Help, need some advice on buying a used saxophone. (1 Viewer)

[John Pine]

I’m going tonight to look at a used Alto Sax for my 7th grader. The sax is a local Craig’s list offering. The pictures of the sax look promising, but I need some advice. Since I don’t play, I’m at a bit of a disadvantage here. Are there any specific things that I should be watching out for? Any red flags?

 

[Brian W. Ralston]

You just want to make sure all of the keys work well. And check the condition of the pads over the holes. If the pads do not create a good air seal when closed due to wear, etc...then they will probably have to be replaced...but I would probably plan on getting the pads replaced anyway. They are relatively cheap and would be a good way to make a used sax "like new" in terms of its playability. So...as long as all the keys are working/moving well, not bent and the springs are in good shape...it will probably be good to go. Of course, you should hope for no to very little dents and a nice polished finish to the metal. But depending on how old it is...that may vary.

The mouthpiece can be a very personal thing...so the one that comes with the sax may not be the best one for your 7th grader's mouth. You may want to replace that from another store bought one anyway. (Also, the thought of using a used mouthpiece where you don't know where it hass been is kind of gross. So...buy a new store bought one to go with it. They are also not too expensive). That would be a question for their band director or private music teacher if there is one.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I would think you might also want to check all the "connections"--that is, the places where the saxophone fits together. I've only had experience with oboes and clarinets (and that was a few years ago now)...but those instruments came in multiple pieces and had to be fit together out of the case. I would think an alto sax would at least have the mouthpiece which would need to be assembled.

Anyway, each of these connections needs to work snugly but smoothly. They used to use (and maybe still do) a thin layer of cork to help snug the pieces together. This should not be brittle and breaking apart.

But again, this is from experience with two different instruments several years ago...so take it FWIW.

Good luck.

 

[Al.Anderson]

I'm not a musician; but couldn't you bring it to a music store and have them evaluate it? (Similar to what one would do with a used car.)

 

[Bob Graz]

I agree with take it to a music store to be looked at. They will tell you what needs to be done to bring it to a good condition and you'll know the cost. This can be used in negotiating a fair price.

 

[Justin Lane]

As a former Sax player (I need to pick the sax back up, life seems to have gotten in the way of music playing), I would recommend giving the sax a trial play before buying. If it is older, the finish may not be in the greatest shape, but finish does not affect playability and the older look is cooler in my opinion.

As was mentioned check the pads for proper sealing, and exercise all the keys for movability. The cork which provides the seal between the mouthpiece and neck should be in decent shape, not cracked or dry rotted.

Good luck in finding an instrument.

J

 

[Colin Dunn]

I played the alto sax from 4th grade through freshman year in college.

Here's a few things I noticed that tend to go wrong with alto saxes...

- Most alto saxes have three pieces - the mouthpiece, the main body, and a neck piece that sits in between. Check the condition of the cork interface between the mouthpiece and the instrument. I've seen some saxes that this cork was falling apart. Unlike a clarinet or oboe, the neck piece attaches to the main body without any cork - it is a metal-on-metal fit that is locked in with a thumb screw.
- Make sure all keys work smoothly. The keys should spring open firmly when not depressed. Pads should clear the holes in the body of the instrument when open, and seal completely when closed.
- Look at the condition of the finish. A beat-up instrument will still play well, but refinishing a sax to look like new is an expensive proposition.
- If your 7th-grader already can play, have him/her play the instrument. This will reveal if any notes / key combinations in the scale are not working properly.

In addition to choosing a mouthpiece, the reed can make a big difference. When auditioning saxes, the player should bring a reed that has been broken in (i.e., played before) but is not damaged (splits, cracks, chips).

There are different thicknesses of reeds available. A #2 or #2-1/2 reed was relatively thin and often used by beginning to intermediate players. More advanced players would move to a #3, a much stiffer (and presumably thicker) reed. I'm not sure of the benefits of the stiffer reed (and a quick Web search didn't yield any information).