Lacquer

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  • Buescher Aristocrat 140 Alto 339934 Great Deal Original Lacquer Plays on Older Pads

    $ 850

  • Buescher Big B Alto Saxophone Original Lacquer Good Condition 324407

    $ 1,650

    This is a 1949 Buescher “Big B” Aristocrat, so named for the ornate engraving of a, well, a Big B on the bell.  This horn is in very good condition, and the typical wear around the fine engraving of the B on the bell is not present, which indicates that this horn has led a life mostly in a closet somewhere.  There are no resolders or past dentwork to speak of, and it plays *way* better than it should on some very old pads, but you would want to get this repadded to play like it can, which is very, very good!  

    These horns are undervalued in my opinion.  I mean, you can get this one in such great shape with all of its original Snap-on resonators and overhaul it for not a whole lot more than a Yamaha student model in total- seems like a good buy to me! They combine excellent intonation, comfortable keywork, top notch build quality, and beautiful lacquer and engraving with a warm, centered tone.  Johnny Hodges famously played one of these, and his tone is a very good example of the blend of sweetness and power these horns possess.

  • Buescher Big B Model 140 Alto Saxophone 321761 Original Lacquer Very Good Condition

    $ 1,600

    This is a 1949 Buescher “Big B” Aristocrat, so named for the ornate engraving of a, well, a Big B on the bell.  This horn is in very good condition, and the typical wear around the fine engraving of the B on the bell is not present, which isn’t surprising since this alto was treasured in an extensive collection for the past forty years or so. There are no resolders or past dentwork to speak of, and it plays quite well on an overhaul that the above-mentioned collector had done at some point before putting it away. This is an excellent value! It has the Norton springs, but not the snaps, which actually makes it easier to maintain, since the pad work is the same as any other saxophone now.

    These horns are undervalued in my opinion. They combine excellent intonation, comfortable keywork, top notch build quality, and beautiful lacquer and engraving with a warm, centered tone. Johnny Hodges famously played one of these, and his tone is a very good example of the blend of sweetness and power these horns possess.

  • Sale!

    Buescher Big B Tenor Saxophone 293523 Original Lacquer Fresh Full Overhaul Excellent!

    $ 3,500 $ 3,250

    Price JUST reduced mid May 2020! This is an excellent deal!

    This is an original lacquer Buescher Aristocrat Big B tenor with the desirable small bell. It’s one of the most beautiful vintage Bueschers, with extensive engraving and gorgeously translucent, dark nitrocellulose lacquer. They don’t make them like this anymore.

    This tenor just got a full mechanical overhaul, and I mean the works! When I got it, it had new pads, but the pad work was not that good, so now it has a really great overhaul and plays excellently. The keywork is in great condition – nice and tight. The missing lacquer on the back of the bow doesn’t show when you play, and is from a small dent that was removed a bit to vigorously at some point. That is now fixed, and the rest of the horn is quite nice. Neck is in good condition also. There are no dents or dings. It is hard to find this desirable version of the vintage Buescher tenor in good shape, and this one is better than all but a few. It has the snaps and spuds intact, but has correct style ‘real’ pad work that works around the spuds. (If you watch Matt Stohrer’s video on Buescher overhauls, you’ll see what I mean. This is extra work, but worth it to do right the first time.)

    Playing wise, it’s tons of fun. It has a centered, warm tone with excellent response and intonation. It would be pretty hard to sound bad on this tenor. It has that classic American straight-ahead projection that fills a room whether you are amplified or not. And it’s just pleasant to listent to. So many of the modern options I hear people playing are different flavors of bland and rather hollow-sounding. This tenor is rich and full of color. Bueschers like this tune well with a wide range of mouthpieces, and they can do anything from classical to jazz to R&B.

    Only one available.

  • Sold Out

    Conn 6M Transitional Art Deco Alto Saxophone 247105 Great Shape 1931

    $ 1,600

    I love Conn altos in the 230-260k range, and especially the ones near 250k serial. This 247k is a transitional Conn between the New Wonder II (‘Chu Berry’) and the 6M (‘Artist’) models. It is a true transitional in every sense, and is almost half NWII and half 6M. These special alto saxophones have a tone and set of features found nowhere else, and that makes them especially great in several ways. The bore still feels more like a NWII to play, so the tone is wider and wilder than the later 6M’s (which are also great, but are more focused and a bit less wild). The neck is like a 6M, so you get the improved intonation that ‘slots in’ better – NWII’s have good intonation as well, but it is more flexible than the 6M versions. The bell keys have moved around to the left, but the left hand spatula keys retain their NWII shape, but with improved mechanics. No saxophone has an easier or more direct feel on the low B and Bb that this version of Conn. It’s nice and light and fast, though you don’t have anything like modern ergonomics on those keys, of course. The regular main stack keywork is already mostly updated to the fast and comfortable 6M design. That is very good keywork, and is hardly improved upon in modern horns, so this is a very comfortable horn to play.

    It came with special ‘art deco’ engraving on the bell that you only see for a short time around 245-249k serial with Conn altos. This example is original or ‘first’ lacquer, and has not been refinished. It has original pads and even comes with the original warranty and care booklet in the original case.

    Tonally, these late transitional 6M’s are an ideal choice for big band or jazz band lead alto. They have almost unlimited projection or ‘carrying power’ as the old advertizements put it. And the tone stays strong and cohesive no matter how much you push it. It’s just a joy to hear one of these in full song. Marhsall Royale and the Basie band all played Conns like this, as did Charlie Parker for a while (among many other horns). You see them commonly in clubs in NYC and all over Europe these days. Nothing sounds like a Conn. This one is priced low for what it is. Superb original condition. Add a good overhaul, and you will have one of the best built alto saxophones ever, that will be dependable and fantastic to own and play for many many years to come. If you like this version in silver, I also have a silver 249k that I just got completely overhauled that is also for sale.

    Only one available!

     

  • Sold Out

    Conn 6M VIII Alto Saxophone Pre-War Original Lacquer Very Good Condition Plays Well 294775

    $ 1,950

    This pre-war (from the American perspective, meaning prior to the government order than restricted the manufacture of musical instruments along with anything else made out of brass) Conn 6M was built in 1941, and is the desirable “VIII” version, with the VIII stamp on both the body and neck.  

    It is in very good physical condition with original lacquer, no dents, and no major or minor past repairs or resolders, with the exception of a repaired dent on the bowguard, which is visible in the photos.  It has what appears to be a recent repad, or perhaps an old repad that wasn’t played much after it was done, and Conn Res-o-pads were used. It plays well with a big voice, and although to my professionally-obligated-to-be-picky tastes it is not quite as astoundingly slick under the fingers at these feel when they have been overhauled as the best repairers can do, it is definitely playable as-is and will beat the pants off of most any challenger, especially modern imports that cost a lot more and give you a lot less than this fine example of vintage American saxophone craftsmanship.  

    Oddly, the lacquer on the neck is more worn than the rest of the horn- although physically the neck is in immaculate condition with no dents or past pulldowns.  In the past when I have seen this the culprit is usually a homemade neck bag that was lacquer-unfriendly, or perhaps the owner had a habit during rests to hold the horn with the neck in his hand.  Given the lack of wear elsewhere on the horn, I’d guess a neck bag was the culprit here, although I can’t be certain. But again, though the lacquer itself is mostly gone from the neck (and the neck alone), the neck tube is flawless and there are no signs of past repairs of any kind.  

    The microtuner is free and functional, and all of the original rollers and present and moving freely.  The engraving is crisp and clear with no lacquer loss, and the pearls seems largely unworn. The keywork is tight and the body is straight.  This is a very clean example of the most desirable vintage of the most desirable variant of the Conn 6M, and it can be yours for less than a new Yamaha YAS-26.  

  • Conn Connstellation Alto Saxophone 28M Very Good Condition Original Lacquer 335771

    $ 2,250

    You could be forgiven for thinking that because there are two original lacquer, very good condition Conn 28M “Connstellation” saxophones on my website at the moment that these are somewhat common, but I assure you that is not the case!   I will copy and paste the general statements about the 28M from the other description, with the unique description of this particular instrument’s physical and playing condition at the bottom.

    The Conn 28M will always have a special place in my heart.  It represents the last time one of the great American saxophone manufacturing companies tried something wholly new, and although the horn never really found a market and not many were made, they are fantastic instruments that besides being unique and historically interesting, play *really* well.  

    These saxophones were redesigned, utilizing many ideas from Allen Loomis (Conn’s resident saxophone visionary) and Hugh Loney, with input from Santy Runyon, with the aim of creating a saxophone that had extremely slick keywork and a very balanced scale.  The keywork, although familiar under the fingers with regard to placement and layout, is mechanically quite different from any other saxophone and has been built from the ground up with the goal of reducing mechanical friction. There are no pivot screws anywhere on this saxophone, instead the long rods have a very long hinge rod with the middle machined down so only the ends touch.   The G# has a very unique torsion mechanism to provide a G# feel that is smooth throughout the range. The side keys are designed so that the angle and distance of travel is the same for each key. There are adjustment screws on the upper and lower stacks as well as the left hand pinky table. The bell keys are on the left side, and the pantsguard/bell keyguard is a large acrylic plate that was designed with the idea in mind of allowing the horn to vent properly regardless of playing position or clothing choice.  The octave mechanism has three pips (octave vents), one on the neck and two on the body, which has the end result of a very clear middle D and no hiss on the A or G#, as well as excellent intonation. The keywork in general is very light, and the pearls are larger than usual for Conn and a little flatter. The overall feeling is of a very light horn, extremely slick, easy to play, excellent intonation, and very even throughout.

    The one downfall of this design is the pantsguard, which is fairly brittle and often broken.  Although nowadays there are excellent replacements available, this one has its original guard in decent condition.  There is one repaired crack (visible in the photos) and the common small cracks radiating from some of the screw holes.  I would anticipate, absent any further damage, that this keyguard will last and should not present any problems- although I will furnish you with contact information for obtaining a well made (and somewhat more durable) replacement should you ever need it.  And believe it or not, I have experience shipping these so you can rest easy knowing I will remove it for shipping, wrap it separately, and it will arrive to you in good condition.

    This instrument plays quite decently on what appears to be an older repad with plastic domed resonators, with a strong, moderately bright, cheerful voice.  The clarity of the tone is notable, and it is a lot of fun to play with a unique look and feel and timbre that would lend itself easily to classical, big band, or small group jazz.  The lacquer is original and in good condition with some playing wear and a few stand scratches near the low C#, with no evidence of past repairs or dents or resolders of any kind. It is also a unique and interesting piece of saxophone history, in very good condition, and whoever owns this instrument next will have a lot of fun being its steward for the next generation.  

  • Couf Superba 1 Alto Original Lacquer Fresh High-End Overhaul Plays Great

    The H. Couf Superba 1 is one of my favorite vintage saxophones. They remain one of the best options for a great sounding alto sax with modern keywork and a rich, interesting tone. Darker and fatter sounding than a Yamaha, with rich, wide upper register, and a full, projecting low register, this alto will do it all. If you are looking for a great all-purpose alto, or even for an ideal smooth jazz or commercial sounding alto, the Couf Superba 1 fits the bill. I just sold one of these to a smooth jazz player who loves the fat sound that stays warm when brightened up with a bright mouthpiece. And he loves the comfort of the keywork. These are among the only saxophones that sound this full and rich and also have modern keywork. (Modern saxophones have, as a rule, moved towards a clearer, rounder, more contained sound, and can’t deal with as much air as a Superba 1 can take.)

    This alto came with its original pads still intact, and it is getting a full mechanical overhaul right now, which means it will be back to like new, or better-than-new condition mechanically, and playing wise. If you’re not used to used saxophone lingo, that means that a highly-skilled woodwind repairman is going to be spending about 30 hours of labor on this horn going over every detail, and replacing everything that can be replaced, (all new pads, corks, felts, mechanical work, setup, play testing, neck fit, full disassembly, cleaning, fresh oil etc.) so that it’s totally rebuilt and ready for its next many years of playing. That’s a big added value for you, because you don’t have to worry about the horn needing more than minor occasional maintenance to play its best for many years to come. It also means that it will play effortlessly, and saturatedly at low volumes, in the low register. Low Bb is just another note, even if you want to play it at pp.

    I have no trouble selling a Couf Superba 1 alto as soon as anyone plays one with the fresh overhaul. It’s really hard to beat, regardless of price. And at this price, it is really hard to beat.

    Only one available!

  • Sold Out

    Couf Superba 1 Baritone Saxophone Original Lacquer Excellent Condition

    $ 4,850

    Keilwerth baritone saxophones like this Couf Superba 1 low A are among the most desirable bari saxes ever made. They have a dark, powerful tone that combines well with a brighter mouthpiece to give you that biting, funky tone that makes bari so much fun to play. You can also use a more traditional larger chamber, lower baffle mouthpiece and get a dark, rich, warm tone of course. But it’s the bark and ‘fatness’ to the tone that I think makes people flock to Keilwerth on bari.

    The Couf Superba 1 is basically a special version of the SX90, and was played famously by Grover Cleveland. James Carter also loves these baritones, although he’s endorsing P Mauriat at present, and could make any bari sound pretty good. Anyway, I love Couf Superba 1’s because Herb Couf, who imported and popularized Keilwerth in the 60’s and 70’s, had great taste and an eye for detail on saxophones (and mouthpieces) and helped Keilwerth create a lineup of pro saxophones for the USA that is really hard to beat. The keywork feels modern, but the tone is warm and complex like a vintage horn. I would take a Superba 1 over a Mark VI bari all day long. There really aren’t many baritones that can beat it for combination of tone and keywork. If you want something clear and bright think Yamaha or Yanagisawa. If you want darker and more powerful, it’s Keilwerth.

    This is the nicest Superba 1 I have owned. It has older pads, which are still sealing, but I’m selling it priced on the low side even though it’s so clean and beautiful so that you can play it, enjoy it, and sooner or later get it overhauled. It will be a really fantastic player with an overhaul.

    This bari comes with one of the special, high-end J Winter contoured cases made for Keilwerth baritones. Those are about a $600 value and are really the only great case for a Keilwerth baritone on the market today.

    Only one available!

  • Ishimori Wood Stone Alto Saxophone Brand New WSA-VL with F# Dark Lacquer

    $ 4,500

    Last one!

    This is the highly sought-after Ishimori Wood Stone alto saxophone available. The model is WSA-VL with high F#. It has dark, cognac colored lacquer and beautiful hand engraving, the among the most elaborate of any modern saxophone. Effortless player. Hard to emphasize how effortless. Completely effortless low register, low Bb pops out like any other note. Altissimo is easy. Tuning is great. The tone is sort of Selmer-ish but punchier. Easy to play delicately and softly with plenty of saturation and projection. Action is low, fast, and snappy. Great for jazz, concert, ballads– really anything. I’m impressed. $4500 brand new.

  • Ishimori Woodstone New Vintage Tenor VL with F# NEW Dark Lacquer Tenor Saxophone

    $ 4,700

    Only one available of these highly-desirable New Vintage tenor saxophones from Ishimori, Japan’s premiere saxophone repair shop. These tenors stand out from the crowd with their excellent new horn setup done in the Ishimori workshop. The Ishimori New Vintage tenors hold up extremely well over time, and every detail of construction and assembly is optimized for ease of play. The tone on this Ishimori tenor is meant to remind you of a vintage Selmer – to my ear, it plays like a late SBA – not as loud and wide open as some later Mark VI’s, but more focused than earlier Selmers also. The neck and the engraving both are  meant to evoke the Selmer Super Balanced Action, so I suspect that the neck is an SBA bore. The tuning is excellent. This body tube is designed to have the high F# tone hole present, so it tunes well with the high F#, and that’s also just a convenient feature. Lacquer is gorgeous, as is the hand engraving.

    Ishimori New Vintage tenors play so effortlessly, they sell themselves. Every time one comes in the shop, it sells almost immediately. I have one in stock coming next week. Get it now!

  • Sold Out

    King Super 20 Alto Saxophone 1953 Full Pearls Original Lacquer

    $ 6,350

    Cannonball Adderley vintage of King Super 20 alto that now comes with a complete, high-end overhaul done right! This is exactly the same as my personal alto. It’s cosmetically a little nicer than mine in fact! Really clean original lacquer, great condition. Full pearls, solid silver double socket neck, the more comfortable left hand pinky keys – this is the Super 20 you want. The ‘full pearls’ means that it has all the bells and whistles that people look for in a King alto. Extra pearls on G#, palm keys and side keys/F#. The bell keys are engraved; the double socket neck seals beautifully. The solid silver is in great shape. The serial numbers on horn and neck match. Cannonball Adderley played an alto just like this on Kind of Blue and Somethin’ Else. To me, you can’t really beat this among alto saxophones for jazz or all purpose playing. The best mouthpiece to pair with it is the Ted Klum New York model or the GS Special version of that mouthpiece. It’s a 10/10 combination. Kings like this are at least 10x rarer than 5-digit Selmer Mark VI’s, and they have strong potential to go up in value over time. That makes this a smart purchase as well as an extremely fun alto to play.

  • King Super 20 Tenor Saxophone 1957 Near Mint Original Lacquer Overhauled!

    $ 5,950

    Holy cow! This is one of the nicest examples of a King Super 20 that I have had the pleasure of selling. It just got a complete overhaul! It was original pads 63 years old, when I got it, and now it’s totally fresh, clean, and completely restored. It’s awesome!

    The tone of these horns is just to die for. Powerful, resonant, very loud when pushed (it goes to 11). The solid silver double socket neck gives you extra focus, and a dark core with lots of overtones. The horn overall is bright and projecting, but in a way that stays fat, like only American saxophones can. Ideal for either cutting through a band, or playing the most gorgeous ballads, this is one of my favorite saxophonse of all time.

    This tenor has no damage, no dents or dings, and almost all its original lacquer. The solid silver neck even looks odd to King fanatics like me because it still has its original gold lacquer over the silver, which you hardly ever see. There’s some scratching on the back of the body tube from normal use, and a couple of tiny, nearly invisible dings I got removed from the bow, but you’d never notice anyway. It’s as nice as you will ever find. And priced to sell!

    The best demo of a “Series III” Super 20 that I know of can be found here. It’s one of the only cases that I have found where I heard a demo and what I consider the essence of the tone of the horn itself is front and center on display (as opposed to the mouthpiece, the player, or a bunch of other distracting noise. Listen and enjoy! This is the same horn as in the demo, just made a year or two later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBoeWeRyy-o 

     

  • Martin The Martin Tenor Committee III Original Lacquer Old Pads 167261

    $ 1,750

    Great deal on an original lacquer The Martin Tenor Committee III. This horn has older pads, and actually does play on them, but plan on getting it overhauled.

    Previous repairs – the thumb hook is a replacement. The original thumb hook often gets lost on these, because it had an odd design where it only attached by a small post with a leveraged arm coming out that let you torque it easily.
    Besides that, you can see some lines on the back of the bow area where it looks like some small dents were probably removed at some point. Same thing on the bow guard. The two resolders you can probably easily see as they are clearly photographed – lower post of the C/Eb key and the key guard foot right beside that on one side of low Eb. The neck tenon is also resoldered. You have to take it off to do a ’neck fit’ because of the way the neck tightens, so I’m thinking that’s what was done there. The pads are old, but it actually plays on them, so you can easily tell that it is a very strong player. These horns are built like tanks, so this one is in plenty good condition to play its best for many more years to come if you get the pads replaced. Or you could play it for a while on the old pads before doing that.

  • NOVA Woodwinds Lacquered Brass Low A Baritone Saxophone NEW Great Deal!

    $ 2,300

    Introducing the new NOVA Woodwinds line of instruments. The NOVA Woodwinds line meets a need in the marketplace for a lower-priced Low A Baritone saxophone that is still good quality. People have been asking me for years if I can recommend anything in the sub-$3500 price range for a low A baritone. I have had to scrounge for deals on used Yamaha or Yanagisawa baritones, but if the used baritones need a repad or other repairs, then you’re immediately back in the $4k price range, so it really is hard to get anything decent, let alone new under $2500. That’s where the NOVA baritone shines. For only $2450, you get a NOVA baritone (NOVA means ‘new’ in Latin) that is brand new and plays quite well, and that holds up well over time by all accounts.

    If you are shopping for a baritone saxophone, whether for a school band program, for doubling and taking extra gigs on bari, or just for playing some sick funk lines with your Tower of Power cover band, this horn is worth a look. I have friends who have used this bari in their band programs for years, and it holds up to punishment by middle and high school students quite well. That’s saying a lot!

    Much of the reason it holds up well is that I am spending $400-500 per horn on an extensive amount of setup work. It’s almost an overhaul, because it’s fully disassembled, cleaned, oiled, gets all new corks, which is time-consuming, gets rods straightened, many pads reseated or replaced, the LH pinky table rebuilt, the neck tenon ‘fit’ to the receiver, regulation between keys fixed, and actually several other small things improved. At that point, its a completely different instrument from how it arrives. And it actually plays down to low A well and should continue to do so for a long time with only occasional upkeep needed. As such, it’s a solid school bari, doubler’s bari, or just a fun horn to play around on.

    You could set it up and sell it doing MUCH less work – $50 to get pads sealing and send it out the door, but that would not be the way to build a good reputation for your brand, or to take good care of your customers, over even the short term. I want the NOVA line to stand out as the most reliable baritone saxophone you can get new under $2500. Unfortunately, after I buy the horn, pay for international shipping and spend $450 per horn on repair, there’s very little profit to be made on these. Thankfully, this is not a large part of the overall business here at GetASax.

    Once it’s properly ‘mini-overhauled’, the tone is big, loud, and medium between bright and dark. It tunes well with a variety of mouthpieces. The keywork is pretty comfortable, and works fine for anyone from middle school up through adult. The stacks are actually in line, not offset, meaning the tone holes are all in one long row. That changes the feel of the right hand, as you rotate around farther than you otherwise would on a modern horn. This is NOT a Yanagisawa copy. From neck to bell to keywork, it’s really not similar to a B901. The case is usable, with a hard foam contoured interior, sturdy zipper, decent amount of storage, and wheels that are usable on a smooth surface. The mouthpiece it comes with isn’t great, so see below about cheap but good mouthpieces.

    It comes in this version, which is brass, and then in the bronze version also. The bronze is a slightly darker tone, and gives you the two tone look, where the all brass like this just looks like a typical new saxophone. You won’t go wrong with either one. Both of them include the pictured hard case which has wheels, as well as the other accessories in the photos. I would recommend a Yamaha 5C or Rousseau for an inexpensive beginner baritone mouthpiece for concert band, and the Rico Metalite bari for jazz, or there are lots of other options getting listed in the baritone mouthpieces section of the site. 

    These low A baritone saxophones tend to sell quickly, so please let me know if you are wanting to order more than one, so that I can be sure to order them far enough in advance to fill your order quickly.

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1955 58119 Price Includes Overhaul! Relacquered Great Deal

    $ 5,250

    This 5-digit Selmer Mark VI Alto from 1955 just got a complete overhaul! It’s an excellent player, and it represents a very good value in an alto. For way less than a Reference 54, you can get an actual ’55 Selmer Mark VI with a complete restoration just finished. These first year Mark VI altos play dark, with a lot of focus and warmth, and they are punchy when pushed. They project well with a higher baffle mouthpiece. Effortless response in the low register. They’re just fantastic, and they are better built than most modern altos including modern Selmer. Plus this comes with a better pad job than any new horn you can currently buy, and it will stay in adjustment well for many years with only the most routine of maintenance. You save thousands of dollars because this horn got a new coat of ‘paint’ at some point along the way. That makes a lot of sense to me. It comes in a nice BAM contoured alto case that is similar to the Selmer Flight Cases that come with the Ref 54. Fits the horn hand in glove.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1967 150568 Original Lacquer Excellent Condition!

    $ 8,500

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1970 184973 Original Lacquer American Engraved Fresh Overhaul!

    $ 6,000

    This is a sweet deal on a freshly-overhauled original lacquer Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone from 1970 serial 184973. This was a one-owner alto before I got it, and the guy was a pro player in the NYC/NJ area. He took great care of it, and now that it’s freshly overhauled, it is all ready for its second life. If you read around on here, you’ll see that I really love the Mark VI altos from the late 60’s and early 70’s like this. They finally got everything right on the Mark VI alto at this serial, after making incremental changes to the bore, bow length, and neck from 1957-1967 or so. By ’67 the alto hits its stride, and the 1970 is basically the same horn. Because the market is not fully rational, you can get some of the best Selmer Mark VI altos for this sort of price, even with a full overhaul, where some of the earlier serial ones will cost much more. That makes this one a great deal.

    If you have the cash, I think you might as well buy the nicest alto you can, and enjoy playing it. Pro altos are easier to play than student and intermediate ones, and the Mark VI is among the easiest vintage saxophones to play and to own. It’s easy to get worked on, well-built, and stays in adjustment well over time. The keywork design set the standard for all modern saxophones and feels great under the fingers. The tone is gorgeous, and the intonation is good. It’s the one horn that does everything the best on average, which is why it is so popular.

    This particular alto has a tone that is medium between bright and dark, and is a nice, balaced player. Not brash and bold like a 220k VI, and not dark and laser-focused like a 60k VI. It’s flexible, dynamic, and easy to take where you want it to go tonally with the right setup. The intonation is good, and the pads feel nice and snappy under the fingers, as they should on a good overhaul. The neck is in good condition and the neck ‘fit’ is all perfectly sealing in the tenon, which is one of those small but important things to have done on a vintage horn to take it from good to great. Cosmetically, you can see this horn has been played, and has some honest wear throughout. After all, it was lovingly pro-owned for many years, but aside from that, it’s very nice. The only past repairs are a resoldered foot of the low C guard that popped loose as it does on so many VI’s, and a few small dents removed from the back of the bow, which is now dent-free. Neck is beautiful, bell flare is in great shape. Tone holes are all great of course.

    It’s a very good deal on a solid Selmer Mark VI alto. This would be, to me, much preferable to spending $6700 on a new Reference 54 alto, which, unfortunately, will probably need an overhaul on top of the purcahse price in order to play its best. This will go up in value, hold up better to prolonged use, and get you your money back should you ever want to sell it. It comes in the new BAM case in the photos.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1971 Original Lacquer and Pads Excellent! 192152

    $ 5,500

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1971 Original Lacquer Old Pads

    $ 4,500

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1973 Original Lacquer American Engraved Great Deal 214844

    $ 4,100

    Price reduced June 2020! Extremely good price for an original lacquer Selmer Mark VI alto. This horn has older pads, so plan on getting it overhauled. But it won’t be a complex overhaul – just the regular, and Selmer Mark VI’s are easy and fun to restore at your local saxophone expert’s place. The later VI altos have a beautiful, balanced tone. Medium bright, punchy, and projecting, with a jazz mouthpiece. But still easy to rein in and play beautifully with a classical setup.  Selmer finally got the alto really nicely in tune by the end. It plays with an even scale and feels great with a lyrical French Selmer core and plenty of warmth and complexity to the tone. It’s medium between bright and dark, possibly medium bright when pushed, but it will really do most anything you want it to, depending on your choice of mouthpiece. So for less(!) than the price of a new Yamaha, you can get the storied Mark VI and own and enjoy it while it goes up in value. What’s not to like about that?

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone 1973 Original Lacquer Near Mint Fresh Overhaul! 208796

    $ 6,350

    Price now includes a fresh full overhaul! Great deal on a big sounding late VI alto that came with original pads and is now completely overhauled and in really clean shape. The late VI’s like this are among the best of the VI altos, because they tune great, they have an even scale, and they have lots of projection. If you want a VI that projects, has body to the sound, is mid-priced, and has a high end overhaul, this is it! It will be cheap and easy to maintain, because everything is dialed in perfectly and everything that can be fixed or replaced has been, so it’s totally fresh, clean, and feels like it’s new from the factory. This alto is in simply beautiful condition with no dents, no dings, and no past repairs at all.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor 195260 Original Lacquer American-Engraved Plays Well

    $ 5,950

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone 1957 69533 Original Lacquer Excellent Condition!

    $ 14,500

    This is about as nice an example of an original lacquer early 5-digit Selmer Mark VI tenor as I have seen! It still has all its original factory pads. The original neck is in perfect condition and has not been pulled down or damaged in any way. It has the matching serial number to the body. The beautiful dark honey gold lacquer is almost all intact! This saxophone was babied and then treasured by someone as a keepsake until now. The only past repair it had was a resoldered strap hook. That was done well, with minimal lacquer loss. Sometimes stuff like that just pops off on old Selmers – key guard feet, strap hooks, and braces – not really from damage so much as just the original solder coming loose. Luckily you can just pop it back on there and it’s good to go for another 60+ years.

    It’s hard to overemphasize how clean this tenor is. When you look at it, you just can’t believe how beautifully preserved it is. The body tube is straight and undamaged. The bottom bow even looks brand new. The bell and engraving look factory fresh and untouched. The original pads are falling out, so while you could try to play it on them, it would be better to get it freshly overhauled if you want to play it seriously. I got this horn in one of those beautiful red leather ‘Chesterfield’ original cases, but the zipper was broken on it, so I put it in a new BAM case for safety. If you want to pair this horn with an original 50’s Chesterfield Selmer case, I can possibly sell you one from my small vintage case collection. And if you want to buy it and then get it overhauled to play, I can hook you up with a top notch saxophone repairman who can do the overhaul right! You’ll be able to reuse the original Selmer metal Tone-x resonators on the new pads, which will give the horn a correct, vintage look.

    Tonally, the mid 60k range is a real sweet spot for the Mark VI tenor. These horns have a darker, more focused core tone than the later VI tenors, with plenty of power. As you push it, it will brighten up a bit, but stay fat and complex sounding. It’s super free blowing, and not stuffy at all. Loud and dark and powerful with a good amount of focus. When people make modern tenor necks that are supposed to mimic the ‘Mark VI tenor sound’ they often copy a neck like this one that is medium-dark, complex, and focused with easy overtones. This is the sort of tenor that gave the Mark VI the reputation that it now has. If you want virtually the same horn, but for half price with a new ‘coat of paint’ from the factory, check out the excellent deal I have on this VI tenor, which is virtually identical, and also super clean physically and mechanically.

    But if you have been looking for a really fantastic, original early 5-digit VI tenor that is almost like going back in time to 1957 and buying a new Selmer, then that’s what you have here. It’s a rare opportunity, and getting rarer every year. Soon, these horns will no longer be seen on the market at ALL often, and people will lament for the days when they were priced so ‘low’! It’s crazy, but true, if you compare to literally any other instrument (guitar, violin, piano, flute, even bassoon) — the best examples of the best instruments of all of those cost 3-10x what you can get a super clean Mark VI like this for currently.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone 1964 Original Lacquer Plays Great 119141

    $ 6,500

    Nice original lacquer Selmer Mark VI from a great vintage! This horn has an older overhaul and still plays on it, though the pads aren’t new. It’s on consignment, so it’s sold as is. The horn fell over at some point a long time ago, and has some dent work on the back of the body where it was repaired. The neck receiver also is resoldered. If you want a great deal on a player’s VI that is original lacquer, this would be a good one to consider. The tone is medium dark with quite a bit of power, and is actually kind of spread like a BA/SBA. The original neck has the matching serial, as you can see.

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone from 1970 American Engraved

    $ 6,450

    This is a beautiful example of a Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone from 1970. It is American engraved and assembled. The entire horn is original lacquer. Except for the neck, which has been relacquered, but still completely matches the horn in look and color. The neck evidently had a dent removed under the octave key, and the original owner wanted it to look as good as the horn, so had the dent removed and the neck resprayed. Anyway, it’s not a big deal playing wise, but I’m lowering the price of the horn by around $1500 to give someone a great deal on an original lacquer VI in excellent condition that is also cheaper than buying just a regular new Selmer tenor sax. Compared to a new Series II tenor, or a new Ref 54 or (gasp) Ref 36, you are saving hundreds to several thousands of dollars and getting a horn that is better made, plays better for almost any style but classical (nod to the Series II and III purists here) and will hold its value or go up in value rather than going down like a new Selmer would.

    To keep the price low, I’m selling it with all of its original pads still intact. It actually still plays quite well on the original pads, and seals up with little ‘note like’ pad pops all the way down to Bb. It’s a joy to feel the high quality pad work that Selmer Elkhart did on its original factory setups.

    All in all, this horn is in AMAZING physical condition. You very rarely find original lacquer horns that are 48 years old that look so great. It’s a great opportunity for someone to score a really eye-turning VI tenor for a discounted price.

    Only one available.

     

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone Original Lacquer American Engraved Just Overhauled Plays Effortlessly 195xxx

    $ 6,350

    Full description coming soon! This is an effortless player! A nice, clean original lacquer American-engraved Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone that also just got a complete overhaul. If you’re looking for a nice tenor to play and keep and just enjoy, this would be hard to beat!

  • Selmer Mark VII Alto Original Lacquer 264918 American Engraved Fresh Overhaul!

    $ 2,950
  • Sold Out

    Selmer Reference 54 Alto Saxophone Excellent Condition Great Deal! 759265

    $ 4,850

    This is one sweet Reference 54 alto! It has been completely cleand and tuned up and plays really well. Pro-owned and well cared for, it looks nearly new aside from a little lacquer wear on a couple of keys. There are no dents, no dings, no past repairs, and the engraving and lacquer look really beautiful. I’m including a new BAM case with this horn to keep it safe. It’s the same kind of BAM that Selmer sells with the Reference 54, so it makes sense to put it in this case.

    If you want a modern Selmer, this is the one to get. The Series II and III are good for classical, but for anything else, they can be mouthpiece picky. The Reference 54 is it’s own thing – it works with Meyers and a wide range of other mouthpieces. It responds with more warmth and complexity than the clear, round Series II and III’s. It is nice and snappy and ‘dry’ under the fingers, and the pads are all sealing well and just thoroughly gone through by my excellent repairman. Plus, by buying a really clean used Ref 54, you get a horn that will hold its value excellently, which is the main consideration NOT to buy a new Reference 54. But a clean, beautiful, great-playing used one is a smart buy. There isn’t a more beautiful or better sounding modern Selmer.

  • Selmer SBA Alto Saxophone Excellent Condition 55xxx Original Lacquer Recent Overhaul

    This is a beautiful original lacquer late serial Selmer SBA Alto saxophone with a recent overhaul. It plays really well, with a sweet, centered, lyrical voice, and lots of power. It’s nice and snappy under the fingers, and responds very well too. Minimal past repairs, and the original lacquer is in excellent condition. If you want something sweeter and warmer than most Mark VI’s but with similar ergonomics and intonation, and with even more beauty, then a late SBA like this is for you! Get it now, and it will go up in value while you own and enjoy it. That’s hard to beat. And that engraving!!

  • Selmer Series II Alto 655634 Excellent Condition Original Lacquer Fresh Overhaul!

    $ 4,250

  • Selmer Super Action 80 Series II Alto Saxophone 517537 SA80-II Excellent Condition Great Price!

    $ 3,150

    Save thousands of dollars getting this beautiful condition used Selmer Series II alto. This instrument has very little wear, and comes to you in excellent condition. It just got several new pads and a thorough setup, so it is playing very well and effortlessly throughout. As I’m sure you know, the Series II is the standard, go-to alto saxophone for serious saxophone study. You never need to upgrade it, and you can take it to college for saxophone study and it will be in good company there with a lot of other Series II’s and III’s. The tone is balanced, warm, clear and round, with a lyrical core tone and very good intonation. The Series II likes to have a classical style or concert mouthpiece like a Selmer S80 C* or D, or a Selmer Concept etc. Lots of other mouthpieces work, but if you’re not sure what to get, then get one of those two.

    Saxophones don’t really wear out if you maintain them, so there’s really no reason not to save a few thousand dollars on a nice used example of one of the most popular professional alto saxophones. You can keep this for the rest of your life and play it. It will hold its value as long as you own it. These are only going to go up in price over time.

  • Tenor Madness Custom 500SL Tenor Saxophone Cognac Lacquer High F# Effortless Player Newest Model L01110

    $ 4,500

    This is the best TM Custom tenor that I have played so far. It is brand new, plus it got a new horn setup on top of that. This is the new light body tube version of the 500SL model, and it is a truly effortless player. The intonation is excellent throughout. This bore is designed to have the F# tone hole present, so the tuning is excellent and altissimo is easy including the handy high F# key. The low notes are nice and saturated even at pp, and the horn will shake in your hands if you push it to ff. The palm key tone stays more full and rich than on most Taiwanese tenors that I have played (like P Mauriat etc.). The neck on this tenor is modeled on an early Mark VI tenor neck, and you do in fact get a Selmer-ish tone on it. I am impressed that you can get a horn this good for this price that has been thoroughly setup in the USA by TenorMadness pre-sale.

    The hand engraving is inspired by 50’s Selmer engraving, and it is of course gorgeous. The lacquer color is as well. This is one of the best looking tenors on the market today for sure. It comes in a contoured case that should be good for shipping and gigging.

    If you’re looking for an easy, turn-key purchase for a high-quality modern horn that is darker and more complex than some other new horns on the market, and that is really dependably easy to play, this would be a great choice. Really no matter what style of music you play, this horn gets the job done.

    Only one available!

  • Yamaha YAS-62 Alto Good Condition Original Lacquer Great Deal C39253

    $ 1,800

  • Yamaha YAS-62 II Alto Saxophone Excellent Condition Professional Great Deal!

    $ 2,450

    If you want a Yamaha 62 that has all new pads and feels like a million bucks, this is it. It really plays great, with super-flat, snappy pad seats. This horn got a full repad, which means all new pads, but it didn’t need a mechanical overhaul (keywork didn’t need restored), and it didn’t need all new corks and felts, though it has many new corks and felts. That’s simply to keep the cost down and get you a horn that is totally ready to go and will not need significant work for many years, besides just occasional check ups. The Yamaha YAS-62 is a great value, because it’s a professional alto, but sells for less money, and is easily good enough to last you all the way through college or for as long as you want to play it. You never need to upgrade. And you save a lot of money versus buying new, and the saxophone also retains all or most of its resale value. Especially with the kind of pad work this one has. Just play it, and it sells itself.

    Only one available!

  • Sold Out

    Yamaha YAS-62 Purple Logo Alto 1980’s Warm, Beautiful Tone Incl Full Overhaul

    $ 2,550

    Just completely overhauled to effortless perfection! This 1980’s ‘Purple Logo’ Yamaha 62 alto saxophone is just so nice to play. The Purple Logo 62s are a sweet spot for alto saxophones in general, because they combine the comfort and ease of modern keywork with a more warm, complex tone than you find on other later Yamahas. This vintage of 62 is more like a vintage Selmer, where the later Yamahas went for a clearer, rounder, brighter tone. This is more middle of the road on the bright/dark spectrum, and it’s not as clear, but more warm and has more complexity to the basic tone. It feels more like a vintage horn also – easier to bend notes around, where more recent ones are just slotted in what-you-get-is-what-you-yet tonally and pitch wise. This lets you do more. It’s a Yamaha with the training wheels off.

    The full overhaul spared no detail of restoring this alto to perfect mechanical and playing condition. There’s just a bit of cosmetic wear from use, and that’s really it for the description of the condition. It’s effortless to play. Low register produces a saturated pianissimo without any trouble. Low Bb is just another note. These usually sell about $400-500 higher, but I’m discounting this one for quick sale to be a great deal for some lucky player. If you get this alto, you never need to upgrade. It will be beautifully performing for you for as long as you want to play it, and with the fresh, high-end overhaul, it will stay in great adjustment with only the most minimal of maintenance! It’s an easy, turn-key purchase on a beautifully playing horn.

    Only one available!

  • Yamaha YTS-475 Intermediate Tenor Saxophone Good Playing Condition Great Value! 298213

    $ 1,650

    Just tuned up completely, and playing its best!

    Great deal on one of the best intermediate tenor saxophones on the market. The Yamaha 475 is made in Japan and plays a lot like a YTS-62, but costs less.  If you want a very well-built tenor, that feels good, tunes well, and is easy on the budget, this is it. Don’t waste your money on a new no-name sax. Those will be worth peanuts as soon as they are used. Yamaha horns are quality and hold their value really well. You can basically play it and enjoy it and sell it later for right around what you paid. Hard to beat.

  • Sold Out

    Yanagisawa S6 Soprano Good Condition

  • Sold Out

    Yanagisawa SC-9930 Curved Soprano Saxophone with High G! Rare

    For those of you who love to have the best and rarest at the same time, here is my favorite vintage of curved soprano ever made, the Yanagisawa SC-991, but this is in the solid silver neck and body tube version, which is SC-9930, AND it is one of the rare ones that came with the high G key included. This is the first one like this that I have seen, and it’s cool in a nerdy kind of way to have such a rare and fabulous example. You can order a new SC-9930 for $6730, but your extra $$$ won’t get you the high G! Nor will it be the warmer, fuller-sounding version from the 90’s like this with the bell keys on the left. My personal soprano is one just like this but brass, and I think it sounds better than the right hand bell keys version at least by a little bit. I also like the more direct action that you get with the pinky keys on the left hand bell key configuration. We’re splitting hairs here, but hey, if you’re in the rarified territory of exceptional curved sopranos, then maybe that’s your thing too.

    Condition wise, this SC-9930 is in very good shape, with no significant past repairs or current problems at all. I have not spent any money on pad work yet, as I’m trying to keep the price as low as possible, and the horn plays fine on current pads. I would like to sell it a little higher and spend maybe $250 on a thorough setup, so you can have that as an optional extra if you want.

    Original case and mouthpiece are in good shape as well. There is most certainly only one of these available!