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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / Is the Series 3 bari out yet?

Selmaha
User ID: 0645514 Mar 28th 2:29 AM
Hello all,

I've heard from one friend that the Selmer SA80 Series 3 bari is on the market, but when I go to the Selmer website, there is barely any mention of it- and when they do mention it, it's in terms of "next year, or maybe the year after that". What's the real deal? Has anyone here at SOTW played one? Gimme the scoop!

Late,
Selmaha

Fred
User ID: 3271724 Mar 29th 7:48 AM
Not yet. At the Frankfurt music fair (2 weeks ago) they said it's currently being tested by various musicians and will be probably hit the market next year in spring.

Jough
User ID: 1843114 Mar 29th 8:40 PM
I just bought and received one of these for the Army Band (I'm the procurement guy). I am also the stage band director so I get to hear the horn from the front, it sounds great solo but tends to get lost in the section. It could be that the player is not used to it yet, or that he needs to change mouthpieces. The Low A speaks well and it plays in tune from the box, it just seems quieter.

Cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Mar 30th 3:31 AM
Jough what are the diffs. in the II & III..? still glad I got my Silver II..(it ain't quiet)..But will whisper easier than any Bari I've ever played..Magnificent tone too

Jough
User ID: 1843114 Mar 31st 6:36 PM
Aside from the engraving I don't really see any difference. I know that my SA80II sounds a lot better through the whole range. But it could just be this particular sax. The guy playing it has gone back to using his personal horn, a Yam 52. I'll spend a little more time with the horn this Wednesday to see if there are any real differences.

manofsteel
User ID: 9084913 Apr 1st 2:21 PM
Jough,

...and what do these babies cost? (I know the army cost may be less though, but seeing there have been $800 toilet seats too, you never know! j/k of course)

cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Apr 1st 7:06 PM
J. just curious..is the engraving better/worse, more/less..my silverplate II is covered with it, bow too..quite beautiful as well.

jough
User ID: 1843114 Apr 1st 11:29 PM
They cost about 5K. I got them for a little less. Believe it or not most of us in procurement actully try to save as much money a possible. We don't buy anything over a certain ammount with out 3 separate bids. 5K is the average of the three bids I got. Keep in mind that I bought the bari, a sop, 5 tenors and 5 altos at the same time. That helps with the discount. There is less engraving on the III that I got, but it is nice, deep and sharp, well done.

MBushaw
User ID: 1934244 Apr 2nd 10:33 AM
5K?
Ok, what depot do you send the old horns and, um, rejected new ones to?

Fun Bun
User ID: 8416263 Apr 2nd 4:08 PM
Which tenors did you by? Reference 54/36 or Series II/III?

Jough
User ID: 1843114 Apr 9th 9:21 PM
I owe you all a huge appology, I checked out the horn last week to find out it's a series II. The shop I bought it from is going to hear from me soon. I bought the Series III altos, tenors and the Soprano. The Sop has the G key on it, I have verified that they are all III's. It does speak louder and brassier when I play it, they guy who's playing it now pines for his Yamaha so he's not really working it.

Bones
User ID: 0345364 Apr 9th 9:40 PM
I also think that the newer II bari's do have a bigger sound.

soprano player
User ID: 9279843 Apr 16th 10:58 AM
I think all series IIIs are mellower than IIs because of the new copper mix that they put into the brass.

Dr G
User ID: 0916684 Apr 16th 6:03 PM
1) The bari III does not exist so there is no comparison of alloys to be made.

2) You are the first person I've heard making the statement that the III is more mellow - have you played the III's? The tenor is certainly brighter.

3) Since the geometry is noticeably different on each of the production Serie III horns (compared to the II's), how can you make that comment on the alloy?

4) Why do I bother??? ;/

MBushaw
User ID: 9899833 Apr 16th 8:49 PM
Dr G- The higher copper content is mentioned on the Selmer site.
http://www.selmer.com/woodwind/parissx/images/PARISSX.PDF
see page 10.

Bones
User ID: 0345364 Apr 16th 10:09 PM
I think the III soprano is darker than the II, but according to a Selmer factory worker I talked to, that's due to the geometry.

Dr G
User ID: 0916684 Apr 17th 12:42 PM
MB, I'm familiar with Selmer's news about changing copper content. What I do not agree with is S.P.'s comment that "all series IIIs are mellower than IIs."

MBushaw
User ID: 9092003 Apr 18th 10:52 AM
Dr G- Ah, we agree.

Selmaha User ID: 0645514	Mar 28th 2:29 AM Hello all, I've heard from one friend that the Selmer SA80 Series 3 bari is on the market, but when I go to the Selmer website, there is barely any mention of it- and when they do mention it, it's in terms of "next year, or maybe the year after that". What's the real deal? Has anyone here at SOTW played one? Gimme the scoop! Late, Selmaha
Fred User ID: 3271724	Mar 29th 7:48 AM Not yet. At the Frankfurt music fair (2 weeks ago) they said it's currently being tested by various musicians and will be probably hit the market next year in spring.
Jough User ID: 1843114	Mar 29th 8:40 PM I just bought and received one of these for the Army Band (I'm the procurement guy). I am also the stage band director so I get to hear the horn from the front, it sounds great solo but tends to get lost in the section. It could be that the player is not used to it yet, or that he needs to change mouthpieces. The Low A speaks well and it plays in tune from the box, it just seems quieter.
Cashsax User ID: 9014973	Mar 30th 3:31 AM Jough what are the diffs. in the II & III..? still glad I got my Silver II..(it ain't quiet)..But will whisper easier than any Bari I've ever played..Magnificent tone too
Jough User ID: 1843114	Mar 31st 6:36 PM Aside from the engraving I don't really see any difference. I know that my SA80II sounds a lot better through the whole range. But it could just be this particular sax. The guy playing it has gone back to using his personal horn, a Yam 52. I'll spend a little more time with the horn this Wednesday to see if there are any real differences.
manofsteel User ID: 9084913	Apr 1st 2:21 PM Jough, ...and what do these babies cost? (I know the army cost may be less though, but seeing there have been $800 toilet seats too, you never know! j/k of course)
cashsax User ID: 9014973	Apr 1st 7:06 PM J. just curious..is the engraving better/worse, more/less..my silverplate II is covered with it, bow too..quite beautiful as well.
jough User ID: 1843114	Apr 1st 11:29 PM They cost about 5K. I got them for a little less. Believe it or not most of us in procurement actully try to save as much money a possible. We don't buy anything over a certain ammount with out 3 separate bids. 5K is the average of the three bids I got. Keep in mind that I bought the bari, a sop, 5 tenors and 5 altos at the same time. That helps with the discount. There is less engraving on the III that I got, but it is nice, deep and sharp, well done.
MBushaw User ID: 1934244	Apr 2nd 10:33 AM 5K? Ok, what depot do you send the old horns and, um, rejected new ones to?
Fun Bun User ID: 8416263	Apr 2nd 4:08 PM Which tenors did you by? Reference 54/36 or Series II/III?
Jough User ID: 1843114	Apr 9th 9:21 PM I owe you all a huge appology, I checked out the horn last week to find out it's a series II. The shop I bought it from is going to hear from me soon. I bought the Series III altos, tenors and the Soprano. The Sop has the G key on it, I have verified that they are all III's. It does speak louder and brassier when I play it, they guy who's playing it now pines for his Yamaha so he's not really working it.
Bones User ID: 0345364	Apr 9th 9:40 PM I also think that the newer II bari's do have a bigger sound.
soprano player User ID: 9279843	Apr 16th 10:58 AM I think all series IIIs are mellower than IIs because of the new copper mix that they put into the brass.
Dr G User ID: 0916684	Apr 16th 6:03 PM 1) The bari III does not exist so there is no comparison of alloys to be made. 2) You are the first person I've heard making the statement that the III is more mellow - have you played the III's? The tenor is certainly brighter. 3) Since the geometry is noticeably different on each of the production Serie III horns (compared to the II's), how can you make that comment on the alloy? 4) Why do I bother??? ;/
MBushaw User ID: 9899833	Apr 16th 8:49 PM Dr G- The higher copper content is mentioned on the Selmer site. http://www.selmer.com/woodwind/parissx/images/PARISSX.PDF see page 10.
Bones User ID: 0345364	Apr 16th 10:09 PM I think the III soprano is darker than the II, but according to a Selmer factory worker I talked to, that's due to the geometry.
Dr G User ID: 0916684	Apr 17th 12:42 PM MB, I'm familiar with Selmer's news about changing copper content. What I do not agree with is S.P.'s comment that "all series IIIs are mellower than IIs."
MBushaw User ID: 9092003	Apr 18th 10:52 AM Dr G- Ah, we agree.