I`m guessing at Jerry`s they have a pretty good selection of saxes, and if I payed them a visit would I be allowed to test the horns.

Absolutely. It`s Orpheus Music. Jerry is the guy that you will deal with. The address and contact numbers are the ones I left earlier in this post. I have spent hours trying out horns before I purchased one. Most recently was my soprano. He brought in something like 10 different horns for me to play and choose from. They have a room set up specifically for that reason.

thanks a lot

Hey all... You all are so lucky to be in the cont. US. My dad`s in the Army and we`re stationed over in Okinawa Japan... I`ve been looking around eBay for a nice sax for a reasonable price that will ship over here (our address is considered a Cali zip code, but still!) and havent found a decent one yet.

besides the point lol

So someone was talking about how you should just basically choose your own instrument, not based upon what everyone else thinks about the brand name, price, look etc. I`ve been trying to get help for which company makes the best saxophones. Currently I play school-issued Tenors (Mostly Yamaha) and I`m doing O.K. on these but not my best and am trying to look for a nice Soprano. (By the way would a Soprano play the same notes as Tenor? Like an `A` would still be first and middle of the left hand?)

So if I were to look anywhere for a nice Soprano where would I look? On eBay and find one within my price range from a company? (so I know it`s not been used and has a warranty?) or from an online company that ships over here? (that would be hard to find...)

I`m just looking for a little help from experianced musicians. Thanks
Chelsee

I`m hardly "experianced" but I have a bit of general know its.
Firstly, if all possible, extend my thanks to your father, I am very greatful for the service of our men and woman and hope to join them someday.

Ok, down to buisness. Firstly, all saxophones have the same fingerings (A on alto is still A on soprano) just different keyes. alto and bari are Eb and soprano and tenor are Bb.

Ok, ebay. Rather risky, and shipping to Japan would be a killer, if you could find someone willing to. Now, there are some good deals on ebey, but you really don`t know what your getting, especialy with vintage horns. Best idea is to see if there is a warranty or trail period and ask if it would work for japan to (lots of time would be absorbed by shipping time) and if you sent it back you`d have to pay shipping and stuff agian.

so there are no saxophone stores around? No place to just try them out? Not even yamahas? what kind of yamaha are you playing now?

I`ll be sure to tell my dad, I`m at his work now, actually I`ve found someone that will ship to Japan, and it`s a `White Gold Monique` soprano, very beautiful and the feedback for the seller is very good. It has a warranty on it too. Says that if it`s damaged I can send it back for a new one, and i`m not too worried about shipping...

Thanks

heh, i keep thinking more.

are you sure you would even be able to play the soprano in your school? bacasue while there area few soprano solos and pieces, they aren`t that common in most school bands.

I`m not playing one ATM, I just use the ones that the schools issue us. I`m not too keen on going out in town and looking at the saxes because the only ones here are offbase and I dont speak very good Japanese...

ok same timeing, great. Ok, heres the scope on moniques. They are made in factorys in China and Taiwan. Generlay, the china saxes are crap but the taiwan ones good. Some people love there monique saxes, some hate them. soo... i know there is at least one dealer on ebay who makes sure he only gets good ones, idk if the one your talking about is one or not. can you post a link?

Lol so sorry about disappearing, Dad needed his computer back. Here`s the link to the sax I`m lookin at to buy.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7337200095&category=16203&rd=1

*sigh* We`re moving back to the states, and Dad`s pay is messed up so I wont be able to buy this one. I`ll have to find another. So confusing, my Dad wants me to get a soprano (lighter, smaller, cheaper, etc) and Mom wants me to get a tenor (You already know how to play that one and you have music for it already too!) so I dont know what to do...

oh well I just grin and bear it. When I get my next paycheck I`ll buy whichever i want to buy. Meaning probably a Monique because I trust this guy... Is that the guy you were talking about? Well I`ll be sure to buy from him if it`s the one that gets the right Moniques. Does Monique make tenors?

I know, that`s what I`m worrying about. What if they don`t have pieces for sopranos? What if I get a soprano, but they dont have any music for it, forcing me to sell my first sax and get a tenor?
(I dont play alto. No matter what anyone tells me otherwise I will never play alto again. For a month I was second chair, out of two, in our marching band and the dude beside me couldn`t ever keep up (he had lung problems, poor boy) or remember the fingerings for G, E, and Bb and I had to play most of the duets as solos, etc. And the band in my middle school, all of the altos sucked, except one or two... so I`ve had bad experiances with altos. Just so you know.)
So thank you! Lol I`m going for tenor now..

moniques make tenors as well. If your moving back to the states you might think about waiting to get one here. depends, what is your price range?

I`m going to ask the monique seller some questions then get back to you.

and, I did send you an email so don`t freak lol.