Sax on the Web Forum banner

359xxx Zephyr

2K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  Jazziswaswillbe 
#1 ·
Can anyone tell me why this zephyr isn't getting ANY action on eBay? I thought 359 was still in the sweet spot for these (I have a 330xxx that is as good as they come) the seller doesn't seem to know much but - again. Someone with more knowledge please advise. It APPEARS like it COULD be a relacquer. I advised the guy to take more pics and try to determine the lacquer status but he just dropped the auction price down to $500/$8xx 'buy it now.' I'd think even a relaquered would sell quickly at that price unless 359xxx puts these into a student horn. Thanks, anyone!!
 
#2 ·
It is still one of the good' ones. It's probably the possible relacq. Although to mine eyes, it could be original lacq.

the seller gives minimal photos, and gives a minimal description...he did not reply to your specific question...and has only 3 feedbacks.

THAT will keep 50% of potential bidders away. It is always suspicious to some that a brand-new eFlayer would be auctioning a desirable vintage model for seemingly under-market.

Not saying it's nefarious...just saying it makes a fair number of folks back off.

I have purchased desirable horns in such a context and have never been screwed. But others have been.

If it is not described as playing up and down, that could also be the thing.

A 'possibly relacquered' Zeph which needs tech work to get it humming.....$500-650 would be about the market rate. An original lacq one ? It wouldn't quite be $850, because if there's no guarantee it is in good playing shape, you gotta expect to drop $300 of tech work on an eBay horn like that. So, that wouldn't end up such a great deal for someone, to peg it for $850

(One completely, professionally worked up, definitively original lacquer, fetches around $1000-1300).

So I am not certain I'd pay $850 for this if it wasn't guaranteed to be playing up and down, no add'l work needed...regardless of whether the lacquer issue is up in the air.

If he wants that he's gotta add info to the description and provide a lot more pics.

If he won't revise his auction and reply to questions, it'd still probably be a reasonable, low-risk take for $500-575, however.
 
#3 ·
It is still one of the good' ones. It's probably the possible relacq. Although to mine eyes, it could be original lacq.

the seller gives minimal photos, and gives a minimal description...he did not reply to your specific question...and has only 3 feedbacks.

THAT will keep 50% of potential bidders away. It is always suspicious to some that a brand-new eFlayer would be auctioning a desirable vintage model for seemingly under-market.

Not saying it's nefarious...just saying it makes a fair number of folks back off.

I have purchased desirable horns in such a context and have never been screwed. But others have been.

If it is not described as playing up and down, that could also be the thing.

A 'possibly relacquered' Zeph which needs tech work to get it humming.....$500-650 would be about the market rate. An original lacq one ? It wouldn't quite be $850, because if there's no guarantee it is in good playing shape, you gotta expect to drop $300 of tech work on an eBay horn like that. So, that wouldn't end up such a great deal for someone, to peg it for $850

(One completely, professionally worked up, definitively original lacquer, fetches around $1000-1300).

So I am not certain I'd pay $850 for this if it wasn't guaranteed to be playing up and down, no add'l work needed...regardless of whether the lacquer issue is up in the air.

If he wants that he's gotta add info to the description and provide a lot more pics.

If he won't revise his auction and reply to questions, it'd still probably be a reasonable, low-risk take for $500-575, however.
Thanks very much. But: in good condition I was certain these were $1600 - more or less. No? ... Thanks for helping me put this in context. I've had four but only two in the early '50's. I sold one for well over 1800 to someone who came to look at a more expensive Mauriat but flipped over the zeph. I was honest. I paid $1600 but wasn't sure I'd be able to get another for that. I did but it took a year. And it was $1600 plus S&H. But it is a wonder of a tenor sax.
 
#7 ·
Thanks very much. But: in good condition I was certain these were $1600 - more or less. No? ...
Generally, not anymore. Maybe 5 years ago. But $1800 puts one smack-dab in good Eastlake S20 range nowadays.

Although, again, it depends on how well set up the horn is, too.

If the one you sold was in really good aesthetic shape too, that could up the value a little. But if it was just in basic 'vintage' shape, maybe 65-75% lacquer, no significant dents but some dings here and there, not grungy but not sparkling clean; and set up and playing well....you did very WELL getting $1800 for it. That's a good $300-400+ over market.
 
#20 ·
Generally, not anymore. Maybe 5 years ago. But $1800 puts one smack-dab in good Eastlake S20 range nowadays.

Although, again, it depends on how well set up the horn is, too.

If the one you sold was in really good aesthetic shape too, that could up the value a little. But if it was just in basic 'vintage' shape, maybe 65-75% lacquer, no significant dents but some dings here and there, not grungy but not sparkling clean; and set up and playing well....you did very WELL getting $1800 for it. That's a good $300-400+ over market.
I ha net seen a super 20 for under $1800 in a long time. eBay?
 
#6 ·
Side keytouches not much of a concern, that's usually an easy fix; but dang...yeah...the top of the tube looks seriously buggered. Good catch, there.

....if so, one would think they'd at least post some more pics...

...all the more reason to stay away.

If he sells that for $600 as described 'in good playing shape'...he's gonna have one very unhappy buyer on his hands....
 
#12 ·
It's gnarly, yes. It can be fixed...I have done so around 7 or 8 times before....but it isn't the sorta job most techs would wanna do (although I love sh#t like that), so most would probably charge a pretty penny...in the area of $250.

So...assuming this horn is original lacq (I still lean that way)...it has that damage and doesn't really play up and down well. You are likely looking at around $350-500 of tech work (including the body repair)...and that's not 'whole 9 yards' tech work, just 'get it playing decently' tech work.

So in its current state, it's only worth around $400-500.
 
#11 ·
Well, I sorta like that seller, Gorgonna...so I don't wanna say nuthin' bad about the auction. He doesn't sell his stuff in fully playing shape..but admits so (albeit not as directly as one conceivably could).

But..YES...THERE'S your "Bad" Zephyr.

These are the dumbed-down ones...notice the keywork compared to the rounded 'cloverleaf' style of the Zephs of a few years before.

Stay away from these....quite honestly you'd be better off with a 5-digit King Cleveland.

The 'revised' keywork (nickel almost always, although don't just look at the nickel to make that determination) is quite clunky. Skip the serial number stuff...just look straight for the spat and pinky keys to determine which ones to avoid. Notsomuch 'avoid'...because they still sounded good....just more so NOT to pay more than maybe $400 for (Alto), perhaps $550 tops (Tenor).

So $600 for one of these that doesn't play up and down....is not a good buy.

To this day it escapes me as to why King would change the keywork on their Eastlake Zephs and Eastlake Clevelands and make that keywork considerably worse and less responsive than on their previous models.

But there's your distinction.
 
#15 ·
Is cosmetics important? It is to some, not to everyone. I suspect I'm the exception, but mine (circa 1945, 269xxx) was $900 shipped off of Reverb. Cosmetically not a dream, it had a bad relacquer that was cleared only around the engraving. It needed about $150 of work, which included fixing the leaking neck.

There are bargains out there. Recently there was a late 1940s alto that went fairly low (700ish) on eBay.

Timing is everything. I've seen some great altos going for < $1000 of late.

Sent from my Moto X 2015 Pure Edition using Forum Runner
 
#18 ·
Side by side Zephyr vs Super 20, there is IMO a substantial enough difference in tone and certainly in ergonomics to justify the higher price of the Super 20's.
I've owned 3 Zephyrs and a Super20 at the same time.
I still have the S20 but have sold the Zephyrs.
Although I thought I could live with the stiff C#, it did become an issue after a while.
I'd had it lightened off as much as possible but still it was too much for my already weak pinky.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top