you get to play one sometime, enjoy.

Paul Harvey use to play a 32 series tenor with the London Philharmonic on some of the James Bond soundtracks in the 1980s,

And if I recall from a Saxophone Journal interview Paul Harvey traded his Buffet S1 alto for a Yamaha 875 alto...

Greg S.

 

[thesaxman71]

Paul Harvey use to play a 32 series tenor with the London Philharmonic on some of the James Bond soundtracks in the 1980s,

Greg S.

yup, again underlining the fact this 'intermediate' model punches above it's weight and can easy contend with the big boys. so to speak.

 

[thesaxman71]

Me, when I proudly took my new shiny alto to my first teacher (a rather stern lady) she said "Do you want to play it or just look at it", I've applied that to every sax I bought since, don't care what it looks like if it plays, that IMHO is the benchmark.

hahaha i like you stern teacher, as i used that line on some of my past students. good on her, so do her proud and make it sing and in the long run you will see her reasoning 🙂

 

[thesaxman71]

Me. It's a bit like collectors of any musical instrument. Selfish:shocked:. Instruments are meant to be played not looked at, or hung on a wall..

Chris..

here here, well said, and i have actually turned down a sale cos the buyer said they wanted "something to hang on the wall"

 

[Ads]

here here, well said, and i have actually turned down a sale cos the buyer said they wanted "something to hang on the wall"

There a thousands of SSOs (Sax shaped objects) out there which no one would want to play so are perfect for that purpose without wasting real musical instruments .

 

[Ads]

as for the Andy Shepherd "Newcastle" i am hoping it is sold already or it may end up on it's way to me, for what reason i can not justify it, but GAS says i need it haha.

Now THAT`s a Horn ! ........ Gimme that over a pile of vintage eyecandy anyday (though I don`t have an aversion to Vintage EARcandy 🙂 )

 

[DavidUK]

Bright and orchestral. Two things I don't want in a sax.

Tried a YAS-62 MkI a few weeks ago. Did nothing for me. But I do understand that others will like them.

 

[thesaxman71]

Bright and orchestral. Two things I don't want in a sax.

Tried a YAS-62 MkI a few weeks ago. Did nothing for me. But I do understand that others will like them.

if you listen to some recordings on a 62 mk1 i have done, it's bright but certainly not orchestral, tho we all have different tastes & i appreciate that.

again down to the player not the instrument, so maybe the player IS partly the instrument.

 

[thesaxman71]

There a thousands of SSOs (Sax shaped objects) out there which no one would want to play so are perfect for that purpose without wasting real musical instruments .

of course, and i understand a non working sax used as an ornament.