The look of the Jupiter 869SG Artist saxophone is very distinguished for an alto saxophone. It has a solid sterling silver nick with a silver plated body. The keys are gold lacquered and they really accent this horn to make it stand out. It also features a beautifully engraved bell to give this horn more of a custom look.

On Musician’s Friend this horn is about as highly rated as it gets. It is all 5 out of 5 stars with a couple 4.5 out of 5 star ratings. People who buy this horn seem to absolutely love it. The combination of the tone and the look make this a lot of horn for the money.

The best part is that this horn won’t break the bank. It usually retails for around $1620 on Musician’s Friend, which is actually cheaper than the Yamaha Standard Alto sax. People who have rated this saxophone say it’s much better than it’s price would indicate. I’m inclined to agree with them.

Click here to learn more about the Jupiter 869SG Artist Alto Saxophone.

This saxophone is one of the most popular saxophones available on Musician’s Friend .  And it’s popular for a reason. First of all, it’s extremely reasonably priced. At around $500, you get everything you need to play. It comes with a case and strap and mouthpiece and all you other accessories you need to get going.

Having all the accessories and case come right with the instrument makes it a fantastic gift idea.  If you’re looking to surprise that saxophone player who is looking to switch from alto to tenor saxophone. It’s also great because you don’t have to track down any extra junk just to get a functional instrument. A lot of times if you buy a used instrument, the mouthpiece or neck might need to be replaced, which can be expensive.

From the reviews I read of the saxophone, it has a quality sound, especially for the price. Most tenor saxophone’s retail for well over $1000, and don’t even get me started from buying from local music shop. Local shops tend to charge way too much for way too little. Save your hard earned cash and buy a great instrument at a great price.

You’re looking for a tenor sax, check out the Kohlert 460. You won’t be disappointed.

A saxophone that fits both of these qualities is the Yamaha standard also saxophone model YAS-23. The saxophone is the absolute definition of a standard alto saxophone. There is not really any other saxophone a guy could think of that would really be a good all-purpose alto saxophone, and someone they know and say, this is going to last, you probably as long as you play, unless you become a collegiate or professional musician.

If you want to start someone all right, start them out with the Yamaha standard alto saxophone. For beginner to intermediate player, it’s a fantastic saxophone that will last them almost forever.

Of course, before you do any buying of the vintage saxophone.  You have to know what you’re getting into.  For example, many vintage saxophones will likely not be in perfect playing conditions.  With us you are going to need to take it to a repair shop and spend possibly hundreds of dollars repairing pads or any other potential problems.  Then again, you might be able to fix the instrument yourself.  If you are so inclined.  That in itself can be quite a hobby.

The other fantastic part about searching for vintage saxophones is that you can find real pieces of history in a vintage saxophone.  For example, plying a vintage jazz saxophone can make you really feel the music in ways that maybe a modern instrument wouldn’t let you.  Also, the vintage instrument is likely to have a unique talent and quality all its own, that a new instrument might not have.  It’s like the old saying, “they don’t make them like they used to”.

Probably the most popular vintage saxophone in the tenor saxophone world, is the Selmer Mark VI.  It eBays for thousands of dollars, regularly and is the most sought after tenor saxophone that I’ve ever seen. It’s frankly ridiculous how much people are willing to pay for a top-notch instrument.  That being said, you can’t find a better instrument in the tenor saxophone than the Selmer Mark VI.

If you’re curious about vintage saxophones, go ahead and start surfing eBay now or click on the listings below.  Be warned: once you start searching for vintage saxophones, you might not be able to stop.  Good luck and have fun!

Yamaha

There are three main tiers of alto saxophones that Yamaha makes. They have a high-end beginner model that could also be considered maybe even a intermediate quality instrument. That is the Yamaha YAS-23. Then, they have a series of intermediate alto saxophones in the YAS-475 series of saxophones.

Last, they have a wide selection of brilliantly designed professional saxophones. Also, Yamaha does custom versions of some of their professional models that are absolutely gorgeous in both design and tone. Nothing beats a custom instrument.

If you are looking for a name you can trust in an alto saxophone, Yamaha is that name for sure. If you need a dependable alto sax, a Yamaha will treat you right.

The YAS-82Z Professional Alto Saxophone features a 2-piece hydro-formed bell. The body, bell, and bow are annealed during production to make this horn more responsive and freer blowing. New features on the 82Z allow for faster action and easier repair.The blue steel springs help create faster, more sensitive key response and higher resiliency.

The horn is available in silver, black, and unlacquered finishes. I think the sliver is absolutely stunning, but the black is also fantastic.

These horns tend to retail around $3,000. For a truly professional quality insturment, that’s about par for the course. You can’t expect to get this kind of quality without paying for it.

Click here for more information on the Yamaha YAS-82Z.

While a lot of people end up renting instruments, I think it makes a lot more sense to buy a good quality beginner instrument instead. Kohlert makes a fantastic beginner alto saxophone. It is the Kohlert 450.  It retails for around $430-450, depending on what sale you find. At Musician’s Friend, this is one of most popular alto saxophones.

What’s great about this instrument is that you can buy it and it’s ready to go. it comes with a case, literature, cap, the mouthpiece, and neck strap.  All you need to get is the set of reeds, and you’re good to go. If you’re wanting a fantastic starter instrument, this is a great way to go.

Click here for more information on the Kohlert 450 Alto Saxophone.

When it comes to valuing a Mark VI, the condition of the saxophone can make a difference of thousands of dollars of value. I’ve seen junky Mark VI’s on eBay in questionable shape for $1,000 - $2,000. At the same time the perfect condition instruments command a pricetag in the $4,000 - $8,000 range. It’s important that the serial numbers on the neck match the body. Also of interest is that while the Mark VI is a historic tenor sax, there were also alto, baritone, and soprano models made.

The closest comparable modern saxophone that Selmer makes is the Selmer Paris Paris Reference 54 Tenor Saxophone. It’s a very highly regarded modern saxophone that carries a very high price tag as well over $6,000 in fact. That’s every bit as expensive as a vintage Mark VI, so it’s kind of a toss-up as to which is the better way to go.

The Etude EAS-100 is a fantastic starter saxophone at a very reasonable price. You can buy it for $399 at Musician’s Friend. It’s quite the deal. So much so, that it is the most popular sax on Musician’s Friend. It comes with a case, mouthpiece, cap, and ligature. All you need is some saxophone reeds and you’re ready to start playing saxophone.