This one was refaced by someone unnamed. Measures approx. 0.078 and the facing work looks clean. There is enough mouthpiece here to have it setup to any specific nuance you want. Cosmetically the outside shows age, but it’s a real one.
Selmer Super (Balanced) Action 52xxx
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.
Selmer MK VI Alto 145k Gold plate players horn
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.
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!
