saxophone in window

[tonydig11]

The yesterday i was driving by the local drum shop and they had a tenor saxophone in the store front window. I happened to have a mouthpiece in my car so i stopped in and looked/played it. I dont know much about LA sax but the horn was a LA sax tenor with a high G key. The finish was dull withlittle spirals all over. almost in a pattern that you would do a ceiling in a house. the guy said they were selling it for a guy and didnot know much about it but was asking somewhere between 800-900. The horn was in almost new condition. No dents,scrachs or wear marks, pads were great too. the horn played great. what would you offer. the guy in the shop said it was sitting there for a month or so.

[milandro]

..... the guy said they were selling it for a guy and didnot know much about it but was asking somewhere between 800-900. The horn was in almost new condition. No dents,scrachs or wear marks, pads were great too. the horn played great. what would you offer. the guy in the shop said it was sitting there for a month or so.

Normally these should sell for about 2000$ so 8-900 in perfect state should be a good price. Maybe you want to try to bid less 6-700 and see what happens? I'd say go for it!

[tonydig11]

I was going to start at 500 and only pay 600. im not crazy about the rough spirl cut finish.so at least im in the ball park. Im thinking someone bought a sax to try it out and never played it.

[Finnerski]

I think that asking price is way too high for an LA SAX. Do some shopping around, you can do better than that.

[tonydig11]

I think that asking price is way too high for an LA SAX. Do some shopping around, you can do better than that./
If i can get it for 600 is that a good buy? I am shopping around. What would be the model of the la sax with high g. Top of the line LA sax?

[58tenor]

The LA Saxes were decent horns for the most part.They had some silly finishes and hired some name brand players to promote them as the asian saxes began to gain a foothold in the market. It's a mid-quality horn and could be very satisfactory. $600 for any good palyable tenor is a pretty hot deal.

[Mal 2]

I think that asking price is way too high for an LA SAX. Do some shopping around, you can do better than that./
If i can get it for 600 is that a good buy? I am shopping around. What would be the model of the la sax with high g. Top of the line LA sax?

It sounds just like the Orpheo, which is still being produced though they have severed ties with He Who Shall Not Be Named. I have heard that they ARE the same but for the name. Orpheos can be had in that $500-600 price range also -- but only if you are lucky -- so that is a reasonable price for a new or newish horn.

Here is a review of a brand new Orpheo tenor (http://cmelodysax.co.uk/saxophones/Orpheo-301-BB-tenor-sax.html), complete with the brushed finish and high G key.

[Finnerski]

I think that asking price is way too high for an LA SAX. Do some shopping around, you can do better than that./
If i can get it for 600 is that a good buy? I am shopping around. What would be the model of the la sax with high g. Top of the line LA sax?

I wouldn't do it. Here's my thinking, you say this sax is for sale in a drum shop. Would you buy a set of drums in a sax shop? For $600 you could buy a pretty nice tenor with a better reputation than LA SAX. Use the search function here and do a little research on those horns. They aren't very popular.

For $600 I would be looking for a student line Yamaha or older vintage pro horn. I wouldn't buy an LA SAX, they just aren't what they appear to be. A tenor with a high G key is pretty much a novelty, and not really desired.

Check E-bay and look for a Yamaha YTS-32 for your $600 range. With the internet and this economy, your choices are unlimited.

[tonydig11]

I Have a degree from Providence collage in jazz and classical sax. I had a mark 6 tenor and soprano. I sold both horns after not playing for years as i got a job that paid better than playing sax. After 5 years off I want to get back into it and build up my chops and possibly get a small gig and give beginner sax lessons. I just need something that plays good enough.It does not bother me buying a sax from a drom shop either. Its just a horn on consiment for a drummer. A 5000 sax is not an option. I also am looking at the lazarro sopranos on ebay. 259 new. good enough? of piece of junk? I have been looking used vintage also an nothing is catching my eye. I figure for 259 if it is junk im no out much. If i can steal the LA sax for 600 and the soprano for 259 it will only cost me 859 for 2 horns. I was sold on a Saxophone.com tenor too but after looking around it seems to be the most expensive china made horn at 1200

[cpete]

I was in Amsterdam and I saw a con naked lady in a window.

[Mal 2]

I Have a degree from Providence collage in jazz and classical sax. I had a mark 6 tenor and soprano. I sold both horns after not playing for years as i got a job that paid better than playing sax. After 5 years off I want to get back into it and build up my chops and possibly get a small gig and give beginner sax lessons. I just need something that plays good enough.It does not bother me buying a sax from a drom shop either. Its just a horn on consiment for a drummer. A 5000 sax is not an option. I also am looking at the lazarro sopranos on ebay. 259 new. good enough? of piece of junk? I have been looking used vintage also an nothing is catching my eye. I figure for 259 if it is junk im no out much. If i can steal the LA sax for 600 and the soprano for 259 it will only cost me 859 for 2 horns. I was sold on a Saxophone.com tenor too but after looking around it seems to be the most expensive china made horn at 1200

I think you'll be OK with the tenor, as Alan seems to be pretty happy with his Orpheo. I cannot recommend a cheap Chinese soprano unless you are willing to spend a great deal of time and/or money bringing it up to playing condition. The engineering is fine but the assembly and quality control are mediocre to bad. Even then, don't buy it in silver plate, as the finish on mine started to turn frosted white in a matter of months. You can do better on the soprano. Lazarro reeds are passable, but I doubt that the horns are. You might get lucky, but are you in a gambling mood?

[BOPITY FUNK]

I was in Amsterdam and I saw a con naked lady in a window.

In certain parts of Amsterdam the windows are full of naked ladies! Never seen any Conn's though!! Must be senior citizens by now?

[gary]

I was in Amsterdam and I saw a con naked lady in a window.

In certain parts of Amsterdam the windows are full of naked ladies! Never seen any Conn's though!! Must be senior citizens by now?

Not Conn, "con". I know who he's talking about; Daantje Cohen. Gave free shots of Manischewitz to her customers. Her uncle Schlomo was a Mohel. Cheap guy. Worked for tips. Anyway, Daantje could con me out of anything. . . and usually did.

[Thomas]

"How Much is That Doggie in the Window?"

[bandmommy]

"How Much is That Doggie in the Window?"

If ya gotta ask, ya can't afford it... ;)

[jrvinson45]

That particular LA Sax model sounds like the one that Jay Beckenstein played with Spyro Gyra about 5 years ago. Since then he's played a B&S Chicago model which sold on eBay last year. At that time he played a concert here in Phoenix playing sop and alto only. He told me at that time he got the Chicago model through Saxgourmet. JB has played Asian saxes for some time, but has switched brands several times. His sound has always remained the same.

[cpete]

"How Much is That Doggie in the Window?"

If ya gotta ask, ya can't afford it... ;)

Those are a lot like airplanes, it's not so much the initial expense, it's the medical and maintenance.

[soybean]

If you don't like the finish on the tenor, look around for another LA sax in a better finish. They do come up, though maybe without the high g. You'll never feel good playing one in a color you don't like. My opinion, you do not need a high g key.
\
The soprano brand you mention i have never heard of and would stay away from cheap sopranos unless you can play it first. I had some bad experiences with two different curved sopranos on ebay. Both had problems with intonation that made them unusuable. Many players here like the Antigua straight sopranos.

[tonydig11]

your right about the high g. I never owned a sax with F#. I would prob not use the cheat high keys anyways as i am used to playing those notes a different way anyway. the finish was not terrible. Its how it sounds not looks. My 6 tenor looked like it was used as a war weapon.lol. If its still in the shop in a week of so ill go in with 600 cash. Ill offer 500 and see what happens. any more than 600 and it can stay in the shop.