For availability of vintage saxophones and mouthpieces in stock please see the above link: “Vintage Saxophones & Mouthpieces For Sale”. That will show current offerings, sold and on hold offerings, as well as up and coming “in-shop” projects. Please feel free to ask about future offerings. Additionally there are many items that ARE NOT listed on the for sale page that are packed away, not operational yet, or just not fit into the schedule to list. Early inquiry is a good way to beat the crowd to get the special item you have been searching for. Thanks!
Selmer MK VI Tenor 56xxx First Year Rarity
These don’t show up often and mostly not in this condition either. This is an original US finished 56xxx tenor, 1954 first MK VI design, still something of a transitional instrument. It has a nice pad job, all new and smooth. Original S/c matched serial neck in very good condition, never pulled. Bow, bell and neck all without injury, small dings here and there and some natural lac. wear.
The sound is really quite huge and unexpectedly loud and cutting. It has what I would consider a dark fundamental with an exceptionally cutting bright edge. It’s quite unique, not as focused as SBA, but significantly bigger booming sound as well. Sound coming out feels rather spread but behind the horn is not especially wide feeling.
Conditions and decisions of sale not yet finalized. Enjoy the pics!
Selmer MK VI 96xxx Original US dark lac/engraved (sold)
Here we have a very nice example of the mid 90k MK VI, original dark US Lac and engraving. These horns tend to retain the vintage organic sound from the 80k period with a bit more focus less boomy spread. They tend to project the center just a little bit more. Of course there is much variation, but that is the trend.
This one is all original finish, very pretty dark color and engraving. The neck is original sharing the same number and never had any pulldown, a couple of minor surface blemishes only, and it’s a very good playing neck, suiting this horn very well. The pads are mostly old originals, with a few replacements. It is playing ok at the moment, easily displaying it’s sonic character, but in the long run I suggest an overhaul.
The horn has been played, has some normal minor wear and some blemishes, one minor bump on a post, normal stuff for an old horn like this but nothing particularly serious. This will clean up very nicely and already is a lot of fun to play with a wonderful energetic and complex sound. It is not cosmetically perfect but also not been treated badly at all. These old Selmers are just getting very hard to come by now and we can see the demand and prices jumping. This is one of the cleaner examples of what can be found out there now.
Otto Link Straight Sig Late FL 5 Original
Here we have a very very nice original (100% authentic) late Florida Otto Link ‘straight signature’ tenor piece at it’s original 5 facing, unaltered and a wonderful player as well. Body is quite clean, facing curve untouched, tip in good shape, original long clamshell baffle (hand finished) and original table milling obvious and present. They don’t get much nicer than this. Most of the examples we see for sale out there now are fakes, this is real and these are hard to find. Generally these are a bit more powerful than slant sig but mostly the same mouthpiece, probably the best of the hard rubber Florida models for projection.
Vintage Alto Soprano & CL Treasures
Selmer MK VI 85xxx Original US engraved HT apex overhaul Beautiful Condition
Here we have the much vaunted mid-80k tenor of legend. This is right at the apex, 85k serial, original US lacquer at about 99.5% preserved state with some age speckle. US Elkhart engraved, original matched neck, factory sharp pearls, and a high class overhaul ready to go.
There are none of what I would call “dents” on this horn and never have been. There were a few tiny scuffs on the horn, just tiny stuff that you would hard pressed to even find. It’s very close to new condition. The neck had minor flex to it, revealing that the horn has been played; the angle and contour are correct for the model period.
The horn was overhauled from the ground up; custom pad order, pad treatment, nickel plated brass mostly Tonex 5-digit selmer resos with some resotech fill-ins. Balanced approach key fitting, toneholes conservatively leveled and dressed, old school cork &felt, nice neck fit etc. The key action is open enough but not huge, the balance between speaking and speed.
This is a horn that has the expected sound for the mid 80k period but is perhaps uncharacteristically focused and loud. It is not what I would call a spread horn. It has a powerful bright edge that some of the earlier mid 80k’s lack. It is not the wide lush sofa you might find at 82k. It is more of an edgy power puncher with a raspy edge that offers some spring to push against.
Minty (nearly new) original US 85k tenors are not easily available these days.
Otto Link Early FL Serialed 8 (tenor) Optimized
Here we have an otto Link 8 with a serial number of the early Florida production. These serial numbered pieces are either exactly the same as a FL double ring inside or extremely close to it. They are extremely difficult to find in any condition, but good to original condition is next to impossible. This one I was lucky to get on a trade. It was a great piece to start with, but I have very gently optimized it by cleaning up the tip rail and balancing the rails only. The piece has not been opened or radically altered from its original configuration. It plays exceptionally well and just has a specifically great voice.
Otto Link Tonemaster refaced .096
This is an interesting piece in that it has an early Tonemaster body style yet shows a later 3 digit serial from the ‘improved’ model. On the opposite side the normal Patent stamps are missing. I am wondering if this was a prototype or transition to the improved model? Anyhow it’s been refaced to 0.96. Someone has installed a wedge baffle that I removed and did some minor cleanup as well. This piece has a lot of potential, could use a little work.
Otto Link Tonemaster early model 5* .089 original
This piece is original, has a bit of wear and a little abrasion but has not been altered. The original 5* facing is .089 on this one so actually almost a 6. It could benefit from a little optimizing as most original Links would, but it’s a very sound example to start with. Originals are no longer easy to find.
Selmer MK VI 110xxx Beautiful original player (pending)
Wonderful rare 110xxx MK VI soprano, this is getting very close to the 99xxx mark of Coltrane’s soprano and is the same design point; having the earlier bore of the late 5 digits yet with the articulated c# regulator (a double “donut” pad assembly) that was prototyped in the mid 80xxx but did not come into production until the 90xxx period.
The condition of this horn is excellent, all original lacquer (a few very minor blemishes) and original pads and resonators with the exception of maybe 2. It plays quite well, but given that most of the pads have lacquer on them from 1962 I would suggest it will be better with an overhaul eventually. It is just not in dire need.
The sound is focused, buzzy as these are, rich and quite loud with a vocal quality. This has a ‘something’ that definitely disappears by the mid-100-teen numbers. It is near impossible to find this serial number and design these days, and it is preferred by a set of folks who know. I kept this one for years, and may yet keep it, but for the moment here it is for the ambitious!
King Silversonic 454xxx original 1970 Relic
This King Silversonic is exceptionally well preserved, it has been played very little. The pads are original along with everything else including the original packing label, factory inspection tag and King Instruments catalog 1970 with a price of $835.00! It currently plays, fairly well but being original pads it will need an overhaul for sure. It’s in very nice condition and plays with a rather huge muscular and flexible tone. Many people would say that this mid 400-serial is the best period for King Silversonic.
