Why Musicians Pay Over $15K For John Coltrane’s Favorite Saxophone | So Expensive | Business Insider

[@goldenrose303]

Even though this video touched a lot on jazz, Selmer’s classical tone is simply amazing. As a classical player myself, the way I can play with my tone is second to none.

[@littlered7820]

Classical music on a saxophone ? ....ok bot.

[@Rodlikespants]

@@littlered7820he’s right, every conservatory has classical saxophone performance majors. It is a misnomer, they won’t be playing music from the classical era, it’s more likely contemporary or later

[@musicat3330]

​@@littlered7820 lmao "bot", how about you say that to the likes of Ravel, Glazunov, Vaughan Williams, Prokofiev, and all the other great composers who wrote for saxophone? It may not be a staple member of the orchestra, but there's some great repertoire out there if you look for it.

[@WE-ep9tq]

@@littlered7820 lmao, trying to act like a know it all elitist just to be ousted as a bot yourself.

[@milesmccollough5507]

@@littlered7820 you should delete this comment lmfao. you are so stupid it's impossible to take seriously

[@jeko32]

I never played sax, but I played a Selmer 40 EEB Contra-Alto Clarinet for a number of years. That was a beautiful instrument and surpassed anything I'd used up until that point.

[@chuckkarges3819]

My friend in the band for Marine he said the trombone was is the hardest to master because of the starts and stops Travis can play anything but that lol

[@halhagy1766]

I’ve had my MK6 since 1964. It still sounds, and plays great. I don’t know, or care what it’s worth today, but I paid $600 for it in Baltimore at Yeager’s Music in ‘64.

[@calsax2127]

And my low-a alto I purchased in 1969 for $695 is still the love of my life! I don't really know the value, I'll let me survivors figure that out soon.

[@GardensoftheAncientsHerbal]

Prolly between 5k and 16k depending on how the condition.

[@EnlistedBombin]

Beautiful horn I bet is sounds fantastic, I played a Mark VI Beri in high school symphonic wind ensamble, I loved it. I went and seen my band director a couple years after I graduated and he said the guy after me hit the back by the thumb rest so hard it bent the bell conection are to where it could not be fixed... I wanted that horn so bad but it was WAY WAY Out my price range in the early 2000's the band director would have sold it to me to.

[@resdin]

That narrator can come and read me bed time stories anytime

[@poutine1469]

Can I come over too

[@NextGenAvatar]

It sounds like AI based on a real person they used to have doing the narrating. Very monotone and robotic.

[@build_itnow]

⁠@@NextGenAvatarit’s not ai 😂

[@NextGenAvatar]

@@build_itnowWho is it then?

[@build_itnow]

@@NextGenAvatar bro what I don’t know and that’s a terrible argument do you know what ai language model it is

[@williamsanborn9195]

I’ve worked with saxophonists for years as an audio engineer, some of which used Selmer’s saxophones, others using competitors. I can honestly tell you that there IS a difference in sound. It’s subtle, but it’s there.

[@kidkique]

Is it worth $30,000?

[@anonym6391]

As a saxophonist I can tell you that there is a difference in sound. But it is so impossibly hard to hear compared to other high quality saxophones. The impact of how you change the placement of your lip by a millimeter on the reed is way bigger. The only reason you could want to buy one is the mechanics, handling and ergonomics. And also, every saxophonist plays different on another saxophone.

[@kendrick6740]

@@kidkique $30,000 is only for the gold-plated version and represents the very top end of the luxury finishes of the saxophone. That's not the standard cost for saxophones of this brand, or even that particular model. The standard price is half that or less, which for a true quality instrument is probably something that professionals who'll be using it for a lifetime would consider worth it.

[@KandiKlover]

It’s not just saxophones though. They also make woodwind Clarinets and they sound amazing.

[@Tom06]

vintage conns literally sound better. selmers are not the best horns available- they just have hype

[@redbullrobert]

SWITCHED from yamaha to selmer recently. selmers cost more, and for me, was initially took challenges to "break in" (instrument and technique) but have heft and edginess that i could not get at yamaha. yamaha has better intonation, but i found selmers to be more responsive and more fun to shape tones with. ymmv, but to me, i am glad to make the switch.

[@raepaul8158]

I prefer the old kings ! I have the silver bell model favoured by Cannonball Adderley

[@lunam7249]

understood, yamaha has help me a small nobody when no other company in the world did!! and they make everything from oil carriers to sax to mopeds..

[@redbarchetta8782]

Finding the right muse is important and a fine instrument is the best muse of all.

[@schildster]

Could have just been a smaller bore size of your old horn vs the selmer

[@HQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQHQ]

Yamaha is not that good, Yanagisawa is. And then there's totally no reason for Selmer because there's a P. Mauriat which sounds like selmer, ergonomics are from yamaha and Yanagisawa, it costs MUCH cheaper, quality is still on the top. And even after that you can discover Eastern Music brand and be totally mindblowed at cost, quality and performance.

[@matthewjswider]

As a former Sax player since elementary school I can say confidently that a top shelf instrument makes the playing of the instrument better, easier on the hands, and is inspiring to the ears. Having well taken care of instruments is the difference between symphony and scratching a chalkboard.

[@mrdog66]

If I'm not mistaken John Coltrane played an SBA Tenor Saxophone up to the early 60's. Then switched to a MK VI. Dexter Gordon, who was an influence on Coltrane, played a Conn 10M until the mid 60's after his beloved Conn was stolen. Charlie Parker played whatever he could get his hands on. Mostly Conn's and Selmer’s BA's and finally a King Silver Sonic. I think Parker could play a kazoo and sound great.

[@jameslawford4057]

Charlie Parker would pawn his instruments to buy drugs, then one evening needed one back for a gig, so threw a brick through the pawn shop window to retrieve it! From the Miles Davis autobiography if I remember correctly.

[@JiveDadson]

Selmer is still cashing in on the reputations of saxes they built over 45 years ago. I have owned quite a few of them. Today I play an inexpensive Yamaha.

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

@@JiveDadson Selmer is the greatest example of a now merely satisfactory name-brand cruising on its former glory.

[@qwertyuiop32935]

@@CantbuyathrilllIs there a good brand to look out for nowadays? I’m sticking to vintage Kings for now. I like Selmers too though.

[@anthony-ud4to]

​@@qwertyuiop32935 Many good brands, though what you consider "Good" varies on what sound you like. Selmer, King, Conn, Yamaha, Yanigisawa, P Mauriat and many more are good... but some people don't like certain sounds and thus different manufacturers.

[@sebastiansprotte2551]

​@@qwertyuiop32935there are quite a few good manufacturers. Eastman for example or ishimori from Japan. You can also look out for a mark 7 from selmer or the really old yamaha 61 models. You're welcome :)

[@codfather6583]

If Coltrane lived today he'd play on an endorsement deal :-)

[@phatatbui3316]

So people say just have a cheap one but my grandfather doesn't believe so. My grandfather has a Mark VI and he loves it a lot! I bought a $150 one to practice and its slightly different sound makes me surprised. I give it to my grandfather and he realizes its poor sound immediately without playing. He says that the good one with help me learn better, I can easily fix my mistakes, and fully enjoy my skill improvements. Therefore, you should have a good-quality instrument if you what to master it.

[@mannyk6694]

At the beginning it really doesn’t matter if you have a higher end sax, I am a saxophonist myself and believe me, I did not start on a mark 6. As long as it functions well and doesn’t have poor build quality any sax could do. It’s like cars, you can have a Ferrari but you still need to learn how to drive it!

[@JiveDadson]

I got my first Mark VI tenor when I graduated high school in 1965. Today you can buy a fine new saxophone for a tenth the price of a Selmer. I sold all my Mark VI's and SBA's. The only one I wish I still had is a 1949 SBA alto. Now I play an inexpensive Yamaha tenor that I re-padded and set up myself.

[@JiveDadson]

​@mannyk6694 The horn should be leak-free, and the mouthpiece capable of playing in tune.

[@inkbunnybunny]

you don't need to get expensive right away.

[@JP-xd6fm]

@@mannyk6694 Yeah, I heard everywhere a Yamaha 280 is very good for beginners and it can be even good enough for intermediate players if I'm not mistaken

[@adalyman773]

As a saxophonist, I love videos like this. While I personally prefer modern horns, I have enjoyed the mark vi saxes I’ve tried. There’s just something amazing about holding such a major piece of history in your hands.

[@Tom06]

vintage brass and craftsmanship is objectively superior it’s just harder to come by a good horn since the quality was so variable and they haven’t been looked after

[@Wbajus]

Love this series. It's how KZbin used to be - interesting and well paced - no flashy hyperactive editing. Man, what happened?

[@poindextertunes]

you started watching trendy channels? 🤷‍♂️ most of my recommended feed is stuff like this or similar

[@madman-pv9qd]

Better class of cats I guess. It takes a lifetime of learning and work to become a decent jazz saxophonist. I'm still trying

[@andersjjensen]

You are just on the wrong channels. Clickspring, This Old Tony, Bad Obsession Motorsport, Tasting History, My Mechanics, Torbörn Åhman, Technology Connections, New Mind, Curious Droid, Old Things Never Die and Asianometry are all channels that understands the recipe of keeping people interested by letting the subject matter take center stage in a clearly communicated fashion.

[@jeffnodup3194]

Beyond brand consideration, Thanks to all technicians dedicating their art of soldering, engraving, shaping sax for our pleasure !

[@usmcsaxoki]

I bought a Selmer Serie II alto brand new in 2006. It has been a great instrument and well used as I played it during my 4 years in the Marine Corps bands.

[@chuckkarges3819]

This Travis

[@fish8life]

im in high school and love my serie ii

[@usmcsaxoki]

@@fish8life Nice. That's when I bought mine. Think I was a junior.

[@dan0711123]

What is the horn worth used

[@usmcsaxoki]

@@dan0711123 Don't know. Never planning on selling it. Still play it once in awhile.

[@silva777]

I play soprano saxophone. I tried all the most expensive brands and new models. But the one that stood out was a vintage Selmer Mark VI soprano sax from the 1970s. None of new ones had that special tone, despite all their fancy keywork.

[@aaronmccoy5524]

Just picked up a Selmer mark vi tenor for $4800 with fresh overhaul. I love it

[@hotice8885]

AWESOME, man!!! Is it a re-lacquered horn, or original lacquer?

[@aaronmccoy5524]

@@hotice8885 Thanks, yeah it doesn't have any laquer. looks lke it was worn off by use. everything is tight as a drum. my tech said it was in amazing condition.

[@dano8613]

I know nothing about saxophones except that lisa plays one. HOWEVER, as a non musician,i found this surprisingly enlightening,pleasantly peaceful, and i thank you for sharing it. I genuinely enjoyed it.

[@hotice8885]

Lol@ the Lisa comment

[@dano8613]

@hotice8885 i figured i was showing my age lol

[@adamfrbs9259]

I could watch business biographies like this, old, perfected perfection in their field, preferably handmade by craftsmanship, all day long.

[@richardcasey7521]

That was a King Super 20 that the video showed as the lady was talking about a Selmer.

[@kodywillnauer9422]

I use these instrument videos in class because the detail and explanations on how the instruments are made are fantastic. Good tools in the right hands make great results.

[@PoisonUpload]

Wow finally a so expensive episode where I own a product!

[@jayramsey690]

Me too! I love my 6!

[@Flornmonk]

2:12 that entire animation was absolutely brilliant! Kudos to whoever made it.

[@KahluaBomb]

I got to play a MarkVI tenor, baritone, and soprano in highschool jazz band. The tenor was the epitome of perfection. Even years after playing other horns, I still had this magical memory of the mk6 and how incredible it was to play. It sounded perfect, and just sounded like a recording from a different era. Even as a high schooler who wasn't that great, it sounded top notch.

[@HandFromCoffin]

Hey me too. Started on tenor then went to baritone. I feel guilty using such a high quality interment now. I also played in marching band so I also played on the cheaper tenor and baritone. I forget the brand but the Selmers sounded so much better.

[@Joshua-dx7zn]

I use to play a Selmer Paris bass clarinet. The quality of those instruments is crazy. I will say, I actually preferred the regular Selmer I played before it though.

[@williamhornabrook8081]

I think there's an element of the wand choosing the wizard with saxophones. If you lined up a dozen saxophonists and a dozen random saxophones and got them to play each one, I would wager you would see a few different favourites.

[@brycebaliko7050]

I think the example of the most expensive one at the beginning should be given a little more context. Bass saxophones are nowhere near as common as the main four and take a whole lot of metal to produce.

[@Tom06]

the entire video is bullshit - that’s the thing i have the least problem with since at least it’s accurate

[@RolloTonéBrownTown]

I like how there's all this modernised machining equipment but there is still a place for the venerable stump in the workshop! You could probably 3D print a silicon/rubber 'stump' to bang stuff on but it probably would be very difficult to replicate the rebound you get from the stump

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

@@RolloTonéBrownTown I hear that the stump makes all the difference. It's all in the stump. You start with a bad stump, you end up with a harsh honk

[@RolloTonéBrownTown]

@@Cantbuyathrilll nothing like a good stump

[@lo2740]

lol, what has 3D print to do with world class instrument, absolutely nothing. Besides 3D pint produces poor parts anyway, it has been overhyped for some reasons but its only place is for proofing of commercial and industrial parts. Not to produce real parts. hat is what its used for since 50 years and that is what it is only good at.

[@jadennelson7886]

I’ve waited for them to make a video on saxophones for years. 😊

[@skeeter197140]

I've got a 60 year old Selmer tenor sax that belonged to my father. I don't know much about it. He said it was a professional model (he also had a Selmer alto, but he said it was an intermediate model). One day I'll look into it.

[@ross-carlson]

I've played sax for 35+ years now, everything from cheap Bushers to the Mark VI and YES, it IS that special. I've never owned one as they are out of my price range but then again my Keilwerth SX-90R in black gold is stunning and plays and sounds incredible. Wasn't cheap but still half that of a great condition and right year Mark VI. The only issue with the compared to modern horns is the keywork (action) and while they aren't bad at all they just don't compare to a modern horn's action. Still I'd take a Mark VI ANY TIME.

[@andresarregui3417]

yet O Coleman played a plastic sax. is the indian, not the arrow!

[@devincreislerstudios]

Kudos to Saxophone 🎷 Players and Producers of such delicate instruments.

[@charleshadden2937]

I grew up in a home where My Uncle played a Selmer. He had the advantage of being taught his basic music and jazz by Johnny Smith. But what I want to mention the most in this video is that they like other instruments discuss the fine sound quality that masters can hear and appreciate. To me, this carries over in sound reproduction, but so many people just call it BS and snake oil. Sound reproduction is as fine of an art as the instruments being used to create it and is NOT BS.

[@xavierperez3368]

Very cool video that sheds light on a musical instrument versus a Couple of inaccuracies though…Coltrane played a Selmer Super Action or what is called a super balanced action (SBA) for the majority of his career to include A Love Supreme. He did own a mark vi his last couple of years. These horns were 100% made by hand by craftsman and they have their own individual tonal personalities. Your video shows machine automation cutting brass and engraving horns which in the modern era reduces costs and training time for employees to do a specialized craft. You also mention Coltrane’s soprano and $70k price but video is showing an American made King Super 20 Alto made in Ohio. Completely different great saxophone company played by many great jazz saxophonists. Selmer is also now making keys and parts in Asia for some of their product line which reduces costs while still demanding high prices. Selmers are great saxophones and are copied by almost every manufacturer out there. I play a Selmer and have owned many over the years but they are only a tool not an answer to sound good. Going forward there is an entire global market for vintage saxophones at outrageous prices being purchased by collectors and beginners. Many young saxophones players studying in college will not be able to afford a Selmer and use Asian saxophones based off Selmer clones. If my son were to take an interest playing the saxophone (after pushing the engineering book) 😅 I’d say buy a yanagisawa…Japanese small company with incredible quality control and craftsmanship.

[@JamesFranklin-hd4tm]

Selmer Paris stopped making trumpets about 2010. The last two models, the Chorus 80J and the twin tube Concept TT, were as good of trumpets as any ever made. It would be nice if someone brought them back.

[@THall-vi8cp]

The Concept TT was a great horn. A bit heavy, but it was nice and had a good sound. The old K-Modified trumpets also played very well. Never played a Chorus.

[@JamesFranklin-hd4tm]

@@THall-vi8cp I had a K-Modified 24B back in the 70's. It was "the one that got away."

[@jacobr5627]

Selmer is under the ownership of Steinway which still has trumpets under the CG Conn brand made in the USA.

[@THall-vi8cp]

@jacobr5627 Not any longer. They stopped making the Conn Vintage One trumpets several years ago. Now the only trumpet brands they make are King and Bach. They still make the Vintage One flugelhorn, which is an excellent instrument, but they dropped the Bach flugelhorn (which, in my opinion, was better). They do make Conn horns and trombones, which are fantastic.

[@PystolPeet]

@@jacobr5627that wasn’t Selmer-Paris.

[@danieloehler2494]

A dedication to music, quality and perfection. I love it! This is what makes out an advanced civilization.

[@danielclawson5113]

I've got an early 1960s Mark XI Tenor that is to die for - it has no limits. Very close in serial number to Michael Brecker's tenor. Simply amazing. I've had a lot of other players want to buy that tenor from me. I went through a number of Selmer Altos that seemed to be more touchy on intonation - finally found another 1960's Selmer Mark XI that's a perfect match with my tenor. But I went with Yamaha (1980s )for the soprano - I think they have better intonation.

[@tbp0701]

I still have my Mark VI tenor (1965), which I bought when I was a music major in the 80s. It's glorious, and I've considered selling it a few times but have never brought myself to go through with it.

[@Tom06]

whereabouts are you based? if i’m anywhere near you i’d love to give it a test

[@tbp0701]

@@Tom06 Ohio.

[@ross-carlson]

Mouthpieces - I wish they'd focused more on them as the fact is a good mouthpiece makes a HUGE difference in your sound, much more so than the horn itself (at least for anyone below a professional level player). I can put my vintage Dukoff D7 on a shitty horn and still sound pretty damn great, or put it on my Keilwerth and sound even better. Reed and ligature also have a big impact but the mouthpiece is by far the single biggest impact on a player's sound.

[@jazzadn]

Interestingly, they spent a segment on the mouthpiece quality, but the featured musician was playing a Vandoren.

[@Tom06]

yeah lmao but he was an “ambassador” so everything that came out his mouth was utter bullshit

[@scottziegler4238]

And the quality control of their mouthpieces is absolute shit. I have an S-80 for alto that looks like the chamber was done with a toothpick.

[@nouche]

Whenever it happens (quite often) in these videos that I hear people say they can clearly see/hear/feel the difference between the expensive product and a cheaper alternative… though I’m totally willing to believe them and their experience, I would also find it really interesting if a little blind test could be made so we can also have it proven live; it could even become a bit of a tradition!

[@andresarregui3417]

the purist would never dare to take a blind test. This is ALL marketing and people just buy.

[@lo2740]

there is no point, world class musicians know, feel and that is what matters because they make the music.

[@nouche]

@@lo2740 : Yeah but we’re on the Internet, here. We’re the ones watching. We don’t know much about this stuff, and I’m personally not quite convinced. It would be convincing to have the little protocol in place, not really for scientific purposes… more just for the show! Skepticism and critical thinking is always a good framework to have.

[@zachjacobs9917]

06:15 “for the common mortal” is savage 💀

[@jackotherstar]

I’d like to believe it’s a translation error, but I think we all know it’s what he said

[@IRACEMABABU]

It's the direct translation of a french expression which is not savage at all in french. Just another casual way of speaking of an average people vs a specialist. In french, not rude at all, even a little gentle.

[@javiercardenas9987]

It's also common in Spanish, not mean at all, even playful.

[@ufo7621]

bad translation, in french it is not offensive at all.

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

@@zachjacobs9917 That is the Frenchest thing to do: To refer to other people as "the Common Mortal".

[@tristenpride5268]

I’ve always felt like the Super Action 80 II tenor is welded to my body, they feel like another limb if properly cared for. Playing a sax that fights back or doesn’t perfectly fit into your hands is so defeating, Selmer truly set the bar in the stratosphere with that horn

[@silva777]

You need to try a Mark VI. The Super Action 80 is much heavier and has a duller tone.

[@mndlessdrwer]

It's worth noting that it is primarily tenor and alto saxophones which have that distinct Jazz sound and this is emphasized by the musician's choice in reed and mouthpiece as well as their embouchure. A stiffer embouchure with a concert reed will result in a significantly different sound than a more flexible embouchure with a jazz reed. Even the tenor saxophone, which frequently sounds very jazzy, can be made to sound more akin to a blend between an oboe and a bassoon, but with a slightly different timbre due to the brass construction. Soprano saxophones with the appropriate reed are also able to sub in for a clarinet and have a lovely concert-worthy sound. I'm not personally a fan of the jazz genre, particularly saxophone-heavy arrangements, but I do respect the versatility of the instrument. Hopefully more composers will write symphonic arrangements for saxophone. Soprillo saxophones are also fascinating because they can emulate a piccolo if the reed choice is good and the musician is skilled enough to play it properly. Sopranino and soprano saxophones are more akin to something between a flute and a clarinet depending on the play style, reed choice, and construction material. They're lovely instruments that blur the lines between other conventional symphonic instruments and deserve a bit more love than they get.

[@leanmchungry4735]

I've been buying new Selmer saxophones since 1980, the company makes terrific saxophones, the Supreme is one of the best ever, but their saxophones leave the factory with poor pad work and setups. I don't know how they get away with it, they need to improve their quality control.

[@Tom06]

they wouldn’t make any profit if they had 1% of the craftsmanship they used to

[@dkd1228]

Seems to be a common theme with most things nowadays.

[@km6206]

tone holes!

[@larrypanellajazzsaxophone8013]

I've had a MK VI that my father bought me in the early 1970's and I still play it, but to reduce wear and tear on it, I do most of my performing work on another brand, one that allows me the variation in sound for different types of playing in the same way the MK VI does. That, to me is it's stand out quality. It allows you to shape your sound more than some other brands. It doesn't steer to hard in one direction or another. It gives a great tone to begin with, but allows your individual voice to develop as well. That said, I could not afford to buy either another MK VI or a new Selmer! Great horns, but I'm not taking out a loan for one.

[@kidkique]

What are the numerical qualifications for high quality brass versus low quality brass? What are the specs?

[@putriscool]

different ratios of copper and zinc, i believe sometimes other metals can also be mixed in but I'm not sure about that

[@Tom06]

all brass nowadays is nothing in comparison to what it was before the war. the military literally go diving to try and find and repurpose old brass

[@madman-pv9qd]

Another detail many players overlook is that the Selmers John Coltrane or Stan Getz played were not off the rack instruments. They were built to absolute perfection by the craftsperson just for that musician. each tone hole ground for best pitch, mouthpieces hand cut and modified carefully for a distinctive sound that the player wanted. Often times Gold plated for a rich sound. Palm key mods for the tricky fingering combinations, and on and on. Back in the 40s and 50s you did not walk into a random music store and see 50,000 or more guitars stuck all over the walls. Saxophone was a very hep instrument and manufacturers were competitive as such.

[@Tom06]

well said. selmers production quality is abysmal in comparison nowadays

[@MedicAthlete24W]

Craftsperson? What’s wrong with craftsman?

[@madman-pv9qd]

@@MedicAthlete24W nothing, my mother ran a punch press during ww2 along side other female war effort workers. Just showing respect for them.

[@andresarregui3417]

you are fxcking triping and you dont know what you are talking about...

[@bxsoup]

@@MedicAthlete24W Selmer is notorious for acid bleed 🩸!

[@player197SD]

Bought a new Selmer a year ago, two sauter points broke off on normal use after 11 months (which can happen over time, though is is quite early), only to wait months for my dealer to receive swap parts from Selmer - costumer support to exiting costumers is just a joke.

[@The38alt]

Never knew this many people were this much dedicated to this object.

[@MaxIsBackInTown]

There are millions of us.

[@madman-pv9qd]

Man, this is serious big time expression of the soul. Just listen to Trane's Wise One

[@joeandersen9038]

Bought a SA 80 alto made in 1981, for my son. Total restoration and It sounds great, set me back 3000 Euro´s for the horn and repair.

[@RobMyself]

I had a Selmer trumpet as a kid. Loved that thing and my teacher always wanted to play mine! 😁

[@Frank-in-NY]

My Dad had a Mark VI. Amazing instrument.

[@Hokkenk]

Even if I do REALLY love my Yamaha's sound, would like to own a Selmer since when I heard its sound .....amazing

[@brantleymccrary]

Business insider thank you for always providing interesting high quality informative videos that i know no matter what the subject i will be entertained and learn something your my go to every time i eat or am in need of something to watch while working truly thank you

[@simonsimon5124]

Selmer needs to upgrade the final set up for the keys a bit. Without leaks in the first week of playing and tonal deviations...

[@putriscool]

any new instrument should be brought to a technician for setup immediately after being purchased, they'll always have some issues out of the box. but yeah I've heard selmer's QC has been lacking lately

[@km6206]

@@putriscool yeah, but at so high a cost why can't the tone holes be level?

[@putriscool]

@km6206 wish I could tell you. I don't know of any manufacturer that levels toneholes at the factory

[@jimmykingsby4157]

Very historical perspective....I have owned 2 Mark VI Alto Saxes and one Tenor. Loved them all. I think one of the best is my 1928 Model 26 Soprano ...There were 1,849 made that year. It will be 100 years old soon and plays as if new. What a legacy for the best saxophones in the world. This lady should be in a Museum.....ummmmm

[@matthewhetzler4912]

I own three of these instruments. They really are beautiful and a joy to play. Great video.

[@wags2413]

If you are a serious musician you get the best instrument you can possibly afford. People will eagerly drop $40k on a car that loses a third of its value when you drive it off the lot, then a few years later it “needs” to be replaced. A great musical instrument will enhance your life, invigorate your brain, teach you how to focus, develop your intellect, and create rapport with others. When your life is over it’ll probably be the last possession that’s important to you and it’ll be worth more than you paid for it. Someone else will else will then take it on their own life’s journey.

[@wooddawg4868]

There is no need to overly pay for handmade instruments. The person behind any instrument is the key, I saw and heard a well known jazz saxophonist here in Detroit perform a 1 hour set using a plastic resin saxophone and it was amazing. CNC machines have taken over every faucet of instrument manufacturing by many artists from flutes, saxophones, trumpets and drums. The process is way more precise than human hands at this point.

[@PutItAway101]

I wouldn't know if they sound any better but the look absolutely gorgeous as art objects

[@teddine7366]

It's amazing how each instrument has its own dna and sound to it even if it is the same model and what not when it is made by hand.

[@juns135]

I've owned a Series III, Series II, Reference 54, and now only have an Axos (which eyes closed feels and plays closest to a Series II) and a Yani AW01. I love the consistency and mellow tone of a Yani, but the Selmers are something else. Kinda like when you first hear a great Steinway piano.

[@josefinameyer7183]

2:12 Kudos to whoever animated this segment! Snappy, fluid and stylistically district! Just amazing work!

[@josefinameyer7183]

3:51 too!! Just lovely!

[@Sasfoot]

When I first started playing sax in 6th grade in 1991, the first instrument I got was a Buescher alto, which I still own today. When things started getting really serious for me as a player in high school, I rented but never bought a Selmer Super Action 80. Along with having the additional high F# key, it was a higher quality instrument with a noticeable difference in sound and tone quality. I stopped playing seriously during college and returned the Selmer to the store I was renting it from. While I don't really play my Buescher that often, I do miss the high F# key because I struggled with the altissimo register.

[@silva777]

You can play altissimo notes without the special keys. They just add weight to the instrument, and interfere with its natural tone quality.

[@SaxmanUSMC]

I have had the opportunity to play a few Mark VI tenors. They all had a different feel and sound, and luckily were all good examples. But this day in age, I would much rather have a Yamaha or Yanagisawa for the money compared to a Selmer. I moved to a Yanagisawa Alto WO10 a few years ago and it is a stunningly amazing horn.

[@kevinr7216]

For all those wondering, yes, as a musician, you can 1000% tell the difference in both sound and feel in these hyper-expensive instruments.

[@DSAK55]

Just googled to find that my hero Paul Desmond played a Selmer

[@somerandomfella]

Coming soon to Temu for $2.99

[@Gben4603]

😊😅

[@Samuel-pt2tl]

I wish

[@putriscool]

there are saxophones on temu but they're absolutely awful

[@jayramsey690]

Coltrane mostly played a SBA, not a VI

[@nickreinert1]

and he didn’t even record a love supreme on a VI, his VI is from 1965

[@AlanSenzaki]

i have my late brothers Selmer MarkVl Tenor with an early serial number close to Coltranes tenor. Gorgeous horn!💞🙏

[@poindextertunes]

I’m almost positive my jazz band teacher had an old one of these. It had a beautiful patina on it. You could almost imagine its history coming from a smokey Kansas City night club in the 1940s 👌🏻

[@putriscool]

probably a mark VI

[@morrij01]

I bought an Alto SA SII new in 1997, and I've tried a lot of different ones since then, including a few Yanagisawas; I wouldn't trade mine for any other ones.

[@sunny-sq6ci]

calling one of the most important parts, the Supreme to celebrate John coltrane, yeah, that's awesome

[@MacawAviculture]

Subjectivity is simply whatever looks or sounds better to you. Spend the time required to discover your sound instead of wasting time listening to what others feel is best. No need to spend lots of money for a horn until you have finally chosen the mouthpiece to produce the sound your soul has been dreaming of.

[@jdmaine51084]

My daughter just started 4th grade, and she chose the saxophone for the music class. I also played the saxophone from 4th grade through senior year... but I immediately sold it that summer before college and have never touched one since. Me after using my kids sax to blast through the Concert G scale thats burned into my brain: "Ohh yeaaaa... still got it..."

[@thethirdman225]

A sound that only an expert can hear… I’m sure there are a lot of them on the internet who will regale us with tales of how special it is… When I was a kid I was forced to learn the clarinet. They say if you can play a clarinet, you can play a saxophone. We each had to buy an instrument and the teacher was selling one which was made by Selmer. The major difference was that the others were made of something like Bakelite, while the Selmer was made of wood. I can’t remember hearing a difference but while the one I ended up with was new, the Selmer was more expensive. I can actually see the value in those instruments, given how much manual labour there is. There’s no question that they are beautifully made and finished. But I suppose, like everything else, there will be a bunch of hard core fanatics who will drive prices up.

[@andrewtannenbaum1]

Great narrator and production.

[@jacobsmithjr]

Most of the sound comes from the mouthpiece, embouchure, and head cavity. Michael Brecker on a Guardala mouthpiece playing student sax is still gonna sound like Brecker. He may feel the difference but the audience won't. I've had Mark VIs and VIIs, Martins, Conns, and Kings. Now I play on Allora Chicago Alto and Tenor with a Dukoff mouthpiece. Selmer is a good brand but they are living off their reputation just like an expensive sports car. Yamaha, Keilwerth, Yanagasaw, and a few others all make good horns. I call it the Genelec syndrome. If you pay $4000 for a monitor you convince yourself it sounds good. The same goes for many instruments. Just check some of the blindfold test done my many virtuoso players on youtube.

[@TheDarkOne805]

Smooth operator wouldn’t be the same without one ❤❤

[@stevederp9801]

Listen there’s always a difference. It’s why people get these instruments. My best examples are cymbals. Zildjian developed their special formula around 400 years ago and they still use it to this day. They are famous for a reason which is there perfect formula is what has the special sound that others try to emulate. Only a few other cymbal manufacturers are out there and most of them come close but just aren’t the same. The same applies to les claypool bass made by Carl Thompson. Carl is considered the best bass luthier of all time and the basses go for $20,000 plus. They are absolutely so much better than any other instrument you can get and give you something that’s only possible with his bass. Yamaha and Steinway make the only true grand pianos and most people say there’s nothing even close to them. There have always been instruments that are a step above everything else.

[@EthanBraverman]

I have a Super Action 80 Series II Jubilee. It's not a Mark VI or something from that era, but I love it and it sounds amazing.

[@williamgregory1848]

This is a pretty good mini-documentary for the most part, but my problem with it is that it should have been explicit about the fact that classical musicians (concert saxophonists to be exact) are a huge part of Selmer's current sales base. Non-saxophonists watching the video might reasonably ask, "OK, if the Selmer Mark VI is still so beloved, and the 'vintage sound' still so in demand, exactly who is buying all the new Selmer saxophones currently being built today?" The video reinforces the inaccurate belief that the Henri Selmer Paris of today is primarily a jazz company that produces saxophones only used by jazz musicians.

[@jdbarrera]

That's really funny they talk about the time they spent on the keys, because there are many people who had to get an overhaul on a brand new Supremes to get all the mechanical problems fixed.

[@niccumcornish1179]

i am so sorry lol i hate to be a party pooper , I will rather invest in stocks and make that 15k just 15 times. just investing in the stocks thank you lol

[@Dasilver-h3t]

haha i totally agree

[@PapilonKai]

Investing in different kinds of assets can mitigate risk more effectively than placing all of your capital in one. please See a financial professional if you don't comprehend finances well enough.

[@RosemarieTarun]

@@PapilonKai You seem to comprehend the market better than he does 😩 so that makes great sense. Who is the coach?

[@PapilonKai]

​@@RosemarieTarun Selena-Nicole cefaloni

[@PapilonKai]

you can look her up she has helped me with my assets increase from 240k to 980k she is great.

[@scottziegler4238]

I used to have a Selmer Series III alto and a Mark VII tenor. Replaced them both with vintage Buffets.

[@kingdavid3066]

Whats the song in yje background? I have to learn it

[@Yupppi]

If you take any instrument that has shocking price and ask if it sounds that much better, the answer is exclusively no. It's either the choices on inefficient (manual) work process or the reputation, usually both.

[@anastasiiachepinska8302]

Everyone, forget your meditation apps. This narrator's voice is all you need to reach zen. Huge fan here.

[@jaspen8181]

The Selmer Mark VI is still considered one of the best or the best ever made. The alto sax model made in the 60's still often sell for $10,000 or more.

[@clintwestwood2731]

There are a multitude of videos on why stuff is so expensive. The answer is always the same because the market is willing to pay it.

[@davidscott1052]

@@clintwestwood2731 partly true....they are so labour intensive to manufacture that will always bump the price up....from building the thing to final set up and tuning and tweaking of mechanism

[@silva777]

No, they have a better tone than other saxophones.

[@HandFromCoffin]

I almost feel bad for all of the Selmers I played on in high school jazz band. I also had a Selmer S80 mouthpiece that made my student alto sound so much better.

[@benjaminblakemore9704]

AWSOME ✌️ VIDEO 😊

[@botmsj]

Well made informative video, great documentary. Thank you.

[@MrEVANwhat]

Hey now I know why the tone holes are never level! @10:46

[@jackcrawford304]

Selmer is good. I like them a lot, but I am a Yamaha guy. I don’t think there’s a difference like how people compare Steinway to others. Lot more depends on the player and the mouthpiece and neck set up. I will say the selmer concept is an incredible classical Mouthpiece! I think the only real difference is when you get into the super expensive selmers. Yamaha has some expensive horns that might compare, lotta people don’t have that money though. As he said, “common mortals” 😅

[@elisam.r.9960]

I do wish they'd spent more time talking about the Selmer mouthpieces. Even when I first started playing in middle school the band director said that spending money on a Selmer mouthpiece was worth every penny.

[@jwd0808]

In the end it all comes down to personal preference. Some love Selmer, some love Yanagisawa, some love Yamaha. Some might even love Buffet - who knows...

[@km6206]

old Conns (from around the 1930s) are loved by many. Particular old King saxophones are preferred by others too. The old horns are different.

[@violentthespian9483]

Oh man, I've been looking for a saxophone production deep dive video forever, this is incredible 🤍

[@69Harveyb1]

Back in the day I played an old Conn. My tech, well known tech in the midwest, had a MK VI next to a Super Twenty on stands next to his desk. I asked him what he'd take for them. He said, For you? Not for sale. I apologized and he said no, I had him wrong. "Does anyone ask you what horn you're playing at the shows?" "No, that's never happened that I can remember..." "Then let the old guys who'll pay for the quote unquote mojo pay what I'll charge 'em for these. You just keep makin' money with that Conn. It'll do everything you need and when it doesn't you'll find the right tool for you." I play Yanagisawa's. Handmade in Japan. The only horn I ever played that came close was a custom built Buffet made for a prof from the music conservatory of France who toured with a fellow musician. He sold it to her after they toured together. I never saw a pink sax before but man that thing plays up like melted butter. See you soon Mel' ; )

[@PatrickWareMedina]

Saxophone player and educator here to say that "the best" is relative. I've heard $15k vintage Selmers sound like garbage and student model Yamahas sound incredible. Obviously that's the player mostly, but the horn really only makes like 5-10% of a difference so once you're talking pro horns, it's mostly what the person likes playing best. I've played tons of horns and own five of the best horns I've ever played. Best alto is still my Super Action 80 ii and the best tenor is my Woodstone which I chose over a dozen different vintage Selmers, Conns, King Super 20. The resonance and intonation is unmatched as are the ergonomics.

[@josephballerini3730]

Gorgeous tone