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OT-Need advice selling Sax


clpete

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I am looking at selling a 1954 Selmer Mark VI Alto sax. I am wondering how to set an accurate value and where is the best place to sell it. I have an idea what its worth and I was going to put it on ebay but thought that someone here may have some suggestions. Any direction you can give me would be helpful.

 

We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down.
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That is a great sax and worth some bucks. I've not ever sold anything like that on ebay. You may be better off doing a little networking locally. Talk to some folks in the Jazz scene and see if you can get any interest by word of mouth. Also, maybe put up some ads at some of the local mom & pop places that do repairs, etc. Any of the cats who are serious players will have someplace they go locally on a semi-regular basis for pad and cork work, etc. It will take much longer and be more effort, but I'll bet you'll get much more for it if you go that route. If you do ebay, make sure you set an adequate reserve, because you may just not end up having somebody in the market for a sax of that value looking at that time. It would be a shame to give it up for a lowball price just because of that.

 

(FYI - I have played sax for 27 years. I'm not nearly at the level of the serious players out there - I bust out the occasional INXS, Duran Duran, or Eddie & The Cruisers solo, but that's about it. But if I had a sax like that and needed the money, I know exactly who I'd talk to around here. I would expect there to be a similar scene around SLC. A sax purchase is much more personal than EBAY allows. Cats want to know where it's coming from and touch and feel it before buying. You'll get more if you can have a more personal connection with the buyer.)

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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$3,500 for ok condition to $5,500 for top is my best guess. Of course if it has been gold dipped that would change. I have a 1950 Selmer Balanced Action (tenor).
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The links mark posted looked really high, the figures Vegas posted look a little low. I've generally seen $5,000-$6,000 for these, but it is highly dependant on condition. Honestly don't know how the vintage affects price.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Thanks for the all input. I have sent messages to some of the above shops and plan on checking with some local players.

 

The selling price looks like it could be anywhere from 3k to 9k. Not sure how much to it should sell for.

We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down.
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I play a little sax and have found "Sax on the Web' to be one of the best resources around. It's a bit a kin to our forum here.

 

Those guys will give you reasonably accurate data based on what you "tell" them, however it's "actual" condition will dictate (along with the current market) your intended asking price.

 

Also, their marketplace section is quite good and very active (I bought one of my horns from a player in LA at a good but fair price).

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My sister did that and she totally regrets it. But she was desparate and needed money. In the end she realized it was a demeaning and exploitive way to earn a living. She would've like to lived a normal life with that special person but her trust of men was tainted forever after the selfish lot she was subjected to...

 

Oh you meant SAX?

 

never mind...

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clpete, go over to saxontheweb.net, create an account there, and open a new thread to ask their opinion on its value. It will help if you include some good quality pictures.

 

If you are not an expert on taking photos of a sax, here is a suggestion: wait for a sunny day, take your horn outside and put it on a brown towel *in a shady area*, and take the pictures with the flash turned off. Make sure the focus is sharp.

 

Be sure to include close ups of the engraving area on the bell, pics of the area where the serial number and patent numbers are posted, and also of the neck (top and side views).

 

I also suggest you take a good look at whatever mouthpiece(s) are in the case. There might be a vintage mouthpiece (New York Meyer or other) which might be worth several hundred dollars on its own.

 

Whatever you do, do not do any cleaning or refinishing - such attempts might damage its finish if not done properly, and you should be aware that, right or wrong, Mark VI saxes with their original finish are worth more than those that have been relacquered.

 

 

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Whatever you do, do you do any cleaning or refinishing - such attempts might damage its finish

 

Unfortunate typo - I think you meant to say do NOT do any cleaning or refinishing.

 

I once had an old Bach trumpet that had been my main nice horn all thru high school. I decided to clean it up one day in really hot water, and half the lacquer flaked right off it. It looked horrible afterwards.

Moe

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