Saxophones What Sax to buy for under £5,000 Selmer Reference 54?

[Pete Thomas]

I would not kick 1 out of bed !!!!!!!!!! put that on my list,silly me.

Yes, those are phenominal. If I ever didn't have my Rampone, I might consider a 66RUL, but with a magnum neck. That is one amazing horn.

 

[spike]

But if you're a pro, then you want the best.

Yes, Of course but these days that doesn't mean you have to pay 4 to 5k to get the best.
I earn my money blowing down a long tube, the last tube I bought was a soprano. I went to my dealer with a budget of up to 4k and spent hours blowing through everything in the shop and couldn't find "the horn", we went into the warehouse and tried some fresh unpacked stock horns, still nothing. I was about to give up when the owner came in and offered me a no-name Taiwan demo horn that he'd picked up at the Frankfurt trade fair. That was it - absolutely fantastic - blew spots off any of the big 5 4k horns. What was the bottom line? - €900 - go figure - that's a few years ago now. It's only been in the shop once since then and only to get the left hand stack tweaked.
Same goes for my alto, it's around 10 years old now and was also a Taiwan ex trade fair demo with the logo of a reputed manufacturer, one of 8 prototypes. That horn went into production and now goes for over 3k these days I picked it up for less than €800.
Okay so I've got good connections but still it doesn't mean you have to pay up to 4 to 5k to get a really good horn.
If you want the best - don't look at the label and - don't look at the price tag. and don't tell me about set ups - that's being discussed in another thread. And if anyone's serious about spending that kind of bootle then ask Tommy Inderbinen to hand-make a masterpiece.
The Big Five aint what they used to be.
gruss - spike

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

As others have said, try a few and go for what suits you....in my case i tried many then one day i tried a ref 54 at sax.co.uk and loved it, then i tried a friends ref 54 and again loved that, so that did it in my case, i ended up getting one in mint condition off e-bay for less than half the cost of a new one and after a few set up issues that to be fair only cost me about £40 to have fixed ended up with something just a bit special.... (mind you i've never seen another as cheap before or since) Good look!

 

[daveysaxboy]

Yes, those are phenominal. If I ever didn't have my Rampone, I might consider a 66RUL, but with a magnum neck. That is one amazing horn.

I had the magnum on my last 66RUL and it gave everyting 25% more for sure.Liked it alot more than the super 6 jazz neck and thats a nice neck.I've seen on the web mauriats clone of a yamaha 82z,its called the 85Z !!!!!!!!!!. Mauriat make some top horns and i think they have proved that so they should go there own route now .
As for paying 5k on a new horn i would not.Crazy money that is.

 

[tzadik]

On the other hand, for 5k you can probably buy my new favourite Sequoia saxophone soprano+alto+tenor or tenor+baritone, or tenor + a holiday for two in NE Italy...

Sequoias are very fine instruments.
They are not the usual Taiwan-made industrial horns, there is something different in these horns... in terms of manufactoring, materials, assembling (many of those things are visible with a close inspection).
Unfortunately, I cannot say more.

It's hard to say they are inspired to Keilwerth... and when I compared the "bare brass" tenor (which needs an overhauling) with an american Mark VI 143xxx (just overhauled), the poor brass brass taiwanese slightly overcame the beautiful Mark VI.

 

[siggsy]

Thanks for a great reply. I went into my local music shop yesterday and believe it or not they had a Ref 54 in stock (gold lacquered) which i had a blast on with my Otto Link and absolutely loved it. Bear in mind this is possibly the best Sax and Professional model ive ever played. So its paid for and ordered and arrives on Friday.

A childhood dream of owning a top Selmer has been achieved and thats all that matters to me. Yes, maybe a Yanagasawa, Yamaha or Kielworth might be better horns in other peoples eyes, and they might be right, but at the end of the day its French, its Selmer, and its mine.

Im only 38, maybe in 10 years time i may realise that there are other good horns out there that can compete with the top range Selmer's. But until now, i have to do this, maybe make the mistakes, and learn from them.

And as for the car analogy. A Nissan Skyline might be as quick, and as powerful, and drive just as well as a Ferrari, but at the end of the day, Its JAPANESE! and a Ferrari is Italian. You get my drift...

 

[baritonesax]

....its French, its Selmer, and its mine.

That's a nice purchase and you'll have a lot of fun with it. It has to be said that the French do have some form with woodwind instruments, perhaps less so with Olympic sports. They are being a bit irritating at the moment about GB's medal form. Oh well...

I can very well understand needing to scratch that Selmer itch. There is an undeniable mystique about the brand and it is a reasonable ambition for a sax player to want one. How long that mystique abides with the player after buying one is another matter - it might be a life-long affair, it might only last a few years.

I've been lucky to own three very lovely MkVIs and I now only own one. The reason I sold two of them were a) financial and b), there's stuff out there that's just as good - and cheaper. And not French either.

I also have a very nice Selmer Series 9 clarinet - but it's not nearly as good as my British Boosey & Hawkes 1010, of course!

 

[daveysaxboy]

Enjoy your new baby.Treat her nice.

 

[kevgermany]

Enjoy - and keep us up to date on how it goes!

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

Thanks for a great reply. I went into my local music shop yesterday and believe it or not they had a Ref 54 in stock (gold lacquered) which i had a blast on with my Otto Link and absolutely loved it. Bear in mind this is possibly the best Sax and Professional model ive ever played. So its paid for and ordered and arrives on Friday.

Just make shure the one you are getting is the one you played! as they can vary considerably, good look...

 

[siggsy]

Thats not possible. The one i played was the gold lacquered, and the one that being delivered tomorrow is the vintage lacquer. If it isnt right, it'll be getting sorted thats for sure! Im not a pro, or even a semie pro musician yet so im not sure i would be able to tell anyway?
I know its exciting. My first ever pro sax....

 

[TomMapfumo]

As a Vintage Selmer Ref54 owner you should find the finish really good - I preferred it, personally, at least.
Congratulations!

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Saxade]

"you get what you pay for"

Excuse me Pete for taking this quote out of context.....
In life, in general, this is very true.... but with buying a horn or in the case of a Golfer .. buying a putter.. it could come out of the hock shop... You just have to try them and compare. Now if that means to me a travel cost of up to a 500 dollars or even more that would avail me the variety of instruments to try, thus satisfying myself that I am spending my hard earned on something I truly have fallen in love with It Is Worth It... Go somewhere play as many horns a possible .. I am! .. maybe ..If I can convince my wife I am taking her on a Holiday.... Which of cause I would be

Ade

 

[Chris J]

"What is the best sax for £5,000?"

It is a rare sax that is perfect - it depends on what you are happy to compromise on. I spent no more than a total of £2,500 as the combined price of the instruments below. All made by Couesnon. You can read a review of the tenor and alto on Stephen Howard's website.

Just saying that even if you have £5,000 to spend, you don't have to spent it all to satisfy yourself you have the best sax for you.

Chris

 

[thomsax]

"What is the best sax for £5,000?"

It is a rare sax that is perfect - it depends on what you are happy to compromise on. I spent no more than a total of £2,500 as the combined price of the instruments below. All made by Couesnon. You can read a review of the tenor and alto on Stephen Howard's website.

Just saying that even if you have £5,000 to spend, you don't have to spent it all to satisfy yourself you have the best sax for you.

Chris

Chris,

Nice family! Is that the Stockholm baritone?

Thomas

 

[Chris J]

Hi Thomas

The very same - it is the well travelled Stockholm bari. It needed much adjustment since you had a blow of it to get the three vent octave system working, but now working well.

Chris