New Selmer La Vie model

[semipro]

Has anyone heard of this model before? Is it professional class? Where is it made? :?

http://www.selmer.com/content/la_vie/index.php

[bruce bailey]

Probably Taiwan or China. These are their replacement for the USA horns and are not anywhere near the Paris models.

[saxophobe]

They are different, but they aren't that bad. I really like the double arm design on the low Bb, B and C keys. I'm a big proponent of the "it's the driver, not the car" philosophy, but the car DOES help! I tried one of these today against my Mark VI, a Reference 54, and a Buffet 400. And while none of these were nearly the horn my Mark VI is, I don't think the new Selmers were any better than the Buffet, which was about half the price.

Besides, it all depends on what you are used to. Hell, Dave Liebman plays Keirwerth doesn't he?!?!? Branford plays a Guardala. The best player I've ever heard next to Brecker plays a Conn 10M, and he's unbelieveable.

If you can affort a Selmer Paris, and it's a good horn, buy it and enjoy it. But if you can't, find something that you can sound like yourself on and go for it. It doesn't HAVE to be a Selmer Paris, it just has to be YOURS.

[Grumps]

These are their replacement for the USA horns and are not anywhere near the Paris models.
Funny, I played an alto La Vie that (to me) had a better sound than the Hummingbird alto next to it. Definite student feel to the keywork of this Chinese horn though, as it wouldn't hold up to my big mitts.

[CONN-hunter]

Hi semipro,

Taiwan made sax sounds very very good, excellent core, focused and warm(240) or focussed lightely brighter (250).
sounds better than a Buffet 400 for my ears, but you must test it yourself in a room. I was in a exposition Hall with thousend people playing as I played the 400. The La Vie I played in a Room by CONN-Selmer.
I played the Tenor modells. sounds nice with a round chamber MP (medium chamber SS or medium big chamber Brilhart) Selmer MP offer more control and modern sound.
Professionel horn?

surely you can use it professionely the sound is in professionell liga, my doubt could be the mechanical steadfastness... we will see it first in long use.

[maestroelite]

I play a Quantum/level aire on my La Vie tenor and it sounds great. Van Doren V5 works just fine too, along with a Metalite. I've playtested several other pieces and it seems to take whatever you like. The only thing I have noticed negatively is some mouthpieces tend to make the upper register(above G) flat. Could be another issue though, high baffle pieces tend to accentuate problems with the horn.. or so it seems to me. The keywork could be better but it works just fine, I like the sound a lot better than Yani's on tenor and that's the only thing that can compete price wise.

It seems to hold up mechanically just fine. I haven't had to take it in to get readjusted. I have taken it in to have my tech inspect it and replace a few corks because it came with soft ones. They work fine most places, but the side Bb especially needs replaced otherwise the Bb key hits a rod.

I guess they're finally in production, my local store has a few tenors and altos. Mine was one of the first batch of 30 that was released in the US, and I've only played mine so I don't know how the consistency is. My local store seems to be very excited about them though, and my tech loves it.