[Grumps]

When I was a kid, I was a Selmer (France) snob. It carried me into my 30's, having owned a Selmer alto (SBA), tenor (VII), soprano (VI), and even a sopranino (VI). I also had access to Selmer bari saxes (VI, both low A and Bb) back in college jazz band. So I was Selmer all the way. Well... until somebody gave me a vintage Martin Handcraft stencil tenor about twenty years ago that had me rethinking my preferences. Add to that a Conn 10M (and later a Silversonic tenor), a True Tone alto and the resurrection/restoration of my vintage Conn bari and Buescher soprano... and it was easy to sell my Selmers. All of 'em.

So... anyone else make this turnaround? Perhaps you went the other way, or are contemplating a change. Do tell.

 

[dexdex]

Nope. :mrgreen:
But I could exorcise the BA-Mk6-5-digit worship.
Here in French speaking Europe, Selmer loyalty sometimes is a matter of local culture and economy. Paris is just around the corner, Selmer are our neighbours. Most repairers here have spent some time @ Selmer’s factory, and have personal contacts there.
.... I even bought an antique Selmer 9* clarinet, just for fun, though the local black stick community is totally under BC authority.

 

[smonkman]

I had a Mark VI Sop and a Super Action 80 Tenor about 10 years ago. I enjoyed both but always felt I was compromising my sound for a brand name. I sold the tenor first but the sop soon followed. I now mostly play Yamaha aside from my Bari.

 

[turf3]

Well, I didn't make a turnaround...

When I was a young starting saxophonist, Selmer was the name to have. I didn't have money, so I started out on older-style horns (Conn mostly). Then our school got a matched set of Mark 7 alto and tenor, and our lead alto player, a fine musician, was totally unable to get the alto to play in tune. When I tried out the Mark 7s, I realized that anyone with normal sized hands would simply be unable to play the low notes without extreme strain. At the same time I was finding that my 6M alto felt and played better than any Selmer.

So by the time I got to college I had been disabused of the Selmer worship. I've also always been a bit of a contrarian, and I like old things, so "oooh new shiny Selmer just like prof plays" didn't swing much weight with me.

Over the years I have tried out various Selmer saxophones and no Mark 6 or later has impressed me enough to rethink my opinion that my old Conns, Bueschers, Martins are just as good. I will say the Selmer Super tenor and baritone saxes I've played (only two of the tenors and one of the baritones) are the equals of my Conns. 6, 7, 80: not so much.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

Yes, yes I am as far as Saxophones go. I unloaded the Mark VI tenor about 7 years ago mostly for financial reasons. I still have a Series 9 clarinet that I will never get rid of.

 

[liggy]

Selmer free? Nope. Selmer exclusive? Nope. . I love my Selmers. I love my Yamahas too.

 

[turf3]

Selmer free? Nope. Selmer exclusive? Nope. . I love my Selmers. I love my Yamahas too.

That's like saying "I like my Ford Taurus just as much as my Mercury Sable".

 

[Benjamin Allen]

When I was a kid, I was a Selmer (France) snob. It carried me into my 30's, having owned a Selmer alto (SBA), tenor (VII), soprano (VI), and even a sopranino (VI). I also had access to Selmer bari saxes (VI, both low A and Bb) back in college jazz band. So I was Selmer all the way. Well... until somebody gave me a vintage Martin Handcraft stencil tenor about twenty years ago that had me rethinking my preferences. Add to that a Conn 10M (and later a Silversonic tenor), a True Tone alto and the resurrection/restoration of my vintage Conn bari and Buescher soprano... and it was easy to sell my Selmers. All of 'em.

So... anyone else make this turnaround? Perhaps you went the other way, or are contemplating a change. Do tell.

I was the same way with a Super Action 80 Serie III soprano, a SA80II and Reference 54 alto, and a SA80III tenor. My neighbor growing up had a Yamaha 62 Purple Logo, and I kept wanting to swap the Serie II alto to play the Yamaha. I tried the Yamaha Custom at a local store, but I didn't like that as much as the Yamaha 62. When the Custom Z came out, I switched over to Yamaha on alto, tenor and lastly soprano, and I'm on my second Z tenor. I just really prefer the Yamaha saxophones over Selmer's saxophones. On alto, I've had both the 875EX and the 82Z since around 2005 and can't say which I prefer on alto as I really don't like playing alto all that much, so it's a coin flip. But I really love the 82Z tenor with a different Yamaha neck and love the 82ZR soprano Kritavi found me.

The only Selmer I'm still attracted to is the Reference 54 alto; all the other ones I simply don't care that much about.
Best,
Ben

 

[Dr G]

When I was a kid, I was a Selmer (France) snob. It carried me into my 30's, having owned a Selmer alto (SBA), tenor (VII), soprano (VI), and even a sopranino (VI). I also had access to Selmer bari saxes (VI, both low A and Bb) back in college jazz band. So I was Selmer all the way. Well... until somebody gave me a vintage Martin Handcraft stencil tenor about twenty years ago that had me rethinking my preferences. Add to that a Conn 10M (and later a Silversonic tenor), a True Tone alto and the resurrection/restoration of my vintage Conn bari and Buescher soprano... and it was easy to sell my Selmers. All of 'em.

So... anyone else make this turnaround? Perhaps you went the other way, or are contemplating a change. Do tell.

Yes. I don't know that I can recall all the Selmers I have owned since the '70s: '65 MkVI alto, BA tenor (bought from Fred Lamberson), Mk VI sop, Serie III tenor, SA80 sop, Serie II alto, Serie III sop, Ref 36 tenor. All gone.

I've had a few (OK, several) horns from other brands (SML, King, Buescher, Conn, Yanagisawa, and more) along the way as well, but now I play Borgani saxes exclusively: UL custom sop (OBS), silver pearl alto (OB), silver plate tenor (187xxJ), and silver pearl tenor (OBT). I've been on Borgani tenors for 10+ years.

 

[paulwl]

I'm down to a nonplaying, 1923 Modèle 22 alto and three clarinets - two Balanced-Tones and a metal, all from the late '30s. The clarinets are here to stay. The 22 I could live without.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

Nope. :mrgreen:
But I could exorcise the BA-Mk6-5-digit worship.
Here in French speaking Europe, Selmer loyalty sometimes is a matter of local culture and economy. Paris is just around the corner, Selmer are our neighbours. Most repairers here have spent some time @ Selmer's factory, and have personal contacts there.
.... I even bought an antique Selmer 9* clarinet, just for fun, though the local black stick community is totally under BC authority.

If you have an "antique" Selmer 9* clarinet, that makes me an "antique" at 55 years old. The customary definition of antique requires that an item should be at least 100 years old. Just sayin'..........

 

[saxoclese]

I wouldn't trade my 1950 Selmer SBA alto for any other saxophone in the world. It is the "voice" that suits my taste playing both classical and jazz styles. It is the same make, model, and year that Paul Desmond played. Pete Christlieb's favorite tenor is his Selmer SBA. I think I am in pretty good company with my choice. I don't "get" the point of the debates and discussions about which saxophones are the "best". Well made saxophones aren't good or bad, or better or worse---they are just different as the video in this post demonstrates. Saxophone comparison. Musicians are different as well with different tastes, colors of sound, and styles they prefer. There are scores of saxophonists both jazz and classical who have sounded great playing Selmer saxophones over the past 50 years or so. Most probably would have sounded great playing other makes and models, but they chose to play Selmers. That fact should not be overlooked in these discussions.

 

[bandmommy]

Saxophone wise, yes. Martins and a pre-buy out Buescher 400.
Clarinet and flute wise, nope. Clarinet is a Selmer Signature, and the flute is an older Selmer open hole.
I'm a day away from 59 and I'm NOT an 'ANTIQUE'.

 

[Dr G]

I'm a day away from 59 and I'm NOT an 'ANTIQUE'.

Happy Birthday, Bandmommy! Enjoy the day.

I'll be 59 for the seventh time next month, and I don't even recall the first time I celebrated it. :shock:

 

[BH9]

I have two Bueschers, a Martin, a Conn, a Yanagisawa, and have owned King in the past, but never a Selmer. I guess the Yani is close.

A friend of mine has a collection of Selmer tenors, 6s, BAs, BA(super)s, and I have had those around the house for extended periods, trying to help him find out what’s wrong with them. We finally concluded that they just will never sound quite as good as the Martin or Conn tenors.

 

[Grumps]

I unloaded the Mark VI tenor about 7 years ago mostly for financial reasons.

An added bonus to dumping Selmers. A couple of mine were rather rare and valuable. Rather than have them sit on a shelf for my heirs to undersell, I'd take the value myself and let others that dig them use them accordingly.

 

[Alex Munte]

I have two Bueschers, a Martin, a Conn, a Yanagisawa, and have owned King in the past, but never a Selmer. I guess the Yani is close.

A friend of mine has a collection of Selmer tenors, 6s, BAs, BA(super)s, and I have had those around the house for extended periods, trying to help him find out what's wrong with them. We finally concluded that they just will never sound quite as good as the Martin or Conn tenors.

I'm with you, I had a VII for a few months and tried a VI brifely. After trying lots of tenors just last year, I decided that the Martin has the best sound of everything I've tried.

 

[Alex Munte]

I was the same way with a Super Action 80 Serie III soprano, a SA80II and Reference 54 alto, and a SA80III tenor. My neighbor growing up had a Yamaha 62 Purple Logo, and I kept wanting to swap the Serie II alto to play the Yamaha. I tried the Yamaha Custom at a local store, but I didn't like that as much as the Yamaha 62. When the Custom Z came out, I switched over to Yamaha on alto, tenor and lastly soprano, and I'm on my second Z tenor. I just really prefer the Yamaha saxophones over Selmer's saxophones. On alto, I've had both the 875EX and the 82Z since around 2005 and can't say which I prefer on alto as I really don't like playing alto all that much, so it's a coin flip. But I really love the 82Z tenor with a different Yamaha neck and love the 82ZR soprano Kritavi found me.

The only Selmer I'm still attracted to is the Reference 54 alto; all the other ones I simply don't care that much about.
Best,
Ben

I have never considered giving Yamahas a try up until now. Knowing your taste and knowledge of mouthpieces/sound, makes me reconsider this. Thank you!

 

[dexdex]

If you have an "antique" Selmer 9* clarinet, that makes me an "antique" at 55 years old. The customary definition of antique requires that an item should be at least 100 years old. Just sayin'..........

Sorry for that. No malicious intention. I'm 61, and I was rather referring to the general state of the horn. Maybe clarinets live 7 times faster than we do, like dogs. The horn being from 1961 if I remember well, it is 7 x 59 = 413 years old ! :mrgreen:

 

[dexdex]

An added bonus to dumping Selmers. A couple of mine were rather rare and valuable. Rather than have them sit on a shelf for my heirs to undersell, I'd take the value myself and let others that dig them use them accordingly.

Wise move. Carpe diem.