Big B Price Dropping

[ppamhk]

I realize that Big B market price (ie on ebay) is dropping lately. For instance, a good condiiton Big B alto could easily sold at US$900 plus is now probably US$600-700. Not sure why. I thought it is a good built model and price shall be stable.

[Dave dix]

Possibly but give it a month or two and the prices will climb
Dave

[odsum25]

I think these things are pretty random. Every once in awhile you get a flavor of the month horn/mouthpiece/lig and the prices rise. They stay that way for awhile and then drop. The advantage with a Big B is that eventually the price will go up again being a known quantity, so perhaps the example for this particular horn would be more cyclical. Also take into account that it was recently tax season in the US, so some people may be less inclined to buy things.

[tjontheroad]

I think those Big B horns shot up in price rather quickly over the last year. There was a lot of talk about them on this forum last year. Maybe they've just settled down to a more reasonable level.

[JL]

I'm not much of an ebay shopper/viewer, but my guess is the prices can fluctuate a lot depending on condition of the horns for sale. Any horn you buy on ebay is likely to require a sizable investment in repair work. So those prices don't necessarily reflect the overall trend. You might check prices on saxquest, vintagesax, and other reputable dealers to see what the horns go for in top playing condition. Finally, if you really do see a good bargain on a Big B, grab it.

I wish the prices really would drop, since I'm not in the business of reselling my horns to make money. I keep 'em and play 'em. But I doubt there will be any long-term downward trend on any of the well-know vintage horns.

[saintsday]

The eBay market for saxophones is fairly strongly seasonal.

[Randall]

The SOTW Hype Effect ( now to be forever known as SHE )has great bearing on eBay sax prices.


SHE also has further effect on the online dealers prices (and spurious horn "value" charts), which in turn affects eBay prices.
A vicious circle, if you ask me.

Oh what a tangled web....8-)

Now here come the dealers with their clubs and pitchforks to rail on me because I let their trade secret out! ;)

[saintsday]

WOW!!! Has anyone played one of those GREAT Bundy II altos? I have one and SHE is a beauty! I'll entertain offers over 1K.

[Grumpie]

WOW!!! Has anyone played one of those GREAT Bundy II altos? I have one and SHE is a beauty! I'll entertain offers over 1K.

You only have one.......:twisted: :D

[Randall]

:D @ saint...

Wait till I publish my horn value chart, Saint.

(and don't forget my 10%!)

Don't laugh too soon....I saw a price spike in Conn 21Ms right after a lenghty discussion on them here.

But that too has passed.;)

[JL]

Wait till I publish my horn value chart, Saint.
;)

Yeah, and I wonder if Steve Goodson's value chart didn't have something to do with prices? Not to mention his article about the Buescher TH&C being the best saxophone ever.

[Pinnman]

April 17th, 2007: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Buescher-Tenor-Saxophone-Aristocrat-Series_W0QQitemZ320101443907QQihZ011QQcategoryZ162 34QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Winning bid: $2009.09
Big B tenor - serial no. 323722

The link will only work, I suspect, on signing in to eBay.

Not a bad price in a declining market!

[Randall]

I wonder if Steve Goodson's value chart didn't have something to do with prices? Not to mention his article about the Buescher TH&C being the best saxophone ever.

JL, of course it did....and he was VERY vocal here. Lots of people (and dealers) were watching....and so on, and so on....

Seeing the connection?:)

[Randall]

I have actually thought to try the same thing here in Japan and start a website with serial numbers, horn value charts, historical articles, etc...(all translated into Japanese, naturally) and then start trumpeting the underrated Bundy II and Conn horns (that I have already snapped up for next to nothing). I am going to use my voluminous sax knowledge to answer all questions that come to my site and contact all my sax playing friends to write articles for my website. All my friends (especially those who give referrals to my website) will get great discounts on anything I sell. I, in turn will support my friends in their endeavours.

Because of all the info I have on horns, my site will naturally get lots of hits and I will then become a respected source and "authority" on all things sax on the web.

Then I shall laugh all the way to the bank! ;)

Bwahahahaahaha!

[saintsday]

:D @ saint...

Wait till I publish my horn value chart, Saint.

(and don't forget my 10%!)

Don't laugh too soon....I saw a price spike in Conn 21Ms right after a lenghty discussion on them here.

But that too has passed.;)

I remember. I was one of the people that bought at the top of the spike.:cry:

[Randall]

But Saint, the 21ms with rolled tone holes ARE good horns.
Hyperbole aside....:)

[saintsday]

You are right, Randall. It isn't the most refined thing in the world, but it does have a great sound. My tech was really skeptical when I brought it to him and ended up shaking his head and saying, "It shouldn't play that well!" I'd rather pay too much for a horn that I like than steal one that doesn't play.

[JL]

I have actually thought to try the same thing here in Japan and start a website with serial numbers, horn value charts, historical articles, etc...(all translated into Japanese, naturally) and then start trumpeting the underrated Bundy II and Conn horns (that I have already snapped up for next to nothing).....

Of course this will not work too well unless it's true that the horns really are great horns. The one in question here, a Buescher Big B, really and truly is a great horn, once it's set up well. Actually I can only speak for the tenors. I just played mine (the 156) at a gig tonight and man it's top notch.

And yeah, I agree with saintsday, I don't mind paying a premium price for a vintage horn I really like that has been set up and plays as well as the day it was made.

[lnauman]

I also noticed some lower prices on Buescher tenors right around tax time, but there seemed to be great deals on all the brands around that time.

Oh...and I just learned yet another acronym: "SHE"...I think SHE defintely drives Ebay prices. It seems that prices for Buescher sopranos has gone up a lot in the last year or so. Online dealers used to charge $1200-$1300 and are now charging $1600+. It's the law of supply and demand fueled by SHE (right here in the proving grounds).