I'm looking to buy a sax for my son.  Right now his choice is between a Yamaha YAS-23 and a Selmer Bundy II.

The Yam is $300 and the Bundy is $375.

Any opinions?

Thanks Arfcom.

ETA:  He's 14 and been playing for 3 years.

all other things being equal, go with the Yamaha.

My son is tenor sax guy, and is going to the high school in the fall. Let me do some research for you.

How old is he, what grade and what kind of a music program is it?

Rentals or leasing are a better option if he's just starting out.
Insurance is a must if he's going to be in a marching band.

If you're buying used I suggest you get it checked out by a music store that specializes in sax maintenance/repair.

The Yamaha retails at over $1600, I think you're gonna get a piece of shit for $300.

I started playing alto sax in elementary school, my parents bought a piece of crap Conn that was bend and dented to the point where it could not be tuned and it was not worth the money to get it fixed.

When I got to high school I was playing a Selmer-Bundy student model alto sax that I bought with my paper route money.

The band director put me on second chair alto in the jazz band and put me on baritone in the concert band and marching band.

In the second half of my sophomore year the school bought a new 1977 Selmer Mark VI bari with the low A key.
That was my horn for the next year until I quit band a year later.

I took jazz/fusion band in college, after a few weeks I realized that I had no natural musical talent or ability, so I quit playing all together.

I sold my alto for party money a couple years after I graduated high school

I had a Yamaha trombone.. It was much win, I can only imagine the same of their saxaphones.

Both of those prices are very very low, are they both used?  Do they need work?  Are the pads on them in good shape, or are you going to need to put $400 into them for a tuneup?  I'd be looking at the condition of the pads and keys on both, making sure that everything is solid, not worn, etc.

They're both used.  Both are supposed to be in 'great' condition.

The Yam was used for 7 years, but not in marching band.

We don't know how used the Selmer is.

I played for many years but I can't manage the fine finger movements anymore.  Bundy was always of average quality...don't know about Yamaha, but I thought it was that crap they sell in the Sears catalog.  Either way, $400 or less is a low, low price.  Buyer beware.

I found something that said the Yam could be made in the US, Japan, or China.

Quality would be about what you'd expect.

Going to look at the Yam.

AAR to follow!

Yamaha makes a fine instrument, but at $300, I'd wonder what's wrong with it.  I play the trumpet, and I bought a new Yamaha Silver Flare B-flat trumpet, and even that was about $1600 at the time.  A sax is a rather expensive instrument.  Have it checked thoroughly before buying.

I marched for 8 years with my Silver Flare, and to this day, it hasn't a scratch or dent on it.  It's a matter of responsibility.  Of course, a trumpet is easier to "keep close" than a sax.

 

+1  Stuff happens, stands get knocked over, etc, but generally, the people with beat up equipment were the people who were just lazy and careless.

 

Aside from a few scratches, it's in good shape.  No dings or dents.

Nice couple in their 60's selling it.  Paid $1100 when they bought it 16 years ago for their daughter.

She played it thru high school, then upgraded.

The only thing that it might need is some new seals.  Even at that, I'm well ahead of new, or even the used pos's
at the local stores that are at least double the price.