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Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

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#1 · (Edited)
Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

For this study, I am hoping to gather information on any Selmer sax stamped with "Modèle 26"
I am looking for the following information:

Full Serial Number:
Type: (Alto, Tenor etc)
Finish: (Silver, Gold, Lacquer, 2Tone etc)
Distributor Stamp: (Elkhart, London, Toronto, Montreux, none, others?) - *1
Body Number?: (below the low D key)
Extra keys?: (High D trill, Low Eb trill, G# trill) - *2
Front Altissimo F key?: (Yes / No) - *3
Gold Plate in bell?:
Engraving?:
Special Features?:

Photos are always welcome.

I do NOT need to know where the instrument is located or who owns it.

Thanks to everyone willing to help
Douglas Pipher
Toronto, Canada

Notes:
*1 On US horns, earlier stamps say New York and, around 6500 this switched to Elkhart
*2 Horns may have these keys in any permutation. It appears that they could be ordered individually.
*3 This key also appears to have been an optional extra at this time.
 
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#28 · (Edited)
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Thanks SynthKat.
I have updated post #2 above to include your horn, plus two others I recently found.
One question ... it is interesting that there is no body number on your horn.
If you check just below the low D tonehole ... is there a letter A there?
I have seen the letter A on Altos from #6166 to #6477.
The earliest number I have confirmed is on Tenor #7254, but I do not have any body number info on horns between #6178 and #7253
(any chance anyone reading this has a horn between these numbers? ... I'd love to know if there is a number, a letter or nothing below the low D tonehole)

Update: Sept 11, 2015 - I have seen the letter A on Altos from #6166 to #7083
 
#34 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Interesting that Alto s/n 4629 has the quick-F, but the gold-plated Alto s/n 4892 doesn't. Maybe that later s/n body started out earlier, but just took longer to get to the finish line? And wow, thanks LiAm84 for those pics of a s/n 10k silver Bass!...
 
#37 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

How different are the Modele 26 horns when compared with the Selmer Super Sax horns? Do they have a different body?
And for that matter, did then the Super bodies (not referring to the tone holes or keys) immediately change massively at the BA model?

Douglas, thanks for that explanation about the different options. Cheers...
 
#36 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

The front F key was an optional key during the Modèle 26 run. It was one of four optional keys available at the time. Around 8k it appears to have become standard, but there are occasional examples much later which do not have the key.
 
#48 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Visually, they appear to differ in the standard ways. Later, the bell keys moved to the right side, the SBA-era horns have the offset lower stack and relatively up-to-date SBA-style keywork. I do not know if there were any bore changes. Also, it appears that Selmer did not make any basses during the Modele 26 period ... and by that I mean during the period when they would have the "Modele 26" stamp on the bell. (approx 4500 to 8000) Basses were made during the Modele 22 period, but were not re-introduced until 92xx.
 
#49 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Visually, they appear to differ in the standard ways. Later, the bell keys moved to the right side, the SBA-era horns have the offset lower stack and relatively up-to-date SBA-style keywork. I do not know if there were any bore changes. Also, it appears that Selmer did not make any basses during the Modele 26 period ... and by that I mean during the period when they would have the "Modele 26" stamp on the bell. (approx 4500 to 8000) Basses were made during the Modele 22 period, but were not re-introduced until 92xx.
When I say 'Super' models I mean the cigar cutter, radio improved, new large bore etc... not SBA.
Most interested in playing characteristics, intonation, volume etc... People seem to say the Modele 22 and 26 had a smaller bore than he later cigar cutter/new large bore etc....
 
#50 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Selmer did produce lots of basses in the 9k to 14k range ... but but only built a couple one-offs between 16k and 40k. There is one example in the 16k range, another in the 18k range and a third in at 23k. They were sold in the Euro market, and I have not located any photos of any of them, nor do I know if they even still exist.
Personally, I do not consider the Largebore to be a Super but rather the model prior to the Super.
But, to address your question, it appears that the total number of Selmer Super Bass saxes is either 1 or 0, (Basses stamped with the SSS stamp and/or bearing the Super-style improvements) so your question is likely impossible to answer.
 
#51 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Thanks for the info Douglas, but I think you misunderstand me. I was just sharing some photos of a modele 26 bass which is currently for sale here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Earl...076506?hash=item2ca41f4fda:g:4JYAAOSw5ZBWH~Ez

My question is what are the general playing characteristics of the altos and tenors and how do they compare to the later SSS model horns - cigar cutter, new large bore/super, radio improved etc... Has anybody any actual experience playing these horns?
 
#52 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

Sorry Liam .. I thought you were asking about bass saxes.

Yes, I have experience playing the several of the early horns.
Without getting into a long conversation, I can share a couple quick thoughts.
1) The Modele 22 horns, which are so often maligned, actually play really well to my ear. I suspect that many people have played examples badly in need of an overhaul and have drawn conclusions based on that.
I own a fully restored Série 1922 Alto, a Modele 22 Soprano and Alto, a Modèle 26 Sopranino and Alto, and a Modèle 28 Alto.
They do not have a huge sound, but they all posess a rich, velvety complex tone and are a pleasure to play. Ergonomics are ... different, but not uncomfortable if you take the time to get used to them.
2) The Super era horns definitely project more but retain the complexity of tone. My favourite horns to play (from the perspective of tone) are Radio Improved. Alto, Tenor and Baritone all have a richness to them which I do not find in more modern horns.
3) I don't own an early Selmer bass sax, so I can't comment on them.
 
#54 ·
Re: Selmer Modèle 26 - an ongoing study

2) The Super era horns definitely project more but retain the complexity of tone. My favourite horns to play (from the perspective of tone) are Radio Improved. Alto, Tenor and Baritone all have a richness to them which I do not find in more modern horns.
I think it's the neck that is the factor in this especially the tenors .

When it comes to the body bow and bell and tone hole sizes ..
..I don't think there's any differences in the later model 26 tenors >>going into the so-called New Largebore>> onto the Super>> and finally the RI .

I think the neck dimensions and shape/curvature is what is influencing any differences in playing characteristics and response .

I'd be surprise if Selmer really did anything at all to refine the body bow and bell of the altos and tenors in the 1927 to 1935 period .

Yes, neck receivers, body 8va mechanism changes, LH pinky cluster, bell keyguards palm F on the tenors get upgraded,but I don't believe they
re-designed the body. I say that because the mouthpieces available; the mouthpiece technology of the period was pretty limited.

When the RI models start to come in is at a period where Selmer is starting to become somewhat more popular w/ American saxophonists and it's
at that point the Selmer starts to to truly attempt to compete with American saxophones in terms of projection/ carrying power.

The necks are tapered differently and the tenor neck is longer than an earlier Super neck -- I think they wanted to get a brighter sound without
dealing with too many tuning issues and having to totally redesign the complete 'cone' of the saxophone

I'll bet you can fit a RI tenor neck into Modele 26 and get a pretty much identical sound and vice versa - 26 neck on the RI tenor .
 
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