Tenors,which one would you choose and why?

With all things being equal, and I found a great player.
A Mark VI for the resell value, the others will never enjoy that .
I have never found another horn that was/is as comfortable as
the Mark VI I played from '75 to '80 (Early 70's model) .

See avatar. Relacuqered 161,xxx MkVI.

It's a honker and a subtoner.

oops--double post

Definitely a Mark IV (even rarer than the Mark VI). Use the search engine to learn more about these sleepers....

Just kidding, of course; though there is a hilarious thread on this mythical beast from a while back that's worth searching for.

I would definitely go with a Mark VI. It's the Stradivarius of the vintage sax market.

VI

I wonder what would have happened with the allure of the VII if the ergos were actually the same as the VI ??

Mark VI. They have a lyrical quality that the Reference models lack. The VII's are better than the Reference horns as well. Since I sold mine I found out that certain techs can swap out the Mark VII table keys for VI style ones. Had I known that I would probably still have the VII as a backup to my VI.

Selmer's since the Mark VI are a lot like Boston albums. Each new model is not as good as the previous one. Boston albums are the same way. Each album gets worse than the last one.

I would choose a Mark VI if money is not an issue, but I would choose among as many as possible, because you have to know that a very good Mark Vi is, as being said, a stradivarius, but a bad Mark VI is nothing but a bad horn, and still very expensive for a bad horn.

silvin said:

you have to know that a very good Mark Vi is, as being said, a stradivarius, but a bad Mark VI is nothing but a bad horn, and still very expensive for a bad horn.

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Good piece of advise, that's exactly what you hear from any expert repairman (unless he has one for sale...).

Need more info.

Are you talking ONLY vintage horns or are you considering all horns?
What price range?

A good vintage horn that will save you some $$ is a Super Dynaction from Buffet.
They did a horn for the Evette Schaeffer name which would cost you even less.
This horn is supposed to be comparable to the Mark VI.

If money is no object and you want a new horn, I like the Yanagisawa saxes.

Either the 161,xxx MkVI original laq that a friend of mine wants to sell me for $1K, which is stupid of them, lucky of me, the $1500 MkVII at a local store, or a Ref. 54 Mod. 74

What about BA's and SBA's?

Cannonball&CmelGuy said:

Either the 161,xxx MkVI original laq that a friend of mine wants to sell me for $1K, which is stupid of them, lucky of me, the $1500 MkVII at a local store, or a Ref. 54 Mod. 74

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I'm trying to figure this statement out. Either.......what? Are you asking which of these you should go for? Clearly you should immediately pick up that VI for $1k, or put your friend in touch with me!

The answer to the original post is easy: A MK VI.

ill take the radio improved !

If they were to sell the horn to anyone else, they are asking $10'000 but would appreciate it more if I had the horn as they could see it often enough. They must not realize that the Berg Larsen peice that comes with it is worth $500. But that aside, should I get the Ref or the MkVII if my friend decides to keep their horn?

The series of posts above illustrates why some are leaving this forum. There's only one correct answer to any sax question on SOTW...Selmer Paris Mark VI.

In reality, it all boils down to the combination of reed, mouthpiece (I don't think the lig makes that much difference) and horn that gives you that sound you hear on your favorite recordings of a sax. I am going to quit reading SOTW and start playing my sax more before I die.

There are many really great horns out there, some new and many vintage. To me, some of the american vintage horns have a better sound than a VI, but the VI has qualities that make them distinctive. Unsurpassed ergos, Selmer core sound {which is distinctive}, resale value and one intangible......the " Legend" right or wrong, it really does exist. I would truly appreciate someone who had a bad VI expound on what, to you, made it a bad horn. Could the difference between a good and bad VI lie in how they were cared for over the years, or did they come out of Paris as "bad"

GAS_Wyo said:

The series of posts above illustrates why some are leaving this forum. There's only one correct answer to any sax question on SOTW...Selmer Paris Mark VI.

In reality, it all boils down to the combination of reed, mouthpiece (I don't think the lig makes that much difference) and horn that gives you that sound you hear on your favorite recordings of a sax. I am going to quit reading SOTW and start playing my sax more before I die.

Click to expand...

I take your point, but you are after all in a selmer section of the forum reading what everyone thinks from the choices they were presented with.
Nothing more, nothing less!
Sure its lost the original focus here and there...but thats nothing new for sotw.#
Let it go.

I'd take a Selmer Series III tenor with a sterling silver Series III neck, just because it's their latest model, with all the latest improvements.

25 words!

I own a VI, VII, Ref 36 and Ref 54.

To tell you the truth they all have a certain unique vibe. I tell you I managed to get 4 great tenors that would make me happy any day of the week.

Honestly I think my Ref 54 comes very close to the VI. I've only had the 54 for a while, but the horn definitely blows with a dark sound that reminds me of my VI and VII. The only problem is my VI and VII are starting to get really worn out.

The only tenor left that I would like to have is an SBA, but prices are way too high.