Articles

Evgeny Krylevsky
Evgeny Krylevsky
Head of Krylevsky School

How to save when buying a saxophone and accessories: new or used?

It is better to buy a used saxophone together with a specialist — a teacher or technician whose professional opinion you trust. Without experience, you may not notice defects.

Can be used

SaxophoneSaxophone
MouthpieceMouthpiece
LigatureLigature
CapCap
Neck strapNeck strap
Swab/clothSwab/cloth
Music standMusic stand
MetronomeMetronome

Should be new

ReedReed
GreaseGrease
PadsPads

What to pay attention to

  • When buying a used mouthpiece, make sure there are no chips.
  • When buying a saxophone, visually check that there are no dents, or ask for a discount to fix this with a technician.
  • You can check the pads — there should be no black plaque on them.
  • Check what accessories are included — ligature, cap, grease, strap — great, most of the time they can be used.
  • See what mouthpiece is included; sometimes used saxophones come with good professional mouthpieces.