new reference alto [Archive] - Sax on the Web Forum

yana_reed

03-07-2003, 06:03 AM

I played this horn this week in Frankfurt at the music fair. It is a great horn, for me better than SA II and III. Does anyone else tested it ?

Andrew

03-07-2003, 07:20 AM

Reference alto? Which one...36 or 54? I've yet to even SEE them, let alone try them. Although, I'd LOVE to get my hands on one...anyone know of a place in the states to see/test one out?

Andrew

Randall

03-07-2003, 10:13 AM

Andrew, there is only the 54 in alto and it was debuted this week at the Musikmesse trade show in Frankfurt. It should hit the stores in the late summer to early fall.
I can't wait to give it a try too. :roll:

MarkD

03-07-2003, 09:24 PM

Yana_reed - I wish I could have gotten there to give it a try!

For anybody that's interested, here is a link that I found that at least has a photo:
http://www.pms-music.de/Instrumente/Altosaxes/Selmer_Alto_Reference54/selmer_alto_reference54.html

If my German isn't too rusty, it says that the Alto Reference 54 will be available starting in June - in limited quatities.

Morry

03-07-2003, 11:28 PM

Interesting...from the picture it appears to come in a standard lacquer, unlike the tenor model.

Andrew

03-08-2003, 04:04 AM

I wouldn't say it's standard. It looks more like the darker lacquer that most VIs came in.

Tears June

03-08-2003, 04:32 AM

What price you guy think it will be?

How's the sound - Bright? Dark & Warm? Rich & Brilliance ?

:cry:

Morry

03-08-2003, 05:26 AM

The street price on the tenor Ref 54 in about $3500, so I would expect the alto to go for somewhere around $3000, after the initial frenzy dies down.

03-08-2003, 09:09 PM

It's suppose to come in two finishes, the VI original lacquer finish and the antique 54 tenor finish. Looks fabulous, hope it sounds so too. Pricey I'll bet, available in "limited quantities" this June. If it plays as good and sounds as great as a good VI it won't be cheap. (I'm already drooling)

Andrew

03-09-2003, 02:39 AM

Yeah I can't wait. If it plays better than my VI, then I don't know what I'll do!!!

Tears June

03-09-2003, 03:49 AM

AG

I think the Ref 54 alto has only ne finish (close to Mark VI original lacquer finish). check out this test report from Miles Osland : http://www.selmer.com/saxophone/discus/index.html

I think Selmer don't apply antique 54 tenor finish on the 54 alto is many players don't like it. However, if they put engraving on it, there can be look completely different.

:cry:

Anonymous

03-09-2003, 04:58 AM

i wouldn't put too much stock in Miles' review, as it's so watered down as to be irrelavent, plus being Selmer's website guy, you know he's gonna put a spin on it to make it sound fab, but not better than the other Selmer stuff.

'It Rocks' ain't much of a description. Buy one of these plus a Series III is a marketing speil...

Fact is, anybody's description is likely to be vague, as tonal variations don't lend themselves to verbage very well. People will probably just have to honk on one o' these babies themselves to be able to judge anything...

mostly alto guy

03-09-2003, 05:35 AM

I agree with amasax, and add some predictions for the Ref alto:

Players who don't already have a MKVI will love it and rave about it, saying it's in most ways the equal or better of a good MKVI. These comments will keep Ref prices high. I suspect Selmer will want to keep their dealers' stocks low to emphasize the horn's exclusivity aspect and detract less from sales of Serie IIs and IIIs. That will push the going price even higher.

MKVI players will say "Nice try, Selmer." They'll point out the Ref's shortcomings and say they're skipping it and keeping their MKVIs.

Sellers of MKVIs will call the Ref a POS.

Just my thoughts, but having studied marketing, and being always the skeptical cynic, what else could I think?

I'm looking forward to trying a Ref, and hope one will surface here that isn't already sold. That'll be the tough part.

03-09-2003, 06:49 AM

It will certainly be interesting. If it is indeed a great horn it will hold it's own against any and all opinions. If not everyone will keep their VI's, and the price will level off. :wink:

03-09-2003, 11:57 AM

Tears, I did ck out that link.....the review Miles Osland did states "two finishes", lacquer and the antigue finish of the 54 tenor; rolf, that's where I originally read about the two finishes. :lol:

KarstenTS

03-09-2003, 01:52 PM

Yeah, I played it too. Great horn, pretty sweet in hands and a cool sound.
How ever I absolutely don't like the honey-lancquer...

Tears June

03-09-2003, 04:33 PM

AG

May be I overlook each statement in whole report...
I hope the antigue finish will have engraving on it, look perfect.
But I really don't know if this finish sound any difference?

:cry:

King Bee

03-14-2003, 04:34 AM

:wink: While the Mark VI will be an obvious standard for comparison, the better comparison is with the Series III alto. If you want a new Selmer alto, the Series III and Reference horns are the ones to try. If you want a vintage Selmer, then the Mark VI, SBA and BA horns are on your menu, depending on what tone you want.

Grumps

03-14-2003, 05:03 AM

I think it's promising that they're offering the Reference Alto without the fake antique look of the tenor 54. Hopefully they'll offer an alternative for the tenor as well.

This new alto doesn't come with the clutter of the "harmonic" key like the III? Man, I hope not.

King Bee

03-24-2003, 03:33 AM

The link above with a picture of the Ref 54 alto has a brief phase at the bottom right. The date June 2003 appears in the phrase, but I can't read anything else. Does it say that the horn will be available in June? Here's the link again:

http://www.pms-music.de/Instrumente/Altosaxes/Selmer_Alto_Reference54/selmer_alto_reference54.html

singlereed

03-24-2003, 07:43 AM

There are a few pics on the saxophones.co.uk website, you have to navigate your way there from the homepage.

bluesax

03-24-2003, 09:00 AM

The text on http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/posting.php?mode=reply&t=796 says: Selmer Reference Alto Gold Laquered 2849,- Euro , from us available approx. June 2003, only in low quantities.

bluesax

03-24-2003, 09:03 AM

The text on http://www.pms-music.de/Instrumente/Altosaxes/Selmer_Alto_Reference54/selmer_alto_reference54.html
says: Selmer Reference Alto Gold Laquered 2849,- Euro , from us available approx. June 2003, only in low quantities.

Tears June

03-25-2003, 08:46 AM

Euro-2849 just too high.

What BEST market price in USD you guys think in 2004 ?

:cry:

singlereed

03-25-2003, 11:36 AM

Nonsense - Euro 2849 is about the same price as a good Serie III from a European discount store.

03-25-2003, 03:17 PM

Too high??

But I don't think this price will hold, if you look at the tenor prices. :cry:

alsdiego

03-26-2003, 05:54 PM

At the current currency conversion rate, 2849 Euros = $3035 US. Not a bad price, if the ref is really "all that and a bag of chips". For once, a horn (hopefully) competitive with the Mk VI would be available for less than a good VI. Other than the emotional angle (I've never forgiven my mom for giving my Mk VI to the kid down the street because he wanted to try marching band), what might there be to recommend the ref over the Mark VI... updated keywork? Any thoughts?