[zorroperro]

I have a Series III Sterling Silver neck for alto. I know that Selmer makes different silver necks for tenors, 36, 54, Series III...

But for alto, there is only Series III silver necks.

Do you believe Selmer made this Series III sterling silver necks for be used, lets say, with a Series II or a Reference?

 

[heath]

Yes the III neck works with the II or 54 horn.

It's questionable if the much more expensive solid silver neck produces a better sound. I personally thought the gold brass III necks sounded very close to the solid silver neck and can't justify the extra money. The III neck produces a faster response and easier altissimo.

 

[heath]

Duplicate.

 

[zorroperro]

Better Altissimo with original neck...

Well, lets be fair... with the Sterling Silver neck the altissimo is better up to the F4 (first C=C1). But for the upper altissimo the original neck seems to work better for me.

The original neck seems to go up to A4 and sometimes higher, even tonguing the note.

All the best,

JI

 

[Dr G]

Yes the III neck works with the II or 54 horn.

It's questionable if the much more expensive solid silver neck produces a better sound. I personally thought the gold brass III necks sounded very close to the solid silver neck and can't justify the extra money. The III neck produces a faster response and easier altissimo.

Heath,

Have you tried these various necks on altos or only tenors?

The II and III are NOT interchangeable on the tenors - they fit but the intonation doesn't work. Similarly, the 54 taper does not work on a Serie II tenor. I sold one to SotW'r, not knowing that he played a II and he had to turn it around to someone (with a Mk VI).

I'd be wary of whether similar "subtle" issues are similar in the alto series.

 

[heath]

No I own the II alto and have swapped all these necks on that horn. The III neck works very well on my pre 500K II. I won't play my II alto with anything but my copper III neck. I consider this horn to be the perfect bebop alto with the darker II and the brighter III neck, many a sonny stitt riff sounds like heaven on this horn.

I've never owned a II tenor and have never played one for more than a few minutes.

The II tenor would have an octave lever that is pretty high for the higher arch II neck. Was it a clearance problem with the 54 neck as far as the 54 tenor neck having a lower arch. I noticed this same thing when swapping out these necks on my VII. I figured if you wanted the neck bad enough you could shave a little off the lever to fit it. Of course the III neck with it's higher arch should offer plenty of clearance on a II tenor.

 

[Dr G]

No I own the II alto and have swapped all these necks on that horn. The III neck works very well on my pre 500K II. I won't play my II alto with anything but my copper III neck. I consider this horn to be the perfect bebop alto with the darker II and the brighter III neck, many a sonny stitt riff sounds like heaven on this horn.

Cool. Thanks.

The II tenor would have an octave lever that is pretty high for the higher arch II neck. Was it a clearance problem with the 54 neck as far as the 54 tenor neck having a lower arch. I noticed this same thing when swapping out these necks on my VII. I figured if you wanted the neck bad enough you could shave a little off the lever to fit it. Of course the III neck with it's higher arch should offer plenty of clearance on a II tenor.

No, it wasn't a fit problem - or I should say, the fit is the least of worries. It is an intonation problem - the darn things are unplayable (if you listen and care). This applies to a Selmer sterling silver thinwall II neck on a III (that I owned) as well as a silver Gloger Ref 54 neck that I sold to a player using a II.

 

[heath]

Who exactly makes the Selmer thin wall neck. Is that a USA product.