Sax on the Web

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / Series II Bari..Any Good??

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Nov 7th 1:55 PM
Hello All, I'm wondering who out there plays a newer Selmer Series II Super 80 Bari? And how do you like it??..I just got mine so I'm thoroughly prejudiced, but the horn to me is simply incredible. Right out of the box this thing whispers and ROARS. It's got the fattest Lo A I have ever felt in my life (and i've felt lots). The action is so good I can rip it like a Soprano. And the construction looks and feels as good as ANY Selmer I've ever seen. I'm amazed at the consensus that doesn't rate this Horn at the top of the food chain. Newer Selmers in general seem to take quite a licking on SOTW. Sour grapes maybe??

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Nov 7th 2:03 PM
Oh Yeah,.. I forgot to mention, there is only one MAJOR thing wrong with this Horn...It's so damn fine and pretty that I'm now forced to buy a beater back-up Bari for those Biker Bar gigs.. :)

Bones
User ID: 1307164 Nov 7th 3:16 PM
I agree, Cash. I've owned four bari's and played many, many more. My Mark VI has slightly faster action, but my recent vintage Series II is the finest all-round bari I've every played. I've never played a silver Series II, but it sure looks great.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Nov 7th 6:05 PM
HiYa Bones...it sho' do

GadgetMan
User ID: 9627953 Nov 19th 8:48 PM
I just played this horn on a gig for the last three years,and I'm telling you it's a killer.
In the future it's going to be the horn to keep,
the action is amazing and the tone is real deep,god knows what they will sound like in a few years when the laquer falls off and they mature.
Yeah,glad to see that someone digs these things.It really was the best horn Selmer ever made at that time.
Peace G-man.

Randall
User ID: 8722703 Nov 19th 9:37 PM
Cash, just got the JK SX90 black bari....you might want to give one a try....er... ummm...
;-)
You're right about them being great horns..I have played two (one laq and one satin) and I was most impressed, especially with the satin.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Nov 20th 2:39 AM
HiYa Randall, I wouldn't mind trying out a JK..I'm on the look-out for a reasonably priced back-up Lo A Bari. for the bar gigs. But I have to say I can't imagine it getting much better than my new Series II. Congrats. on your new SX90. Let us know how it works out. See Ya, Cash

Gordon (US)
User ID: 1327644 Nov 30th 11:40 PM
If you're talking big, fat, gutsy sound, you're talking Keilwerth. That's their game.

The Serie II is good, but for balls-to-the-wall blood & guts, it's all about the Keilwerth SX90R Low Bb.

JK makes, in the eyes of many, the best baris on the market. Absolute monsters.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Dec 1st 6:04 AM
Hello Gordon...Yeah, BLOOD AND GUTS...but I must agree about the Bb's. Steve Douglas smoked my primo VI Lo A with his primo Bb VI, much juicier sound. But damn, I can't live without that stupid A..sounds like you might be onto my back-up Bari..hmmmm

stevew
User ID: 0645514 Dec 1st 6:31 AM
Don't know if just under US$3k qualifies as 'back-up' but I am very pleased with my Yani B901. It plays like a dream but I just have a feeling if I was earning a living with it, I might want something more heavily built.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Dec 1st 6:43 AM
S-E-L-M-E-R

andur74
User ID: 0067194 Mar 29th 4:04 AM
what about selmer II vs yani 991?

Dr. Ben
User ID: 2804914 Mar 29th 9:14 AM
Hey guys, how about doing a side-by-side comparison with your Selmer SAII bari and my silver Yamaha 62? Might prove interesting.

Jough
User ID: 1843114 Mar 29th 8:37 PM
I play a SA80II now, had a MKVI without the Low A, the SA80 is a faster, fatter horn. I use a Meyer 6 for legit stuff and a Berg for R&B/Jazz. The low A is huge and the top of the horn is thick, it works well in solo and section, I can't complain about it at all. I've had a half dozen bari's and it's the best. I do have a Yam 52 for backup in case of repairs, but it hasn't been out of the case in a very long time.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Mar 30th 2:45 AM
The SA80 keeps getting better.. IMHO this is the finest modern Bari..I forgot how good til the other day I pull it out after playing my back-up on quite a few dates..This 80II thing is creamy smooth and with a JJ Q on it will match balls with anything I can imagine.

MusicMan
User ID: 0464054 Apr 1st 11:09 AM
I love my new SA80II...Last Thursday, we had our regular big band rehearsal. We ran a new chart that had lots of low A's. I was really able to blast them out with ease. I caught the rest of the guys in the sax looking down at me, grinnin'. Even the bass bone player behind me was slack-jawed. What amazed me was the ease with which the horn was playing since I had had my gall bladder out just a short time ago and this was my first rehearsal back.

John
User ID: 1285974 Apr 20th 1:14 PM
I picked up my high school's Series II SA80 bari a few months back to play it for jazz band. It was unbelievable right from the start, but then my director gave me a $500 silver 'piece to use on it. Sonofab*tch! It has the most unbelievable sound I've ever heard, and the effort is so light. I can wind down to the low A like nothing, and it has an incredible tone that makes for awesome solos!

Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Nov 7th 1:55 PM Hello All, I'm wondering who out there plays a newer Selmer Series II Super 80 Bari? And how do you like it??..I just got mine so I'm thoroughly prejudiced, but the horn to me is simply incredible. Right out of the box this thing whispers and ROARS. It's got the fattest Lo A I have ever felt in my life (and i've felt lots). The action is so good I can rip it like a Soprano. And the construction looks and feels as good as ANY Selmer I've ever seen. I'm amazed at the consensus that doesn't rate this Horn at the top of the food chain. Newer Selmers in general seem to take quite a licking on SOTW. Sour grapes maybe??
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Nov 7th 2:03 PM Oh Yeah,.. I forgot to mention, there is only one MAJOR thing wrong with this Horn...It's so damn fine and pretty that I'm now forced to buy a beater back-up Bari for those Biker Bar gigs.. :)
Bones User ID: 1307164	Nov 7th 3:16 PM I agree, Cash. I've owned four bari's and played many, many more. My Mark VI has slightly faster action, but my recent vintage Series II is the finest all-round bari I've every played. I've never played a silver Series II, but it sure looks great.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Nov 7th 6:05 PM HiYa Bones...it sho' do
GadgetMan User ID: 9627953	Nov 19th 8:48 PM I just played this horn on a gig for the last three years,and I'm telling you it's a killer. In the future it's going to be the horn to keep, the action is amazing and the tone is real deep,god knows what they will sound like in a few years when the laquer falls off and they mature. Yeah,glad to see that someone digs these things.It really was the best horn Selmer ever made at that time. Peace G-man.
Randall User ID: 8722703	Nov 19th 9:37 PM Cash, just got the JK SX90 black bari....you might want to give one a try....er... ummm... ;-) You're right about them being great horns..I have played two (one laq and one satin) and I was most impressed, especially with the satin.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Nov 20th 2:39 AM HiYa Randall, I wouldn't mind trying out a JK..I'm on the look-out for a reasonably priced back-up Lo A Bari. for the bar gigs. But I have to say I can't imagine it getting much better than my new Series II. Congrats. on your new SX90. Let us know how it works out. See Ya, Cash
Gordon (US) User ID: 1327644	Nov 30th 11:40 PM If you're talking big, fat, gutsy sound, you're talking Keilwerth. That's their game. The Serie II is good, but for balls-to-the-wall blood & guts, it's all about the Keilwerth SX90R Low Bb. JK makes, in the eyes of many, the best baris on the market. Absolute monsters.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Dec 1st 6:04 AM Hello Gordon...Yeah, BLOOD AND GUTS...but I must agree about the Bb's. Steve Douglas smoked my primo VI Lo A with his primo Bb VI, much juicier sound. But damn, I can't live without that stupid A..sounds like you might be onto my back-up Bari..hmmmm
stevew User ID: 0645514	Dec 1st 6:31 AM Don't know if just under US$3k qualifies as 'back-up' but I am very pleased with my Yani B901. It plays like a dream but I just have a feeling if I was earning a living with it, I might want something more heavily built.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Dec 1st 6:43 AM S-E-L-M-E-R
andur74 User ID: 0067194	Mar 29th 4:04 AM what about selmer II vs yani 991?
Dr. Ben User ID: 2804914	Mar 29th 9:14 AM Hey guys, how about doing a side-by-side comparison with your Selmer SAII bari and my silver Yamaha 62? Might prove interesting.
Jough User ID: 1843114	Mar 29th 8:37 PM I play a SA80II now, had a MKVI without the Low A, the SA80 is a faster, fatter horn. I use a Meyer 6 for legit stuff and a Berg for R&B/Jazz. The low A is huge and the top of the horn is thick, it works well in solo and section, I can't complain about it at all. I've had a half dozen bari's and it's the best. I do have a Yam 52 for backup in case of repairs, but it hasn't been out of the case in a very long time.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Mar 30th 2:45 AM The SA80 keeps getting better.. IMHO this is the finest modern Bari..I forgot how good til the other day I pull it out after playing my back-up on quite a few dates..This 80II thing is creamy smooth and with a JJ Q on it will match balls with anything I can imagine.
MusicMan User ID: 0464054	Apr 1st 11:09 AM I love my new SA80II...Last Thursday, we had our regular big band rehearsal. We ran a new chart that had lots of low A's. I was really able to blast them out with ease. I caught the rest of the guys in the sax looking down at me, grinnin'. Even the bass bone player behind me was slack-jawed. What amazed me was the ease with which the horn was playing since I had had my gall bladder out just a short time ago and this was my first rehearsal back.
John User ID: 1285974	Apr 20th 1:14 PM I picked up my high school's Series II SA80 bari a few months back to play it for jazz band. It was unbelievable right from the start, but then my director gave me a $500 silver 'piece to use on it. Sonofab*tch! It has the most unbelievable sound I've ever heard, and the effort is so light. I can wind down to the low A like nothing, and it has an incredible tone that makes for awesome solos!