What is the M tube for a Mark VII
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Dex you sound great on that MkVII tenor (as well as on the other saxes BTW)!
If memory serves right I read years ago from someone who asked Selmer that it had to do with the alloy, not the taper/bore. How about that for precise, tangible info? any rate it seems that the M type (whatever it refers to) precedes the N and I believe that QC at Selmer's for the first horns of a given new model is better (eg first SA80-I, first series III...). Anyway, in those days the horns were not shaped by robots, so try and compare before you buy.
If memory serves right I read years ago from someone who asked Selmer that it had to do with the alloy, not the taper/bore. How about that for precise, tangible info? any rate it seems that the M type (whatever it refers to) precedes the N and I believe that QC at Selmer's for the first horns of a given new model is better (eg first SA80-I, first series III...). Anyway, in those days the horns were not shaped by robots, so try and compare before you buy.
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Yes, and later ones have an N before the serial #.
Note to self: gotta play 'em.
Don't know when the N designation started.
My VII tenor is an M 282xxx (I think), which apparently is past some recommended cut off point for desirable VIIs,
by some who have posted.
It has the full French engraving, which apparently is also uncommon for a serial # this late, based on what I have read.
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There is probably no meaning to the M or the N. Selmer probably put them on there so that people would want one over the other, which would make certain ones more expensive, for no real reason other than a letter.
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there is no difference in a VII with a M or a N before the serial number that I know of except that the M's were made earlier than the N's. the N's are the later production VII's. they both have the same bore, taper & keywork. some people think the M VII's are better. are they.....I dunno, never played one with the N.
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Mine is an M278*** with full french engraving and its superb.Very dark sounding beast.
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I think that makes sense.
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Well MKVI owners love there long tales of whats best about the brass,serial etc so let us M serial MKVII owners enjoy our M's.Mines sure great,must be that M mark on it.
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actually Selmer USA stopped the engraving to be cheap & save money. the engraver didn't die. they had already stopped putting the blue around the S on the neck even on the later VI's. either the tariff import laws changed with the Super Action 80's or Selmer Paris got tired of them cheapening their horns & the Paris horns came then with the engraving & the blue S. I think the VII was the last horn from Selmer Paris that got assembled, lacquered & engraved here in the US. I got lucky with my early VII alto, it was new/old stock with the old honey gold lacquer, the American flower engraving, a darker navy blue around the neck S and a trey pac case. engraving won't help it play any better though, just looks nicer.
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I don't think the M's were made earlier than the N's. I've got an M284xxx with full engraving and blue S, which means the horn was produced in 1978, four years after the MKVII was introduced. Same thing for my friend's VII, which is also an M284xxx. I guess it only adds to the confusion...
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On clarinets Selmer Paris introduced letters on serial numbers since 1931, starting with L.
Every 10000 clarinets they increased. The M serie dates from 1939 to 1946. On clarinets, then, the letter only serves as a reference for the year of manufacturing and/or the model.
Selmer Paris saxophone's serial are sure longer than 5 digits so it makes sense that they just changed the letter later in history. On saxophones it seems that they decided not to start from scratch every letter serie, but to continue the increasing numbers.
Why and when they changed from N to M is ip to debate, but, considering that the same company did both clarinets and saxophones I'm inclined to think that it means absolutely nothing in term of horn quality...
Every 10000 clarinets they increased. The M serie dates from 1939 to 1946. On clarinets, then, the letter only serves as a reference for the year of manufacturing and/or the model.
Selmer Paris saxophone's serial are sure longer than 5 digits so it makes sense that they just changed the letter later in history. On saxophones it seems that they decided not to start from scratch every letter serie, but to continue the increasing numbers.
Why and when they changed from N to M is ip to debate, but, considering that the same company did both clarinets and saxophones I'm inclined to think that it means absolutely nothing in term of horn quality...
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/SELMER-MARK...EW-OLD-STOCK-UNUSED-IN-34-YEARS-/271618643739
Someone on Ebay selling a new old stock Mark VII alto from the 80's, serial nr N310xxx. Again, it seems that the lettering has nothing to do with the age of the instrument, not mentioning a horn's quality.
Someone on Ebay selling a new old stock Mark VII alto from the 80's, serial nr N310xxx. Again, it seems that the lettering has nothing to do with the age of the instrument, not mentioning a horn's quality.
Grafton + TH & C alto || Naked Lady 10M || TT soprano || Martin Comm III
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