Saxophones Reference 54 alto bargain?

[EdJ]

£4.99 starting price for a Selmer Paris Reference 54 Hummingbird Alto! Rapidly rising by a log in bids. Another half log increase to come or a bargain?

Humming Bird Selmer Reference 54 RARE Alto - MINT . One of The 300s for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Humming Bird Selmer Reference 54 RARE Alto - MINT . One of The 300s at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Ivan]

An answer you seem to want to hear would depend on whether you believe in fairies

 

[BalancedReaction]

The Bird tribute series with the fancy engraving was never quite popular. Consider how many of them are still available and how little of them were produced.

 

[nigeld]

I would want to be sure that it isn’t a fake.

 

[Dr G]

I would want to be sure that it isn’t a fake.

Yes, there have been documented fakes of Selmer Ref 54 altos. Even if not a fake, there are many ways to scam a buyer.

If you cannot be sure, don’t bid. If you do choose to bid, there is always inherent risk.

 

[eb424]

the case is weird says hummingbird america whereas the sax says made in France... it is a 2005 model by the looks of things and on £515 with 9 days to go,,,

 

[EdJ]

I think each bird in the series represented a continent. The hummingbird representing America. I suspected a fake when I saw it at £4.99 but it is very convincing if it is. The Selmer mouthpiece with pouch and box, the logo, engraving etc.

 

[eb424]

maybe one of the techs could tell. A low starting bid doesn't matter if you have a reserve the price has shot up..

 

[Dr G]

If it is real, it won’t be a bargain.

 

[Dr G]

I think each bird in the series represented a continent. The hummingbird representing America.

No.

From Selmer:

In 2005, Selmer Paris debuted a special "bird" series of saxophones, to commemorate the life of Charlie Parker (2005 being the 50th annivesary of his death). A total of 5 series were produced over 7 years, each with unique engraving. Within each series, there was a "standard" model and a "limited edition" model, with the limited often having more detailed engraving, and unique included accessories, and sometimes a special case as well.

Coming first in 2005, the Hummingbird series was available as a Reference 54 alto sax. The standard and limited models both featured honey gold lacquer (similar to the traditional tenor Reference 36 color). Approximately 300 of the standard were made for the USA market, and only about 70 of the limited model.

The second series was the Kookaburra, coming in 2006. This one again started with a Reference 54 alto, in standard and limited, as well as a new Reference 54 tenor sax. The standard alto had the same honey gold lacquer as the previous Hummingbird series, but the limited edition had the darker lacquer normally seen on the Reference altos. The tenor was limited edition only, with the honey gold lacquer. For the USA, approximately 330 standard altos, 90 limited altos, and 50 limited tenors were made.

The Flamingo series came next in 2007. Once again available as a Reference 54 for alto, the tenor this time was a Reference 36. This series came without high F# on all models. Both standard and limited altos were in the dark Reference 54 lacquer, and the limited only tenor was in a gold lacquer. The limited edition models also featured black pearl key touches. For numbers, there were about 110 of the standard altos, 30 limited altos, and 40 limited tenors made for the USA.

After a small break, the Firebird series was introduced in late 2008 to carry over into 2009. For the first time, the standard series was truly standard, with no set limit on production, and more models were available. The standard alto was available in either a Series II or Series III, with honey gold lacquer and black pearl key touches. The limited Reference 54 alto sax came in the dark Reference lacquer, with black pearls, and was available with or without high F#. Only about 250 of these were made in Paris. The sole tenor in the lineup was a limited edition Reference 54, also in honey gold lacquer and black pearls, with no high F#. Only about 150 of these were manufactured.

The final model in the Bird series was the Dragonbird, debuting in 2011. Lots of options here, with a standard Series III alto and tenor, and a limited edition Series III soprano and Reference 54 alto and tenor. All models were in gold lacquer, with black pearls, and once again all models went to high F# (high G on soprano).

 

[Wade Cornell]

I'd be looking at the feedback. Out of 326 sales rates only 75% positive feedback. That's a whole lot of dissatisfied buyers/traders. If it's "real" it could certainly scare a ot of people away. I know I wouldn't touch it on that basis.

 

[jazzdoh]

I too would be worried about the sellers feedback but for me it looks too new, yes it could have been put away and not played but this was produced in 2005,15 years ago and it looks like it was made yesterday.
Didn't they come with a shaped case or maybe there was an option for different case, they also if I remember came with a super session mpc so did the owner not play the sax but play the mpc.
I would be wary of bidding on this unless it could be proved to be original, strange the buyer is listing this when there is a pandemic and no one can view it to check it out.

 

[jazzdoh]

Take a look at this after doing a search there is still one to be found on sax.co.uk archives.
The engraving doesn't look the same.

Selmer Paris Hummingbird Reference 54 - 2005 Private Stock - Brand New

Selmer Paris Hummingbird Reference 54 - 2005 Private Stock - Brand New - CA0385 - £7,995.00 - SOLD Over the next few weeks we will be selling one of every collectors edition Selmer Paris instruments from our Private Stock (Hummingbird, Kookaburra, Flamingo, Dragonbird & Firebird). Please call or...

www.sax.co.uk

 

[Pete Thomas]

America. I suspected a fake when I saw it at £4.99

That’s an auction starting price!

 

[jazzdoh]

If this is a fake, someone is going to be massively out of pocket.

 

[DavidUK]

the eBay seller "sethnitesh" has been around on eBay selling horns for years. He used to list maybe two dozen at a time, and the same with MPs, taking up a whole page of eBay listings.

Another eBayer "exotuk4" does the same, as here: Items for sale by exotuk4 | eBay

I have long suspected that they are one and the same as the listings are similar. Note both use parentheses in the seller notes, e.g.: “new pads ; will need few adjustmens”

Now, if you Google "sethnitesh ebay saxophone" you get many eBay results for horns sold by him but only this one is for sale currently. By the way, the listing in post #1 has been ended now and re-listed here:

I'm fairly sure Sethnitesh's eBay account has been hacked. The hacker may have agreed a sale on the first listing (in December) off-eBay, taken payment into his PayPal account, which he'll be closing shortly, and re-set the listing for another quick killing. He may do this a few times more, each time selling and filling his PayPal account. By the end of the day he'll empty his PP account and do a runner. Buyers will get their money back but PP won't, pushing up seller fees for the future.

It's 100% a scam, 99% a hacked account. Report it to eBay. I did.

 

[DavidUK]

That’s an auction starting price!

Yes, but nobody in their right mind starts a £4-5k horn at such a low price. It is a good sign of a fake or scam or hacked account.

 

[stitch]

I have long suspected that they are one and the same

Pretty sure you're right; and you can most likely add keysinstru, floatingmountain, beauticosmoshop and boon_stre to the list.

 

[DavidUK]

...he had an Ebay ID from years ago too, discussed here before, but his items are not in question here, it's his "old" account which has been hacked I'm thinking. That's not his fault. But I still wouldn't buy anything "real" from him (or her?)!

 

[jazzdoh]

...he had an Ebay ID from years ago too, discussed here before, but his items are not in question here, it's his "old" account which has been hacked I'm thinking. That's not his fault. But I still wouldn't buy anything "real" from him (or her?)!

I partly agree but if he/she didn't keep on changing accounts then this wouldn't happen on an old account.
I have used the same account and name that I have had since 2002 if you are a reliable seller/buyer there should be no reason to change account or name. Ebay should police this much better but they are just interested in profit.