Very rarely do we find early 1960’s Selmer Tenors in this untouched condition. Serial number 108xxx, this is in the run of the absolute most consistently great and efficient responding MK VI ever made.  These play slightly focused, punchy, bright, highly resonant and vocal.  To be absolutely clear in this serial range of immediately post-100k I have never, not even once, played a bad one.  They are either very very good or exceptional. It is just what they are, and for whatever reason Selmer had the perfect formula for Tenor at this moment.

This particular example is just about brand new condition.  I think I found one little scratch.  The pearls are sharp as new, no lacquer wear, even on key touches, no dents, no solders, original neck and matching numbers, original pads, some falling out, original old degrading neck cork. I did play it a number of times when I first got it, before the neck cork started to crack and the left hand pads started falling out and it will really just great; commanding and beautiful tone. In fact Josh Redman also tried this one at this time and declared it a candidate.  I agree!  I am not in a rush to sell it either, but someone asked for the pics so here they are.

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This wonderful SBA tenor belonged to Davide Sanchez, renowned virtuouso.  It was specially chosen for it’s sonic qualities.  A European market silver plated tenor, it is in very good original condition with a clean and rather recent pad setup.  It is a very punchy and bright horn with an addictive immediacy and clarity.  The response is both loud and delicate depending on how one approaches it.  The serial number puts it on the cusp of 40xxx so it is very much the historic Coltrane variety of SBA; early, retaining a lot of Balanced Action qualities yet modernized, fast and nimble.

Among those with experience and knowledge this offers exactly what one would expect from 39-40xxx SBA at its peak of greatness. A top tier playing early SBA in quite good physical condition is never easy to find.  Chosen by a celebrated artist adds another assurance of quality.  I am just getting to know and optimize this instrument and it is enticing.

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Here we have a wonderful example of a prime 5 digit VI tenor.  This one has been played plenty and shows how much love it received over the years with some lacquer wear.  Structurally, however it is in excellent condition with no solders or serious repairs that I can find.  It’s got the normal dings and minor dents but really has been spared the worse issues that we often find with vintage players horns.

This one has had a professional good quality setup by a well known NY tech and it playing well.  I’ve just got it in here and it will need some minor cosmetic and functional adjustments to optimize the situation, but again it’s really in good condition.  The original owner engraved his name and number on the back as many old pros used to do, which we will just have to ignore by playing it. The metal thumbhook appears not to be original with a sort of custom shape, which of course can be replaced with an original.

The 95k serial number is in the model-realm of Chris Potter’s VI tenor (98k so I am told) and these do have a certain presence and power; reliably more focused than 80k and trading off some fatness for pure power.  This one particularly is a specially great player.  The owner told me ‘anyone who plays it will buy it’ and I do believe I agree with him.  It is live, immediate and forward!

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A tenor like this is very uncommon to find.  At 86xxx this is within the exact construction period of Brecker’s famous preferred horn at 863xx, as I was told.  This is a beautifully surviving original example.  The lacquer has aged to a dark bronze.  The horn has had no damage or trama and barely any scuffs of significance.  The worst issues are a few spots of finish wear or past lacquer corrosion that have been cleaned up, that’s it, nothing else of note. All the important areas, neck now brace, bell etc are untouched by impact or accident.  This is a very clean horn.

It has been carefully restored to perfection with new treated pads and an assembled set of original Selmer Tone-X nickel plated brass resonators, all keys fitted and toneholes level etc. It plays and feels like a race car in the hands.  The sound and response especially rare; an impressive slightly dark core with a wild-side type of growling aggressive edge all delivered in a particularly compact, compressed forceful airstream.  This is basically the dream VI for most people who are looking for this serial period and it absolutely does not disappoint. It’s very difficult to find any tenors at 86xxx at this point and harder still to find a truly great player at full power.

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I’ve taken this horn on a trade, a truly excellent and classic sounding SBA tenor 48xxx.  This has a great amount of depth and lyricism in the sound propelled by an awesome power.  I high degree of ‘bluenotability’ with this such that every note tells a story, feeling and sounding like a classic recording at the moment it’s played.

The lacquer is original and the US engraving very nice and sharp. It’s got a nice darker finish color as well, but it is by no means a museum piece. This horn has lived a few lives and has some repair history which is why it is not priced at the upper end of SBA tenors, but an original for just a bit more than the average relacquer.

This is obviously a horn for a real player, someone who can match it’s poetic vibe and drive it, but also not for those who’s OCD will be bothered by a non-pristine horn. Cosmetcis aside, I don’t think I have ever played a better SBA tenor.

 

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Here is a wonderfully constructed B&S tenor ‘2001’ model with the special G# regulator mechanism.  This is a similar model to the early Guardala saxophones, but with some added key action engineering. These have a very powerful and full spectrum colorful sound with a very fast, clean, and punchy response. They have something of a following, no longer made and specifically great compared even with today’s newer designs.

The condition of the lacquer (original) and the horn itself are outstanding, mint condition and almost new by any standards.  The pads are excellent as well, it is exceptionally fun to play, and not really easy to find.

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Here is a rather hard to find serial number, early MK VI alto from around 1959.  This is the tail end of the first example of the medium bow designs.  The lacquer is obviously original, quite dark with a nice color.  This horn has been sitting quite a while, has a lot of dust and eroded old pads.  All the original metal tone-x resonators are present (only had rivets on the palm keys), neck is also original and serial numbered.  There is some corrosion present but this will also come off easily enough.  There have been some minor bruises over the years, the octave level was bent, but all the screws are free and it is ready to have a full overhaul as it currently is not at all playable.  I may end up working on it at some point but someone else should probably get it going and play it before I take a long time to get to that point.

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Nice original working musician’s 162k MK VI alto.  This is a gig reliable medium bow horn, original neck and has some custom key risers added. As you can see it is not a closet horn but has lived a bit and shows some action.  This is a similar design iteration as the later 140k altos with that even scale, impressive projection and tonal color.

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This is Joshua Redman’s 62k MK VI tenor, original US lacquer and engraving and nearly mint condition.  He used this on his reunion tour in 2002 with Brad Meldau, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade. He had this set up to his preference and the overhaul is tight and slick.  This horn has a rather massive lush and complex vibe to it, delivered bright and immediate, wonderfully flexible. The photos you see here are before the overhaul, and he says a little cleaning might be in order after use on tour and sessions etc.  It has been put through its paces by one of the best. See and hear it live here-

This horn is exactly as great as one would expect to have been selected among many by Joshua Redman. It is definitely among the best early VI’s to be found, still has a bit of SBA in it with that MK VI width and edge on the sound. This horn will include paperwork from Redman.  I have the pleasure of helping him rearrange some horns.  Feel free to message with questions and interest.

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Here we have a rather rare find; a 1964 Mark VI tenor that is in nearly new condition.  The pads are all original with lacquer rings outside the toneholes.  The finish shows some water spots and a tiny amount of speckle but almost no wear of any kind, even on frequently touched keys.  The neck has matching number and is in beautiful un-flexed condition with not really any wear.  The bottom bow and bell flare are both structurally spotless.  The body in general only has a few tiny scratches.  At a careful review of the photos you can see the kind of freckling of the lacquer with darker and lighter spotted areas; this is a slow aging or darkening process of original Selmer lacquer. The horn also needs a basic cleaning and will look even more shiny and new.

Given its original condition after so many years it really will need an overhaul. That said, I have been playing it and it IS playing, pretty well.  It has the fast and nimble response that is associated with the 110k-120k model period.  While these would normally be slightly on the focused/centered side of response when the pads get old and dried out that is hard to discern.  In this case what I can say is that it is bright and sparkly juxtaposed with really utterly huge and booming, in a way I was not prepared for.  This is a BIG sounding horn, like a mid-80k might be. With an overhaul it will likely be both fast, AND huge.

It feels excellent under the fingers and is pretty much at the apex of Selmer positive engineering before they brought in the ball joint side keys, which no one really loves. This is as close to a brand new Selmer MK VI from 1964 as anyone can expect and it just happens to be a super promising horn as well.

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