I usually play an old YAMAHA YTS31. It might be considered non-lacquer, but it's actually easy to play. I looked for a different sound, and this Marcato is it. It has a good, solid sound, but I'm curious about the difference compared to the YAMAHA. The case is a Selmer saxophone pack. It's the kind where you just throw the sax in and go, which was popular a long time ago. For shipping, I will wrap the case in bubble wrap. As a novice, I can play it from top to bottom, but please have it maintained if you have the opportunity. No returns or exchanges, please.