Which is the best brand to get a saxophone. Prefarably alto.

and also. What kind do you guys have?

Selmer MK VI probably the best overall.
I own a MK VII and am very happy with it.
Haven't seen a super 80 in a long time, what happened with them?

Yamaha

It really depends on your price range and willingness to dig. As far as student horns go, nothing is better than a Yamaha. If you are looking for a pro horn, I would look at a Selmer Series III. If you want to dig and money isn't an option, try and get your hands on a Mark VI, and make sure that it hasn't been relacquered!

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money isn't an obstacle*****

My twin brother is a very talented saxophonist.

He play a Selmer Mark VI Alto, Selmer Super Action 80 Series II Tenor and a Yamaha Custom Soprano.

He usually recommends the Selmer Reference Models, P. Mauriats, or Cannonballs, if you can swing the cash.

I don't agree with people claiming that one instrument outplays them all.

You need to find a dealer who has various professional model instruments available and play on them until you find one that you like.

What grade are you in?

Grade. 7

Okay. So how long do you plan on doing music? is this a life long commitment...well, past high school anyway?

If you are gonna do the whole high school thing and are serious about the sax and music, then I would wait until you get to high school and have become a more proficient musician. That way, you have a more complete understanding of what you want out of your instrument.

Finding a good horn is a lengthy journey for a lot of musicians.

Good luck on your investment.

The good thing about a pro-level instrument is that it will retain value well, so if you get a good one (even now), and then decide down the road that you don't want to do the Sax thing anymore, you can usually sell a pro horn for at least 40-50% of what you paid. The better you take care of it, the better you can re-sell it for also.

Thanks.

I'm still thinking whether or not I should take a music career

selmers are good, but pricy
yamaha is good, but not if your heading pro

"selmers are good, but pricy
yamaha is good, but not if your heading pro"

huh tell that to Eugene Rousseau, Jeff Coffin, Phil Woods and Otis Murphy just to name a few, who play Yamaha.

If you are in 7th grade just rent a horn for now until you are sure you want to consider it as a profession. Wait until higher education to buy a professional horn.

When and if you do want a professional one, look at:
Selmer
Yamaha
Yanagisawa

There are other companies that also make fine horns. Take a look around and see what you like.

I am not a sax player; but have played all other woodwinds for many years. My 11 year old wants to take up the alto sax. the local stores here "at the end of the world then turn left" want to charge me $50/ month on a rent to own with the final price being $1800. Knowing how children change their minds on a DAILY basis, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on this little venture. I have found a Selmer Prelude AS700 in the upper end of my price range. I also found a Merano (?) brand that is brand new, but I can't find any info. on them. It seems like it has the right construction... ribbed construction, leather pads, etc. It even comes with a 1 year warranty. Does anyone have an opinion about this instrument? Remember, we are talking about an 11 year old here (although I was hoping to learn it myself so I could add that to my LONG list of instruments).
Thanks for any advice!
Mary

I have to throw in my two cents here. People without experience always ask "Which instrument should I buy to get started?" The answer can be very difficult depending on the budget, the type of instrument being talked about, the age of the student, their ultimate goals, and the ability to afford upgrades later. There is also the potential to damage the instrument that one is not yet equipped to handle, a very common problem with flutes more so than saxophones. Pads are especially easier to ruin on flutes. You should need a license to trial pro flutes, or even handle them. (Sorry about the soap box).

Regarding alto and tenor sax, any instrument that's playable is good enough for the beginner, new or used. Of course, this needs to be determined by someone other than the beginner. It's more important is pick appropriate mouthpieces and reeds in the early stages of development, with future goals in mind. Without help sorting this out, you waste much TIME and/or MONEY. When you have several hours of constructive practice under your belt from a few years of rigor, you will begin to see where you are heading, and can be more easily pointed in the right direction. If you're targeting a new horn, I would recommend buying at least an intermediate Taiwan horn, or, if money and commitment are not an issue, moving immediately to the longer lasting, pricier Yamaha starters. Either way, you'll have a beginner mouthpiece to get you moving. After playing 4 or 5 years on one of those, your next purchase can be the dream horn. By the time you go after your dream horn, you will already be well versed in mouthpieces and know your preferences, which you should very well be, or you have no business buying a $2,500 to $6,000 saxophone, let alone knowing which one suits you.

As far as picking up used horns, you'll also need knowledgable help there, too. I don't recommend that for a beginner or a parent. Too easy to be duped. Order from wwbw or equivalent, and have a player or teacher make sure it doesn't need to be exchanged, and learn everyday within the trial period. Have the player or teacher check it again before the trial is over in case something bad surfaces that month.

Buy a horn online but not from a music store. Here in Australia we can get first class new horns of all types from an online discount store for half price.

hey guys. sorry for the late reply.

but i got a new saxophone a few months ago. =D

its a Cannonball black nickel plating
It's called "The Raven" on their site.

It plays really really good, but then again, its my opinion. =P

check it out http://cannonballmusic.com/finishfinder.php

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its the "B-ice B" one.

Jupiter