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‘Meyer Bros.’ New York Model Alto Mouthpiece by Ted Klum – the Best!
$ 499This is an exceptional alto saxophone mouthpiece. It does literally anything you want it to, from lead alto, to ballads, to section work, to pit and concert band. It is what I play, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Every single person who has bought one has emailed back or called me with rave reviews. I don’t normally make these kinds of pronouncements about mouthpieces, but until you play one of Ted Klum’s facings, it is possible that you don’t yet know how easy it should be to play saxophone. The response is instant; subtone is effortless; altissimo is right there and easy. The tone is just gorgeous – it’s based on the type of Meyer Bros that Cannonball Adderley played, and it really does lean in that full-throated, warm, lyrical direction that you think of with Cannonball. Phil Woods’ tone is another reference point for alto players, and he also played a NY Meyer like this is based on. The big reasons to buy this instead of hunting for a NY Meyer are price and consistency. Meyer Bros NY alto mouthpieces now sell 2-5x the price of this piece. And out of 5 original facing Meyer Bros pieces, you might get 2-3 good ones. Every single one of Ted’s New York Models is consistently great.
You can get this version with the silver shank band included, or you can get it without the silver band. The band is an aesthetic nod to Cannonball Adderley, whose Meyer Bros had a similar one, and it is also protects the shank from cracking over the years or from a too-large neck cork. It is dry-fit with a ring sizing machine, so you can take it off or put it on without any adhesive. If you have any questions about these mouthpieces, feel free to contact me.
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‘Meyer Bros.’ New York Model Alto Mouthpiece by Ted Klum – the Best! (No Shank Band)
$ 449This is an exceptional alto saxophone mouthpiece. It does literally anything you want it to, from lead alto, to ballads, to section work, to pit and concert band. It is what I play, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Every single person who has bought one has emailed back or called me with rave reviews. I don’t normally make these kinds of pronouncements about mouthpieces, but until you play one of Ted Klum’s facings, it is possible that you don’t yet know how easy it should be to play saxophone. Ted Klum is one of the most highly-skilled and artistic mouthpiece makers in the world, and his work is just about the best that there ever has been. It would be wise to get one of Ted’s mouthpieces before he retires and they suddenly jump up in value.
How does it play? The response is instant; subtone is effortless; altissimo is right there and easy. The tone is just gorgeous – it’s based on the type of Meyer Bros that Cannonball Adderley played, and it really does lean in that full-throated, warm, lyrical direction that you think of with Cannonball. Phil Woods’ tone is another reference point for alto players, and he also played a NY Meyer like this is based on. The big reasons to buy this instead of hunting for a NY Meyer are price and consistency. Meyer Bros NY alto mouthpieces now sell 2-5x the price of this piece. And out of 5 original facing Meyer Bros pieces, you might get 2-3 good ones. Every single one of Ted’s New York Models is consistently great.
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BAM Cabine Tenor Sax Case
$ 391This is one of the best tenor cases made today. It’s a 10/10 in terms of protection, padding, latches, reliability, and weight. It’s built to minimize size, so you can carry it into an airplane cabin. Highly Recommended. Fits most horns.
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Brilhart Streamline 5 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece MPC400
$ 375Beautiful almost new example of a rare Streamline Brilhart Ebolin alto mouthpiece. Stamped 3*, it measures like a Meyer 5 tip at .074″ on the original facing. This is often the case with Brilharts, where you only know the tip by measuring.
This mouthpiece plays great with a beautiful warmth and fullness that also does not lack projection. Brilharts like this are among my favorite vintage alto mouthpieces (along with Meyer and MC Gregory).
If you happen to want the rare and collectible original Brilhart BB screws streamline alto ligature and cap, I have one in my collection that fits this mouthpiece that I would be open to selling.
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Conn 10M Transitional Tenor Saxophone 1933 Fresh Overhaul Excellent Player
$ 3,950This is a hard to find example of a very late ‘transitional’ Conn New Wonder II / 10M tenor saxophone. It has features of each model – mostly 10M keywork at this point, except for the bell keys still being split between left and right. Original lacquer!
Just back from a near-overhaul extremely comprehensive setup. It had new pads when I got it in, but a bad overhaul, so we re-overhauled it but reused the pads, which were fine. We disassembled, cleaned throughout, oiled, took out all the pads, and reseated them with extra adhesive, and replaced many of the tiny adjustment screws that Conns come with. This tenor also got the neck ‘fit’ to the tenon, which makes a big difference, and it got new rollers too, to match the originals. Now, it plays effortlessly, and feels and looks great. The pads are all sealing super well and should be setup for the long haul – unlikely to need more than minor adjustments for a long time! That’s great, because most people have never, I think, actually experienced a vintage saxophone like this when it was totally ‘right’. When it is, you see why these horns have such lasting value and popularity. They’re really just about the best sounding tenors ever. And it’s LOUD too, but without breaking up. The loudest Selmer is only about half as loud as a good Conn like this. And the body tube vibrates in your hands when you push it. It’s just the best.
You get it for less than these often go for, simply because it has been played a lot and has some keyguard resolders and general lacquer wear. It’s all fixed up though, and should play great for a long time with just minor regular maintenance.
Those Connoisseurs and Conngnoscenti (sorry, couldn’t resist) out there who know how great the late transitional tenors are can advise you on this one. It has the wideness and ‘wildness’ of a New Wonder II, but a little more focus, a little more slotted intonation, and the faster keywork of a 10M. If you want more focus, and even more slotted in intonation, then get a later 10M. If you want something a bit darker, and more spread, get an earlier NWII. If you want a little of both, get this! These tenors are only going up in value, so it’s also a solid buy as an instrument that will hold its value well when you go to sell it later.
Only one available!
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Conn Connstellation Alto Saxophone 28M Excellent Condition Original Lacquer 338006
$ 2,650The 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 pants guard/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 pants guard, which is fairly brittle and often broken. Although nowadays there are excellent replacements available, this one has its original guard is about as good condition as they come, fully present with only a few small cracks radiating from around the screw holes, which is common. However none of the cracks are large and it is not broken in two or missing any pieces, which is not common! 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 well on older pads, 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 nearly flawless, 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 exceptional condition, and whoever owns this instrument next will have a lot of fun being its steward for the next generation.
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Couf Superba 1 Soprano Saxophone 91912 Excellent Overhauled! Grover Washington
$ 3,450Photos are before overhaul. This rare later Couf Superba 1 soprano with Front F key (only the later ones have that) is the same version Grover Washington Jr. played on most of his most famous recordings. Then he switched to an early SX-90 which I also have at the moment!
These Couf Superba 1 soprano saxophones were made for Herb Couf by Keilwerth, and they are fully professional instruments of very high quality. This one is in great shape, with just some minor lacquer wear from use. It is currently getting a full overhaul. You can almost never buy a properly overhauled Couf/Keilwerth soprano, because people don’t want to sink the money into a top shelf overhaul. Well, in this case, you do! It’s the best of the best in terms of modern soprano saxophones with a warm, full tone.
Only Keilwerth maintained the big sound of vintage Conn / King / Buescher sopranos. And Keilwerth improved the intonation and added modern, comfortable keywork and ergonomics to the offering. If you want to have a fat soprano sound with modern keywork and great build quality, then this and the SX-90 are basically your only options.
Get this one and enjoy the soprano as it can be at its best! The overhaul is absolutely great, with all the little details that take a horn from good to great attended to. It will be ready soon, so go ahead and buy it and reserve it for yourself!
Only one available!
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Grafton Alto Saxophone Excellent Original Condition Restored and Playable 10591
$ 4,750Ah, the Grafton “plastic” (actually its acrylic) saxophone. Famously played by Charlie Parker and David Bowie, crafted by an English company, designed by an Italian, it is, according to sales literature of the time, a “tone poem in ivory and gold”.
This particular example has actually been repadded by some enterprising repairer (I say it this way because they are notoriously challenging to work on) and it has been done rather well. It plays, as you may or may not expect, very much like a saxophone and there is not much in the playing of it to convey that the instrument you are playing is wholly unique, with new methods of manufacture and the completely singular keywork mechanisms that its injection molded acrylic body required. It is comfortable under the fingers, responsive, weighs about what a normal sax weighs, and plays with a warm, if somewhat uncomplex, tone. It is in fact quite an amazing instrument when taken as a whole, and the experience of playing it leaves me with wonder and respect for the company that made it.
These are famously known for being delicate, and not many have survived to this day. This example is in quite good shape, with the only body repair that I can see being the bell to body brace looks to have been shored up with epoxy where a crack was forming. There are some small hairline cracks near the tenon receiver, but they are minor and do not appear to be spreading. The finish on the keys is original, and the neck is in very good shape with no evidence of past repair or pulldown. The keyguard is complete and undamaged, and it comes with its original Dallas case.
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GS RESO C Melody Saxophone Mouthpiece – Best Ever!
$ 199I’m very excited to present GetASax.com’s very own mouthpiece project: GS Mouthpieces (main page)
The big idea here is to let you experience the magic of the best mouthpieces I have ever played, for a price that makes them widely accessible for the first time.
This listing is for the C Melody saxophone version, which is based on the original tenor sax version here. C Melody saxophone is the red headed stepchild of the saxophone family. But no longer! Turns out, it just needed the right mouthpiece. If you think you know C Melody, using a stock Conn or Buescher mouthpiece, you are in for a big surprise. It plays a LOT like a good tenor sax. After all, it’s only one note above tenor. This mouthpiece might make you fall in love with your C melody for the first time, or renew your love if you are one of the few, proud C melody fanatics out there.
This mouthpiece is a very precise copy of my personal Reso Chamber tenor mouthpiece modified for C Melody saxophones! It’s so good that it literally puts the C melody saxophone back into play as a usable modern instrument. That’s no overstatement. Here’s a video of this mouthpiece in action.
A note on the different tip opening options: The FG Special facing gives you a tenor facing copied from my tenor piece, refaced by Freddie Gregory to a perfect 7*.This works well if you’re coming to C melody from tenor. But for many players, I would recommend getting the 6 tip for C melody. The 6 tip feels for C melody sax about how a 7 tip feels on tenor sax. It’s very comfortable. This mouthpiece takes tenor reeds, and I find that I like the 6 tip for the C melody piece using the same reed that I use on tenor. (Rigotti 2.5 strong). If you are a newer player, or coming from alto, you might want the 5 tip which measures around .080 and is quite easy to play. If you want a little mellower tone, or if you are most comfortable on a harder reed (like a Rigotti 3.5 or so) then the 5 facing will be perfect for you. It’s an Otto Link facing curve and is really responsive and takes air nicely.
Tone wise, this mouthpiece is medium dark, but not too dark, with moderate focus, and gets punchy without thinning out when pushed. Balanced and responsive, it’s one of the best all-around tenor mouthpieces I’ve played, and it works just as well on C Melody! It’s ideal for jazz, beautiful on ballads, and can handle burning bebop lines like a champ. The facing is just right. Subtone is effortless, response is quick. Altissimo pops right out. It’s very free blowing and takes air extremely comfortably. The 7* .105″ tip opening is very comfortable. Newer players can easily manage it with a 2.5 tenor sax reed. And for pros, it slots right in with a Rigotti 3 light to 3.5 medium. (I like the Rigotti 3 light personally.)
See below for more details.
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GS RESO Otto Link Reso Chamber Replica Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (All Facings)
$ 199I’m very excited to present GetASax.com’s very own mouthpiece project: GS Mouthpieces (main page)
The big idea here is to let you experience the magic of the best mouthpieces I have ever played, for a price that makes them widely accessible for the first time.
This mouthpiece is a very precise copy of my personal Otto Link Reso Chamber tenor mouthpiece, which was faced by the great Freddie Gregory to a perfect 7*. It’s medium dark, but not too dark, with moderate focus, and gets punchy without thinning out when pushed. Balanced and responsive, it’s one of the best all-around tenor mouthpieces I’ve played. Even if you normally play brighter pieces, the GS Reso is worth having in your arsenal. It’s ideal for jazz, beautiful on ballads, and can handle burning bebop tenor lines like a champ. The facing is just right. Subtone is effortless, response is quick. Altissimo pops right out. It’s very free blowing and takes air extremely comfortably. The 7* .105″ tip opening is very comfortable. Newer players can easily manage it with a 2.5 reed. And for pros, it slots right in with a Rigotti 3 light to 3.5 medium. (I like the Rigotti 3 light personally.)
The computer model we developed for the Reso is accurate down to .001” compared to my original Reso Chamber. Each mouthpiece gets carefully hand faced, precisely measured, and tested, so that it really is totally right! Bottom line: You get the equivalent of a $1500+ vintage mouthpiece for only $199. People keep saying we should charge more, but the whole idea from the start has been to make the best mouthpieces widely accessible, not to maximize profits. A lot of people have never played a really good mouthpiece. It’s time to change that.
Using cutting-edge tech, we went through over 50 prototypes so that now every one of these sounds like the original.
When you select any tip opening other than the FG SPECIAL 7*, then you will be getting a Reso Chamber built from my original facing Reso Chamber. The reason for this is pretty easy to explain: Otto Link manufactured mouthpiece ‘blanks’ with a zero tip opening. Then they opened them up from a closed tip to whatever tip opening they wanted. In order to give you different tip openings authentically, we needed to do it the same way. So we started with a smaller tip Reso Chamber, and then we used Otto Link facing curves to carefully model ‘opening’ the 5 tip to whatever facing you want, just like if it were done on a facing machine. We also move the baffle work to the appropriate position like on a hand finished piece. This Reso Chamber mouthpiece is unbelievably good. It is just as rich and complex as the FG SPECIAL RESO, but it plays just a little brighter, and the mouthpiece itself is also a little longer (Otto Link used a couple of different molds to make the Reso Chamber model.) It’s the one that Steve Neff reviews here. So if you normally have to pull out a lot to tune, or you want just a little more punch than the FG SPECIAL RESO while remaining basically dark and rich, that’s what you get!
If you want an exact copy of the Reso Chamber Joe Allard Facing that we scanned, including the J.A. stamp on the table and the more rounded tip profile, then select the 5 JA facing. It measures .081″ or so and takes air nicely. The smaller tip GS RESO mouthpieces are perfect for concert band or ensemble tenor settings. If you’re coming from a Yamaha 4C or Vandoren and want something richer, warmer, and more interesting, consider one of the smaller tip GS RESO models. They are excellent all-purpose tenor mouthpieces.
Material:
GS Mouthpieces are made of a premium biocompatible dental resin, and printed at an especially high resolution. You don’t see messy print lines everywhere, because the print is so high quality! This dental resin is designed to be in your mouth, so it’s ideal for a mouthpiece.
The density and the hardness are almost identical to vintage hard rubber! So GS Mouthpieces vibrate like hard rubber and feel familiar and comfortable to play. The resin is also extremely durable. I have dropped the prototypes on hardwood again and again, and they just bounce and are fine. They even survive being dropped onto concrete (for a while)! So if you’re hard on equipment, this mouthpiece should be able to take quite a beating and hold up well over time.
Finishing:
Each GS Reso gets carefully hand faced and finished before coming to you. This is super important. The magic of a mouthpiece is in the facing. If you buy a generic, mass-produced mouthpiece, chances are the table is not flat and the facing is uneven between the side rails. As a result, the reed vibrates unevenly. It feels stuffy and dead, resistant, and all-around disappointing to play. SO many people have this problem, whether they know it or not. I don’t know how many players I’ve helped to get their first actually good mouthpiece, and all of a sudden playing is fun!
Since we flatten the table, you get an easy reed seal. There are no print lines or marks messing up the facing. It’s smooth and perfect like a boutique mouthpiece. The facing is also finished by hand, which is a BIG plus. I’m really picky about this, so I learned to do it myself so I could be sure these pieces were actually the same as my Freddie Gregory-faced Reso Chamber. Each facing is measured at ten points to make sure that it is even and consistent throughout.
Mouthpiece facings are unforgiving. Small problems can make a big difference in playability. Unlike any other mouthpiece of its kind or anywhere near its price, each one of these GS mouthpieces goes out the door only when it is faced just right. Every one is as good as the best mouthpieces I have played.
I have been collecting mouthpieces seriously for over ten years now, and I have been saving the very best ones over that time. I currently have about 750 pieces, and of those there are about 20 that I think are in that Holy Grail category. Those are the mouthpieces that will be coming out in the GS Mouthpieces line. Keep an eye on this, if you want to put together a collection of the best playing saxophone mouthpieces ever, while keeping costs to a minimum. Each one has a magic of its own, and each one gives you a unique and beautiful tone and response that makes it a joy to play!
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Guardala Handmade Studio Baritone Saxophone Mouthpiece #18 Super Early Original .112
$ 2,250Super early Guardala handmade Studio Baritone Sax mouthpiece. Serial number 018! Original facing, measures a very playable .112″. Original gold plate; rare, early ‘all the way across’ bite plate; and beautiful (original) flat file work in the chamber. Nice, thin tip and rails. This piece is incredible. It’s an instant pro sound that projects while staying warm. This mouthpiece is on consignment with GetASax. I have seen these sell for much more than the asking price, (like, a LOT more) and these often don’t last long at all. Only one available! Only the 18th one that Guardala made! Shipping price includes tracking and insurance. I’m experienced shipping the best saxophone equipment worldwide.
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Ishimori Wood Stone New Vintage Alto Saxophone Brand New WSA-VL with F# Dark Lacquer
$ 4,500Last one!
This is the highly sought-after Ishimori Wood Stone ‘New Vintage’ 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.
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King Soprano Saxophone Gold Plate Fresh Overhaul Amazing! 99847
$ 3,250Just freshly overhauled!! This got a full restoration, so it’s back to like new mechanical condition.This is the vintage soprano you should get!
This amazing gold plated King soprano saxophone will blow the walls down. It is in excellent condition, with nearly all the original gold plate intact. It has just received a full overhaul and restoration, which is not a small job on a 90 year old instrument. It is now back in like-new playing condition and ready to make music for many many years to come.
King sopranos are rare, and were only made in low pitch (regular concert pitch). They tune nicely, and have a big, warm, medium-focused tone that is less polite sounding than a Buescher, and really fills a room with ease. This example in gold plate and in such amazingly good condition is extremely rare. The great depression in 1929 spelled the end of most of the saxophone market, and marked the end of most makers building sopranos in any kind of quantities. So it’s not surprising that you don’t see a King soprano later than this serial. This is one of the very last ones made, and the latest serial I have seen. The later the better is my motto on vintage sopranos generally speaking, so getting a late one also in gold plate is really exceptional.
Only one available!
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King Super 20 Series II Tenor Saxophone Good Pads Black Roo Full Pearls 339845
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King Super 20 Tenor Saxophone Full Pearls Original Lacquer Overhauled 298321
$ 7,500This is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL example of a King Super 20 Tenor saxophone from 1948. It has all the features that you look for in the best Kings: solid silver, double socket neck; engraving all over; and ‘full’ pearls, meaning pearl key touches on the side keys, G# and the palm keys. I don’t think a better saxophone all-around has ever been produced. That’s why I play Kings myself. Plus this one has a recent top shelf overhaul done in California that feels just great. You want a King to be setup and overhauled by someone who knows Kings, for a player who plays Kings. And that’s what you’re getting here! I actually sold this exact horn a few years ago to a long time customer who is a great tenor player, It was entirely original factory pads when I got it. Untouched and near mint. It is now even better – still amazing cosmetically, but playing its best as well!
There are no resolders or past repairs on this Super 20, and it has beautiful original lacquer. Tonally, the 1948 Super 20 is a medium bright, powerful, projecting saxophone. It’s relatively darker than the later Super 20’s. They get very bright in the late 50’s and early 60’s. But this one is still quite powerful and focused, while sounding a bit darker and fatter than the later ones. The palm key and altissimo tone stays fat and full on a Super 20, which is one of the best things about it. Selmer tend to thin out in the upper register, but Kings stay quite strong. The low register just pops right out no problem. You can play a saturated ppp low Bb without any trouble.
You would be hard pressed to find a better example of a King Super 20 for sale anywhere right now! I have a few other serial numbers and versions coming up for sale, but none as nice as this. Whoever grabs it will have a really first rate tenor!
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New Old Stock Yamaha Purple Logo Baritone Saxophone YBS-62 Mint Unbelievable! Overhauled!
$ 9,000Now comes with a full overhaul!! All new pads and the full deal. That’s a huge added value. It plays EFFORTLESSLY and beautifully, with a warm, complex tone. Take it in a funk direction with an aggressive mouthpiece, and it will bark and cut without thinning out. Take it in a classical direction, and it will do a gorgeous cello-like tone better than any other baritone that I know of. Highly recommended!
This is an amazing chance to get a new old stock Purple Logo YBS-62 baritone saxophone. This sax was originally a display model that Yamaha brought to the USA for a trade show almost 40 years ago. Yamaha sold the instruments from the display, and they sat in someone’s closet for that entire time. This sax came in the plastic in the case, and I had to take it out to take photos. There are maybe a few of the lightest possible surface scratches not through the lacquer, but aside from that, it looks as new as it could be and be from the early 80’s. The tone is beautiful and warm, rich, and medium focused. Intonation is great. Works with just about any mouthpiece. This horn can play the full range from classical to funk no problem and be as reliable as a Lexus day after day, year after year. This is BY FAR the nicest example of a purple logo 62 baritone that I have seen, and the nicest one we are likely to see.
It has the case keys, the polishing cloth, mouthpiece and ligature, warranty booklet, and even a set of removable wheels that attach to the end of the case so that you can roll it if you want. First time I have seen that. If you want a beautiful baritone to play that is really special, this is it. And at this price, it’s about the same as buying a modern 62, so you don’t even pay a premium to get the new old stock. That’s pretty great.
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Powell Silver Eagle SE10 Alto One of 18 Made – all options solid silver +Matt Stohrer Overhau
$ 12,000For 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.
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Selmer Balanced Action Alto Saxophone 21532 1935 Beautiful! Overhauled!
$ 5,650Beautiful example of a very early Selmer Balanced Action alto. The engraving is especially nice on this alto, as is the dark lacquer color. This has the rare individual adjuster screws on the lower stack keys, which you only see on the earliest BA’s. The Balanced Action is beloved for its warm, spread tone that has a sweet lyrical core. And for its modern keywork (all modern horns copy the Balanced Action design).
It does not have any significant past repairs. I really don’t see any. No dents, no dings, no resolders. Neck is in great shape with a little lacquer wear from use. Bell flare is undamaged. It’s quite nice. The engraving is very sharp and looks great. I don’t know for sure whether the lacquer is original, but with the engraving so sharp and the lacquer nice and dark like this, it probably is. Pricing it on the low side so someone gets a deal!
This beautiful Selmer Balanced Action Alto just got a fresh overhaul, and it plays BEAUTIFULLY! What a warm, sweet tone. Plenty of power if you push it, but mainly lyrical and balanced. Response is excellent. Low Bb is just another note. Saturated subtone ppp is no problem. Altissimo pops out easily. The pad work is super great, with a ‘dry’ feeling under the fingers that means these pad seats are wicked flat. It has the nice reusable slightly domed metal resonators that I love on Selmers. They’re very much like the vintage Tone-x resos, and you can keep them on your new pads if you swap a pad out sometime. You just get a bit more tone out of the horn with these, without changing how it was meant to sound. It’s rare to find a BA this nice, WITH a high end overhaul, and priced affordably!
There’s no better looking or sounding Selmer in my opinion. Only one available!
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Selmer Balanced Action Saxophone Fresh Overhaul Original Silver Plate Great Tone
$ 6,500This is an amazing, fully restored Selmer Balanced Action alto. It just got a wonderful high-end overhaul, complete with some spot plating on some keys and along the back of the body tube where the silver had begun to wear. This is one gorgeous alto, with the rare British market two-tone finish, and gold wash bell. The spring tension is on the lighter side, like with most Balanced Actions. If you want stiffer spring tension, we could discuss replacing the springs, but right now, it has a light flute-like feel like these originally had.
Tonally, If you want an alto that people are going to want to listen to, this is the one. It plays extremely well, with a warm, powerful voice that is effortlessly lyrical and makes you not want to put it down. It has high-end reusable domed brass resonators and sounds very good on them. Keywork is snappy, and ‘dry’ under the fingers, like it should be. This comes with a new BAM Softpack alto case, or you can swap that for a Cabine for +$100. These British market Balanced’s are my favorite finish on vintage Selmers, and they are few and far between.
There’s only one available!
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Selmer Super / Adolphe Sax Alto Saxophone 769 Getting Overhauled!
$ 3,750Are you the ultimate saxophone hipster. (jk) The sort of snob who likes to have a saxophone nobody else can imitate? Here’s an alto you might want in that case. Or if you just love vintage Selmers and want one that both plays extremely well and has some history. This plays wider and wilder than a modern Selmer or than a VI. It is sort of half Conn in how it feels to play these early Selmers before they changed the bore.
This is basically a Selmer Super Sax from the 1930’s, but with a bell and a few other parts made by the Adolphe Sax company. Selmer used these parts on a small batch of excellent saxophones in the 30’s after it bought the Adolphe Sax company and all its inventory. These special saxophones play like a Selmer Super Sax or Radio Improved, but the bell says Adolphe Sax on it. The body tubes have the normal Selmer ‘body numbers’ for a Super sax, and the keywork is Super as well. This alto is getting a complete high end restoration now, and it will look gorgeous all polished up and repadded very soon.
I’m really excited about it. The Selmer Adolphe baritone I had was extremely good, and went to a collector who absolutely loves how it plays. This alto will be even better I suspect. The Super Sax ‘cigar cutter’ altos are among my favorite of all vintage altos, and this is basically one of those in terms of tone and design.
Only one available!!
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Special Order a BAM Case! Lots of options available.
$ 555Let’s find you the perfect case for you! Prices and availability vary.
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Tenor Metal Otto Link Brilhart Reproduction 3 Band Ligature Berg Larsen Dukoff!
$ 165Best ligature around for a metal Otto Link (and similar) tenor mouthpiece! Way better than the stock Otto Link metal top screw ligature, this gives you a much firmer hold on the reed, which greatly improves response and reduces movement or reed swelling on the mouthpiece table. The plastic reed plate fits the reed beautifully and opens up plenty of vibration. No deadening fabrics or strings here. Plus, this is made to the highest standards in South Korea by people who care about quality saxophone equipment. It’s a true reproduction down to the materials used, of the most desirable saxophone ligature ever made. This also fits larger body Berg Larsen and vintage Hollywood Dukoff tenor mouthpieces, and all Otto Link Metal-sized tenor mouthpieces, like Ted Klum Focustone Tonamax, Theo Wanne larger body metal, and many others. See the photos. For thin body metal mouthpieces, get the Guardala sized tenor ligature instead.
If you want the best ligature for a Berg Larsen metal tenor mouthpiece, this is it. If you want the best ligature for a Dukoff Hollywood or Dukoff Stubby tenor piece, again, this is it.
This ligature fits all metal Otto Link tenor mouthpieces also – past and present. It fits Masterlink, 4****, ToneMaster, Super ToneMaster NY, FL, Early Babbitt, and regular Babbitt-made pieces. The modern variants like the ‘New Vintage’ NY, Millennium edition etc also all fit.
Buy with confidence. I take returns, and I stand behind this product. It’s the real deal.
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Yamaha YSS-62 Soprano Very Good Condition Getting Overhaul Now
$ 3,500The most iconic and desirable modern soprano model, plus a fresh top shelf overhaul to make it play its best. All of these 62 purple logo Yamaha sopranos are around 35-40 years old at this point, which means it’s time they had new pads and a good overhaul. That’s what this one is getting right now!
If you want a soprano saxophone that plays effortlessly with a warm, medium bright tone with some complexity to it, that’s what the Yamaha 62 does so well. Plus it tunes easily, and it sounds great with a wide range of mouthpieces. You can waste a lot of time and money trying to find a cheap soprano that is playable. I have dealt with many people who have tried. The Yamaha 475 is the best of the bunch in the cheap-but-good soprano category. But, rather unsurprisingly, it is actually built with the 62 soprano tooling, meaning it’s basically a modern remake of the 62 without a few more expensive options. And the Yamaha 82 soprano line is ALSO a remake of the 62, with slightly modified keywork (tilting low Bb). So you see how influential the original design has been. It’s hard to beat.
Only one available!
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Yamaha YSS-82ZRS Soprano Saxophone One Piece Bent Neck Silver Plate! BRAND NEW
$ 4,750Available new by special order anytime. Email me at [email protected] to order. The Yamaha YSS-62R and 62RS are the most desirable vintage sopranos pretty much. Yamaha made an upgraded reissue of this soprano, with improved keywork but the same bore. It’s simply the best.