Here, yet another in a line of reliably great 140-something thousand altos.  These 140k medium bow altos are probably the best, most versatile players they ever made for altos.  The earlier 5 digit medium bow altos are also great but not quite as loud and cutting as these.  I have had a number of these from 139-149k and I have yet to play one that was not great.

This 148xxx is a player’s horn, not a museum piece.  It has lived, had some dents, dings and scratches and lacquer wear.  The horn has had a full overhaul with fresh pads and everything else and is currently in very good playing condition. All original lacquer and US engraving.  The photos below are before the overhaul, so it’s a bit cleaner and nicer than shown.

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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.

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The S900 is one of the best soprano saxophones ever made, and in my opinion Yani pioneered the apex of soprano design. It is a one piece design, silver plate finish which is near impossible to find. It is beautiful, mint condition, good recent pad job, needs nothing, and plays exceptionally well with a wonderful complex sound. Mint condition, killer sound, unfindable!

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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.

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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.

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Selmer MK VI M236xxx late model in original lacquer and US engraving.  The pads are in good condition and currently playing well.  It’s been tuned up.  It is generally very shiny and in nice condition yet also has lived a bit with normal dings that have been addressed.

I’ve played it and it has a wonderful vibe, somewhat on the focused side for range of the MK VI but probably standard for this serial range.  The sound is expectedly a bit more modern than earlier ones.  Although this horn is very present and live it is not exceptionally bright.  It is still very colorful and balanced and I dare say a bit more user friendly than some earlier models.

This is a very good option for someone looking to get in on the vintage MK VI vibe at a more affordable price.  Vintage Ray Hyman “Sax-Pak” case included.

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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!

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Here is a rather thrilling original 118k MK VI tenor, original US lacquer and engraving, in quite good played condition.  The photos illustrate it well, it has normal play wear to the finish, some minor dings etc, but is overall in very good structural condition.  The pads are not new but have been redone at some point in the past and still have life left in them, but will definitely need some adjustment.

It is a very interesting horn in that it has the sound and feel of what we might expect from the early 100k horns, (focused complex and punchy) with a response we might associate with the 120k period (more precise, stable intonation and slotted notes).  I have not experienced this exact thing before, all these horns are unique but this one really feels like a juncture between those two things and it plays and feels excellent, while needing some work.

The neck has never been pulled, it’s in very nice condition with normal speckle.  The bell flare and bow are nice as well.  This is a very good one that I personally enjoy a lot.

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Selmer MK VI 136xxx, very bright and shiny all original French lacquer and engraving. The pads are old and will need attention, but jeez this thing has an amazing sound.  I usually play five digit VI but this sound just shook me; it’s the combination of 4 factors: bright, vocal, focused and expansive.  All of these together is a wonderful rich sound.  It is very powerful and has plenty of bright yet very vocal and lyrical as well as being rather fat with a mellow quality to such a powerful sound.

This horn is very close to new.  It has a few scratches and minor dings only, one really small ding on the bow brace that a skilled tech can smooth out in the course of an overhaul, and  a slightly darkened lacquer spot on the low C key for the super picky.  The bell rim, neck and the body are all beautiful and undisturbed original.

The photos do not lie, this is in excellent near new condition, and even on the old pads it has a very impressive sound.  No matter what serial number this is one of the most interesting horns I have every played.  Some lucky person will snap this up fast.  Don’t sleep!

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Selmer SBA serial 52xxx, on the tail end of SBA production.  The are heading towards the response of the early MK VI but they really are NOT MK VI at all.  They are solidly SBA, they just tend to be a little wider than the earlier SBA in my experience, and that as well is likely to vary quite a bit.
This is, I believe, a Canadian market horn, with “CAN” on the bell stamp, and was likely either non-engraved, had a Canadian market engraving pattern, or was silver.  It is hard to say.  The horn has been stripped to bare brass and apparently re-engraved with the US pattern.  it is currently in the hands of a customer but I am helping connect the horn with a buyer/player. It is in nice playing condition, features the custom ordered high F# key, and will be a very good deal for someone considering what SBA tenors are going for these days.

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