Sax on the Web Forum

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Selmer saxes / Serie III?

Next 20 Messages

No Clever Name
User ID: 0937864 Nov 5th 7:46 PM
True story.

So I was biking to my sax lesson this summer, and some stupid lady hit me with her car. Ouch. I get her insurance info, etc. And continue to my lesson.

I get to my sax lesson... and my teacher is like, "Oh my God!"..."Is your HORN ok?" And gives me some stuff to clean up my knee. (Horn is ok, btw)

Anywho, I go to the doctor, and there is something up with my knee. Lawsuit time, mummy says. Turns out I/she/we made about $15,000 on it.

She says I need to save most of it for college, but gave me $2500 for a horn anyway... Since I really love Mark VI's, but can't really afford one, how much does/can a Serie III sound like a MKVI?

I mean, I know only a MKVI sounds like MKVI, but I am thinking that the III would be easier to maintain? I like the look of the flat matte, and it has good reviews here, what say you?

lookinforasax
User ID: 9656233 Nov 5th 9:52 PM
I wish somebudy hit ME w\ a car...:(

Well, im soon to get a Serie III Alto, and of the several ive played, they're great horns. Make sure that you buy through a store where you have never played the instrument youre buying, make sure that the shop deals specificly w\ saxophones ( USAHorn, Matthews-almost, Selmersaxman ect,ect). Since selmers are predictably inconsistant, I would not buy one from a place such as WW+BW or Sam Ash.

As for the sax itself...the tone compared to a VI varies, since III's and VI's vary (in good and bad ways). And i would suggest getting a horn from matthews- If you use "the real deal" and sell the case (if you already have a good one), than it comes out to be about $2650! Hope this helps

Brian

David Apolloni
User ID: 9175333 Nov 6th 6:30 AM
Brian--so you finally swallowed the hogwash about Selmer's inconsistancy. Too bad. Well, at least you'll get a good horn (consistant, by the way, in quality with other Selmer horns) out of all of the discussion.

I would not trash WW&BW so quickly. They set up their horns pretty well, and you will get a reasonable price.

No Clever Name--you might want to wait until next year when the Reference 54 alto comes out.

lookinforasax
User ID: 9656233 Nov 6th 1:24 PM
well, David, not that i want to start another all out war on the topic, but i recently played 7 factory fresh Serie III's. Only 4 were playable, and one of tem was in "top notch" condition. Although i still think that they are great horns, i think that you should get it set up at a sax store. Sry about the WW+BW listing...just picked that out of my head as a general musical instrument category store. I think that most stores are ok. But ANY store that sells GUITARS and saxophones at the same place isnt worth buying it from. Y? I really dont know, but thats just my preference.Some of my friends have talked to people who work at such stores and say they were just air headed guitarists who were placed in the sax dept. b\c they played in 5th grade!? Go figure.

Brian

Dr G
User ID: 8659853 Nov 6th 3:31 PM
... and then there are the horn techs that don't know how to set up a guitar.

I buy my instruments from a store then I take my guitars to a guitar tech, my horns to a horn tech. It seems so simple. Go figure. ;/

Zman
Moderator
User ID: 9265663 Nov 6th 4:34 PM
Stood in the street in front of my building for 3 hours today. Nothing so far. Not even a close call.

I really want one of those SG model Unisons, so tomorrow I will try running back and forth, like in Frogger...LOL.

Glad to hear YOU are okay, NCN.

Grumps
User ID: 0178794 Nov 6th 10:13 PM
Zman... make sure you're in the crosswalk.

David Apolloni
User ID: 9175333 Nov 7th 6:33 AM
Brian--thanks for the clarification. Nor do I want to start a flame war with you. The word "consistancy" is used ambiguously in various discussions, including the one that bears my name. Sometimes, people are talking about how well a brand new horn is set up initially. I think that it is probably true that Selmer is spotty here. Other times, people are talking about the quality of the horn itself, the quality of the design, and of the materials used. That is a different matter.

These two uses of the word need to be kept distinct, particularly when someone asks for advice about buying a horn. As you yourself are aware, anecdotal accounts on the internet of experiences of playing a horn in a showroom somewhere, or problems someone had with a horn after buying it can mean very little. It all depends upon who the person is who is playing the horn, what kind of setup it received and by whom (often not Selmer), the kind of treatment the horn has received (again, often unknown, by unknown persons in unknown conditions).

In sum, advice on the internet and in this forum is pretty much a spotty matter--there are so many variables and different kinds of knowledge involved.

Gordon (NZ)
User ID: 1265504 Nov 7th 4:00 PM
Part of the forum appeal is the sheer challenge of attempting accurate written communication, idientifying when this has failed, which is often, and then attempting to carry out correction and damage control.

SaxMan
User ID: 9488873 Nov 11th 7:18 PM
The series III is far from the Mark VI, I know I own one. It is insanely bright and free blowing. (the only VI I have ever played was a 1974 so it might be a little closer to a better year.) with 2500 dollars I dont think you could get a series III unless you were in canada and had american dollars. or if the horn was used. for 2500 dollars I would get a AS110 or a Series II, Maybe even a AS100. If you are limited to selmer, which is a good thing. Also try the A901. (yani.)

lookinforasax
User ID: 9656233 Nov 11th 8:03 PM
matthews music sells the serie III w\ $190US selmer flight case and $70US C* mpc for $2575 US. Shipping is $50US, and if you sell the case and mpc (which im going to do since im buying from matthews), the final price is $2365US!!! And thats new, saxman...

THey are also selmer dealers, so there is the 1 year warantee from selmer on the instrument.

Brian

Alto
User ID: 0756324 Nov 13th 9:02 AM
I really want to know Series III sound is very like Mark VI or has big difference? If I want to get a modern alto (means still in production) and want it sound like a Mark VI, what is the choice?

PS: I don't want to buy a Mark VI is because hard to find a real good Mark VI. If it's very good, usually the user don't want to sell it. Also, I don't like 2nd hand horn.

Yoni
User ID: 9321503 Nov 13th 10:08 AM
I have to admit that it's been several years since I stopped playing and sold my Mark VI alto (I know, BIG mistake), but the sound of the Series III alto that I just auditioned didn't really remind of it. As others have already noted, it's brighter, and maybe cleaner sounding too. If ANYTHING, I thought that the Series II was closer. Its sound had more warmth and character to it, and it had slightly better response. I was blown away by both of them, though.

If you're set on a new horn, though, my advice would be to figure out who has the best selection in your area, and try them out. You can get everyone's advice here, and that's a good thing, but when you play them, you'll start asking yourself new and different questions that only YOU can answer, and you'll probably know it when you've found the one that you really like :)

Prince
User ID: 8820133 Nov 26th 6:46 AM
NCN,

Why don't you check www.woodbrass.com a/k/a 'Woodwinds et Brasswinds de Paris' They sell the horn on ebay as well (woodbrass is the name). They are now the cheapest one, so far.

Don't buy AS110, the resale price will make you crying out loud. Buy the pro model from any of these names:

Selmer (SII or SIII), Keilwerth (SX90R), Yamaha (Custom Z), Yanagisawa (991, 992)

NOTHING ELSE!

(This is in case that you want to buy a modern brand new horn)

Brice B.
User ID: 0408214 Nov 26th 8:39 AM
My two cents, but...

I'd say Series III is the way to go. Go buy one, abd don't look back. If you can find one you like, then be satisfied with it, and don't even think about a MK VI again. I've owned three very good VI's, and 2 very good III's. One III was black laquered alto, and it was a monster. The new III I just got a few months ago was the flat matte. It too is a very great horn. Selmer has great quality, so don't even let that be an issue. Go have the horn set up how you want, and it'll be great!

The III blows more open than a VI. I wouldn't say brighter, but it seems to vibrate more. I bought my III's from saxophones.co.uk. The Flat matte ran me $2300.

stevew
User ID: 8868883 Nov 26th 9:26 AM
...and I had the first flat matte III from the same source. At the time my teacher worked there testing every horn and gave me the heads up this was something special. It is also one of the cheapest IIIs as it has no fancy engraving or plating, but I bought it on sound and feel. I am still very pleased with it and it plays superbly, as Brice says, you can feel the sound through your fingers, it is a vibrant and very alive feeling sax. Intonation is superb and it has fast keywork too.

Yoni
User ID: 9321503 Nov 26th 10:03 AM
How different does the Series III flat matte alto REALLY sound and feel from the regular clear lacquer?

I'm probably going to decide between a Series II and Series III alto, but I've only been able to test regular clear lacquer finishes -- 'cause that's what's available in my area. I like them both and couldn't decide...

Brice B.
User ID: 0408214 Nov 26th 3:47 PM
I think that the III is much better modern horn than the II. But again, buy whatever works for you. The flat matte seems to me to be more of a focused, mature sound. Not as bright, but more full.

Yoni
User ID: 9321503 Nov 27th 8:10 AM
When I played the Series II and Series III side by side, I found that the Series II had a certain warmth or character to it that the Series III lacked; on the other hand, the Series III was extremely precise and cutting edge.

David Apolloni
User ID: 9119483 Nov 27th 1:39 PM
I suspect I'll be looking for a III myself fairly soon. I'm aware of the various concerns concerning consistancy, etc. which have been raised, and will buy from a vendor for whom that is not an issue. I have read a concern about the pad size as being too small, and one player on another newsgroup recommended replacing them oversized pads
and silver coasters to turn a fresh III into a real jazz horn.

Any thoughts?

Next 20 Messages

No Clever Name User ID: 0937864	Nov 5th 7:46 PM True story. So I was biking to my sax lesson this summer, and some stupid lady hit me with her car. Ouch. I get her insurance info, etc. And continue to my lesson. I get to my sax lesson... and my teacher is like, "Oh my God!"..."Is your HORN ok?" And gives me some stuff to clean up my knee. (Horn is ok, btw) Anywho, I go to the doctor, and there is something up with my knee. Lawsuit time, mummy says. Turns out I/she/we made about $15,000 on it. She says I need to save most of it for college, but gave me $2500 for a horn anyway... Since I really love Mark VI's, but can't really afford one, how much does/can a Serie III sound like a MKVI? I mean, I know only a MKVI sounds like MKVI, but I am thinking that the III would be easier to maintain? I like the look of the flat matte, and it has good reviews here, what say you?
lookinforasax User ID: 9656233	Nov 5th 9:52 PM I wish somebudy hit ME w\ a car...:( Well, im soon to get a Serie III Alto, and of the several ive played, they're great horns. Make sure that you buy through a store where you have never played the instrument youre buying, make sure that the shop deals specificly w\ saxophones ( USAHorn, Matthews-almost, Selmersaxman ect,ect). Since selmers are predictably inconsistant, I would not buy one from a place such as WW+BW or Sam Ash. As for the sax itself...the tone compared to a VI varies, since III's and VI's vary (in good and bad ways). And i would suggest getting a horn from matthews- If you use "the real deal" and sell the case (if you already have a good one), than it comes out to be about $2650! Hope this helps Brian
David Apolloni User ID: 9175333	Nov 6th 6:30 AM Brian--so you finally swallowed the hogwash about Selmer's inconsistancy. Too bad. Well, at least you'll get a good horn (consistant, by the way, in quality with other Selmer horns) out of all of the discussion. I would not trash WW&BW so quickly. They set up their horns pretty well, and you will get a reasonable price. No Clever Name--you might want to wait until next year when the Reference 54 alto comes out.
lookinforasax User ID: 9656233	Nov 6th 1:24 PM well, David, not that i want to start another all out war on the topic, but i recently played 7 factory fresh Serie III's. Only 4 were playable, and one of tem was in "top notch" condition. Although i still think that they are great horns, i think that you should get it set up at a sax store. Sry about the WW+BW listing...just picked that out of my head as a general musical instrument category store. I think that most stores are ok. But ANY store that sells GUITARS and saxophones at the same place isnt worth buying it from. Y? I really dont know, but thats just my preference.Some of my friends have talked to people who work at such stores and say they were just air headed guitarists who were placed in the sax dept. b\c they played in 5th grade!? Go figure. Brian
Dr G User ID: 8659853	Nov 6th 3:31 PM ... and then there are the horn techs that don't know how to set up a guitar. I buy my instruments from a store then I take my guitars to a guitar tech, my horns to a horn tech. It seems so simple. Go figure. ;/
Zman Moderator User ID: 9265663	Nov 6th 4:34 PM Stood in the street in front of my building for 3 hours today. Nothing so far. Not even a close call. I really want one of those SG model Unisons, so tomorrow I will try running back and forth, like in Frogger...LOL. Glad to hear YOU are okay, NCN.
Grumps User ID: 0178794	Nov 6th 10:13 PM Zman... make sure you're in the crosswalk.
David Apolloni User ID: 9175333	Nov 7th 6:33 AM Brian--thanks for the clarification. Nor do I want to start a flame war with you. The word "consistancy" is used ambiguously in various discussions, including the one that bears my name. Sometimes, people are talking about how well a brand new horn is set up initially. I think that it is probably true that Selmer is spotty here. Other times, people are talking about the quality of the horn itself, the quality of the design, and of the materials used. That is a different matter. These two uses of the word need to be kept distinct, particularly when someone asks for advice about buying a horn. As you yourself are aware, anecdotal accounts on the internet of experiences of playing a horn in a showroom somewhere, or problems someone had with a horn after buying it can mean very little. It all depends upon who the person is who is playing the horn, what kind of setup it received and by whom (often not Selmer), the kind of treatment the horn has received (again, often unknown, by unknown persons in unknown conditions). In sum, advice on the internet and in this forum is pretty much a spotty matter--there are so many variables and different kinds of knowledge involved.
Gordon (NZ) User ID: 1265504	Nov 7th 4:00 PM Part of the forum appeal is the sheer challenge of attempting accurate written communication, idientifying when this has failed, which is often, and then attempting to carry out correction and damage control.
SaxMan User ID: 9488873	Nov 11th 7:18 PM The series III is far from the Mark VI, I know I own one. It is insanely bright and free blowing. (the only VI I have ever played was a 1974 so it might be a little closer to a better year.) with 2500 dollars I dont think you could get a series III unless you were in canada and had american dollars. or if the horn was used. for 2500 dollars I would get a AS110 or a Series II, Maybe even a AS100. If you are limited to selmer, which is a good thing. Also try the A901. (yani.)
lookinforasax User ID: 9656233	Nov 11th 8:03 PM matthews music sells the serie III w\ $190US selmer flight case and $70US C* mpc for $2575 US. Shipping is $50US, and if you sell the case and mpc (which im going to do since im buying from matthews), the final price is $2365US!!! And thats new, saxman... THey are also selmer dealers, so there is the 1 year warantee from selmer on the instrument. Brian
Alto User ID: 0756324	Nov 13th 9:02 AM I really want to know Series III sound is very like Mark VI or has big difference? If I want to get a modern alto (means still in production) and want it sound like a Mark VI, what is the choice? PS: I don't want to buy a Mark VI is because hard to find a real good Mark VI. If it's very good, usually the user don't want to sell it. Also, I don't like 2nd hand horn.
Yoni User ID: 9321503	Nov 13th 10:08 AM I have to admit that it's been several years since I stopped playing and sold my Mark VI alto (I know, BIG mistake), but the sound of the Series III alto that I just auditioned didn't really remind of it. As others have already noted, it's brighter, and maybe cleaner sounding too. If ANYTHING, I thought that the Series II was closer. Its sound had more warmth and character to it, and it had slightly better response. I was blown away by both of them, though. If you're set on a new horn, though, my advice would be to figure out who has the best selection in your area, and try them out. You can get everyone's advice here, and that's a good thing, but when you play them, you'll start asking yourself new and different questions that only YOU can answer, and you'll probably know it when you've found the one that you really like :)
Prince User ID: 8820133	Nov 26th 6:46 AM NCN, Why don't you check www.woodbrass.com a/k/a 'Woodwinds et Brasswinds de Paris' They sell the horn on ebay as well (woodbrass is the name). They are now the cheapest one, so far. Don't buy AS110, the resale price will make you crying out loud. Buy the pro model from any of these names: Selmer (SII or SIII), Keilwerth (SX90R), Yamaha (Custom Z), Yanagisawa (991, 992) NOTHING ELSE! (This is in case that you want to buy a modern brand new horn)
Brice B. User ID: 0408214	Nov 26th 8:39 AM My two cents, but... I'd say Series III is the way to go. Go buy one, abd don't look back. If you can find one you like, then be satisfied with it, and don't even think about a MK VI again. I've owned three very good VI's, and 2 very good III's. One III was black laquered alto, and it was a monster. The new III I just got a few months ago was the flat matte. It too is a very great horn. Selmer has great quality, so don't even let that be an issue. Go have the horn set up how you want, and it'll be great! The III blows more open than a VI. I wouldn't say brighter, but it seems to vibrate more. I bought my III's from saxophones.co.uk. The Flat matte ran me $2300.
stevew User ID: 8868883	Nov 26th 9:26 AM ...and I had the first flat matte III from the same source. At the time my teacher worked there testing every horn and gave me the heads up this was something special. It is also one of the cheapest IIIs as it has no fancy engraving or plating, but I bought it on sound and feel. I am still very pleased with it and it plays superbly, as Brice says, you can feel the sound through your fingers, it is a vibrant and very alive feeling sax. Intonation is superb and it has fast keywork too.
Yoni User ID: 9321503	Nov 26th 10:03 AM How different does the Series III flat matte alto REALLY sound and feel from the regular clear lacquer? I'm probably going to decide between a Series II and Series III alto, but I've only been able to test regular clear lacquer finishes -- 'cause that's what's available in my area. I like them both and couldn't decide...
Brice B. User ID: 0408214	Nov 26th 3:47 PM I think that the III is much better modern horn than the II. But again, buy whatever works for you. The flat matte seems to me to be more of a focused, mature sound. Not as bright, but more full.
Yoni User ID: 9321503	Nov 27th 8:10 AM When I played the Series II and Series III side by side, I found that the Series II had a certain warmth or character to it that the Series III lacked; on the other hand, the Series III was extremely precise and cutting edge.
David Apolloni User ID: 9119483	Nov 27th 1:39 PM I suspect I'll be looking for a III myself fairly soon. I'm aware of the various concerns concerning consistancy, etc. which have been raised, and will buy from a vendor for whom that is not an issue. I have read a concern about the pad size as being too small, and one player on another newsgroup recommended replacing them oversized pads and silver coasters to turn a fresh III into a real jazz horn. Any thoughts?