Wonderful original vintage find; Henri Selmer Model 20 (very rare) Trumpet. The is serial number 15xxx with a likely 1955 manufacture date. It is in excellent condition having been refreshed in all ways by a local brass expert from Shires. It is obviously missing a bit of the original lacquer as someone loved it well and was a bid handsy with it. It is ready to play, and of course, good luck finding another model 20. Most people barely know they exist.
Here is a wonderful King Silversonic I am helping a friend sell, serial 406xxx, late Cleveland production, single socket silver neck (and bell) currently in good playing condition. This is owned by a working professional player and it is typical of the huge broad and cutting delivery of King. The single socket neck adds a bit more focus and direct projection as well.
This one is in quite nice condition, not mint and yet very well taken care of with no significant damage nor repair in evidence. it will need some minor tweak/adjustment at the most, basically just ready to use. Cruise the photos below at your own risk of obsession and contact for more stimulating details. This message has not been approved by hornaddicts anonymous.
This is a wonderful special vintage original 81xxx 1959 tenor. I’ve given this the complete restoration treatment, a full overhaul. It is original US lacquer and engraved, and setup with a slightly harder treated pad and mostly original nickel plated brass Tone-x resonator set as well. The tone is in the middle on the dark-bright spectrum, slightly on the focused side in the context of 80k tenors, and features an exceptionally fast and commanding airspeed and projection, with a significant edge on the sound. It has both power and a great capacity for beauty. The key action is tight, fast, and exceptionally comfortable. This is an apex MK VI for the discerning pro player, and the condition is on the edge of minty as well.
It HAS lived a bit, some brass smoothing has been done on the side of the bow and left side (chair area) of the body. The neck is completely free of any pulldown or significant damage, tiny pings only. The bell flare, bow cap etc very very nice. Old horns are mostly not 100% perfect but this one is in quite nice condition with normal scratches and signs of professional preference and use.
It is a highly enjoyable player and ready to make works of art in music at the highest level. Below the seductively pretty pics are the stages of the overhaul process as well.
SBA 48xxx as rare as it gets. This horn is in 99-100% original US lacquer and Elkhart engraving. It has original resonators and a truly wonderful playing setup with quite new pads etc. It needs nothing and is ready for the gig out of the case. There are only minor dings and scratches to be found, no repairs that I could find, wonderful responsive neck with original matching number.
The pearls are brand-new sharp, the case is old and the zipper does not work but it is sturdy.
The response is exceptionally fast and fluid and the sound is very warm and kind of bouncy and expansive while still being focused as SBA’s are. This is a very loud and open feeling SBA, yet definitely not of the later design that feels a bit more like a MK VI, this is not at all like a MK VI.
I could keep writing but in the end, anyone looking for the SBA of a lifetime find would run with this after playing it for 2 minutes. It IS that good, best SBA I have ever played, no contest. Of course these are very rare, desirable and expensive, just the way things are now. No complaints, this horn sounds and plays that great.
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. This is what I consider to be a BIG horn. It’s just a huge sound, very powerful and weighty; both darker AND brighter than most all at the same time.
49k SBA is the end and height of what I would call the 3rd model type of SBA; the second to last model of which the last are basically 50k-54k approximately. The 3rd type (this one) trends towards the most power, projection and brightness before the 50ks that trend mellower and wider. These are often phenomenal players, surprising even.
This one has been relacquered a long time ago with what is now a rather dark finish that is slowly wearing. US engraving is fully visible and nice. Most (maybe all) the original metal ToneX resos are present, pads are old and expired. Pearls have some wear because this horn definitely enticed players, but they are fine just the way they are.
The neck, oddly is an earlier model from likely some version of Balanced Action. Originally when I got this I thought “oh no” (no original neck) but after doing some pad regulation and playing this it is SHOCKINGLY good. Among the best of any SBA/BA I have ever played and among the best sounds and feel of any horn ever, just exceptional horn. This has the speed, even-ness, precision of the SBA with a lyrical and colorful complexity that is deeper and more nuanced than any I have ever played. That is saying a lot.
This horn will need an overhaul, but its amazing on the world’s worst pads. It will definitely go to a serious player and will not be undersold due to the neck as this is a bonus. Anyone who plays it will know immediately.
A nearly new 1965 Mark VI Baritone is an amazing thing to experience. This one is 126xxx with original US lacquer and engraving, original matched neck and all in wonderful condition with no damage that baritones almost always suffer. This has 99.999% original lacquer and the only signs of use are a few tiny scratches or scuffs and one tiny ding that I could find. The bell, lower and upper bows, neck, body etc are all just about perfect as the day it was made. The pads have lacquer on the edges and are all original, could use some attention after this many decades.
The sound is wonderful, equal parts edgy and warm as expected with a great VI bari. Includes original Selmer case and case cover as well. Such a time capsule is an extreme rarity. Enjoy the pictures!
Selmer MK VI 145xxx gold plated player, a very interesting horn with a special sound. This has been well loved for good reason. It is right within the best medium bow ‘Sanborn’ popular 140k altos. Originally a European market horn, it was aftermarket gold plated over nickel, of which plenty is now showing through. The pearls and keys have some brass wear which could be addressed or left as is. There are some normal past repairs and evidence of a life lived on this one.
140k altos are usually expensive and always in demand. This one is something of a deal for someone who wants a player and put a little fixer energy into.
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.
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.
