This piece has tip size .078 was professionally refaced and is in beautiful condition. These are rarities these days and their response is worthy of their reputation.
Yusef Lateef’s amazing 45xxx Super (Balanced) Action tenor, restored!
I was very luck to be able to purchase this amazing instrument from the estate of Yusef Lateef, along with the paperwork of provenence. I have some friends in the repair biz who were also around Rayburn’s music (in Boston) years back and remembered Lateef bringing this horn around for service more than 30 years ago as well, so we know he kept it for a long time.
This project spanned about two years as some parts of it were slow and time consuming and I was also busy with a move and some family obligations during that time.
It was in a bit of disrepair when I got it, with some kind of odd insults and injuries, but structurally it was in very fine shape. Somehow, somewhere, the neck receiver had been sheared into three pieces two of which were broken clean off the horn. The strangest part is that this break, did not effect the body tube in any way, in any area. It was very straight with only some minor dings, very odd. I have yet to understand how that happened and never will I guess. The pads were old and crusty of course, it was not playing. Some screws were missing or mismatched and it was at least as far as proper saxophone service is concerned, just rather insulted.
In my imagination, I can see Yusef Lateef buying this horn in Europe while on tour and either it already had the broken neck receiver or that happened while in his possession. I can imagine him thinking “this is one of those special horns that ‘Trane was bugging Wayne Shorter to get” (see the interview with Shorter where he tells this story about Trane’s insistence on him getting just such an early SBA.) and him keeping it until he can find the right person who could handle the weird repair.
Maybe he knew what a great horn it was, generally I would trust the judgement of instrument quality to Yuself Lateef above almost anyone. I imagine he had to know what a special horn this was to keep it for so many years.
Anyhow with a lot of specific work and time I have finally restored this to very nice working order, it feels like a Ferrari now, set up with rather hard-ish pads and a set of original American-market Tone-X metal SBA resos from the 1950’s that I had here. It just blew my mind as I just played fresh one day after the overhaul, while ti is still settling in. It is very compact and aggressive in tone, barks, is very powerful and has an otherworldly biting bright ring to the sound that makes it sound like it is amplified. This is what the rare and great SBA’s do. I was a little rusty on the video but at least it was fresh and surprised me more than you who will watch it I believe.
And here in a less boomy room:
Otto Link “Double Ring” FL Transitional Original 4* Tenor
Super rare Otto Link “double ring” original traditional. This has the short FL biteplate yet it is table stamped 4* (true Florida models were side-stamped). This piece is in very nice shape, I have not yet played it. Comes with original cap and ligature, slightly worn but present. The tip, side rail, and facing finish are all of the very early NY style, very thin and beautiful!
I have not cleaned this or done anything with it, just came out of the case of a 1961 Selmer tenor!
Selmer SBA Low Bb Baritone Unbelievable Rarity 44xxx Original, Nearly Perfect Unicorn
1951 is the year, “Super Action” (SBA) or “Super Balanced Action” baritone low Bb near perfect original US engraved masterpiece. This horn is 100% UNMOLESTED. It has a few TINY dings and scuffs, some honest wear, just a little and otherwise it is structurally perfect and nearly cosmetically untouched. It is SO rare to find one of these that has survived in this state.
According to Douglass Pipher this: “Selmer 44xxx is a US-Market baritone. It shipped in March 1951 as part of a batch of 30 Saxophones. (11 Altos, 13 Tenors and 6 Baritones)”
There simply were not many of these made and far far less of them still surviving in undamaged condition!
This has ALL original pads and resonators, never had an overhaul. The pearls are not worn, this had not been played much, but right now, it DOES PLAY, though should receive some attention. This has not been cleaned or anything, just exactly as revealed in the 1951 case, so there are a few insignificant water or strapping stains showing. The body, neck and upper brace all share the same 44xxx serial number (that has been obscured in the photos). This amazing jewel of Selmer model history and craftsmanship IS for sale but will not be shipped. Drop in, and fly this treasure out. This is for the top pro and/or collectors. Thanks for looking!
Selmer Soloist Tenor Original E 1950’s
Original equipment for Selmer SBA, these are excellent colorful pieces with focus. E is a rare larger size and plays great!
Selmer Soloist D Tenor Original 1950’s
Selmer G Soprano Original
Very Early Florida Otto Link Serialed 6* “Marinated” Restoration
This piece is a nuanced and complex beast. This is the earliest (non-double ring) “super tonemaster” still showing the serial number. These are both very rare and very very good playing models. This one, stamped 6* came to me in slightly disrespected condition and I have restored it to an amazingly rich and colorful ringing classic player.
Links like this are usually not bright compared to a Berg Larsen or modern rock/pop mouthpiece but this has a rather significant baffle and has a lot of presence and brightness for a Link. The old style chamber provides an extremely fat and complex sound character. It is not a shy piece and is great fun to play. The tip size is right around .098 on my tools with a clean and excellent facing and nice slightly flat baffle. This is a collector’s piece for a real player.
Beautiful Vintage Selmer Soprano Piece C*
Beautiful vintage Selmer Soprano C* on table. These have excellent tonal balance and color!
Early Selmer Fluted Soprano piece C**
Very vintage Selmer fluted Soprano mouthpiece, similar to Coltrane models, wonderfully balanced and colorful tone.
