Saxophone Forum


by getz_049
(3 posts)
18 years ago

Good Vintage sax

I'm fairly new to the tenor sax, having only played for 2 years. I want to buy a tenor this summer and don't know what to look for. I was told to go vintage. The only problem is that i dont know what brand to look for. As for money, i want to see my options before i see a price so tell me whats best and then i'll deal with the money part. And if it matters, i play jazz sax.

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  1. by djazzy
    (65 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Good Vintage sax

    I'd like to say any sax can play any genre of music. Good brands to look at are the pre '70s Conn. Look at the Conn 10M model, they have a great sound with the right mouthpiece and repairs (of needed). If you choose a Conn look at Meyer and Otto Link Tone Edge hasrd rubber mouthpieces. For metal look at the Otto Link Super Tone Master. Hope This Helps: djazzy

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    1. by connsaxman_jim
      (2336 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: Good Vintage sax

      There are many great vintage horns. The Conn 10M is one of them. Even the earlier Directors model 16M's are great horns and can be bought for next to nothing. The Buescher Aristocrat and 400 are great horns. King Zephyr or Cleveland , Martin Committee or Handcraft models and earlier Keilwerth models are also great horns. Some or the earlier Yamaha and Yanagisawa models are very good.

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  2. by barisax999
    (400 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Good Vintage sax

    really you have to just play around to get a feel for what your really want. we cant tell you what style of horn you are going to dig. and i would wait a while longer until you have a better grasp as well as a more defenite idea of what you want. but start playing on different horns now

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    1. by getz_049
      (3 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: Good Vintage sax

      I'm gunna play around with sax's as long as i can but i need a tenor for june when i go to a jazz camp and right now i'm using the school's king super 20 whhich is really badly taken care of. So nonetheless, i need a tenor.

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      1. by martysax
        (148 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Good Vintage sax

        If you've been playing a Super 20 for the past two years, you'll have to buy one. Nothing else will do. I've had mine for almost 30 years. It was the best purchase I ever made. Try to get a Cleveland model and get it set up. It's a true work-horse of a sax.

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        1. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Good Vintage sax

          The King Super 20 is a fantastic sax! They are quite valuable and highly sought after. A Super 20 tenor in good condition will cost almost as much as a Mark VI Selmer. If you're lucky enough to find one for the right price, buy it! But, the Zephyr models are usually a little more affordable, and still have that big King sound.

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      2. by kelsey
        (930 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Good Vintage sax

        Who has been taking care of the super 20? How about this, you could pay for the repair and then take good care of the horn yourself. Mark Vl and Super 20s used by school bands puts my teeth on edge. Yamahas are better school horns for kids but some band directors think that since a pro plays a certain kind of horn they are better for their students. Why can't your director sell the school's vintage horns to some one who will take care or it and get enough money to buy Yamaha 475s or Yamaha 62lls. They cost less in most cases with a school's discount than the vintage horns and are a lot more bullet proof. Or you could buy a new horn of some kind yourself and learn how to take care of it........Kelsey
        Barry Kelsey

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        1. by getz_049
          (3 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Good Vintage sax

          I think that the school knows how valuable the sax is and they dont want to give it up. I also think that this sax has been played beyond repair. It dosent work very well at all. I'm only using it because it's a king and my other choice would have been a bad yamaha.

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        2. by p-land sax
          (32 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Good Vintage sax

          getz_049 I know what your going through. My school has several good vintage saxes but the other sax players don't respect them. For example a freshman was given a super 20 tenor (I played it the year before, really great horn) and he deliberatly broke it beyond repair because he wanted a newer horn. Currently I play 2 tenors MK7 and Zepher they are both in good condition and I have offered to buy the MK7, but they would not sell it.

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