Can anybody recommend someone who can repair saxophones? Also is there anyone (not too far from Hillsborough) having saxophone lessons who can recommend their teacher?

two i know of - i think they're both in yellow pages under "musicalinstrument repairs":

1)Peter Marshall at Wickersley and 2)

Keith Alderson at Doncaster.

What's the problem - maybe i can help

Thanks for that. I have checked the Yellow Pages - there are 2 woodwind repairers listed, one in Worksop and one in Beauchief. My sax hasn't been played for years and years so it needs a general overhaul and I think a few of the keys are sticking a bit. Thanks for your help.

I'll see if I can find the phone numbers.
Meantime, what make is your sax? and is it alto, tenor?

I am looking to buy a saxophone and I have read that there are a lot of poor quality ones on the market which are poorly welded.
Could you tell me how old is yours and what is the make and model.

Hi Mr. Chinnery,

You're dead right about there being some poor saxophones about and it really comes down to how much you're willing to pay.

There's loads of stuff on the -\internet to guide you but it's worth a look at the Myatt Hitchin site to give you some ideas.

My alto is a Selmer S80 Mk2 which I bought new about 2 months ago from PJS Music Services, Dodworth Nr. Barnsley. He seems to be a reputable dealer and did me the best deal I could find anywhere. Before that, I had a Yanagisawa A991 which was also nice but not as good as the Selmer.

These together with Yamaha are to me the only makes I would consider buying although there are some decent student models such as Jupiter, Buffet Evette, Keilwerth and Trevor James around.

It can often be better buying a good secondhand top model than a new lesser model around the same price.

Returning to PJS Music, I was in there a couple of weeks ago and he (Phil) showed me a Conn-Selmer Prelude tenor sax: I didn't blow it but it looked very impressive and I think it was under £300. It may be worth a look. I can't imagine Selmer putting their name to something poor.

Finally, avoid Stagg, Parrot, and other obscure names.

Hope this helps. Please revert if any more info needed.

My sax is an alto by Conn - I think it was quite a good one in its day - I've had it for about 20 years and it was second-hand when it was bought!

Hi Jacs
Thanks your e-mail.

Could be a good one and if expertly re-conditioned, could have quite a high value.

Is it the 6m model with underslung octave and a "lady face" engraved on the bell? If you could let me know the serial No. , I might be able to tell you a bit more about it.

best regards,
Drainpipe

Thanks Drainpipe, my sax has a model number M207769. It is silver coloured and is marked "made by CG Conn Ltd, Elkhart-Ind, USA. Sole English agents, The saxophone shop ltd, 40 gerrards street, London". It doesn't have the engraved lady face. Anything you could tell me would be very interesting!

Hi Jacs

According to my book, your sax was built around 1924-25.

I'd be very interested to see it.

kind regards, Drainpipe