wut about the Milwakee 700 series, i really need a decent soprano sax but dont wanna spen 1000 dollares on it, i need one for allsate, would u recomend buying a used cannonball for 650 doallras off of Ebay or to try to stick with a New one. Thanks

Just remember when getting a horn cheap - you get what you pay for most of the time!!

As I have said before many times, STAY AWAY FROM OFF-BRAND CHEAPLY MADE SAXOPHONES!!! The saxophone is a very complex instrument, and requires a fair amount of precision and craftsmenship. You can NOT buy a cheap sax and expect it to play in tune, and last any time at all. The keys break, the pads rip, fall off or melt! Yes, melt! Many of them are a very cheap plastic vinyl material, not leather. I have seen several that were BRAND NEW, never even played before that did not play! The keys were so far out of adjustment that they were unplayable! Take it to a repair shop and most likely they will refuse to repair it! This is because they do not stay adjusted, and often fall apart in the tech's hands when he tries to adjust them! Some cheaper instruments are ok. I played a bass guitar at Walmart that was made in China and sold for $129. It was no Fender, but I was pretty impressed with it for the price. That's not true of a saxophone though. For $250, look for a used student model instrument at a garage sale or in a newspaper ad, or you just might get lucky on ebay. Sometimes you can find a decent horn that somebody just wants to get out of their closet. You might find an older used horn that needs a couple pads for around that price. If buying new, expect to pay a minumum of $500 for a decent beginner alto or soprano, and closer to $800 for a tenor. The Winstons are not too bad. Antigua Winds is fairly good for the money also, and the Kessler Custom horns are decent. Those are about the cheapest horns I would recommend. Anything less than that, don't expect it to last. People seem to get offended when I tell them that these horns are junk. Some people reply that they bought one of the horns and it wasn't all that bad. Then, a few months later they reply and say, "guess what....it broke and I took it to a repair shop and they told me that it wasn't worth fixing!" Invest your money wisely. Buy a quality musical instrument, and remember that new and shiney isn't always the best! Some of the best horns you will ever hear or play are those tarnished old jewels that have been kicking around in people's attics for the last 40-50 years!