Selmer Paris Mark VI Saxophones - Are they the best saxophone out there?

This is ALWAYS a matter of opinion... just because something is the most expensive doesn't always mean it's the best. However, there is something to say about the prestige that comes with owning a Selmer Paris Mark VI Saxophone that really sets this horn apart from the others.

For saxophone players, especially (us) male (egotistical) saxophone players, the Selmer Paris Mark VI Saxophone is the considered the king of the hill and the ultimate status symbol. Funny enough, some sax players who own Mark VI's will tell you they play one without you even asking, almost their way of entering into conversation with you so they can talk about their horns.

When I was a younger sax player, I was also hypnotized by the Selmer Mark VI mystique, and wanted one with all of my heart – even though I had never played one. I just thought that if I owned one, with my natural talent, I could be the best saxophone player in the world! Had I gotten one at a young age, there is the chance that owning it would have catapulted me into a more passionate desire to learn to play, and I could have been the best saxophone player in the world. However, even back then, the average Selmer Paris Mark VI alto saxophone would cost (my parents) around $2,500-3,500, a steep price even for a very talented young saxophone player. I stuck it out with my Yamaha YAS 23, it worked… but I still wanted one.

That’s the thing about these saxophones that I think people miss. The actual horn, even though it does have a certain feel and sound about it, is only going to make an average player sound average, perhaps with a twist, and a great player sound just as great. The Mark VI doesn’t make you play any better, BUT it may just make you better, because you feel like (in your mind) you are playing the best saxophone ever made!

Does that make it worth buying one? For some, it may. That may be the thing they need to get out of a funk – playing saxophone has a lot to with your mind, and if you change your thoughts about what you are playing, well, you never know. So if playing a Selmer Mark VI gives you a boost in confidence, then it may be the catalyst that propels you into a great future of playing.

What is the actual value of a Mark VI, should you buy one, what should you look for and what should you pay?

What is the actual value of a Mark VI?

The value of these saxophones jumps all over the board depending on several factors.

The first thing you need to take into consideration first is the year it was made - the earlier the year the higher the value. You can always tell by looking at the serial number. They start generally between 55,000 (1954) and end around 220,000 (1973).

The next thing we look at when determining value is originality of the finish. The finish of the Selmer Paris Mark VI, or any other saxophone, is the biggest deciding factor when an investor is buying a sax for their collection, and they only look for and purchase items that have the original factory finish. I’m not going to get into what is or isn’t original factory finish, that is something we usually need to see in person to determine, but sometimes we can look at pictures and tell if it has the possibility of being original finish, or if it has at some point been re-lacquered. There are also some deceptive signs that could make you feel a sax is original or not, but again, finish is best determined in person by an expert.

Again, on finish, we look to see what type of finish it is, and also how much is remaining. The three major finishes we look for are Gold Plating, Silver Plating, and the most common, lacquer. For finish remaining, this is done based on percentages, and a guesstimate. If there is no lacquer or plating wear, and there are maybe just a few surface scratches, we would consider that 99-100% finish remaining. Lacquer or plating wear in the usual spots would usually get a rating of 80-90%, more used or worn saxes would usually see 30-70% of their lacquer finish or plating remaining. When you see a saxophone that has less than 30% of the lacquer remaining, we usually make the determination that at some point the lacquer was stripped and buffed off, making it a non original factory finish.

Now we go to body condition. When a saxophone has more original lacquer or plating remaining, then we can usually also guess that there has been minimal repairs on that instrument. Most saxophones that are used regularly will have some visible signs of use, and/or repairs done. If the instrument has all the original parts, nothing has been soldered or repaired; we give the instrument a much higher grade. Any large dents that have been removed will be noticeable, but small dings and such can usually be taken out without much physical evidence. Any solder or repair is looked at closely to see if there is any structural damage that would keep the instrument from performing properly, and each visible repair takes a little off the total value of the instrument.

Along with body condition, we look for matching parts as well as the case. More original horns in great condition will also have the matching neck and the proper case, also in great condition. Some Mark VI’s have a matching serial number stamped to the neck and to the body, so we will always check for that. If the neck does not have a stamp, it does not mean it is not original, but there are a few things we look at to determine whether or not it is the original neck that came with the saxophone. Often times, the factories or dealers switched the necks out at the time of purchase, so it may have been purchased with what you thought was the original neck, but in fact it wasn’t the neck that was made to go on the saxophone. Not having the original neck affects the overall value of the saxophone as well.

Should you buy a Selmer Paris Mark VI Saxophone?

I’m not going to say you shouldn’t, but your budget is the most important deciding factor on whether or not you should own a Selmer Paris Mark VI saxophone. If you have the available money to spend $2,500-$13,000 on the saxophone of your dreams, then by all means do buy it if it IS in fact the horn of your dreams. Don’t buy one though if you cannot afford one, have never played one and think it is going to make you a better player, if you aren’t dealing with a reputable company to make your purchase from.

We generally have a NO RETURN policy when it comes to Selmer Mark VI saxophones, and it is not because we are trying to sell something that we aren’t willing to stand behind. We stand behind every saxophone or musical instrument we sell. However, because of the sheer value of these instruments, we don’t want to be responsible for affecting the value of the instrument as it is in transit, or while it is in our customers hands. Anything can happen, and if we accepted these back for refunds, we are taking the ultimate risk because there is a chance that the value of the instrument can change between hands, ours and our customers. Before we sell a Selmer Paris Mark VI, we ALWAYS make sure that that is the saxophone the person wants for the right reasons, and not allowing a return policy we know that the person is serious about owning a Mark VI saxophone.

What should I look for and what should I pay when buying a Selmer Mark VI saxophone?

First thing to do is play it. Don’t let that be the only determining factor on buying a particular sax, but it can be important. In some cases, you can’t play the sax first, (i.e. when working with an online seller like us), but if you can play it in person first, do so.

You need to know what you are buying, and have your research done. Just because you see MARK VI ® on the bell to bow brace doesn’t automatically mean you should pay top dollar for the instrument. Look at all the factors we use when determining the value of the instrument and check out the market and see what else is out there in the price range you are willing to pay.

Once you put your budget together you will find that there are probably many more options than you originally thought, and set your goal that you will get the best saxophone available for what you can spend, even if it means that you spend less than you originally intended.

We work with people on a daily basis trying to get them the best saxophone for their money. If you ever have any questions regarding the value of a Selmer Paris Mark VI Saxophone, or need help finding one or buying one, please don’t hesitate to call us at 904.996.9312, or email us at info@cewinds.com. We just love to help people find the right instrument for them.

We hope this information on the Selmer Paris Mark VI helps you understand the instrument a little better. In the meantime, feel free to look at our inventory of Selmer Paris Mark VI saxophones, and visit our gallery of Selmer Paris Mark VI saxophones!

Peace to you,

Brian S
Christopher Elliott LLC
CE Winds
904.996.9312

eBay is, well, used to be, a great marketplace. I have been using eBay (as a buyer and a seller) since I first learned about it in about 1998. Now I have to admit, they have come a long way since I first started using it, and they have done so many things to protect buyers from being scammed from fraudulent sellers. If I was a dishonest person, it would have been so easy to take people for a ride using eBay, and thankfully, they have been able to create an experience that really protects buyers from getting scammed. However, it all had to some at a cost, and that cost was passed onto the legitimate, honest sellers, like us.

My main issues with eBay are:

a) When selling items, buyers can leave, or not leave any feedback and feedback rating they want to leave, regardless of how the transaction actually went, and there is absolutely NO recourse for the sellers to protect themselves against these buyers. Buyers are not required to read the entire description of a listing, and eBay does not hold them accountable for reading the entire description. For example, when we sell a saxophone and it doesn’t say that a mouthpiece is included, then the seller shouldn’t be responsible for a ‘not as described’ feedback received by the buyer and the item does not include a mouthpiece. Buyers shouldn’t have to list a full list of items NOT included, only items that ARE included should be required.

b) Sellers can no longer leave negative or neutral feedback for buyers, even when the buyer does not communicate, does not pay, leaves a negative feedback for you, asks you to do things that you aren’t supposed to do in order to receive the best feedback required. We recently had a buyer asking us to declare a lower value on his item internationally and then he would leave us all 5 stars feedback. Buyers, especially international buyers, are fully aware that they hold the power when making transactions on eBay, with eBay and Paypal buyer protection, sellers not only take the risk of selling, but have to prove themselves innocent when falsely accused.

c) Buyers, for the most part, have no need even to leave feedback when their transaction goes right. There is no reward or incentive for them doing so, and eBay has even eliminated the option for sellers to communicate with buyers in bulk asking them to leave positive feedback. The only option sellers have when it comes to receiving positive feedback is to just hope they leave it, or contact each individual and ask them to leave feedback about the item they purchased, and hope that you did everything in your power to ensure that it will all be positive. When you sell 30 to 60 items per week on eBay, that’s a time consuming task, don’t you think? Why not make it like Alibaba Express where if they do not leave you feedback within three days of receiving the item, you automatically get positive feedback without a comment. I can go back through the last 90 days and probably ¼ of our buyers did not leave any feedback, despite us leaving them very positive feedback.

d) When shipping items, eBay now forces sellers to pay fees on shipping charges charged to their customers and paid to them. They used to only charge their final value fee based on the items actual sale price, now it is the sale price plus the shipping charge. A company like ours, that adds us to a lot because we ship large, expensive items and just cannot offer free shipping to all of eBay-land. In order to help lower the cost of shipping for our buyers, as well as to help reduce the amounts of fees we are charged, we have offered less expensive shipping options… but it also has come at a cost. We have never had more damaged articles and more lost packages as we have had since we started offering these options. We are damned if we do, damned if we don’t. People complain when the shipping cost is too high (not because we charge more but because USPS and UPS rates have gone up so high), and then complain when their item gets damaged or lost because they didn’t want to pay for proper shipping… and who pays for it? The seller! Recently, we had a buyer who wanted to ship his item USPS Small Flat Rate box because he didn’t want to spend the extra $13.00 to ship regular Priority mail. Needless to say, the item has yet to be delivered (or perhaps it was but we cannot confirm it), the buyer filed a claim after only 14 days after the item was shipped (which the items can take up to 30 days to arrive), eBay sided with the buyer on the claim, refunded their money, and we are left with no product, no money, no chance of winning a lost item claim from USPS, and negative feedback (which has since been revised to neutral). Why? To save our customers, and our eBay account, a few dollars.

e) Calling eBay customer service is such a hassle that sometimes I would rather just allow eBay to walk all over me than deal with their phone reps. Every time I have contacted eBay I was passed to another department that handles that situation, sometimes explaining my situation 4-6 times before I ever even get to someone who can do anything about it, or even knows what I am talking about. I have to hear in every conversation how valuable of a client I am to eBay, yet I never feel that way, I don’t feel valuable. Honestly, I feel bad for most of the people who answer the phones because there is generally nothing they can ever do to help people, but they have to take the heat and the blame. Their hands are so tied by eBay’s ridiculous policies that their main responsibility is complimenting people until they get off of the phone. I always let them know when I call that I am not mad at them, that I know they didn’t make the policies, and I just want to speak to someone who can handle the problem, which I can never remember happening. As a buyer, I have never had a reason to contact eBay, but as a seller, I find many reasons that I need to contact eBay.

The bottom line is that eBay is no longer for the seller, the people that make them money. eBay does not charge the buyer to buy items, nor do they make the buyer hold any responsibility for not properly reading a listing, or for just not caring about the sellers. Someone should care about the sellers, and that is the sole responsibility of eBay. Some of us are out to make an honest living and those of us that go above and beyond, which is evident by our track record and our professionalism in listing our items for sale, should be given better treatment by eBay.

I am sending this as a letter directly to eBay, and if you feel the same way and you are a regular seller on eBay, I would advise you to do the same. (USE THIS LINK TO SEND EBAY AN EMAIL) The only way we can start being protected and rewarded for good selling is by letting eBay know how they are negatively affecting our ability to conduct business. Most people I know don’t want to sell on eBay, but they have to in order to reach a global audience. If I had the option, I would completely walk away from them, and I will if something doesn’t change.

Brian S
Christopher Elliott LLC
CE Winds

The inspiration for this article comes to me as I listen to that one liner, over, and over, and over.

Sergei Stepanov, aka Epic Sax Guy, has won his way into the hearts of many sax players, and music fans alike, worldwide, including my own. Epic sax guy, I love you.

Not since Kenny G has one guy been so loved, or so hated. WHY YOU HATIN? Dude, the Epic Sax Guy has done what many sax players have wished they could them selves do, create a name based on a simple riff that is catchy and fun. He has created a dynasty.

This guy has over 50,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook under Epic Sax Guy, and under his real name (Sergei Stepanov) he has over 5,000 likes. I don’t think these are official ‘fan pages’, but none the less, nearly 60,000 likes on Facebook. That’s a lot of likes.

On top of it, his band SunStroke Project from Moldova has over 6 MILLION views on Youtube on just one video (the BBC version), and over 4 million views from the official Eurovision video, and even though the song is catchy, I believe at least half of those views are to see what the Epic Sax Guy is doing. (thrust, turn, thrust, turn)

Now, the big question people have, and I wonder myself, is can the guy really play? Well, he sure can dance. Honestly, I don’t care; he is a viral “Legend” and sensation in my eyes. I believe many more people will play saxophone because of 7 easy to play notes. In my opinion, anybody who can play and dance like that at the same time deserves some ‘street credentials’.

If you ever wonder though, here are a few more Youtube Clips of Sergei playing, I think you can judge for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJDrwiF73DY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoqnpjiKyrg&feature=related

There is only one thing that bothers me about this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=n9tml1gT9A8) – is that he impersonates playing to an obvious synthesizer (during the echo) – Epic Sax Guy, you don’t have to try that hard.

And then here is a legendary clip, second to none: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwmwFi_LvBE&feature=related

Well, Epic Sax Guy, if you ever look for an endorsement, please call me first. It’s Brian at CE Winds. 904.996.9312.

Until then we will just have to stick with our own Epic Sax Guy, Matt White, who we KNOW can play, we just need to work on his dancing a little. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxXOC9Gpz9g

In my opinion, there is no better way to get market value for your saxophone or any musical instrument (trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, guitar, etc) than to sell it on consignment with a professional seller of musical instruments. If you are willing to wait on your price and aren’t looking for an immediate sale, consignment is the way to go.

(Please Note: If you are looking for immediate cash selling your instrument, or looking to consign, visit www.cashforsax.com and fill out the short form)

Christopher Elliott LLC maintains connections with some of the world’s premier buyers of rare musical instruments, as well as having the marketing experience to present your items to thousands of real buyers every month. Our reputation as being a leading musical instrument reseller gives the buyer the confidence to know that they are getting exactly what they paid for.

Frustrated trying to sell your saxophone on eBay & Craigslist?

If you’ve ever tried to sell a saxophone through Craigslist, eBay, the newspaper, or any typical method, there is a good chance that the transaction didn’t go as smooth as you wanted, or that you just couldn’t meet the expectations of the potential buyers.

Some consignee's, when presented with the ‘fee’ for consigning a musical instrument automatically reject the notion of selling on consignment because they often this that amount would be 'money in their pocket.'

Now we are not discounting the fact that it could be extra money in your pocket, but because of our own experiences, and also because we have met many people who have tried to sell their own instrument, that this is not usually the case.

On average, we charge 30% for consignment sales. This is always an all inclusive fee, unless specified, and includes cleaning, photographing, research, item listing, as well as sales fees such as Paypal, credit card merchant fees, listing fees (eBay, etc).

Generally speaking, because we are a professional seller of musical instruments, often our buyers are willing to pay more for their item for the comfort of knowing that they are getting what they paid for.

For example, we recently were contacted by an original owner of a Selmer Mark VI Tenor saxophone, all original condition, rarely played. His story was that he purchased the sax in the 60’s with the intentions of learning how to play. However, after giving up the idea of playing it, 40+ years later he decides it is time to sell. After listing the item several times on eBay and Craigslist, he wasn’t able to sell the item on his own at his asking price.

His son in law contacted us because he had heard great things about our company and thought that his dad should use us to sell his instrument, so he arranged a phone meeting. Through our conversation, we learned that the seller was less than 100 miles away, and he decided to make a trip to Ft Myers in person with his super rare Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone. After verifying the condition and originality of the horn, we gave him some estimates on what we feel the saxophone would sell for. Keep in mind his original asking price was within the range of what we thought the market would bring on this saxophone.

In less than 30 days, we were able to find a buyer for his prized Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone, who is absolutely thrilled with his purchase, and the seller was able to make nearly as much as he originally wanted (before fees), without all of the headaches of selling the item himself. It was a win-win-win situation for the seller (he ended up getting more in the end had he sold it on his own), for the buyer (he really got a rare item and a good price on it), and for us, because we not only retained the consignment fee for our services, but we were able to show another client that consignment is the way to go when selling saxophones or other musical instruments.

If you are interested in consigning your saxophone or other musical instrument, please visit our partner website at www.cashforsax.com, call us at 904.996.9312, or email us at info@cewinds.com - you will be glad you did!

My personal "Red Flag" (or peeve)

One thing that really drives me nuts when I hear it is when a tech says “I won’t work on Chinese instruments”. Big red flag for me. That is a very old fashioned way to think, I feel, and would lead me to believe that: a) they have some skepticism which leads to a stereotype regarding Chinese made instruments (because there are some very poorly made ones in the market) b) that they don’t realize that there are some very GOOD Chinese made instruments c) They are too busy to take the time to fix them d) they have so much business that they don’t need you as a customer. I would say walk away, fast, if you hear this. There aren’t too many left that will say this, but yes, there are some.

"Well, everything looks right from here!"

We've all got a niche.. whats theirs?

Ask them their ‘specialty’. Some of the techs we use excel in body work, others in saxophones, or in flutes, or even brass instruments. All are very capable of fixing other instruments, but most have an area or few areas that they excel in. If your child plays trumpet, you will want to find someone who really knows that instrument inside and out. The reason for this is that they can usually pinpoint the problem much faster if that is their specialty, and also provided you with a completed repair that meets their needs if it was ‘their’ instrument. And if it’s good enough for them, in most cases you’ll be thrilled with the results.

It's all about who they know

See if you can get a client list from them. Do they do work for any schools in your area, any local pro’s or notable musicians? The tech that does a lot of work for schools CAN be busy, but usually they know the most and have to be the most knowledgeable and creative with repairs, because kids do the darnedest things to their instruments…. The tech who works on some of the local pros can be a little more expensive, and sometimes busy, but if a pro trusts them, then there is a good chance you can too.

Shop it around, it is OK

Last but not least, see if you can get a written estimate. Usually a tech can look at an instrument and tell you what is going to be needed, and give you a quote on the spot. With a written estimate, if you have the ability, you can shop the quote around. Sometimes I have gone with the higher price because the turnaround time was faster; sometimes I have gone with the least expensive quote because I didn’t need the instrument immediately. Sometimes I have told the tech “I have this much to spend, what can you do?”. That seems like a 'careless' approach, but if you cannot afford the full set up (which is what most techs will recommend), something is often better than nothing.

In the meantime, if you ever have any questions regarding a tech, or need some help finding one, you can always contact us and we will be glad to help. Email info@christopherelliottinc.com or call 904.996.9312.

A few things I always ask our clients are; A) What saxophone are you playing? B) How long have you had it, did you buy it new/used? C) When was the last time the instrument was serviced? D) What is the mouthpiece you are using? E) Have you tried any after market necks or another saxophone?

We can usually pinpoint the best solutions/options for you based on these simple questions, and the best option may not be to buy a new saxophone, but may lead to just needing a neck, a quick adjustment, or a new saxophone mouthpiece. It may also lead us to the conclusion that you do in fact need a new instrument, which is OK because we usually have very affordable options for our customers.

CE Winds Powertone Saxophone Neck

About CE Winds after market Saxophone Necks

The most economical and effective saxophone necks in the market are the CE Winds Powertone necks, sold by www.cewinds.com. The Powertone saxophone necks are made for soprano (straight, curved and saxello style), alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. These Powertone saxophone necks come in several finishes, including Gold Lacquer, Gold Plated and Silver Plated. We offer three different alloys for our saxophone necks, brass, red brass (bronze) and nickel, which we feel allows you to explore different sounds for your saxophones and find the ones best suited for many playing situations. Need warmth? Try a Red Brass (bronze) alloy over lacquer. Need Brightness? Silver plated nickel. Classic? Try the Gold Plated or Gold Lacquer over brass. **

Baritone Saxophone Necks

We offer one model of baritone saxophone necks primarily made to fit Selmer, Yamaha, Keilwerth and Yanagisawa Style bari saxes, also including CE Winds Alpha, A2, and Pro Series saxophones. We do not currently offer a baritone saxophone neck with the octave mechanism attached to the baritone saxophone neck, only bari sax necks without the octave mechanism. We have plans to release a new model with the octave mechanism in 2012.

Alto & Tenor Saxophone Necks

Our CE Winds Powertone Soprano, Alto & Tenor Saxophone necks generally are a great fit for either Yamaha or Selmer style saxophone necks, but they have been fit for several saxophones. These are also great with many vintage saxophones where the neck is causing intonation issues or not performing well. We have heard countless stories from customers about how one of our CE Winds aftermarket necks have improved the performance and sound of vintage saxophones, namely the Selmer Mark VI, Selmer Super Action 80, The Martin, C.G. Conn.

Because of manufacturing differences from saxophone to saxophone, even within the same brand, all of the necks above generally need to be fit by experienced technicians, but in many cases, they work well right out of the box.

We also have in inventory many saxophone necks which we consider B Stock items, that may have a cosmetic blemish to keep the cost well below the normal MSRP.

If you ever have any questions regarding your current saxophone, or are needing a replacement neck for your (or your students) saxophone, please do not hesitate to call (904.996.9312) or email, we would be glad to help.

Peace,

Brian S
CE Winds
904.996.9312
brians@cewinds.com

** There is no scientific evidence to suggest that different alloys and different plating will change your sound. This information is based on our own market research, by consensus; many musicians agreed changing that alloy and finish did make a noticeable difference acoustically in their sound. We suggest experimenting on your own to come to your own conclusion. Our CE Winds Powertone necks come with a free 7 day trial, risk free. Try one today!

I talk to people everyday looking for the right mouthpiece for them. I always say we are a good starting point (CE Winds mouthpieces), because you can get some expert advice, and we have a few mouthpiece options that give you different variations in the sound you may be looking for. As a company we have most every desired sound covered with the Gold Genesis, the Silver Shocka & the NEW Powertone Saxophone mouthpieces, however,  we are coming out with a few new pieces early in 2012.

The first thing I ask people is ‘what do you play’. This usually gets an answer like ‘alto’, ‘tenor’, ‘Yamaha’…. Those are the right answers to a vague question, and important to know, but what I want to know is ‘what do you PLAY!” What style, what’s your sound, your influence? Sometimes it’s just one sound, but most of the time players are looking for variety in their sound, because a gigging musician needs to play a wide range of music to please the crowds.

Once you identify that, it’s generally easy to find a mouthpiece to work for you. The good thing is, especially with CE Winds mouthpieces, they come with a money back guarantee. Generally 7 days from the time you get the item, but if you need more time, we understand.

If you are not sure what you want, you just want to play easier, louder, softer, etc…., brick and mortar music stores will have some demo mouthpieces that you can try. It’s always good to try a few mouthpieces, but also try a few reeds with each mouthpiece. From that point you can narrow down your options to just a few, and then look at the costs to see what you can purchase.

I think over a lifetime of playing, you will go back and forth between pieces. Don’t fall for the idea though that the more a mouthpiece costs, the better it is. Don’t get me wrong, have you ever played a Meyer Brothers New York 4M alto mouthpiece? Or even a nice vintage Otto Link “Slant Sig” tenor mouthpiece? They are GREAT mouthpieces, but they also come with a hefty price tag. I feel that if that ‘expensive’ is the best mouthpiece for you and your trade, then you should buy one no matter the cost. Consider it an investment in yourself. Just don’t buy one because it’s ‘trendy’, or someone else says it’s the best for them.

If you ever have any questions on selecting the right mouthpiece, whether vintage or new, don’t hesitate to give us an email or call. We would be glad to help.

Brian
CE Winds
904.996.9312

I'm not always the biggest eBay 'fan', per say. Yes, as a business we need eBay, but there are many times I wish we didn't have to sell anything there, mainly because they don't seem to protect sellers as much as they used to, their fee's always change, and really, perhaps I am just jealous that they are slowly taking over the world.

I haven't had the 'need' to use the new eBay shopping cart yet, but I will most likely try it out very soon.

I did however log into eBay and add some random products to my cart, and I loved how easy it made it for me to purchase items from different buyers, and check out all at once. Now, if someone wants to buy a saxophone and a mouthpiece from us, a box of reeds from someone else, and some music from a third company, it makes it so streamlined and easy to do. Since I am a "Buy It Now" kind of guy and have little to no patience (ask my wife), this functionality is the greatest thing eBay has done, in my opinion, in the last 5 years.

I also like the fact that they added 25 extra characters in the listing title (now up to 80) but was pretty much used to getting everything I needed in just the first 55.

So, I suppose, my relationship with eBay will continue, and I hope there will be more available to really help sellers increase their business, as well as making it easier for buyers.

Peace,

Brian S
Christopher Elliott Inc
bhrians@christopherelliottinc.com

In the late 90’s when eBay became a public company, and the popularity of the website (an the internet in general) was growing rapidly, I was beginning my career as a marketing professional, and I was the youngest on a team of very experienced marketers set up with the task of figuring out how to help people become successful selling on eBay, and using eBay to promote their own businesses. (So much has changed)

Fast forward 8 years (to 2006) when Christopher Elliott Inc began selling saxophones and other musical instruments on eBay, we were able to take those foundational teachings we used for many years for other businesses, and help to build our own personal brand of saxophones and saxophone accessories, named CE Winds, as well as sell some of the finest new, used and vintage saxophones and other musical instruments in the industry.

Now in 2011, 5 years after the official incorporating of Christopher Elliott LLC, we continually find ourselves in need of reinventing strategies to have a successful selling experience on eBay, due to the rough waters the saxophone and instrument market has taken on over the last few years.

Since entering the market, we feel as a company we have raised the bar when it comes to internet sellers of musical instruments on eBay. We may be one of the most ‘looked’ after saxophone and musical instrument companies out there because of the immediate and evolving impact we have made in the market; and some of our competitors aren’t as excited as us about our sudden rise to success in this industry.

So with that out of the way, let’s let you in on a few methods that have helped us find our way though eBay.

Presentation is everything

Presentation – This strategy has never changed, never will, and it all starts with the saxophone (or any item) that you are listing for sale. The first thing you need to do is get out that polishing cloth and use some elbow grease. Remember what attracted to you to that instrument? It sure wasn’t the green spit spots, or the black tarnish, or the fingerprints. I feel it the nature of saxophone players to have this ‘visual appeal’, meaning they picture themselves with the instrument long before ever picking it up. Who wants to envision themselves with a dirty sax? No me, sorry. If you aren’t going to keep it clean while you are playing it, please just clean it before you sell it.

Pictures are worth a thousand words

Photographing – So many times I’ve looked at a saxophone ad on craigslist and eBay, and couldn’t even tell I was looking at a saxophone in the picture! What’s up with the blurry camera phone photo’s taken at midnight in a dark closet? With the affordable technology these days, and access to so many ‘smart phones’ with high mega pixel cameras, there is little excuse for taking poor pictures. Our suggestion and rule of practice, it take pictures in adequate light (so you don’t need to use the flash), and capture shots of the whole saxophone, the accessories included (close-ups if possible), a close up of the neck, the serial number, the bell, and the bell logo. We try to capture any and every angle of the saxophone so that way buyers can see what they are getting very clearly before they bid (even if we miss something in the description, it will be in the pictures) Which brings us to our next step….

"Tell us a little something about..."

Description – When describing a saxophone to list for sale, the pictures will answer a lot of questions for your buyers, BUT, writing a clear, concise description is important.Be sure to use the proper keywords in your listing for search purposes. Since eBay recently extended the "Listing Title" section, you should be able to easily add the important keywords needed to help generate traffic to your listing.

Here are a few other things we look for in order to make an educated decision about purchasing: Brand name, model, serial number (or partial serial number). If we don’t see it in your listing and we are interested in bidding, we will email you and ask (which I will talk more about later).

It is not that important that you know how to play it, in our opinion. We don’t mind if you bought it at a garage sale or if it was your great uncles and it was passed down to you. Unless otherwise noted, we are going to assume it needs some work done to it and bid accordingly.

Something that we can’t tell in the pictures, and we feel is important to describe, is what we call the key action. Do all the keys function properly? What buyers are looking for is that the keys are not binding, or bent, or broke. Just run through the keys and push them all, and write a brief description of what you found out.

Remember what we said above, pictures are worth a thousand words, so it is better to have many photos if you are going to have few words.

Communication – If you are going to take the time and effort of listing an item on eBay, then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take the time to answer questions about your item. Make yourself available to others when they need to know something about your item, especially during the last 3-12 hours of an auction. Because of the way items are listed, and also because of the practice of ‘sniping’, your saxophone auction will generally receive the majority of the questions (and bids) during this time.

If, while listing your saxophone on eBay, you ever have any questions, or you have just decided you don’t’ want to or have the time needed to list the item yourself on eBay, we will make ourselves available to help you in any way possible, whether helping you get it listed with some good advice, listing it for you on consignment, or even buying it from you for a fast/guaranteed sale. You can contact us by phone M-F from 9am-5pm EST, at 904.996.9312 or anytime by email at info@cewinds.com.

We hope that you find great success selling your saxophone on eBay!

Brian S
Christopher Elliott LLC
brians@christopherelliottinc.com

I speak to parents on a regular basis, and my number one advice for them is always this: it doesn’t matter what ‘brand’ you buy your kids (although CE Winds has my favor and stamp of approval), just make sure that it plays right from the beginning, and does not hinder your child from being able to play everything they need to play. When visiting with some very talented high school saxophone players recently in Miami, during an event for the Gold Coast Jazz Society, we brought some CE Winds Pro Series saxophones; tenor, alto, and soprano, along with us to let some of the kids try them out. In example after example, the kids were able to pick up our instruments and do things they were never able to do before on their own instruments. Even though these young musicians were very talented, their equipment was keeping them back. One even commented on how frustrated he was with himself that he couldn’t play certain things, but then was so relieved that he could, knowing it was just that his sax was holding him back the entire time.

Regular maintenance is necessary, not optional

This leads us into the next important step; keep the instrument properly serviced, at least every six months, but no less than once per year. This is so vital, because, student instruments generally take a lot of abuse, every day, and although they should be built well to withstand day to day abuse, they still need to be serviced.

Reinvest into their gift

As your student progresses, so should their equipment; the mouthpiece, the reeds, and perhaps, the instrument. By changing things up you will really keep them interested longer. Don’t go crazy and buy the most expensive mouthpieces in the market, but do some research and let them try some different models out, and different reed combinations. This is the reason we offer a consultation on mouthpieces; it helps the parents, and students, pick the right mouthpiece for them to meet their needs. It makes so much sense to not lose your entire investment by not reinvesting into their talent. It needs to be fresh, and it needs to be exciting.

Support means more than anything

And finally, and this has nothing to do with their ability, just be there for them. When I talk with parents who are really into ‘being there’ for the kids, taking them to competitions, watching them play or practice, just encouraging them, it makes a HUGE difference on whether they keep playing, or quit.

There are cases where them playing is just a lost cause, but perhaps it’s because they have been trying the wrong instrument. Once good thing to ask BEFORE they start to learn to play is why they picked that instrument. Did they pick it, did the band director pick it for them, or did the ‘economy’ pick it? If they did not pick it themselves, then they will immediately lose some of the passion for playing. If the band director picked it for them, talk to the band director and ask them why they did not allow your child to play their instrument of choice. If the economy picked it (because of the cost of instruments) then call us (904.996.9312) or another expert in buying/selling musical instruments. There are always options and answers, and we can help you find answers.

Peace,
Brian S.
President, Christopher Elliott LLC