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Welcome to the Saxophone
Buyer's Guide! This project is the direct result of more than
7 years spent buying and selling saxophones on a regional and
national basis. Over the course of these years, I learned what
to look for and how to find it. I've also learned (often times
the hard way) what to watch out for and what some likely scenarios
are for getting ripped off. Unfortunately, there are many hazards
in buying a used saxophone, and even a few in buying a new one.
Hopefully this information will serve you well when it comes time
to purchase your first or next saxophone.
This document is divided into
sections that address the most frequently-asked questions about buying a
saxophone. The biggest decision you will face will be new or used , so you
may want to look that section over first. After deciding new or
used, you then need to decide the quality of the instrument you
wish to purchase. Saxophones are made in student, intermediate,
and professional models. In the case of older (these will be called "vintage") horns, these models often times had different
brand or model names. For example, Buescher produced a professional
model in the 40's called the "Aristocrat", yet also
produced the "Elkhart" brand which was a student model;
similarly, the Martin Company produced the "The Martin"
professional series, while their student model was called the
"Indiana". Most of the used vintage horns that I will
address will be the professional models of the day. I will give
some tips as to determining the quality of a vintage horn.
As part of this project, I must state that
the information here is presented only as a representation of
my personal experiences and opinions. Your decisions about purchasing
a saxophone should include this information, but should not necessarily
be limited to it. The bottom line is that you are making a significant
financial decision and need to be as informed as possible to make
a sensible judgment. Hopefully this guide will serve you well.
Buying a saxophone is not too terribly different from buying a
car. There are LOTS of things to look for.
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Saxophone
Buyer's Guide - Introduction
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