Selling Used Saxophones

There are many reasons for selling a used saxophone, whether it’s just because you or your child doesn’t play it anymore, there is a need to upgrade to another sax or you are changing to another band instrument.

Depending on the conditions, your instrument is very likely to have a second life with a potential buyer and player. Those chances are high these days, as we are currently talking about one of the most popular instruments.

You might be wondering, how much does a used saxophone worth? And where to sell it? Let’s look at those questions in detail below.

How Much Does a Used Saxophone Sell For?

The price of a used saxophone is highly dependent on its current condition, what material it is made of, the brand, its workmanship, and what level of player it is aimed at. Keep in mind that well-made saxophones will sound better, be more reliable, and will end up having a longer life.

If you are talking about a used beginner or intermediate sax, then a good range would be 50% off what is worth buying a new saxophone.

A simple search in the most common online marketplaces to sell used musical instruments (for example, Reverb.com, Facebook Marketplaces, eBay, or Craigslist) will give you an estimation of the price.

Considering the various types of saxes and player levels, generally, you can sell a used saxophone within the following prices ranges:

Used Saxophone Price Ranges

• Beginner Sax: $500 – $1400
• Intermediate Sax: $900 – $2000
• Professional Sax: $ 1400 up to $5000

Used Yamaha Student Level Saxophones

In terms of quality, Yamaha musical instruments are one of the top-rated brands and are a popular choice from beginners to professional players.

Yamaha saxophones are no exception.

Depending on its condition, material, and type of level (student, intermediate or professional), one of the best Yamaha sax models might be sold around the following price ranges in the used market:

Used Yamaha YAS-280 price

• from $900 to $1400.

If you buy a new YAS 280 Alto Sax, you can get it at the following price, for example, in Amazon:

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Factors Influencing How Much Your Used Sax Is Worth

If your saxophone is one of the described above, you already know how much it can be sold for.

However, if you are still unsure about its condition, or you have a model not detailed above, then what should you consider for determining a price for your used instrument?

Apart from its current condition, there are four factors you should consider while evaluating how much your sax is worth.

Player Level

A sax model is normally identified in three different levels: beginner, intermediate or professional. Their price is directly related to their level:

• The higher the sax level, the more costly it will be. A beginner saxophone price is in the range of hundreds of dollars, while professional ones, could be in the thousands of interval
• As levels grow, quality does also. Manufacturers typically enhance the consistency, usability, and durability of saxes by targeting higher-level players (intermediate to professional).
• Consider this, because someone looking for intermediate to professional level saxes will already know what he or she can get from such level of the instrument and has considerable knowledge in that instrument. Be honest with the actual condition of the used sax.

How Old Is It?

If you have an older instrument, you might ask: are old saxes worth anything?

It is important to note, that the age of your saxophone does not necessarily mean it will sell for less. The condition of the sax is more important. While new saxes are generally more expensive than used ones, there are some cases where used instruments increase in value as they age. This is related to how scarce it is in the market, and if it’s a specific model that isn’t manufactured anymore but is highly in demand by sax players or collectors in the second hand market.

Best Brands for Selling Used Saxophones

The most known sax brands, tend to be the ones that are easier to sell as a second hand instrument. Then, within a brand, a specific model will be worth more.

But usually, the with the following brands you will be able to sell a used sax easily:

• Yamaha
• Jean Paul
• Jupiter
• Selmer
• Conn
• Cannonball
• Yanagisawa
• Keilwerth
• P. Mauriat

Their models tend to be the ones with more demand, reflecting their quality which turns out also in higher prices.

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Where to Sell a Used Saxophone?

Your best place to sell a used sax nowadays will be online on marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplaces, Craigslist, Amazon, or online websites specialized in musical instruments Reverb.com.

We’ve covered those different online options as well as the possibility to sell in music shops, in the following article.

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Damaged Used Sax? Consider Repairing Before Selling

If you have a broken sax and are wondering if it still might hold some value, you should consider the following:

• Does it need repair from a professional?
• How is the sound quality affected?
• In which part is the sax damaged? Is it visible?
• Does it need a full repair? Or just a partial one?

If the instrument is still somehow in good shape, but has some damages or isn’t playing like it used to, then you might consider the option of doing a check-up or an overhaul recovery. Such recovery and inspection could increase its value and increase its playing years.

That check-up and recovery should be done by a professional sax specialist.

The costs vary greatly depending on the professional or the shape of the instrument. But, you can have an idea with the following prices:

Costs for Repairing a Used Sax

The costs involved to repair a used beginner sax, will be dependent on the points mentioned above. But, normally for getting it repaired and clean, as well as put on new new pads and corks, expect to pay between $400 to $500.

That cost might influence your decision if it will be better to fixed it before selling or not.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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