Sax on the Web Forum

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Selmer saxes / Reference 54

Next 20 Messages

John C. May 22nd 11:43 PM
I am probably going to buy the Reference 54. I just wanted some feedback on the sax. It's quality, control, etc... I also want to know if it is worth paying the 2900 for it.

BATMAN
User ID: 9829893 May 22nd 11:54 PM
how did you find such a low price? Is it used?

Mr.D
User ID: 9809413 May 23rd 3:45 AM
John,
I don't know whether or not it's the best modern horn around, but for 2900 bucks, the quality/price ratio is unbeatable. It's a very well made and good sounding horn. The key action is wonderful. I would have said perfect if the left palm keys were not too low for me. Some people describe its sound as harsh. Yes and not, it all depends on your mpc/reed setup you use. Just buy it.

Tommy Boy
User ID: 0443584 May 23rd 7:40 AM
I've been very happy with mine. Keywork is the best I've ever played. They are very mechanically complex, but that's true of most modern saxes. The sound is very good for the most part. My only complaint is that the sound in the upper range is a little too bright for me and the very bottom (low Bb) is a little too boomy for my tastes. This type of sound is desirable for jazz, but doesn't work so well for concert work. I've pitted mine against 2 different Mark VI's, one 5 digit and one 169xxx. If you closed your eyes and ignored the slight keywork differences it would be hard to tell them apart. They are equivilent to a good to great Mark VI, which are considered by some to be the best out there. One thing to note is that you must get them regulated immediated if they are brand new. They are setup horribly from the factory. (very well built though, one of the best I've seen) Now if I could only get it too sound a little more like my old Conn...

Classic Sax
User ID: 7511013 May 23rd 8:07 AM
Old Conns have smaller bore. If you want that old conn sound with modern keywork look for a Couf Superba I or II

I played some 54s that were just as good the best five digit Selmers as far as sound, almost all the 54 did above par in intonation.

We get comfortable with our favorite Mark sixes and make the embrochure adjustments with out thinking to compensate for intonation. When we play a ref series or anything else we unnecessary make the same adjustments.

I wanted the top end to open up and respond a little more on my ref and I had the pip moved closer to the tip of the mouthpiece about a 8th of an inch and had it opened just ever so slighty as well(pip)

Just like all mark sixes, there are good ones and not so good ones, they are all hade made like the sixes so all kinds of variables come into play.

Brice B.
User ID: 0972444 May 23rd 8:47 AM
John C.,

If you want one to buy, I have one for sell.

bbasquez@yahoo.com

Ted
User ID: 0220464 May 23rd 4:30 PM
If you get a 54 get a silver plated neck opened up a bit from Saxquest,mine was well worth the wait and the horn plays beautifully.

Ted
User ID: 0220464 May 23rd 4:35 PM
If you get a 54 get a silver plated neck opened up a bit from Saxquest,mine was well worth the wait and the horn plays beautifully.

John C. May 23rd 4:48 PM
I want to use this sax for jazz. From I have heard so far, it is a great horn for jazz. By the way, BATMAN, I am going to buy it new from a dealer across the Atlantic.

John T.
User ID: 2560524 May 23rd 5:06 PM
I tested out a R54 and a SIII, The mainstack keywork on the R54 was better, but the higher LH Palms on the III worked better for me.

The tone on the R54 was richer, so if I was buying for me, it would be the R54 with builtup palm keys.

stevew
User ID: 1961724 May 24th 1:33 AM
I tried all the new pro tenors I could and Ref 54 was clearly the one for me. After a few weeks use, it still plays really well, a couple of adjustment screws settled but other than that I am very pleased with the quality and finish, as well as the sound! It does take a bit more blowing to get it to sing than some horns, but I quite like that. The palm keys I find too close to the body, I have small hands, but even for me I used to prefer them really close to my palms, on previous horns I owned.

BATMAN
User ID: 0575574 May 24th 5:15 AM
$2900 for a NEW ref. 54??! WOW. Great price.

I'm not too fond of them myself (a little too resistant and brighter than my MK VI, which is a bright MK VI!)

But I would be hard pressed to find that much horn for the money. If you like that MK VI type sound, then these play close. If I had the money, I'd buy one as a backup for my own MK VI immediately. It is a fantastic horn for jazz...maybe a little too bright for classical, but I think it could be used even for that given the proper control.

stevew
User ID: 8868883 May 24th 6:05 AM
They are about Ł2400 pounds here in the UK, inc VAT; you can take about 20% off for export from the EEC which will get you under US $3000 for sure, even if you pay shipping and maybe 3.5% duty into the USA.

stevew
User ID: 8868883 May 24th 6:05 AM
Oh yes, I chose mine primarily as a classical horn.

Tommy Boy
User ID: 0443584 May 24th 7:49 AM
Really stevew, what mpc do you use? I've been using a Rousseau 4R which isn't too bad, but still sounds a little too jazzy. I've been looking for a mpc that's slight darker. A switch to Hemke's helped, but I'd rather have the darkness in the mpc and not the reed.

stevew
User ID: 8868883 May 24th 8:05 AM
Just got a Vandoren T25 and am getting into that. Haven't done anything much with reeds yet, but so far a Vandoren 2.5 standard reed and a Rovner light lig are doing the business. Maybe I need a shade harder reed. I think the V5 series mpcs (like this one) might be worth considering, I find the small round chamber suits classical very well, I also use an alto one.

However, I have used my previous armoury of a 1950's Link 8* copy, Jody Jazz 8 and even a Berg Larsen 105/1 HR for classical! The Berg is very bright really, but I find the real edge comes with a softer reed, so maybe try something just a little harder than you use now and the Rovner lig also takes off some of the edge.

In reeds, I like the new Rico Grand Concert Select filed and also Jazz Select; never mind what they are called, these are great all round reeds and you might find either gives you what you need.

marc
User ID: 0805074 May 28th 4:24 AM
I bought a REF54 last year and its a very good horn.
One important point : TRY IT first, it is well known that these beasts are very badly adjusted from the factory. This was the case for me (leaks, etc).
Also, try a jazz mouthpiece like the Otto link metal, it really works well.

Mr.D
User ID: 1174374 May 28th 5:42 AM
Marc,
Contrary to the Serie III, the two ref 54 I tried along with the ref 36, were faultless. The tech told me that I should not be surprised, for the ref horns were currently the only ones to be carefully adjusted at the Selmer factory. At least that was true for the 3 ref horns I played. I tend to trust the guy since he is the biggest Selmer dealer in the east of France. Can someone second my say ?

Tommy Boy
User ID: 0443584 May 28th 7:58 AM
My Ref 54 had a few leaks and the C# and G# keys would stick when I bought mine. It was also somewhat resistant when I played it. I knew all though things could be fixed though. Of course mine went through selmer USA, not straight from the Paris factory. I did get a very good neck with mine though.

Guto
User ID: 8729803 Jun 4th 11:12 PM
I've got one from a store in Paris last year and the adjustment out of the box sucked. After it went through 2h in the hands of my favorite repairman (I stood next to him and watched problems getting resolved), it now plays and feels like a dream. I just love it.

Next 20 Messages

John C.	May 22nd 11:43 PM I am probably going to buy the Reference 54. I just wanted some feedback on the sax. It's quality, control, etc... I also want to know if it is worth paying the 2900 for it.
BATMAN User ID: 9829893	May 22nd 11:54 PM how did you find such a low price? Is it used?
Mr.D User ID: 9809413	May 23rd 3:45 AM John, I don't know whether or not it's the best modern horn around, but for 2900 bucks, the quality/price ratio is unbeatable. It's a very well made and good sounding horn. The key action is wonderful. I would have said perfect if the left palm keys were not too low for me. Some people describe its sound as harsh. Yes and not, it all depends on your mpc/reed setup you use. Just buy it.
Tommy Boy User ID: 0443584	May 23rd 7:40 AM I've been very happy with mine. Keywork is the best I've ever played. They are very mechanically complex, but that's true of most modern saxes. The sound is very good for the most part. My only complaint is that the sound in the upper range is a little too bright for me and the very bottom (low Bb) is a little too boomy for my tastes. This type of sound is desirable for jazz, but doesn't work so well for concert work. I've pitted mine against 2 different Mark VI's, one 5 digit and one 169xxx. If you closed your eyes and ignored the slight keywork differences it would be hard to tell them apart. They are equivilent to a good to great Mark VI, which are considered by some to be the best out there. One thing to note is that you must get them regulated immediated if they are brand new. They are setup horribly from the factory. (very well built though, one of the best I've seen) Now if I could only get it too sound a little more like my old Conn...
Classic Sax User ID: 7511013	May 23rd 8:07 AM Old Conns have smaller bore. If you want that old conn sound with modern keywork look for a Couf Superba I or II I played some 54s that were just as good the best five digit Selmers as far as sound, almost all the 54 did above par in intonation. We get comfortable with our favorite Mark sixes and make the embrochure adjustments with out thinking to compensate for intonation. When we play a ref series or anything else we unnecessary make the same adjustments. I wanted the top end to open up and respond a little more on my ref and I had the pip moved closer to the tip of the mouthpiece about a 8th of an inch and had it opened just ever so slighty as well(pip) Just like all mark sixes, there are good ones and not so good ones, they are all hade made like the sixes so all kinds of variables come into play.
Brice B. User ID: 0972444	May 23rd 8:47 AM John C., If you want one to buy, I have one for sell. bbasquez@yahoo.com
Ted User ID: 0220464	May 23rd 4:30 PM If you get a 54 get a silver plated neck opened up a bit from Saxquest,mine was well worth the wait and the horn plays beautifully.
Ted User ID: 0220464	May 23rd 4:35 PM If you get a 54 get a silver plated neck opened up a bit from Saxquest,mine was well worth the wait and the horn plays beautifully.
John C.	May 23rd 4:48 PM I want to use this sax for jazz. From I have heard so far, it is a great horn for jazz. By the way, BATMAN, I am going to buy it new from a dealer across the Atlantic.
John T. User ID: 2560524	May 23rd 5:06 PM I tested out a R54 and a SIII, The mainstack keywork on the R54 was better, but the higher LH Palms on the III worked better for me. The tone on the R54 was richer, so if I was buying for me, it would be the R54 with builtup palm keys.
stevew User ID: 1961724	May 24th 1:33 AM I tried all the new pro tenors I could and Ref 54 was clearly the one for me. After a few weeks use, it still plays really well, a couple of adjustment screws settled but other than that I am very pleased with the quality and finish, as well as the sound! It does take a bit more blowing to get it to sing than some horns, but I quite like that. The palm keys I find too close to the body, I have small hands, but even for me I used to prefer them really close to my palms, on previous horns I owned.
BATMAN User ID: 0575574	May 24th 5:15 AM $2900 for a NEW ref. 54??! WOW. Great price. I'm not too fond of them myself (a little too resistant and brighter than my MK VI, which is a bright MK VI!) But I would be hard pressed to find that much horn for the money. If you like that MK VI type sound, then these play close. If I had the money, I'd buy one as a backup for my own MK VI immediately. It is a fantastic horn for jazz...maybe a little too bright for classical, but I think it could be used even for that given the proper control.
stevew User ID: 8868883	May 24th 6:05 AM They are about Ł2400 pounds here in the UK, inc VAT; you can take about 20% off for export from the EEC which will get you under US $3000 for sure, even if you pay shipping and maybe 3.5% duty into the USA.
stevew User ID: 8868883	May 24th 6:05 AM Oh yes, I chose mine primarily as a classical horn.
Tommy Boy User ID: 0443584	May 24th 7:49 AM Really stevew, what mpc do you use? I've been using a Rousseau 4R which isn't too bad, but still sounds a little too jazzy. I've been looking for a mpc that's slight darker. A switch to Hemke's helped, but I'd rather have the darkness in the mpc and not the reed.
stevew User ID: 8868883	May 24th 8:05 AM Just got a Vandoren T25 and am getting into that. Haven't done anything much with reeds yet, but so far a Vandoren 2.5 standard reed and a Rovner light lig are doing the business. Maybe I need a shade harder reed. I think the V5 series mpcs (like this one) might be worth considering, I find the small round chamber suits classical very well, I also use an alto one. However, I have used my previous armoury of a 1950's Link 8* copy, Jody Jazz 8 and even a Berg Larsen 105/1 HR for classical! The Berg is very bright really, but I find the real edge comes with a softer reed, so maybe try something just a little harder than you use now and the Rovner lig also takes off some of the edge. In reeds, I like the new Rico Grand Concert Select filed and also Jazz Select; never mind what they are called, these are great all round reeds and you might find either gives you what you need.
marc User ID: 0805074	May 28th 4:24 AM I bought a REF54 last year and its a very good horn. One important point : TRY IT first, it is well known that these beasts are very badly adjusted from the factory. This was the case for me (leaks, etc). Also, try a jazz mouthpiece like the Otto link metal, it really works well.
Mr.D User ID: 1174374	May 28th 5:42 AM Marc, Contrary to the Serie III, the two ref 54 I tried along with the ref 36, were faultless. The tech told me that I should not be surprised, for the ref horns were currently the only ones to be carefully adjusted at the Selmer factory. At least that was true for the 3 ref horns I played. I tend to trust the guy since he is the biggest Selmer dealer in the east of France. Can someone second my say ?
Tommy Boy User ID: 0443584	May 28th 7:58 AM My Ref 54 had a few leaks and the C# and G# keys would stick when I bought mine. It was also somewhat resistant when I played it. I knew all though things could be fixed though. Of course mine went through selmer USA, not straight from the Paris factory. I did get a very good neck with mine though.
Guto User ID: 8729803	Jun 4th 11:12 PM I've got one from a store in Paris last year and the adjustment out of the box sucked. After it went through 2h in the hands of my favorite repairman (I stood next to him and watched problems getting resolved), it now plays and feels like a dream. I just love it.