[Boontigula]

The first victim to my big bell silver/gold Cannonball Tenor was the heralded Buescher Big B New Aristocrat Serial # 308,xxx. Now this was a mint Big B. I would even venture to say, and so would the new owner, that there isn't a Better playing/lookin Big B out there.
But then came my CB which immediately put the Buescher on the selling blocks.
Recently, I got a good deal on a new Selmer Reference 54(a top of the line modern Selmer). Not so much that I needed it. I was curious if anything. Welp, the Selmer is now up for sale. Anyone else?
If your looking for a new sax(a pro sax in every sense of the word, don't let some of the less informed fool ya) check out Cannonballs-the most underrated sax in the world.

 

[LateNiteSax]

I like that there is no question in you mind. Not a question of different flavors, but one blows the other out of the water. Thats what Im talkin 'bout y'all!

 

[Boontigula]

I like that there is no question in you mind. Not a question of different flavors, but one blows the other out of the water. Thats what Im talkin 'bout y'all!

I judge by volume,projection,tone,depth,intonation,playabilty,etc. I played several Conns and Bueschers and yes in my opinion the CB was better. Also, I felt the Selmer ref was somewhat overrated and that overall the CB also was the decisive winner. Go ahead be sarcastic if you want. Flavors? LOL yeah sure kid.

 

[RJRusso]

Hey, have you played a Mad Meg tenor? What did you think?

 

[Boontigula]

Hey, no I haven't. I like the silver belled CB's better than the others but I am curious about the meg....alot people go with 'em.

 

[tjontheroad]

Hey, have you played a Mad Meg tenor? What did you think?

I have one and I like it very much. It has a dark baritone like sound. Good egos and intonation. I'm not selling my Series III any time soon because of it though.

 

[BigHunk]

I play a Raven alto and it smoked the 2 altos i had prior(yas-875& Buescher TH&C)Just a great horn....And with the set up from Scimonetti,it playes fantastic.....now to find the hot-spur tenor.

 

[saxmanglen]

Before you put the 54 out in the dumpster. I've got 50 bucks laying around I'll give you for it.

 

[Sigmund451]

I bid $75!

 

[RJRusso]

nice, I have a Mad Meg on the way to me, very anxious...I have played a Stone series Gerald Albright black nickel tenor and liked that a lot. I found that the tone I exhibited on the Stone series Albright was a bit less complex when compared to my MKVII (decently set-up perfect working order), however the Cannonball had much better keywork/ergos and powerful bottom end...less 'clunky' and easier to play...so I kept the MKVII for the tone/sound.

Let's see how the Mad Meg tenor compares (it was only 1000$, so that is also a factor, my goal is to find an inexpensive sax that sounds good as I don't want much money in metal, especially now that I have found the differences between these expensive horns and the cheap ones does not compute. An example is my buddies 'great' MKVI tenor. I love it, but would rather spend 1000$ than 6-10,000$, the MKVI being 'better' but not 5-10,000$ 'better', not nearly enough 'better', but I also realize the vintage ones are 'collectibles' so another factor in their 'expensiveness', they are works of art)...(Disclaimer - yes, MKVIs and MKVIIs, Martins, Conns, Bueschers etc. and many other horns can be great and fantastic horns. The same goes for inexpensive modern ones).

 

[bfoster64]

I played 5 or 6 Cannonball tenors at a music store and the only one I really liked was a Hotspur. I thought it was a great horn, but I wouldn't have paid what they were asking for it, and now I'm paranoid about picking up a C-Ball on Ebay because I perceive significant variations in their quality.

 

[Boontigula]

Before you put the 54 out in the dumpster. I've got 50 bucks laying around I'll give you for it.

No I'm not putting the selmer in the dumpster, rather on consignment at a reputable music store. There it'll sell for 4k or so.....rather than take it to another tech to work on and maybe buy a new neck,etc,etc. It seem kinda silly when my hot spur plays/sounds great. And Russo, let me know how ya like the mad meg. My guess is that you'll be thrilled and find that at the price-there just aint a better horn out there.

 

[RJRusso]

I have had a big bell global tenor (mad meg) for a couple of days now...

I like it.
It is freeblowing with a boomy bottom end. A bit smoother (keywork/ergonomics) and lighter than my MKVII. The tone is also smoother than my MKVII, I like both though. I find that the MKVII tone is a bit more complex, fatter, more colors etc. Intonation is heaven on the Cball.

I hope to work with long tones etc. to see if I can get a more complex tone (it's not 'bad' or anything, it's just that I can hear a difference side by side), maybe I can improve that on my end...we'll see, I will post again after a few weeks/gigs.

If both were the same price/condition, I would have a difficult time deciding which to keep. Since I just got more than I paid for the MKVII, and that is more than double the Mad Meg's cost, the Cball is the keeper...So, I have found that expensive horns aren't worth the price, imo. Just glad I found this before paying thousands. And maybe the MKVII is not a good example of expensive, so, know that I have played friends' MKVI's (sweet horn!) as recently as last week...

Now to find an inexpensive B&S (or stencil) or Cannonball alto...

 

[LateNiteSax]

I judge by volume,projection,tone,depth,intonation,playabilty,etc. I played several Conns and Bueschers and yes in my opinion the CB was better. Also, I felt the Selmer ref was somewhat overrated and that overall the CB also was the decisive winner. Go ahead be sarcastic if you want. Flavors? LOL yeah sure kid.

No, I'm not being sarcastic at all. I appreciate the certainty with which you preffer one horn over the other. Really.

 

[Dr G]

The tone is also smoother than my MKVII, I like both though.

I hope to work with long tones etc. to see if I can get a more complex tone...

"Smoother" - as I have experienced on these horns, is the antithesis of "complex". It is what it is. "Complexity" is something that I find is more closely linked to the horn than to the mouthpiece. If the Selmer sound is what you are looking for, I sincerely wish you good luck in getting it out of your C'ball.

 

[LateNiteSax]

"Smoother" - as I have experienced on these horns, is the antithesis of "complex". It is what it is. "Complexity" is something that I find is more closely linked to the horn than to the mouthpiece. If the Selmer sound is what you are looking for, I sincerely wish you good luck in getting it out of your C'ball.

Uh Huh, thats right. Long tones ain't gonna get that out of your horn. You need a horn that has the "stank" built in it already.

 

[RJRusso]

The complex tone is something I think I would like with this horn, I don't know if it is a Selmer thing, as I have heard it on many horns by many players. So, no, I am not wanting a Selmer sound as you say, but certainly I don't want too smoothe (less complex) a tone. I dunno. I try to prove wrong what people say a lot of times, I wouldn't keep doing it if I always failed. I'd rather work on tone etc. on my end than pay a lot for saxes, and 99.9% of people will never know any difference anyway at shows. Maybe I'll growl a lot more!!! But really, I am not James Carter and I play other instruments so my point of view is different than many here...Thank you guys...

 

[Dr G]

The complex tone is something I think I would like with this horn, I don't know if it is a Selmer thing, as I have heard it on many horns by many players.

I didn't say that it couldn't happen with horns other than Selmer. I, do, however, have sufficient experience with Cannonball tenors to believe that it isn't going to come easily from there.

But really, I am not James Carter and I play other instruments so my point of view is different than many here...Thank you guys...

Oh good, I'd hate to annoy James Carter. You're not the only one to play other instruments and have a broad experience.

Ahhhh, nevermind. I wish you well.

G'luck.

 

[Boontigula]

I didn't say that it couldn't happen with horns other than Selmer. I, do, however, have sufficient experience with Cannonball tenors to believe that it isn't going to come easily from there.

Dr G

Oh good, I'd hate to annoy James Carter. You're not the only one to play other instruments and have a broad experience.

Ahhhh, nevermind. I wish you well.

G'luck.

Dr G...the ref 54 isn't gonna work out for me. Whatcha think is the 36 that much different. I still haven't counted them out. I really like my CB but wouldn't mind havin a nice selmer-the ref 54 isn't the one for me tho.

 

[Dr G]

Dr G...the ref 54 isn't gonna work out for me. Whatcha think is the 36 that much different. I still haven't counted them out. I really like my CB but wouldn't mind havin a nice selmer-the ref 54 isn't the one for me tho.

The 54 has a focus that is more defined as well as a thinner tone in the low end - or you say that the 36 is more spread and has a fatter bottom. Two distinctly different horns in my experience. The 36 could pass as a vintage sound, the 54 is a modern horn with less edge than the Serie III.

Bottom line: Yes, the Ref 36 is much different. You can get an idea of what it'll do if you put a Ref 36 neck on the Ref 54 but the real Ref 36 will still have an enhanced low end response (compared to the Ref 54).

Ask some other Ref players: Saxplayer1, Heath, and (now) EZ.