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Original Lacquer

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  • Buescher Aristocrat 140 Alto Original Lacquer Very Good Condition

    $ 950

    Great deal on a clean, original lacquer, original pads Buescher 140 alto saxophone. This horn has its original snaps and spuds intact, and is a repad shy of being a VERY good player. Minimal wear, minimal past repairs, neck in good shape. This is a clean one that will be an easy repad job for someone. These are among the most undervalued vintage horns right now!

  • Buffet S1 Alto Saxophone Amazing Condition Great Player

    $ 2,350

    The Buffet S1 Alto saxophone is the best saxophone that Buffet ever produced. It has all of the big, operatic voice of a Super Dynaction, paired with some brilliant keywork improvements. Plus, it has that combination of high build quality and rarity that makes it appeal to me both as a player and as a lover of vintage saxophones. The low C/Eb design is just so pleasant to use. It’s light, fast, and ergonomic. No more hopping your pinky over rollers. Just rock it side to side! Why don’t modern saxes copy this? The left hand spatula keys have similarly smart rocking designs that make the adjacent keys stay accessible when you press any of the pinky keys down. The S1 has excellent intonation, beautiful engraving, and a pleasant, warm, medium tone between bright and dark. If you want a great professional alto that is in the neighborhood of a Selmer Mark VI, that is equally well built, but costs less, and has a bit wider, fatter sound, especially in the palm keys, then the S1 is the horn for you. There’s nothing else that does all of that stuff as well. The pads on this alto are original, so either plan on replacing them several at a time over the next few years, or just plan on a repad soon. It’s fun to play even on original pads though. And it’s priced LOW! Original case is gorgeous too.

    Only one available!

  • Buffet Super Dynaction Alto 16883 Original Lacquer Good Condition Old Pads

    $ 1,250

    Buffet Super Dynaction alto saxophone with original lacquer. This alto came from a collector who favored Buffet saxophones, and it is priced to sell, in good condition. It has had some dings removed, and the pads are old, but you’ll get an excellent pro alto for a bargain price if you get this and get it overhauled. It has the ‘sparkle’ lacquer that the earlier serial Buffet Super Dynaction saxophones have. The earlier ones like this also play darker, and look great too. The original case comes with it. They’re one of the few saxophones along with the Mark VI and the Couf Superba 1 that have a complex, interesting, vintage tone, but keywork that feels more or less modern under the fingers. Intonation is also typically quite good, as you might expect from Buffet Crampon Paris.

  • Buffet Super Dynaction Alto Original ‘Sparkle’ Lacquer Overhauled 13945

    $ 2,750

  • Conn 10M (late) Transitional Tenor Original Lacquer Old Pads Great Serial! 261521

    $ 3,650

  • Conn 26M VIII Connqueror Alto Original Lacquer Excellent! 292445

    $ 3,550

    This is a beautiful example of a rare Conn Connqueror 26M Alto saxophone with original lacquer and VIII stamp. The Connqueror is the most mechanically sophisticated saxophone that Conn ever made. It is a pre-war 6M body tube and neck, with all new keywork design, extra engraving, and solid silver on all the key touches that are not pearl. The ‘permadjust’ system is the big development on the Connqueror altos. You can read about that on Matt Stohrer’s website, or watch his repairman’s overview of the 26M on Youtube. This one has its bits and bobs intact, and is in very good condition. It just got overhauled before I bought it, so the pads are all new!  Cosmetically, this horn is just great, with only some minor lacquer wear. It has to be one of the nicest 26M Connqueror altos out there. Definitely the nicest one for sale currently, and priced very reasonably. I really like this one.

    Only one available!

  • Conn 30M Tenor Saxophone Good Condition Original Lacquer 300198

    $ 6,750

    This is a rare and deluxe Conn 30M Connqueror tenor saxophone from 1941, which is one of the best years for Conn saxophones. This tenor has original lacquer and all the crazy extra features that set the ‘Connqueror’ saxophones apart. They’re some of the coolest of all vintage saxophones– everything you touch on the keys is either thick solid silver inlay or mother of pearl. The engraving is deluxe – more than double what is on a 10M, and the keywork is entirely redesigned. The cool thing about the Conn 30M keywork is the ‘permadjust’ mechanism. The big idea here is that once you get the horn correctly setup, all the adjustments can be locked in using a set of disks attached to very fine adjustment screws, which also are locked in place using locking screws. Then the horn’s setup is permanently locked in – no corks or felts to compress, and minimal maintenance needed. Instead of having to install, sand, remove, re-sand, reinstall, and replace corks, your repair shop just needs to turn the right screw a tiny bit in order to setup the horn. Then, if you play the horn till the pads are worn out, you can still just swap out pads without needing to completely overhaul the saxophone for a very long time.

    Tonally, the 30M is almost exactly like a 10M. All the geometry of the bore / neck / tone holes is the same as far as anyone can tell. The left hand pinky table / spatula keys if you’re too cool to say ‘pinky’, is angled quite differently on the 30M compared to the 10M. It’s ‘flatter’ and wider, with more rounded edges. Both designs are easy to play, and it isn’t hard to switch between them. There are no other key feel differences between 10M and 30M.

    This particular 30M has had some dents removed from the bow area, and maybe a small ding removed from the side of the neck. Besides that, it has nearly all of its original lacquer and hasn’t been played that much since new. The pads are new, but it was repadded before I got it, and could use some additional dialing in of the permadjust mechanism. I’ll get that done eventually, but in the meantime, I just priced it low for an original lacquer 30M (they usually sell about $1500 higher than this), so that you can get whatever you want done yourself and still come out ahead.

    Only one available!

  • Conn 6M Alto Saxophone Gorgeous Original Lacquer 320627

    $ 1,750

    This Conn 6M Alto is in excellent original condition with original lacquer and original pads. It is almost as clean as it could possibly be. It will need a repad as soon as you get it, because it only makes saxophone noises now, but has pads from 1947 or so, which are ready to be replaced. No wear anywhere. No real damage, and no problems that I can see. If you want a great looking, super clean Conn 6M, that’s what this is. Original case also in good condition.

    Only one available!

  • Conn 6M Transitional Alto Saxophone Original Lacquer New York Neck! 275123

    $ 2,100

  • Conn 6M VIII Alto Saxophone Pre-war 300088 Original Lacquer Excellent Condition

    $ 2,250

    BEAUTIFUL example of an original lacquer ‘Pre-war’ Conn 6M VIII Alto saxophone in extremely fine original condition with original pads. It’s about as clean an example as you are ever likely to find. It had one dent removed from the body tube (nearly invisible now), and that’s it for past repairs or damage over its entire first 80 years of existence.

    These altos remain an absolute bargain. They’re among the best playing alto saxophones ever made, with a bigger, wider, more powerful tone than almost anything out there. And yet the keywork is very fast and comfortable, and the intonation is excellent. It’s the perfect lead alto horn. It’s also made in USA at the height of US manufacturing, and has a build quality that has hardly been matched since. This is the desirable version with the VIII stamped neck, which tends to sell for more than the later versions without the stamp. They’re all great, so if you’re on a budget, check out the beautiful 320k post war example that is also for sale. This is original pads, so plan to get it repadded.

    Only one available!

  • King SilverSonic Alto 1962 Original Lacquer Recent Overhaul Excellent Condition 390503

    $ 5,000

  • King SilverSonic Alto 1962 Original Lacquer Recent Overhaul Excellent Condition 390796

    $ 5,000

  • King SilverSonic Alto Original Lacquer Mint Exceptional 448357

    $ 6,500

    This is one of the best playing King altos that you will find! It’s freshly overhauled, and it’s in near mint condition with original lacquer and absolutely gorgeous condition. This is pretty amazing to play. Tyler said it’s a stand out player as well, when he gave it back to me after recording this clip.

  • King SilverSonic Tenor Series III Gold in the Engraving Double Socket Neck 375203

    $ 10,500

    **Price includes Matt Stohrer’s overhaul which was JUST finished!

    If you’re reading this, then welcome! I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite tenor saxophones. There are many versions of King Super 20 tenors and King SilverSonic tenors and it can be confusing for people who don’t regularly geek out about vintage saxophones to know which ones are the best. The short answer in this case would be – this one! The reasons, you ask? So, the next earlier SilverSonic version, the ‘Series II’ with pearl side keys, will cost you many many thousands of dollars more money (because only around 200 exist). This is the next version after that, and it has the best combination of features that you could ask for: solid silver (not plated, but all the way through silver) neck and bell; thick gold plate inside the engraving on the bell, gold wash inside the bell with lacquer over it; double socket neck with underslung octave key. All of those features go away at one time or another on later Super 20’s and SilverSonics. So to have them all in one horn is what you want.

    That’s the first big reason. The second is keywork. People always seem to want keywork that feels modern, even on a vintage horn. This is a barrier to lots of players getting to experience best vintage horns – they can have trouble with the idea that a Conn 10M or a Buescher Top Hat and Cane has different pinky key layout, and are afraid they won’t be able to adjust. If you’ve had the pleasure of spending a week playing a horn with an unfamiliar key layout, you’ll know already, that this fear is overplayed. Your brain makes the changes in your muscle memory and you very soon feel comfortable and at home. Nevertheless… if you’re someone who wants it both ways – vintage horn build quality, beauty and tone, but modern-ish keywork, then this is the horn for you. The Series III Super 20’s and SilverSonics are the first ones that feel pretty much modern under the fingers. No, low Bb does not tilt like your Yamaha, but it’s still in the same location and is the same basic shape. So it’s easier to make the move to this version of SilverSonic.

    And why move? Well, to me, beauty alone is a sufficient reason. It’s easily one of the most beautiful saxophones ever made.That gold over silver on the bell, plus the neck – people are still imitating that look today, to varying degrees of success.  This tenor just got a complete overhaul done by Matt Stohrer, who does King overhauls as well as anyone on the planet, if not better. Now, everything on this horn is clean, straight, tidy, and snappy, just like it should be. It probably plays better now than it did when it was brand new! It’s just fantastic. As Kings go, it’s in the medium category between dark and spread (Zephyr Special/ Super 20 series 1) and bright and focused (series IV and V Super 20). This has the earlier double socket neck design like a Series II, but the sterling silver bell seems to give it some extra zing, and it plays a little brighter than my Series II Super 20 brass bell that I compare everything to, and a lot more focused than my Zephyr Special, but not as bright and laser focused as the last few later SilverSonics that have come through. Lots of power though.

    This version of the SilverSonic deserves to be worth more than it is, and I have this one priced actually lower than the last one I sold 10 years ago, so it’s definitely a great deal. You just don’t see Series III SilverSonics with doube socket neck and gold in the engraving very often. And they have a super-powerful, fat but not too shrill, projecting tone that is really hard to beat. This could easily be your only horn for the rest of your life, and you would never need to upgrade, and probably would never even be tempted to. Now that I’ve written this description, if the horn suddenly disappears from the site, you’ll know I decided to just keep it and play it.

    Only one available! (Here it is playing a ballad, and it sounds quite different playing straight ahead.)

  • King Super 20 Alto 1950 Original Lacquer Recent Overhaul Full Pearls Excellent Condition 313044

    $ 6,250

  • King Super 20 Alto Series III Original Lacquer Very Good Condition Overhauled! 376523

    $ 4,950

    Great King Super 20 alto that is also on the affordable side for one of the best vintages. This is 376523, double socket, solid silver neck, engraved bell keys, underslung octave key, but the more modern style pinky keys and a tone that is more like the ‘full pearls’ Super 20’s. This horn just got a full, top shelf overhaul with Pisoni italian leather pads and nice reusable slightly domed, metal resonators. It feels brand new under the fingers, and it is still in excellent original cosmetic condition. Only one available! $4950 incl the overhaul, which is about what you’d pay for a Yamaha, and this is much better and holds its value better too.

  • Martin Magna Alto Original Lacquer Excellent Condition Overhauled! 206422

    $ 3,750

    Beautiful original lacquer Martin Magna Committee III Alto Saxophone. It has no dents or dings and is in absolutely gorgeous condition. The Magna is the most desirable Martin saxophone, because of the rarity and some cosmetic and mechanical features that set it above the rest. These include the fancy engraving, and nickel keys and cross accents on neck and bell, and keyguards. It just got overhauled, and it’s in FANTASTIC shape now. Here are some preview photos. 

    These altos have such a beautiful tone (think Art Pepper), which is warm, dry, full, and powerful. Medium between bright and dark, with plenty of what Martin called ‘carrying power’ and we call ‘projection’ to spare, no matter how much you want to push it. These sound better with really bright mouthpieces than almost any other saxophone, if that’s your thing. But they sound great with something like an MC Gregory Model A like Pepper used. Only one available!

  • Martin Music Man Alto Original Lacquer Gorgeous! 208891

    $ 2,150

    Gorgeous original lacquer Martin Music Man alto saxophone. This is one of my favorite The Martin Alto Committee III’s ever, and is being sold from my personal collection. It was in another collection for many decades before I got it, and it has been cared for very well over the years. The pads aren’t bad, but it’s not freshly overhauled either. It plays well on them. I’d play it for a while and save up for an overhaul before too long, if you want to unlock the full potential.

    The Official Music Man model was made to commemorate the runaway hit musical ‘The Music Man’ about a traveling band instrument salesman. (I’m sure you know it.) These are a lot like a regular Comm III, “The Martin Alto” but have some extra engraving and the adjustable neck octave key stoppers like a Magna. They will always be more desirable and collectible than a regular The Martin Alto, but they have the same power, projection, and dark, complex tone. These horns are built to last, and came with 50 year warranties when new. Some of them are just leaving their warranty coverage now, which is hilarious. Only one available!

  • Sold Out

    NOVA Woodwinds Bronze Low A Baritone Saxophone Brand New Great Deal

    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 bronze, and then in the brass 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 Rico Metallite for funk/rock, a Yamaha 5C or Rousseau for an inexpensive beginner baritone mouthpiece for concert band, 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.

  • Powell Silver Eagle SE10 Alto One of 18 Made – all options solid silver +Matt Stohrer Overhau

    $ 12,000

    For your viewing pleasure, this is one of the 18 Powell Silver Eagle saxophones made. Powell conceived of an ambitious project to bring back an American-made saxophone of the highest quality. Inspired by the Super 20 SilverSonic, the Silver Eagle reproduces the bore while adding solid silver soldered tone holes and modern keywork. Powell sadly ended their project after making only 18 saxophones, despite high demand, due to the high cost of production. This horn plays like a good super 20 but a little more evenly, and has been completely overhauled by Matt Stohrer. This is the ultimate collectible among modern saxophones, and it is also a burning player. Asking price is just what these cost new, plus a little extra since it got a $1500 overhaul on top of that! It’s not even inflated for the collectibility value, which is probably not smart of me, but there it is. If you want to discuss all the details of this project, I can put you in touch with the people who built it. These were most definitely a new saxophone bore and neck design, inspired by the best King Super 20 SilverSonic altos, both according to them and according to the folks who bought the tooling and mandrels when the project ended. The keywork is modified from tooling bought from B&S, which accounts for the pinky table that sticks out farther than it would on something like a Yamaha.

    There is most certainly only one available. This one has all the possible factory options, which only a subset of Powell Silver Eagles had – including the solid silver tone holes and even cryo treatment. Of the 18 saxophones built, I know at least a couple of them were brass bell, and some others lacked other of these features. This is one of the ones with everything, which makes it even more collectible. Includes the original accessories, case, and paperwork.

    Just for fun, here’s Matt Stohrer’s repairman’s overview from when he overhauled it.

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1960 Original Lac Fresh Overhaul! Hard to Beat 94108

    $ 7,450

    This is an original lacquer Selmer Mark VI Alto from 1960 that was one owner for almost its entire life until now. It was played by a pro in FL. He had a pickup installed in the neck, which I got removed and replaced with a ‘flush plug’ meaning the brass is perfectly smooth and matching inside and out. From a playing perspective, it’s the same as if it was never there. I also got this excellent Mark VI completely overhauled.

    The 90k-118k altos are my favorite Mark VI’s of all for tone. This alto has a dark, focused tenor-like tone with tons of power. It makes you want to just play and play and never put it down! With the fresh overhaul, it feels like a brand new saxophone, and plays like one too. Effortless low register, even at pianissimo; dry, snappy pad feel; slightly domed brass resonators (reusable selmer style ones that are $125 a set), italian leather Pisoni pads. It also comes in a new form-fitted BAM Classic alto case, which is designed specifically to protect the Mark VI, and which has a large external storage pocket, hard shell, and just the right kind of protective foam.

    You seldom see a ‘five digit’ Selmer Mark VI alto available for this kind of price. This one is priced lower than a new Selmer, and sounds and plays better, and has a better overhaul. That’s hard to beat if you want an original lacquer Mark VI that will keep playing great for many years to come with only minimal routine maintenance and that will hold its value or appreciate over time. It’s hard to beat!

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1962 Original Lacquer Low A Fresh Overhaul! 106690

    $ 8,000

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1965 Original Lacquer Very Good Condition 129247

    $ 7,750

    Beautiful condition 1965 Selmer Mark VI Alto saxophone with original lacquer and American engraving. The neck has the matching serial number to the body. It has some stand scratches on the bell, and some miscellaneous wear from use, but it is as nice as can be. The pads are in gret condition! This was a one owner horn that was well cared for its entire life. Now it’s ready for a new owner to take care of it for its next 60 years.

    The tone is dark, powerful, and focused with lots of projection. I like the mid 60’s VI altos the best for tone out of all of the VI altos.

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1968 Original Lacquer Excellent 160883

    $ 7,000

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1973 Original Lacquer Plays Well 220833

    $ 4,950

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1974 Original Lacquer Fresh Overhaul Great! 221505

    $ 6,350

    This is just freshly overhauled. I just went through all the Mark VI altos on the site, and this may be the best player, despite not being nearly the most expensive. It has a medium tone between bright and dark, a rich voice, and tons of power. You’ll absolutely love it. The overhaul was with italian leather Pisoni pads and premium reusable slightly domed brass resonators. It’s hard to beat! I’m also including a new BAM Classic alto case with it to keep it safe and give you the full package.

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto 1974 Original Lacquer Good Pads 227643

    $ 4,750

    Original lacquer Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone with American engraving and good pads, priced under $5k! Is that possible? Yes!

    The later serial Mark VI altos like this have excellent intonation, excellent balanced medium-bright tone, and are extremely well built. This alto has nothing wrong with it, plays great, and will go up in value while you own it, but it’s about the same price as a Yamaha or even a ’boutique’ Taiwanese brand. That’s nuts! You should definitely buy it if you can. There’s nothing like a Mark VI – it has the best combination of keywork, ergonomics, build quality, and tone of any saxophone, which is why it still sets the standard for professional saxophones 50 years after Selmer stopped making them! This one also has a roomy case with plenty of storage. The lacquer has some wear, because the sax is just so fun to play. It’s in great structural condition, and the pads are newish. This is a true player’s horn with tons of projection. Spring tension is setup light, but we can stiffen it pre-shipping if you prefer.

    Only one available.

  • Selmer Mark VI Sopranino 5-digit RARE Original Lacquer Excellent! 98569

    $ 8,250

    This is an incredibly rare 5-digit Selmer Mark VI Sopranino saxophone. Serial 98569, close to Coltrane’s famous VI soprano. Original lacquer at about 98% intact; extremely clean condition with no damage and no past repairs. Original case is great as well. I may have this significantly underpriced. A 5-digit Mark VI soprano of this serial would sell much higher. In any case, it’s the ultimate sopranino saxophone. This is the only 5-digit sopranino I’ve had in the history of GetASax, so there is most certainly only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano Near Mint Original Lacquer 222370

    $ 6,000

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano Original Lacquer Excellent Condition! 210073

    $ 4,950

    Gorgeous original lacquer Selmer Mark VI soprano. The later serials like this tune the best of all the VI sopranos, and sound great. Both Coltrane and Kenny G play(ed) a VI soprano, so that should give you some idea of the range of tone possible on one of these. This one is about as clean and nice an example as you could find. The pads are original, and still sealing fairly well, but plan on a repad soon. Priced to be a great deal for someone.

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor 1955 Original Lacquer Plays Well 59259

    $ 15,500

    This VI tenor is dark, rich, powerful, and focused. It’s one of the VI tenors that accounts for the reputation of the Selmer Mark VI Tenor being what it is today. This horn has had its share of dents removed from the back of the body tube along the area of the thumb hook. The work was done nicely though, and there’s not sign of dents now. This horn was owned by the same person for a very long time – pro player, who took great care of it and played it his whole life. It’s not the sort of horn that you sell. The pads are a mix of older and newer and have just been tuned up. It plays well, but you’re going to be doing some tune ups on it down the road as some of the pads are pretty old. Still, you can play it now like this and it sounds great and responds well. 1955 is an excellent year for a VI both as a player and as an investment. Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Tenor 1971 Excellent Condition Original Lacquer! 189976

    $ 8,000

  • Selmer Mark VII Alto Original Lacquer American Engraved 256747

    $ 3,450

  • Selmer Mark VII Alto Original Lacquer Very Good Condition 244921

    $ 3,150

  • Selmer New Large Bore Tenor Original Plays Well! 13182

    $ 4,350

  • Selmer Radio Improved Alto Original Lacquer, Recent Overhaul 19276

    $ 4,650

    If you read around on here a bit, you’ll see that I love Selmers from the 1930’s and the Radio Improved in particular. This one has most of its original lacquer intact, and is in quite good condition. it is also in great playing condition with a recent overhaul done by Jack Finucane (Aka Jack Tyler) from a few years or so ago before he stopped doing overhauls, and feels nice and snappy under the fingers. The pads look a little funny in photos – that’s because of some powder from Yamaha powder paper that is on the leather. But the pads themselves are in excellent condition and are nearly new. The resonators look like a Reso-Tech set made to match the vintage Selmer Tonex resos, but slightly oversized, and very slightly domed. They are a good match for the horn, and they almost look like vintage Selmer resonators. It didn’t get played much after overhaul, as the owner is in a military band and plays a modern horn most of the time for work. It’s on consignment now, and I think it’ll likely sell quickly.

    The tone of a Radio Improved alto is the reason to buy it. It’s like a Selmer blended with a Conn almost- delicate lyrical core that reminds me of an SBA, but with a wider, warmer, more spread feel like a Conn. The keywork is not modern. This is before the ‘Balanced Action’ keywork improvements, so you will have to get used to the left hand pinky keys if you haven’t played a vintage horn before. If you have, then it’s no problem. I barely notice keywork differences anymore after playing all the different styles out there. This one is more comfortable than most, and I like the direct action bell key mechanism.

    The original lacquer is in beautiful shape and looks great – deep honey gold. The only spot that isn’t original lacquer (and you’d have to really look closely to tell this) is at the neck receiver, where it looks like Jack had to resolder the neck receiver and then mix up some matching lacquer to over spray there. The only way to tell is that there’s just a little sign of overspray of the new lacquer on top of the original lacquer just below the receiver. That resolder often needs to be done on a 30’s Selmer to make the neck receiver strong again after 80+ years of use. (It was done on my personal RI, so I specially look for it). These horns are very uncommon, and this one is nicer than the great majority of RI’s out there. Only 1140 RI altos were made, and this is probably in the top 10% of those.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Reference 54 Alto Saxophone Flamingo Dark Lacquer Plays Great! 708286

    $ 5,450

  • Selmer Super Sax Cigar Cutter Alto Original Lacquer Fresh Overhaul Exceptional! 16757

    $ 4,950

    Just overhauled. Photos are before the overhaul. It looks a bit nicer now, and plays ridiculously well. It’s like the warmth and lyrical core of a Selmer Balanced Action, but with the wideness and power of a Conn 6M added in. Keywork is the older style, of course, so you can’t be too fussy about that. We just did a GS NY demo video quick preview with this exact alto, so you can hear it in action on an extremely precise copy of my favorite Meyer Bros NY alto piece in this demo clip. You can tell Tyler is a tenor player from the way he really pushes the horn with tons of air, but it doesn’t back down!

  • Sold Out

    Yamaha YAS-61 Alto Original Lacquer Old Pads 8822

    $ 1,500
  • Sold Out

    Yamaha YAS-62III Alto Saxophone Brand New with Warranty!

    The YAS-62III Alto saxophone from Yamaha is the go-to, top recommended first professional alto saxophone from most teachers and band directors I have talked to over the years. Again and again online, someone asks something like, “We want to get our daughter/son a good saxophone. Our budget is around $3000. What should we get?” The most common answer is basically always a Yamaha YAS-62III alto. Why? It just works. It’s a professional horn that is extremely reliable and made in Japan, with excellent build quality, great intonation, and a top quality factory setup. You can use virtually any mouthpiece on it, and it will still tune well. That lets you take the (admittedly rather vanilla) tone in myriad directions. Yamaha is a conservative company, and their crowd pleaser YAS-62III alto saxophone is meant to get the job done without over-determining the tone.  It’s clear, medium bright, and round. Not too loud and in your face, not very dark or too bright. Works for classical or jazz.

    It’s hard to keep these horns in stock, as Yamaha has been backordered on them for a long time. I have one available late September, 2022. These come with a new horn checkup before they go to you, meaning my (experienced/skilled/picky) repairman makes sure that the horn plays like it should. Often there are 2 or three little tweaks that take the horn from good to great, and that’s actually a big added value to you to have us do that before you get it. Most of the differerces between new horns of the same model at a store are due to the lack of a good new horn checkup.

  • Sold Out

    Yamaha YTS-62III Professional Tenor Saxophone Brand NEW with Warranty and Pro Setup

    $ 3,798

    The YTS-62III Tenor saxophone from Yamaha is the go-to, top recommended first professional tenor from most teachers and band directors I have talked to over the years. Again and again online, someone asks something like, “We want to get our daughter/son a good saxophone. Our budget is around $3750. What should we get?” The most common answer is basically always a Yamaha 62 tenor. Why? It just works. It’s a professional horn that is extremely reliable and made in Japan, with excellent build quality, great intonation, and a top quality factory setup. You can use virtually any mouthpiece on it, and it will still tune well. That lets you take the (admittedly rather vanilla) tone in myriad directions. Yamaha is a conservative company, and their crowd pleaser YTS-62III tenor saxophone is meant to get the job done without over-determining the tone. It’s clear, medium bright, and round. Not too loud and in your face, not very dark or too bright. Not very smoky or complex. But you can add most of that back in with a well-chosen mouthpiece.

    It’s hard to keep these horns in stock, as Yamaha has been backordered on them for a long time. I have some more coming in pretty soon (Maybe June 2022) These come with a new horn checkup before they go to you, meaning my (experienced/skilled/picky) repairman makes sure that the horn plays like it should. Often there are 2 or three little tweaks that take the horn from good to great, and that’s actually a big added value to you to have us do that before you get it. Most of the differerces between new horns of the same model at a store are due to the lack of a good new horn checkup.

  • Sold Out

    Yanagisawa AWO1 Professional Alto Saxophone New + Setup – Fantastic Deal! A901

    $ 3,150

    New in the plastic Yanagisawa AWO1 Alto saxophone. This is probably the best deal overall in a modern alto, period. This horn just got checked out post shipping and is ready to play its very best right out of the case when you get it. It’s completely mint, with factory box and paperwork etc. You won’t find a better playing Yanagisawa AWO1 Alto Saxophone, nor will you find a better price. I have an extremely limited number of these that I can offer you at this sale price. Good luck to the few people who are able to jump on this deal!

    If you’re wondering, the AWO1 is the brass version of Yanagisawa’s professional alto. This is the new name of what used to be the A901 model. It has a more open and vibrating feel than the heavier-built AWO10 (which is also a fantastic alto, but more expensive). My first good alto was one of these. If you want the best alto for the money, that would be the Yanagisawa AWO1. And when you go to re-sell it, you can get most to all of your money back, which is the opposite of most new saxophones.

    Any questions, feel free to ask!

  • Sold Out

    Yanagisawa AWO10 Elite Professional Alto Saxophone Brand New Fantastic Deal! A991

    $ 3,950

    Mint, unplayed, new in the plastic Yanagisawa AWO10 Alto saxophone. This is probably the best deal on this saxophone that you will find anywhere.  The AWO10 (formerly called A991) is Yanagisawa’s top of the line saxophone, made of solid brass, like most saxophones (as distinguished from their bronze and silver options that are significantly more expensive.)  This AWO10 just got checked out post shipping and is ready to play its very best right out of the case when you get it. It’s completely mint, with factory box and paperwork etc. You won’t find a better playing Yanagisawa AWO10, nor will you find a better price. I have an extremely limited number of these that I can offer you at this sale price. Good luck to the few people who are able to jump on this amazing deal!

    If you’re wondering, the AWO10 is the brass version of Yanagisawa’s top line professional alto. This is the new name of what used to be the A991 model. It has sturdier ‘ribbed construction’ and double arms on the bell keys, to distinguish it from its extremely similar but less expensive sibling, the AWO1 (A901). The Yanagisawa AWO10 also has the underslung neck octave key mechanism and fancy hand engraving. I love how the neck octave key looks and works. My first good alto was a Yanagisawa, and I never would have needed to upgrade from it. The tone is medium bright, clear, and round, with a crisp projection to it. With a classical mouthpiece, it darkens up beautifully while still shimmering. For jazz, it’s a natural lead alto with a brighter mouthpiece, like the GS New York or many others. The intonation is excellent. Keywork is super comfortable. The build quality that Yanagisawa offers is the best of any saxophone, and yet the price is lower than many of its competitors. That’s why Yanagisawa is SO popular among pro sax players, and why its saxophones are often back ordered with long waits. Here’s your chance to grab one at a SUPER price that is all setup and ready to go for many years making beautiful music dependably. It’s the Lexus of modern saxophones, and it just makes playing effortless.

    Any questions, feel free to ask!

  • Sold Out

    Yanagisawa AWO2 Solid Bronze Alto Saxophone Brand New + Setup! A902

    $ 3,750

    Two available March 2023, and they’ve both been setup and play GREAT!

    Brand new, unplayed, in the plastic Yanagisawa AWO2 Alto saxophone. This is probably the best deal overall in a modern alto period. This horn just got checked out post shipping and is ready to play its very best right out of the case when you get it. It’s completely mint, with factory box and paperwork etc. You won’t find a better playing Yanagisawa AWO2, nor will you find a better price. I have an extremely limited number of these that I can offer you at this sale price. Good luck to the few people who are able to jump on this amazing deal!

    If you’re wondering, the WO2 is the bronze version of Yanagisawa’s professional alto. This is the new name of what used to be the A902 model. It has a more open and vibrating feel than the heavier-built AWO20 (which is also a fantastic alto, but more expensive). My first good alto was one of these. And the solid bronze adds more depth and complexity to the tone – kind of a thick heart to the core of the tone. It’s quite easy to hear once you get used to it and play the different Yanagisawa saxophones. The AWO2 (A902) and AWO20 (A992) are my favorites, closely followed by AWO1 (A901) and AWO10 (A991) (same horns but in brass instead of bronze).

    Any questions, feel free to ask!

  • Yanagisawa BWO10 Baritone Saxophone Brand New Fantastic Deal!

    $ 8,350

    Brand new Yanagisawa BWO10 professional baritone saxophone that is here and in stock now, ready to ship. These are backordered almost everywhere, whether it says that when you checkout or not. Good luck getting one from the places I find when I google this model. They’re not actually there – if you get one elsewhere, you will likely have to wait for it to be manufactured and then drop shipped from overseas. Which isn’t what you really want when buying a saxophone this big. You want a shop to do a new horn checkup on it, like this one got, and make sure everything is playing perfectly and setup properly, so that you get the full joy of playing a brand new baritone saxophone. The low register experience is incomparable – the low Bb and A just come out like any other note! Intonation is fantastic. Ergonomics likewise.

    Unfortunately there is only one available. So once that’s sold, it may be some time before I get another one, with the long backorders there are for new Yanagisawa saxophones at present.

  • Yanagisawa Curved Soprano SC-991 272321 Excellent Condition

    $ 3,450

    This is a Yanagisawa SC-991 curved soprano saxophone in excellent condition! The curved Yanagisawa sopranos are the best curved sopranos ever made. They tune excellently well! This one is about as nice as you’d be likely to find. It plays beautifully! It has been well cared-for and will be easy to own and will continue to play beautifully for many years to come! Yanagisawa saxophones have become hard to find in good used condition lately, as the new ones are now about a year backordered for most varieties. This will continue to be the case because of their popularity and high quality. And prices will continue to rise as a result. This is a rare chance to get their high end curved soprano for a lot less than the new price, in excellent condition!

  • Yanagisawa SWO2 Solid Bronze Professional Soprano Saxophone New! + Setup

    $ 3,950

    One just in!!

    This is a new Yanagisawa SWO2 Soprano saxophone in solid bronze. The one piece solid bronze Yanagisawa SWO-2 soprano is one of my favorite modern soprano saxophones of all. It has a noticeably darker, more complex tone than the SWO1, so to me, it’s worth the extra money to spring for the bronze on soprano. The one piece design means no neck socket to leak, and the horn resonates beautifully under your fingers when you play. It tunes beautifully as well. The keywork feels great under the fingers – dry and snappy. Yanagisawa has the best build quality of any modern saxophone, and it shows. Plus I get all new Yanagisawa saxophones checked out pre-sale by one of my excellent repairmen, so that any tiny improvements that will take it from good to great are done before you get it. This is a surprisingly big deal, and something you want to have done, regardless of where you happen to buy a new saxophone. A couple of tiny, smart fixes often take an already good horn into the exceptional category.

    If you’ve been thinking of getting a soprano, then Yanagisawa is really a great choice. These are precision instruments that are built to last and that sound beautiful. They work with a wide range of mouthpieces (Selmer sopranos are more ‘mouthpiece picky’), which is nice because you can shape the tone with mouthpiece choice a LOT.

    I have an extremely limited availability of these Yanagisawa saxophones, but ONE SWO2 is currently available as of November 2022. Whoever gets it will be one lucky saxophonist!

  • Yanagisawa TWO2 Tenor Saxophone New in the plastic T902

    Yanagisawa TWO2 Tenor Saxophone brand new (formerly T902) is a professional saxophone for an absolutely bargain price in solid bronze.  It’s also the best built modern saxophone. It just happens to also be affordable. This horn got a new horn checkup after arriving at the GetASax shop. Having a world class repairman take a look at a new saxophone fresh from the factory can often take it from good to great. There are typically 2 or 3 small tweaks that need done, and presto – you get the full experience of what the horn can do. Besides the excellent price, that’s a real selling point, I think. I wish my first new saxophone had been checked out. I suffered with too stiff spring tensions for years in college, without even realizing that I could easily have had that fixed. I know better now!