Posts Tagged ‘French Saxophones’
1954 Mark VI Tenor For Sale On eBay
Author: Helen
There is currently an interesting Mark VI tenor on eBay. Its serial number—M564XX—indicates that it was manufactured during the first year of Mark VI production, making it among the most potentially desirable Mark VI tenors out there.
Source: eBay.com
The seller, lockwoodmusiccenter, describes the sax like this:
Early Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone in Excellent Condition- Must See!!!
You are bidding on one used Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone in excellent condition. This is truly a must see! Serial # matches up to 1954, which is the first year of production for the Mark VI. Item specifics are as follows:
- Country MFG: France
- Model: Mark VI Tenor
- Serial # 564XX
- Year: 1954
- engravings are sharp
- Selmer metal dome resonator pads which are original in very good condition
- there are a few shallow minor dents on body and bow as pictured
- hardly scratched
- pads and corks are in very good condition
- neck has no pull down- is in good condition with slight lacquer wear
- includes an original Traypak case by Selmer which is in very good condition- brown exterior, purple interior- zippers are functional
- the case has some wear in the interior and owner has red take around the top and bottom of the case
- instrument has been inspected by our shop, and instruments looks like has original lacquer, but cannot be certain because of age and sharpness of engravings
- was purchased from the 2nd owner, who did not have instrument re-lacquered
- neck as one ding
- must be played and seen in person
- this is in incredible shape and is one of the first of its kind from Selmer
- includes original end cap
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
This shot of the engraving does look a bit hinky. I don’t know if this is an artifact of the photography however.
Source: eBay.com
This photo just looks strange. Is this the actual finish of the body tube? Or is it an artifact of the photography?
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
These photos are not great, but there are roughly 40 much better ones that the seller has posted in an album on Photobucket. In this album there are quite a few shots of the bell engraving, but it is still a bit unclear whether or not the engraving is original.
Unfortunately there are no photos of the back side of the body tube included in the album. A potential buyer is left wondering whether the body tube really has these undulations, or if they are indeed an artifact of photography. If I was seriously interested I would get in touch with the seller, ask some questions, and also request more photos of that section of the horn.
This 1954 Mark VI tenor has a Buy It Now price of $13,500. That’s a lot of money for a sax that may be—by the seller’s own admission—a relacquer.
The seller is open to offers however, but at the time of writing there appear to be no offers yet on this classic Mark VI. The auction is set to close on September 7. It will be interesting to see if this VI finds a new home through eBay.
© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.
Pristine Super Balanced Action Alto For Sale
Author: Helen
One of the prettiest Super Balanced Action horns that I have ever seen for sale, is currently being offered by the Wichita Band Instrument Company, from Wichita, Kansas. This silver plated alto from 1953 appears to have very little mileage on it, and has been extremely well taken care of.
Source: eBay.com
When it comes to their beautiful horns, Wichita Band tends to be verbose in their descriptions. The ad copy for this SBA is no exception.
SUPERB SELMER SUPER BALANCED ACTION ALTO SAX, MADE IN FRANCE IN 1953, ORIGINAL SILVER, ALMOST PERFECT!
New and vintage saxophones from Selmer are always in our collection in Wichita, for certain. Really fine and original vintage Selmers are getting a little hard to find, but here’s a recent acquisition that’s nearly perfect. The ORIGINAL SATIN SILVER finish is worn less than 1 percent, it’s never sustained any dents or dings and it’s very clean. The sax was built in France, shipped to the States years ago and was recently acquired by us.
Selmer Super Balanced Action Alto #52,834(1953). It’s a nearly pristine example that wears 99% original silver finish, came to us with original pads, now has new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita. Never dented or dinged, key pearls still sharp, stack hinge-tubes with minimal swedging. This one’s been played very little since it was new. Superb example that’s in excellent condition, highly recommended. Best alto ever, in our estimation.
Please note that this one has high F# key, rare on SBA altos!
Today, all French Selmer saxes are manufactured, assembled and padded in France. Before 1980, many Selmer saxes were sent to Elkhart in bits and pieces, assembled, padded and lacquered in the States. The “American” Selmer-Paris saxes were usually (not always…) marketed with serial number to the neck tenon. “French” Selmer-Paris saxes did not have serial number stamped on the neck. Our Super Balanced Action is a “French” Selmer-Paris alto.
We are absolutely certain the silver finish is original. We note that there is no wear, pitting, scratches or etch marks under the silver in the places that first show wear: around the strap ring and to the left of the thumb-rest area. Silver plated Selmers are rare in the States but were the “finish of choice” for French players. We’ve played thousands of Selmer altos over the past five decades and can tell NO DIFFERENCE in playing characteristics between lacquer and silver.
Early BA saxes have low notes that are not quite as sharp as early M6 saxes. The SBA saxes still have the excellent intonation of the BA models, but were produced with offset stack keys, adjusting screws for the operator key of the lower stack and modern feet for the stacks. We like both the BA and SBA models.
Yeah, we know we’re in the minority here, but our own personal opinion is that the BA and SBA saxes represented the absolutely finest saxes ever produced. For us, the low notes on the M6 saxes are always a little high and takes a bit more favoring for the low C, B and B-flat. With the SBA saxes, you don’t need to adjust quite as much.
SBA models are best suited for classical, Big Band or sax quartet work, but the tone-color is flexible enough you can play one anywhere. Use a Berg Larsen 110 over 1 steel mouthpiece and you’ll cut through the strongest brasses. Or put a Selmer C-star on the sax and you’ll find the tone-color smooth and sophisticated. Our choice would be a Meyer 4M or an older Brilhart 3-Star, either one with a VanDoren 2 ½ reed. But lots of other fine players who have strong chops, might want a slightly more open mouthpiece. A C-star, 5M or 3-star mouthpiece always works very well on SBA models.
Here’s a little more info about condition:
The neck’s never been damaged, creased or dented in any way. The neck tenon is tight, the octave key without any loose play or wiggle.
Very good bell section, with 100% original satin silver plate. Braid band that connects the bell to the end-bow shows no evidence of buffing or wear. Everything’s very good, very original. Original gold plate inside the bell is 90% or better.
End bow is nearly perfect; our shop burnished out minor dings. 99% original satin silver, everywhere. Braid band that connects the bow to the body shows no evidence of buffing or wear.
Key guards on the bell and bow have never been re-soldered or repaired. NO wear to the edges of the key-guards.
Body is very clean and straight, wears 99% original satin silver, but with some minor plating wear to the thumb rest (see photo). No dents or dings, ever. Original satin silver is nearly perfect.
Palm keys are tight, with no plating wear to the E-flat and D. High F has no plating wear to the key touch.
Stacks are still tight, with hinge-tubes never swedged nor do they need it. Key pearls are very sharp, absolutely pristine. Cups that hold the pearls show no evidence of wear or buffing, more proof that all plating is totally original on this one.
Side keys and low C / low E-flat show no wear to the original plating, Perfect.
The bottom line is that this one’s straight, clean, wears new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita (plus new stainless steel resonators), comes with the new Pro Tec case and plays as well as any alto you’ll ever find.
Easy to find a Selmer alto for less money, but the sun will burn out before you find a better one!
Top recommendation, we say!
It goes on for nearly as long again about their business, and what they do to the horns they sell. If you’re interested, please check out the auction for details.
If you’re interested in the pretty pictures that they provide, here they are. (Yes, Wichita Band provides almost as many pics as they provide paragraphs of text for their ads.)
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
I guess whoever owned the horn didn’t play many notes above C3, since there is no plating wear on the palm keys.
Source: eBay.com
Here is the high F# key.
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
It’s remarkable that this is seemingly the most plating wear anywhere on the this sax.
Source: eBay.com
What kind of neck strap could a person use that would leave no marks? Wow! This was extremely well taken care of. I’d say the owner might have been a wee bit on the anal side. 
It’s beautiful.
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
Source: eBay.com
The auction for this fine looking Super Balanced Action alto runs until July 25. The Buy It Now price is $5,375.00.
© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.
When Selling A Horn, You Might Want To Check Your Ad Copy Before You Post
Author: Helen
I happened to be looking through our local craigslist this morning, and came across this listing. It was amusing enough that I had to share. How many spelling errors do you see?
Vintage Selmer Mark VI Tenor Sax – $6900
Vintage Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxaphone very rare serial no. 55XXX beautiful condition,free blowing and amazing tone.A true proffessiional saxaphone for the connoisseur musician. Hard to let this one go. Serious inquiries only.
What are the chances that someone who owns a 5 digit Mark VI, doesn’t know that saxophone is spelled with an “o”, and not an “a”? I’m just asking…
Oh, and while I’m just asking… Why is it that the Mark VIs that appear in our local craigslist usually don’t have any photos? Does that happen with other Mark VI listings on craigslist, in other cities as well? I haven’t conducted a survey to find out if this is trend or not, however I am curious.
© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.
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