How to buy a saxophone (link)

Vintage Saxophone Primer/Essential Guide (link)

To successfully buy a vintage saxophone,

• Buy a physically clean example of the saxophone you want.
• Buy from a reputable source with a clearly stated return policy.
• Take some time to research makes and models beforehand.
• Until the saxophone is overhauled well, you are playing the overhaul, not the horn.
• Make sure it is packed well for shipping.
• Give the horn a thorough inspection upon arrival.
• Realize that your current mouthpiece setup may not be ideal, and have some other options available for day 1 with your new horn to accurately judge the instrument.

Buying a physically clean example of the saxophone you want means that you place a premium on physical condition, looking for an instrument that has its original finish (which can be hard to determine except by experts so again, a very reputable seller is the way to go here), does not have many dents or repaired dents, no or minimal resolders, a neck that is not pulled down, and evidence of minimal playing wear. SOME playing wear is ok, and honest finish wear on an old horn (from fingers on pearls and hands on side keys during the course of normal playing) that lacks dents or other physical damage can be a sign that a horn was well-loved and well cared for, and should be considered different than the damage that comes from accidents, questionable repair choices, or poor maintenance. Bad repairs are worst of all- the damage that can be done by an ill-advised human with a pair of pliers in a few minutes is much, much greater than the damage that is done by time, or even by getting a horn dropped. In the hands of a skilled repairer, the ravages of time can nearly be erased, but in the hands of an unskilled repairer, the damage is compounded. As a repairman I know says, “the only thing harder to fix than a bad dent is bad dentwork,”

To see how what initially appears to be some rather serious damage can be undone by a skilled repairer, check out this series of videos by Matt Stohrer on repairing some typical long-term damage on a vintage Selmer tenor. This type of work being done this well is unfortunately rare, however.

Over time, I have come to use the word “clean” to describe a saxophone which has escaped damage, ill use, or bad repairs.

Buying from a reputable source is a way to put a guarantee on your satisfaction, and to ensure that you end up experiencing the singular joy that the craftsmanship and beautiful, unique tonality of a vintage horn can bring. Rolling the dice with thousands of dollars is not typically something most people will do in their normal lives, and while most people have learned the lesson directly or indirectly with a “lemon” used car purchase, the amount of pretty awful vintage saxophones being misrepresented (purposefully or not) for sale at any given moment is a sign that the market for vintage horns has some room for education.

A reputable source means someone who has a good reputation online and off, who you can reach before and after a sale, who satisfies your gut instinct as a reasonable and trustworthy person, and who not only has decent reviews but glowing ones. Getting the right saxophone that can be your voice is a transcendental experience, and compared to the typical pitfalls of the non-reputable world (eBay, craigslist etc.) the experience of buying the right horn well can and should be such a relief and a joy that happy customers are going out of their way to sing the praises of the seller.

Take some time to research makes and models beforehand. As of the writing of this guide in 2019 there is much more information available to the potential buyer than there used to be. However, a lot of it is divided up among different sources, and the time required to sift through the reliable information from the less so can be an obstacle. My hope here is that I can present the information I have synthesized since making vintage saxophones my life over a decade ago, and in the time since becoming one of the largest online vintage saxophone dealers- specializing not just in the well-known (and possibly more profitable) horns but also the more unusual, interesting, and underrated instruments deserving of more attention. I love saxophones, and I think more people would might feel the same if they felt as safe and sure as I do when evaluating them, and knew what makes each one special.

Until the saxophone is overhauled well, you are playing the overhaul and not the horn. What this means is that the operating condition of the saxophone is what you will feel in playing up to a certain point, when the operating condition is good enough that the individual nature of the make or model you have selected will begin to show its true nature. At this point, you will be playing the horn, and not the repairs. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of experienced and skilled repairers out there for keeping a vintage saxophone in optimum playing condition (much like there are not many mechanics capable of a full rebuild on a vintage automobile). The best course of action here is to 1) buy from a reputable seller that can accurately describe the playing condition of the horn as well as necessary/upcoming/expected repairs 2) have access to a skilled and trustworthy repairer of your own. Even if you buy a vintage horn that has just been overhauled by one of the best repairers in the business, eventually you are going to need maintenance. Same goes for a brand new horn! Having a good relationship with a repairer who can do good work is an essential part of being a saxophonist.

So you’ve bought a vintage horn, now what? When the instrument arrives, carefully unbox it and evaluate it. This video is extremely helpful in that regard:

Finally, its time to play the horn. Give it several sessions over a couple days- your return policy should allow for this- and play it with several different mouthpieces and reeds. The instrument is part of a system for creating music: your physiology, the mouthpiece and the horn itself. Your setup that you have gotten used to on another horn may or may not work on your newly acquired saxophone, and you may surprised at how different a horn can feel when varying the setup you plug into it.

This is a sample page.

Overview

Our refund and returns policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have passed since your purchase, we can’t offer you a full refund or exchange.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

Additional non-returnable items:

• Gift cards
• Downloadable software products
• Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.

Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.

There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted:

• Book with obvious signs of use
• CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened.
• Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error.
• Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Refunds

Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.

If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.

If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.

Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.

Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.

If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at {email address}.

Only regular priced items may be refunded. Sale items cannot be refunded.

Exchanges

We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at {email address} and send your item to: {physical address}.

Gifts

If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you’ll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received, a gift certificate will be mailed to you.

If the item wasn’t marked as a gift when purchased, or the gift giver had the order shipped to themselves to give to you later, we will send a refund to the gift giver and they will find out about your return.

Shipping returns

To return your product, you should mail your product to: {physical address}.

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you may vary.

If you are returning more expensive items, you may consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

Need help?

Contact us at {email} for questions related to refunds and returns.

• Vintage Conn saxophones are widely regarded to have the biggest, lushest, richest tone of all saxophones
• The models that are most desirable span from 1921 to 1941 and are the New Wonder, the New Wonder II, and the M-series (6M, 10M, 12M) with ultra-deluxe 26M and 30M model. Ergonomics and intonation improve as the models progress in time.
• The ergonomics can be a challenge for people with small hands or who can’t get used to anything besides modern/Selmer style keywork
• Good physical condition of the instrument is extra important
• Neck fit is a common issue with a huge impact on playability and requires a good repairer to fix

C.G. Conn Ltd. manufactured professional quality saxophones in the United States (mostly in Elkhart, Indiana) from about 1888 through the 1950s. The horns that are of most interest are the ones built from the 1920s through the mid 1950s. The models inside that desirable period that you will most commonly see are the New Wonder I, New Wonder II, 4M/6M/10M/12M (sometimes called M-series or “Naked Lady”, although the “Naked Lady” moniker can be confusing given that it is based on an engraving of a nude or semi-nude woman on the bell of the instrument which can appear elsewhere in time), and then several sub-models and rarities like the F-mezzo soprano, the Conn-O-Sax, the 26M/30M “Connqueror”, and the 28M “Connstellation”.

What makes Conn special is the huge tone. The ergonomics are decent to good depending on the era and model, the intonation is decent to good in a similar way, and the build quality is very good to among the very best ever. But the tone is superlative across the board. In general, I tend to stay away from saying something is the “best” or “biggest” or “most beautiful”. But I could go to court and win the case that Conn has the biggest tone of any vintage saxophone. There simply is no contest, and many players experience a Conn and never go back. The drawbacks of Conns are that they were extremely popular while they were made, and of the best of them (pre-war from the American perspective, meaning 1920s to 1941) were often heavily used, often professionally, for decades. These were sought after workhorses, with about as many made overall over several models in the best years of production as what Selmer made in the Mark VI alone. Finding a clean Conn is somewhat rare, and an example in excellent condition can command a well-earned premium for being much less common. And perhaps more so than most other makes, Conns are often seen in quite rough condition. Some unusual features of Conns like the tiny pivot set screws and the rolled toneholes do not hold up well to abuse (especially of the buffing variety) and while the underlying fineness of the acoustical and mechanical design may mean that the horn may still play when in terrible condition (much like a Selmer), it can also mask some expensive (or infeasible) repairs. Among the common and feasible but difficult repairs, neck fit is a common issue on Conns, whether on the tenon receiver for a New Wonder or 10M or on the double socket neck of a Conn 6M- repairable issue, but requires a good repairer. In other words: in particular, pay special attention to the physical condition of a Conn.

The Conn saxophone models that we are typically concerned with today have proven themselves over decades (in some cases close to 100 years) as mechanically reliable, ergonomically feasible, and tonally exceptional. In general, the tone is biggest on the earlier horns and (as is so often the case) trades a bit of its hugeness and flexibility for better intonation as the models progressed- but only a little bit of its hugeness. The Conn 10M (the last tenor we will be considering in this buyer-oriented guide) from the 1930s still is generally agreed upon by those who have experience to have a larger tone than any other tenor of any make or model- except the preceding model of Conn: the New Wonder II. And the New Wonder II is only challenged by the New Wonder I. Conversely, of the three, the New Wonder I has the most challenging ergonomics (although some folks have no problem with it, if you have small hands or weak fingers you will likely find it difficult to use at length), with the New Wonder II having several ergonomic upgrades, while the 10M has the most refined ergonomics of any Conn, save for the ultra-deluxe 10M sub-model called the 30M “Connqueror”. This tradeoff is one that is valued and interpreted differently by different people, and you will need to experience it for yourself to see if your experience fits the average.

The New Wonder I is the first Conn saxophone that is commonly viewed as reliable and refined enough for daily professional usage. The tone is enormous, rich and beautiful beyond any comparison. The intonation is decent but flexible- meaning you need to hear the note in your head and voice it when you play it, but if you do so, you’ll be spot on. Just don’t expect it to be like a modern Yamaha and do the work for you! This is a horn that requires a lot from its player in exchange for rewards that simply cannot be found elsewhere. The ergonomics can be challenging for people with small hands as the keyboard is somewhat spread out, and the spring design lends itself to having some keys unfortunately more resistant than others through their range, leading to a (sometimes) gummy feel. These went through a period as being sold as if they were no different from the New Wonder II, but that seems to have passed.

The New Wonder II, as its name suggests, is an improvement upon the New Wonder II in mostly subtle ways. the ergonomics are slightly improved, the build quality is improved, the bore is redesigned and has better intonation. The easiest way to identify one of these versus a New Wonder I is the “nailfile” G#: on the New Wonder I, the G# touchpiece is smooth, while on the New Wonder II the G# touchpiece has a file-like texture. The tone remains enormous, although it seems to be subtly less so than the New Wonder I (although still bigger than any other horn) in what seems to be an eternal truth in saxophone tone- richness traded for intonational ease, although in this case the intonational improvements seem more noticeable than the very slight reduction in tonal complexity. Conn made a lot of these horns, more than any other model we will be considering: close to 100,000. That means these are probably the most common that you will see, and they are available in a stunning variety of finish options from bare brass with minimal engraving to quadruple gold plated, fully engraved, and with pearl inlay on every key (called the “Virtuoso Deluxe” finish). Towards the end of the run in the early 1930s as they transition to the “M-series” horns they have several mechanical changes that are fairly easy to spot and therefore date/categorize if you are so inclined. These saxophones are called the Conn “Transitional”, which is not an official name, although it is appropriate and useful. Typically, horns that are more like New Wonder IIs will be called New Wonder II Transitionals, while horns that are more like the M series will be called Conn 6M/10M/12M Transitionals.

The M-series horns are the apex of Conn saxophone evolution prior to World War 2, and (other than the oddity that is the postwar 28M “Connstellation”) the last truly new saxophone design from Conn. This, in other words, is generally considered the most desirable Conn. Including the late transitional horns, only about 40,000 of these were made, total, in all sizes. They have the most advanced mechanical design, the best ergonomics, the best intonation, and nearly as big a tone as the New Wonder horns that came before them. The left hand pinky cluster of the alto and tenor have an easily identifiable shape. They are almost always lacquered, sometimes seen in silver plate, and only very very rarely gold plated. Once the war started for the USA in 1941, quality steadily dropped and while the wartime or immediately post-war horns are still excellent saxophones, pre-war is where they are all they can be. Wartime (there were not many of these) and post-war horns until 1948 can be had for a little less than pre-war horns while still being pretty similar to the pre-war horns in most ways except for a overall slight quality downgrade, but post-1948 they lose their signature Conn rolled toneholes and cheapen considerably, both in build quality and modern sales prices.

The Conn 26M alto and 30M tenor “Connqueror” saxophones are the extreme, deluxe version of the 6M alto and 10M tenor, and were built concurrently. The bore is the same, but the mechanical design of the keywork has been upgraded to “spare no expense”- the left hand pinky table is completely redesigned to have the same amount of travel in the same direction (up and down), and it includes the smoothest and loveliest low C# mechanism ever devised, whose light actuating pressure belies its holding strength- meaning the low C# requires very little pressure to use but also holds itself shut very well, and does not vibrate open when playing forcefully down low. The non-pearl touchpieces are all thick inlay/wraps of sterling silver, which looks absolutely amazing in addition to taking likely several hundred years to wear through. Every possible mechanical adjustment is controlled by a screw-in adjuster, and once setup these saxophones can stay in good adjustment for a very, very long time. Although overhauls take longer and the repairer must be highly,highly skilled to make these feel and play like they can. But when they do- they are an unparalleled marvel of saxophone design and an absolute joy to play. These are special, special instruments whose creation feels like a stroke of luck- somehow pushed passed the accounting department, these low-volume works of art seem like they never could have been made at a profit, and we are the beneficiaries.

The Conn 28M “Connstellation” is a bit of an outlier here, being produced only post-war in small numbers for two years, 1950-1952. It lacks rolled toneholes and sports an unusual acrylic keyguard, yet it is a professional saxophone through and through. It represents in fact Conn’s last attempt at a clean-sheet redesign of the saxophone, utilizing a unique bore and keywork found on no other Conn designs. It is a rarity, and when in good playing condition it is an excellent saxophone with a strong, clear voice that retains a lot of the power of a Conn with a clarity that is distinctive. They are not easy to repair well, especially if damaged, so buy a clean example and retain the services of a master repairer if you want to play it at its best.

Conn 28M Connstellation “Repairman’s Overview” video:

Example of a beautiful, excellent condition Conn New Wonder I

• King saxophones, made by H.N White Company, are USA-built professional saxophones of high quality, whose most desirable models are built between the mid 1930s through the 1960s, including the Zephyr, Zephyr Special, Super 20, and the rare tipped bell soprano sub-model the Saxello.
• Kings are known for the particular and unique “zing” to their sound, which is exemplified in the playing of Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, Charlie Ventura and others who used them.
• The Super 20 had various sub-models over time, with various options. The “SilverSonic” option included a sterling silver neck and bell, and the “full pearls” option included thick pearl touchpieces on palm and side keys. A full pearls Silver-Sonic Super 20 is a rarity and commands a very high price.
• The ergonomics of the Zephyr, Zephyr Special, and Super 20 series 1 are similar and can be difficult for some folks, especially in the left hand pinky table, but when set up well are not typically show-stoppers.
• The ergonomics of the Super 20 series 1a, series 2, series 3 and onward is very similar to the standard Selmer style layout and does not typically present any problems.

• Selmer (Paris) is the most well-known professional saxophone maker
• The most sought after models are the Super/Radio Improved, Balanced Action, Super (Balanced) Action, and Mark VI, but the Mark VII and Super Action 80 series are also competent and excellent saxophones worthy of investigation.
• The sopranos and baritones typically lag behind the other models by one generation, and with few exceptions (like late Radio Improved baritones) are not as well regarded until the Balanced Action era.
• Modern Selmers are highly regarded, still in production, and widely available
• Being the most well-known and sometimes commanding very high prices, the market for Selmers is the most fraught and often filled with potential scams/ripoffs/fakes/misrepresentations, therefore buying from a reputable seller is highly important.
• From the Balanced Action forward, notably superb mechanical design that is easy to work on, familiar since most modern horns copy its design, and highly fault-tolerant. Will reward world-class repair work but tolerate being in sup-optimal condition better than most.

The Super/Radio Improved models from the early 1930s are the oldest Selmers you are likely to see used in a professional setting, and typically considered to be the first Selmer that sounds and feels and is built like a Selmer (although the previous model, the “New Largebore” is could also be a contender for this crown). They are a bit quirkier than Selmer’s later models, but also have more aesthetic options, appearing sometimes in silver or gold plate with beautiful and elaborate engraving. The tone is distinctly Selmer, with a bit more richness and fatness than later Selmers at the expense of ergonomics (the left hand pinky table is old-style, like a Buescher True Tone) and some intonational stability. These horns seem to have the most character of the sought-after Selmers and remain a personal favorite of mine.

The Balanced Action is where Selmer becomes the Selmer that we know today. The bore gets bigger as does the sound and available power, and the keywork undergoes a massive upgrade to what with only minor changes continues to be the keywork used on all modern horns made today. Reliable, comfortable, fault tolerant, and efficient, the supreme genius of the keywork cannot be overstated, and compared to other saxophones made at the same time this horn seems to be from the future. We live in the world created by this saxophone, and the Balanced Action is Selmer’s masterpiece. Made from 1935 through the war (in limited numbers during wartime) until 1947, about 14,000 of these were produced in all types. Intonation is good, craftsmanship is excellent, ergonomics are modern. An excellent all-around saxophone whose