Music stores are sometimes just as ignorant about saxophones as the uninformed buyer. This can either be good or bad, depending on if they charge more or less for their instruments. The more you know, the better equipped you are to do business with a music store. It is with some reservation that I bring up a pawn shop as a place to buy a saxophone. I recommend that you avoid purchasing from these kinds of stores unless you know at least a fair amount about saxophones already.
Pawn shops are notorious for stolen and over-priced horns.
However, if you know what you are looking at, they can also be a good place to find a bargain. Let your good judgment guide you when it comes to these businesses. As you learn more about horns, you will see these places for what they really are. The following sections will deal with purchasing a horn on-line in depth. Mail Order Mail order is the method in which most horns are sold on a national level.