Sell Your Saxophone in Australia

Used saxophones in Australia typically sell for A$285 to A$1,350 (about $200 to $940). Saxophones sell on pad condition and lacquer, and the question that decides the price is when it was last serviced — a sax needing a full repad is worth a fraction of one that plays.

What saxophones are worth in Australia

Condition	Typical	What it means
New with Tags	A$1,342	Unused, tags or seals intact
Like New	A$1,140	Barely used, no visible wear
Good	A$872	Light signs of use, complete and working
Fair	A$604	Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part
For Parts	A$335	Not working or incomplete, sold as seen

Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.

What lifts the price

Pads sealing properly with no leaks
Case, mouthpiece, ligature and neck all present

What pulls it down

Leaking pads, which need a full repad to fix
Sticking keys and bent rods

Selling a saxophone in Australia

Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.

Australia Post covers everywhere, but distance pricing is real and interstate parcels cost meaningfully more than local ones.

WishThrift has not opened Australia for trading yet, so this page is a guide rather than a live marketplace — the category becomes browsable here the moment the first Australian sellers list.

Seasons are inverted relative to the UK and North America: warm-weather items move from September, and winter gear from around May.

Working out what yours is worth

Press each key and check the pads seal with a leak light if you can
Confirm the neck, mouthpiece and ligature are all there

Getting it ready

Note the type: alto, tenor, soprano or baritone, and the brand and serial.
Check the lacquer, look for dents in the bow and bell, and confirm the neck, mouthpiece and case are present.

Photograph

The saxophone assembled, full, on a stand or plain background
The bell and bow, showing lacquer and any dent
The neck, mouthpiece, ligature and case

Put in the description

Type: alto, tenor, soprano or baritone
Brand, model and serial number
Pad condition, and when it was last serviced

Type, brand and condition: “Yamaha YAS-280 Alto Saxophone, Recently Serviced, Case and Mouthpiece”. Type is the first filter — alto and tenor are entirely different purchases. “Recently serviced” is worth real money if true.

Lifts in September and before Christmas. Recognised student brands sell within days; professional horns sell more slowly at higher prices.

It costs nothing to list

There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the A$1,342 a buyer pays is the A$1,342 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.

Where in Australia

Australia is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of Australia with their own page for saxophones.

Common questions

Where can I sell a saxophone in Australia?

List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.

When was it last serviced?

Say when and by whom if you know. A serviced sax plays; an unserviced one may need a repad costing a large share of its value.

What is a repad and does it matter?

Replacing all the pads so the instrument seals properly. It is a significant cost, so leaking pads noticeably reduce what a horn fetches.

Is a missing neck a problem?

A large one. Necks are model-specific, expensive, and a saxophone without one cannot be played.

More: how to sell a saxophone, what saxophones are worth, or Music & Instruments across Australia.