Saxophones Are Selmer still the best in the world?

[Mamos]

Are they still the best in the world and worth the money or have they been overtaken by the likes of yamaha

mamos

 

[jonf]

Selmer

Well, it's totally subjective and a matter of opinion. I think it's fair to say that the French Selmer company's saxes are fine pieces of kit. I tried a Series II a couple of years ago, and it was good, but I was expecting to be bowled over by it, and I just wasn't. It just felt, well, ordinary. That, coupled with their pricing policy that expects the customer to pay extra for a case, as if it is an optional item, left me spending my money on something else.

The 'other' Selmer company, from the Conn Selmer empire in the US, markets Chinese budget saxes, as well as, I think, some intermediate ones made in Taiwan. From what I've heard these are perfectly OK in their price bracket, but not of the same quality as the Selmer Paris ones.

 

[dnmmusic]

Selmer

Hi:

I am a pro sax player. I have owned three Selmer MK VI's and find hey are great. But recently I hav been Playing a CannonBall G.Albrite model Tenor. These horns are "FANTASTIC" They play in tune, the sound is huge and it out plays my Selmer. I have had it on the road and played it in all venues. I would seriously check them out befor purchasing anything else. You can look the up on the web at Cannonball sax.com The french Selmers are really good, but you might want to really check these CannonBalls out.

 

[Pjonah]

I think Dooce will agree with you regarding Canonball saxes, he has one and its awesome, I had a quick blow on it at a rehearsal sometime back, shortly after he retired the old Conn.

It is such an easy instrument to play, made my old trusty Selmer feel aggricultural in comparison.

As for the "mighty" Selmer MKVI they've become victims of their own success really, you're expectations are likely to be way too high before you play one and when you do they'll just seem average by todays standards. 25 years ago when I played my father in laws I thought it was the Zen(ith) I needed to be at. Now I don't think so, there are many instruments that offer better intonation better ergonomics, better response for a fraction of the perceived worth.

I'm sure if the Walstein, Mauriat or Canonball instruments were available 40-50 years ago they would be valued equally highly , I'm not detracting what Selmer achieved all those years ago but I just feel nowadays there is so much choice if you want a pro-level horn, its not simply a case of going out and buying the latest Selmer MK? anymore.

Horses for courses I guess

 

[half diminished]

I think you'll find pro's recommending and using Mk6s, Yanis, Mauriats, Yams and others.

Karen Sharp I know plays a Mk6 tenor, Martin alto and (I think) a Conn Baritone.

Andy Sheppard plays (mostly) a Mauriat 66RUL Tenor but uses a gold plated one too and a Mk6. His main soprano is a Mk6.

Antonio Hart (awesome alto player) plays a Yani alto.

On the Jazzwise Summer school last year there were guys like Greg Fishman, Mike Tracy and another UK guy whose name I don't recall who all played Mk6 tenors and all three were disparaging about the Ref 54 tenors.

 

[daveysaxboy]

To find a good MK6 is 1 hard slog and i still think they are way over priced.I owned the lot and had many Kind's of Selmer's and if it's a good 1 your happy but there's alot of great horn's out there and they cost less.Selmer is that magic word that we hear when start playing and you get fooled into thinking it's only Selmer and it's not.Any of your top line brand's are superb sounding,built and all with great tuning,it's all about what suit's you and your need's.For me right now i think Mauriat 66R'S are the finest sounding modern tenor's you can buy but that's me and that's what suit's me,each man to him self but for me and alot of ever growing 66R fan's were happy with our choice

 

[TomMapfumo]

Love my Selmer Ref54 Alto, despite lots of people not being keen on them - If its good enough for Gilad Atzmon its good enough for me - amazing complexity of sound to my ears.

Do seem overpriced, and the case thing seems unnecessary. If you are ever down my way you are more than welcome to have a go and see what you think. My teacher far prefers it to a Mauriat (his words).

Dodgy area. In Trumpet circles, for example, Vincent Bach (Selmer owned) seem to be commonly the most highly rated horns (or Yamaha) but lots of horns seem to put them in the shade (often specialised manufactures - such as Eclipse, Taylor or Geneva in UK).

Good question, controversial topic, but I've got one, with a case, and love them both!

Kind regards
Tom

 

[dooce]

I think Dooce will agree with you regarding Canonball saxes,

Well OK, yes I will. It's a fabulous instrument and has lost none of its allure 3 months on from buying it. But then I've never played a Selmer so I wouldn't get into the comparison game.

I do think there is a huge amount of mythology surrounding sax brands though and a danger that instruments are judged by the name and country of origin rather than the playability and suitablility to the player. Somewhere out there is the perfect sax for each and everyone of us - but you'll only find out by playing it, not by reading forum posts

 

[half diminished]

Love my Selmer Ref54 Alto, despite lots of people not being keen on them - If its good enough for Gilad Atzmon its good enough for me - amazing complexity of sound to my ears.

Do seem overpriced, and the case thing seems unnecessary. If you are ever down my way you are more than welcome to have a go and see what you think. My teacher far prefers it to a Mauriat (his words).

Dodgy area. In Trumpet circles, for example, Vincent Bach (Selmer owned) seem to be commonly the most highly rated horns (or Yamaha) but lots of horns seem to put them in the shade (often specialised manufactures - such as Eclipse, Taylor or Geneva in UK).

Good question, controversial topic, but I've got one, with a case, and love them both!

Kind regards
Tom

I tried several Ref 54 altos back in the autumn last year and fell for the Flamingo - it was fantastic. I would have bought one but decided to move to tenor instead. I've heard nothing good about the Ref 54 tenor though I never tried one in the end as the cost was above what I was prepared to pay. I kind of figured that Andy Sheppard sound quite good and so i'd try out the Mauriat 66RUL which I love.

 

[Pauline]

I'm sure it's all a matter of personal choice and I know I'm a beginner but I'm going to wave the flag for Selmer anyway.

I love my Selmer Series II tenor and I thought it had a far better sound than the Yani I tried at the same time. My (non-playing) husband thought so too.
It fits my small hands well, feels good and looks good.

If you buy from Wood,Wind and Reed in Cambridge they provide their own case at no extra cost and it is a smart and solid case indeed.

As someone else has said, horses for courses

 

[dan]

I love my selmer, great modern sounding horn which makes you feel like a proper grown up!!

I have an alto ref 54. I did have a yamaha 62(Mk1), it was a wonderful horn (had it ten years!) but a bit too bright for my liking.

So I started searching and after playing what felt like dozens of the same horns, I finally found one I liked. It was rich and dark, sounds funny but it feels almost half way sound between the tenor and alto - perfect for me.

One word of warning, these horns are beasts.... you have to control them, it took me almost 4 months to feel comfortable with intonation on all notes. Now I am trying to master the intonation on the altissimo..... I'll get back to you in ten years!

 

[thomsax]

I think Selmers are among the best you can get. In this "economical mixed up world" I appreciate a manufactor like Selmer. Still in business after 80 years of manufactoring with the Selmer family in charge?!?

The Selmer are over priced? I think they have always been. I bought my first pro-sax in 1973. It was a slighty used Selmer MK VI tenor. I worked a whole summer at a brickyard so I could buy the Selmer. Very good horn, too good for me. After some years I sold the Selmer for more money than I bought it for. For the Selmer money I bought a King Super 20 (H.N White), a Weltklang baritone and a Keilweirth stencil soprano. Weird? Selmer open up the saxophone world for me.

There are lots of good pro-saxes today: Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Mauriat, Cannonball .... !

If "we" have to make 'the last sax ever', I think it's going to be a delicate Selmer, Paris!

Thomas


Thomas