Hey Gang,

We wanted to take some time to share information with you regarding online instrument sales. We had a customer come in that was really proud of the great deal they got on a Selmer Paris Reference 54 Tenor Sax. The instrument is marked with the correct logo and model, and it says, “Made in France”, but this isn’t a guarantee that you have found the real deal.

Here are a few clues that can help you determine if you’re purchasing a genuine article:

The Price
Be conscious of how much the instrument you’re interested in purchasing is selling for elsewhere. If it’s $10,000 at 99% of instrument retailers, and it’s $1,000 on one website, ask yourself why that would be. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Laser Etched VS Stamped
Professional quality instruments will have the logo stamped, not laser etched. You can usually tell by looking at an image, but you’d definitely be able to feel the difference as the stamp is an indentation.

Exotic Colors
Sometimes phony horn sellers will offer instruments in exotic colors that the true manufacturer does not offer. Always reference the manufacturer’s website to see what model variations are in production.

Sloppy Keys
Horns that are a copy can often be difficult to play even being brand new. The keys will have slop, and you may notice that something just doesn’t feel right. A lot of these horns are made by referencing photographs of the genuine instrument and trying to replicate it.

The internet is not a bad place, and there are a number of deals you can find. We just urge you to use caution. The safest way to shop online is to visit manufacturer’s websites. They will list all of the products they manufacture and they will list authorized dealers that you can make a purchase from.

We’re always here for you to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have when buying an instrument for yourself or your student.