The Bassic Sax Blog

Archive for the ‘Bass Saxophone’ Category

That’s the question that Music Factory Direct is asking in their auction of a JinYin Bass Saxophone Model A600G.

Over the past couple of years we’ve seen prices for new, American-style, Asian-made bass saxophones go all over the place. Check out the other posts in this series to see what the prices on these horns have been. When you do, you’ll notice that none of the prices have been as low as they currently are on this JinYin.¹

     Source: eBay.com

JinYin is the manufacturer of all the new American-style bass saxophones—regardless of what name appears on them, or what finish they come in.

The good people at Music Factory Direct do mention in their ad that JinYin is the manufacturer of this bass. Here’s how they describe it:

The JinYin Model A600G Bass Saxophone. Through its vast resources of engineering and manufacturing skills, JinYin is only one of a handful of companies in the entire world producing a bass saxophone. This instrument they produce has it all! Excellent tone and response, good intonation and comfortable key work. This bass sax, without a doubt, is one of the most incredible values you will find, with other models costing anywhere from $3,000.00 to $10,000.00 more. Comes complete with mouthpiece, cap, ligature and deluxe lightweight case.

Features:

Key of Eb

Execellent tone and response

Affordable price

Ergonomic hand position

Comes complete with mouthpiece, cap, ligature and deluxe lightweight case.

Oops, I guess that was a typo. I’m sure they meant to write that this bass is in Bb, not Eb. That aside, they certainly seem excited about this bass saxophone.

     Source: eBay.com

     Source: eBay.com

Here’s the case that looks just like the one that Glenn G. recently bought for his Keilwerth bass. He wrote a review about his new case on June 16, 2010.

     Source: eBay.com 

If you are in the market for a cheap bass saxophone, I don’t know how much cheaper than this you can get. At the time of writing there was 1 bid of $3,600.00 on the horn.

This no reserve auction for a new JinYin bass sax ends today at 11:29 PDT. So there is not much time left to get your bid in… If’n your interested in a cheap bass that is.

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¹ There is 1 brand of American-style bass that was—for a very brief period of time—apparently available for considerably less than this JinYin is currently being sold for. The Canex bass saxophone was listed for a mere $2,000 in June 2009, but in September that same year it had jumped to $3,000. 

Last time I checked Canex no longer includes a final price for their bass. The listed price was apparently for “reference” only, and a ”… detailed price due to final confirmation !!!!” Whatever the hell means.

I assume that means they don’t want to change their website regularly, or be held to the price that they state on their website. Perhaps they got burned and actually had to sell a bass at 2 grand. That’s gotta’ cut into their profits.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

In the last 3 months or so I have noticed the same vintage Buescher bass appear for sale on eBay no less than 5 times. I have reported it at least 3 of those times—most recently 2 days ago.

Sometimes when I report it the auction gets pulled. Other times, the auction is allowed to continue to its conclusion. It is frustrating, but the only good thing is that the item appears to have only sold once in all those auctions… Sure it did… That’s why it’s for sale again. The buyer was new to eBay and had a Feedback score of 0.

The bass in question looks like this:

     Source: eBay.com

     Source: eBay.com

If it looks familiar to you, that’s because The Wichita Band Instrument Company was selling the exact same horn, with the exact same photos, on eBay in December 2008.

Here are the things that make me suspicious of the auctions:

• Most times this horn has appeared on eBay recently the seller has had a Feedback score of 0.
• The seller’s name is different each time the item is up for sale. For example, in early August this horn was listed by goodmanner010—who did have a feedback score of 57. Now the bass is listed by yaheng330, who has a Feedback score of 0.
• The other items the sellers are peddling are usually cheap jewellery—unless they’re selling cheaply priced, new Asian bass saxes. (More on that below.)
• The price is always set well below what the sax’s true value is. This time around the sax’s Buy It Now price is $1,999 US.
• And each time this bass appears for sale, the seller is located in China.
• The ad text is written by someone who clearly doesn’t know anything about saxophones, or there is no text at all. For example, this time around the only description of this Buescher is in the title which reads: “Collectable Silver Grey Bass Saxophone With A Case”.

Usually there is no case photo included, and I don’t recall the seller mentioning a case. Here is the photo of the case that is ostensibly included with the Buescher bass. (Which if you will notice, they don’t mention by brand name, just that it’s “silver grey”.)

     Source: eBay.com

Now here’s something that’s interesting, the setting that this bass case is photographed in looks suspiciously like the setting this new, Selmer-style Asian-made bass is photographed in. As a matter of fact, the case is of the kind that would go with that style horn—including the IW-661 Bass. If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that the IW logo on the lower left corner of the case?

The Selmer-style Asian bass that is currently up for auction on eBay is too being sold by someone with a Feedback score of 0. It too is being offered for a Buy It Now price well below market value—which coincidentally is the same price the vintage Buescher is being sold for. And it too was most recently offered up for sale by the same seller who unsuccessfully offered the Buescher in early August.

What does all of this mean? What it means to me is that there is no shortage of seemingly crooked auctions on eBay, and even reporting them time and time again doesn’t seem to bring them to and end.

I guess if a person really thinks that they can get a pristine vintage bass for under $2,000, then there is no shortage of people waiting in the wings ready to take their money.

I think that the people who read my blog know the true value of a bass, and know that you can’t get a primo vintage bass for 2 grand. Or that you can’t get a Selmer-style Asian bass for 2 grand either.

Whoever said a fool and his money are soon parted was ever so correct. The Internet has just allowed con artists to reach worldwide targets.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

By Bassic Sax Guest Columnist, Glenn G

I’ve owned my bass for about four months now. As I indicated in my article on bass cases, it is a 10-year-old Keilwerth. The horn was in great shape when I purchased it.

My first challenge was to find a suitable mouthpiece. The previous owner included an old Selmer piece that I think is a modified bari piece and the Keilwerth piece that came with the horn. He told me “No one uses the Keilwerth piece”.

The Selmer piece really didn’t do it for me. The Keilwerth didn’t fit the neck—the opening was too large. Luckily, I had been reading Helen’s Bassic Sax Blog and website and knew that Paul Coats offered a modified bari piece. I ordered one and had great results with it.  

     Photo by H. Kahlke © 2010

     Photo by H. Kahlke © 2010

     Photo by H. Kahlke © 2010

At first, I did have some issues with middle D, E and Eb. I understand that these can be problematic on the bass. I am not a professional musician. I practice regularly with the bass and Paul’s piece. At this point it is all coming together, although I am still working on budgeting my breathing.

I did put some paper on the neck to try the Keilwerth with some Vandoren bass reeds and found that it didn’t work well. I also ordered a Vandoren bass piece, used it with my Vandoren reeds, but returned it. 

The Vandoren bass reeds are $5.00 each, so I’m glad Paul Coats’ bari piece works. I use a Fibracell 1.5 on it; also the Coats modified Runyon 88 bari mouthpiece is less than $100.

I was at a Jazz camp at the end of July. Everyone was congregating in the bar on the final night after the concert. I mentioned to one of the participants that I had a bass. He went on about it having no parts written for it. It was just a novelty for everyone to go ga ga and to say, “Wow a Bass Sax”.  I told him that I didn’t disagree with what he said. He then said: Oh, you own a Bass Sax!  

I don’t care; I’m having fun with it. I see people who buy motorcycles, boats, ski-mobiles, etc, which cost more—sometimes much more—than a bass sax, and are very expensive to maintain and house. A bass sax costs little to feed and house. If I did decide to part with it, I may lose a bit of money or maybe make a small profit. I’m not concerned; I’m having fun with it. It’s money well spent.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.