Hi Everyone,

Nils is due to be starting saxophone lessons next Monday, and we still don't have an instrument for him. He'd prefer Alto to Tenor, but as to which make is best I haven't got a clue.

Can anyone recommend a reasonable "starter Sax"? Also can anyone recommend a website where I could buy one online? I've spoken to the county Music School, and they could hire one to us, but I can't get all the way over to pick it up. They also said that the local music shop I use will charge the highest prices for instruments. I feel a bit out of my depth with this, as I've been told that he MUST have an instrument for next Monday.



Thanks

Amber
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How much are you willing to spend?

Ideally I'd like to keep it under £500 (on second thoughts I'd like to keep it under a tenner!), but it's more a case of striking a happy balance.

I looked on the Internet and the Yamaha YAS275 keeps being mentioned as a good instrument for beginners/intermediate students. There is a huge difference in prices - I had no idea the variation could be quite so great. And the County Music School were absolutely right about my local music shop - it's quoting about £250 more than other places for the same instrument.

Any thoughts?



Amber
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Maybe you could get one second hand? I am sure there would be a lot of beginner saxes about, with flutes, if you wanted one, there is always a Yamaha 211 (a good beginner flute) for sale!

I think Nils might notice the difference.

Amber
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You could paint it gold! Seriously though, a good second hand one that maybe you could try out could be better than one that you buy online...I don't know, I'd be a bit sceptical of buying something online. Have you asked music shops/teachers?

Yes, and bend the end round!

No I haven't spoken to music teachers/shops yet. I understood that the Sax Teacher would be bringing the instrument with him to the first lesson, so it was a bit of a shock to receive the letter today saying that we needed to pick it up from County Hall (which is about three hour's round trip from where we live).

So somehow I need to get hold of one by the end of this week, as his first lesson is next Monday. I should have some time tomorrow between clients to make phone calls, but I'd like to have an idea of which model to aim for rather than risk being "sold" one that is either unsuitable or unnecessarily expensive. Do you see what I mean?



Ambs
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Yes my first sax was a YAS 275 and it is good

Oh sorry

Here are 2 websites that I know of that I have personally used.
http://www.saxophonesdirect.com/
These are the same people that sell Hanson clarinets. The clarinets are very good as my friends daughter has just got one and her teacher said they were good value for money and will do her beyond grade 5. Also the part exchange and refund to parents if your child stops learning is excellent much better than hiring !!! Finally they have free 5 year parts and labour if your instrument goes wrong. All you have to do is pay for the instrument to be shipped to be fixed I think it is an amazing deal.

Other than that http://www.gear4music.com/index.php?sec=pr...s&pcode=ALTOSAX

I have bought through them twice now, the instruments have been genuine and have benefitted students that have been on a tighter budget. Havent experience there wind instruments but can recommend the site.

Both of these sites offere AIPS which means you can buy through school and get VAT off the instruments. If you have the money I would probably go for Hanson as they are really good, the buy back and after sales care is worth even more. Also they can send out instruments at short notice for next day delivery.
I think Liz from Elidatrading has had some dealings with Alastair at Hansons. PM for more details.

Other than that I would recommend Yamaha. My Alto is a Yamaha but it did cost over £800 which is slightly out of your budget, Yamaha's are consistent good unlike some other brand.

Hope this helps

Any luck yet Amber?

Well I've spoken to a couple of shops today, and they have recommended a Selmer Prelude and an Ekhart SXAD. Both are considerably cheaper than the Yamaha, and I've been told they will be fine for a beginner.

I've tried to ring Nils' school to see about a scheme I've heard of where the school purchase the instrument, then charge the parents the amount less VAT. That would help a lot too because we're not particularly in a position to spend out huge amounts at the moment. The Head of Music hasn't called me back yet, and the school office say they can't get hold of him.

I think I might have to call it a day at the mo, because I'm feeling a bit dizzy and shaky at the moment and my vision is starting to blurring. It's not something to worry about, I often get these symptoms but it's just a bit of a nuisance when i want to get things done

Ok. I wouldn't recommend an Elkhart -the ones we have in school seem to break down quite often

Yes, I did that scheme with my headjoint. I got it without the VAT on it. Aww, you don't sound very well sweetie, maybe you should have a rest for a bit.

My school music teacher is being a pain too, because she hasn't faxed that I can have a subsidy on music lessons, so I'll have to chase her up. Hmm.

Oh now I'm confused. Is it possibly that they break down because they're getting a bit abused at school, not looked after properly, do you think?

Maybe we'll just have to take that risk, because given a couple of unexpected bills that have come in I'm having to revise my initial budget down considerably lower!

The shops I've spoken to about secondhand ones are working out more expensive than the new "student" models, probably because they're better quality models which have been traded in.

Monday's lesson is getting nearer and nearer. Maybe I'll get him one of those plastic inflatable ones that you can pick up from funfairs etc, and hope the teacher doesn't notice the difference!

Some have been in the past yes, but not with the current bunch of saxophonits.

If thats all you can get it is fine, just start saving for a better one when he progresses more

I find www.dawkes.co.uk competitive price wise, and if you ask them for the school price and check they have what you want in stock you should be able to get the school to order it for you. This is what my pupils do and 17.5% is quite a saving.

Amber: maybe you could try to PM DavidMusic. He's not around much but does come on occasionally (and will probably get an email to let him know he has a message). He's a saxophone teacher and I've known him to express opinions about which are good and bad instruments in the past.

This discussion about them might help

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?showtopic=4788&hl=elkhart

I did this when i bought my new saxophone, saved me a great deal of money! That and the fact i worked in the shop i got it from... I would definatly recomend Yamaha student saxes, if not a YAS275 then a second-hand YAS23 (they were replaced by the YAS275s) would do him for a while. I started on a 23 and i loved it!

Ooh yes. I've bought all my recent instrument through school and got it VAT free

Definitely go for a Yamaha 275 if you can afford it - they're so much better than any other student saxophone.

sending oodles of sympathy and hoping you are feeling better today.

Hope you manage to get an instrument sorted, must be a huge pain when the Head of Music doesn't get back to you.

Yes, so did I - an excellent instrument to start on .

Very many thanks for all your replies. Sounds like it's a thumbs up to Yamaha, but I will need to source one secondhand.

I have managed to speak to the Head of Music now, who was very surprised and not at all impressed to hear about the County Music Schools comments. He's going to talk to the Sax teacher tomorrow about it. The good news is that he has a tenor sax at the school which he is going to make available to Nils for his lesson on Monday, so at least we have more time now.

Unfortunately he thinks it's unlikely that we can get the VAT-free price because of the school's status with the VAT people. It's a voluntary aided school, as opposed to a straight-forward LEA school, although it's not independant/fee paying. Anyway I'll talk to the Burser to see if there is any possibility.

But the good news is that Nils will be able to borrow an instrument for his first lesson. So much more satisfying than playing the "air Sax"!!!

Thanks again to you all for your advice and support and recommendations.



Amber
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That's brilliant news - takes the pressure off to find one sooooooon - means you can make sure you get the "right" one, rather than just ANY one!

Hope you're feeling better today Amber.

I'm a woodwind teacher and I have a 275 as well. I know it's a student sax, but it's all I can afford - and it's a cracking student instrument! The most recent exam I took on it was Grade 7 (embarrassingly haven't done grade 8 yet due to lack of time, money and the impending new arrival) but the examiner liked the tone and I got a nice mark. I don't intend to upgrade to anything else because it serves me so well. I have it serviced regularly too, and it behaves. We have a good relationship!

I believe sometime county music agencies or equivalent can help buy instruments VAT free. Worth asking anyway!

Thank you Erard. I shall try that route if the school really can't help. As you say, it's worth asking.



Nils and I had a fun time last night. I found a website that had "listen to" examples of the different types of sax. He liked both alto and tenor sounds, and decided that the sopranillo was definitely "uncool". Then he listened to a Tubax Contra-Bass and you should have seen the look on his face - disbelief and amazement just about sums it up! It's on http://www.saxophones.co.uk/index2.html if anyone wants to listen. Go to the section entitled Xtreme Saxes. Randy Emerick playing Stardust. Great stuff!

I think if there's any way that we can afford a secondhand YAS 275 then that's what we'll do. It's great to have a bit more time to sort it out.



Amber
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