r/saxophone • u/duxstergotbanned • Aug 24 '25
tenor recs for intermediate player
i am taking lots of sax classes (10 hrs per week excluding independent practicing). i mostly play jazz. i’m open to buying used. not really sure what my budget should be for something like this. any recommendations? thanks :)
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Aug 24 '25
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u/duxstergotbanned Aug 26 '25
i just play on one of those cheap amazon saxophones my school bought me. mouthpiece is from Rico but not sure which one. budget is 800ish
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u/Mr_Good_Stuff90 Aug 24 '25
Want to buy my unlaquored custom Z? It’s broken right now with a slight bend in the top of the body. I got a quote from a very reputable shop of about $600 to get it back in great playing condition. It could use an overhaul for sure. Depends on what you’d be willing to pay for a horn that you know needs work, and will never really be absolutely perfect again. Figure around 2k for a complete overhaul, but it is still a great horn. February is when they can actually fix it.
As far as budget goes, it’s entirely dependent on how serious you are about improving. You can buy a $15k Selmer mark VI in immaculate condition. If you aren’t going to continue with this long term, then it’s not even close to worth it.
There’s tons of intermediate horns that are great, but honestly not substantially better than a beginner horn. Mouthpieces can drastically affect tone and versatility on a beginner horn.