I have now had to pay over $100 combined in shipping and return shipping for saxophones off of the Internet that do not play.

Please, please buy a sax that you can play test, here`s an example why: My latest return was a tenor for a great price through a music store chain website. They have a return policy, like most, that DOES NOT reimburse original or return shipping. A sax should cost about $20 each way. Back to the story. It was advertised that their repair shop had gone over the horn, replaced what was needed to put it into playable condition. I could get about 5 notes out of it. There was a ligature screw holding the neck in place and MANY other obvious problems that if the HAD sent it to a reputable repair shop WOULD HAVE replaced.

Long story shortened: even on music store sites other than Ebay-- BE WARE. You might be dealing with a seller who plays guitar or just works there and if it`s shiny at all, thinks it`s playable and lists it to sell it.

Invest in a decent student mouthpiece (beginners/parents out there) Yamaha 4C is a great mouthpiece, and start with a 1 1/2 strength Rico reed. That way, you are prepared for a good horn that is being sold without a mouthpiece, and some of these horns are NOT sterilized properly (yuck). So own the part that comes in contact with your mouth, don`t test play on a stranger`s mouthpiece.

I also have a few tips which will save people a lot of frustration, and smashed-in keyboards.

For some things, including purchasing a musical instrument, the internet isn`t all it`s cracked up to be. It would be much healthier to just go to a local band instrument store, and tried out a few saxes there.

I have bought every sax that I have owned (2 so far) at a music store, and that won`t change. My current horn, a Selmer Super Action 80 Serie II (what a mouthful), I bought from a store in my city called the Bandstand. The people who work there are very knowledgeable, and provide good service, especially when you`re making a large purchase...

I would suggest buying all other instrument-related items in this way also. I have bought several mouthpieces, ligatures, neckstraps, metronomes, tuners, and countless boxes of reeds from music stores.

Don`t get me wrong, though, the internet does have its advantages. I have bought many things online, including an iPod, but that`s beside the point. However, in my opinion, instruments are not something which should be purchased online. You never know if the horn you get online will be the right one for you, so it is essential that you have it in front of you, and someone there to help you who knows what they`re talking about.

Oh, and definitely don`t play on someone else`s mouthpiece. That`s like using someone else`s toothbrush...

Cheers,

Thomas