Repairman's Overview: Selmer Balanced Action Tenor & Alto Saxophone

[@patfio2539]

When I was 10 I received a Selmer 1937 Balanced Action Alto, still have it, still love it. I'm 77

[@ajibolafalade5630]

Pat Fio How much was it when you were ten?

[@kidding6712]

would you like to sell to me

[@edepillim]

I have a Selmer cigar cutter alto 1937 and a Super Action Tenor 1949. Bought for £45 and £100 back in the 60s. Very interesting video. Many thanks.

[@jazzybluesyyoo6914]

i bought the BA Silver alto recently at the market of saxophone County in south korea. the guy sold it to me a professional saxophonist born in usa and specialized in sax at an uni in new york and no regret since purchasing the BA silver alto. normally i practice with buescher 140 aristocrat alto which i think a fantastic vintagish tone compared to selmer BA . alway thanks for exact background in the history of sax world on your vlog.

[@chrismills5110]

Thanks, Matt. It was not just Selmer, Hawkes & Son in London, England, also made saxophones with twin, differing numbers on body tube and bell. I have such an Alto from 1921. Bell number is 5 digits, and tube is 3, and three figure number is marked right next to Flat sign, denoting it as Low Pitch

[@billiongenius]

Great review. I bought a '39 Balanced Action that I thought was a good deal, and I planned to flip it so I could use the profit to buy a Buescher alto (I have a Buescher tenor). Well, that plan didn't work out so well. I played the BA and was blown away by the sound and feel, and now I won't get rid of it. Mine's a relacquer, but as you mentioned in the video, it seems to be the right color and an older relacquer job, so my guess is it might have been done at the factory. In any case, it plays wonderfully.

[@decidedlyDusty]

Another great video. Thanks again for all your hard work in putting these together for everyone.

[@jazzlives]

A sax player addicted to dope sold me his 33,000 serial BA tenor for about $350 in 1981. I had the horn for about 8 years and started my jazz career with it until another dope sucker stole it from me in 1989. (Spot a pattern?) That was a tragic end to my playing career from which I never recovered. Despite loving jazz to this day, I decided to move on and was unable to afford any other instrument until the late 1990s at which time my father bought me a Hammond organ clone. But the Selmer Balanced Action was the sweetest of sweet horns. It was identical to one used by John Coltrane, my hero. It had gorgeous flower engraving and a sweet tone. It was a bit of a maintenance hog and I had to tune it up frequently. Its mechanics were definitely its weak side due to poor reliability, something Selmer vastly improved in the Mark VI. But I do not think Selmer ever produced a sweeter sounding horn. 50s era Coltrane as the sound and it was dark, round, a little edgy but not too bright, and ever warm. I am bitter about losing it and I guess in the end it was only a gift that was finally taken back.

[@KabukiWeddingBand]

If I had watched it to the end, I would have got my answer, which I have thank you so much for your knowledge.

[@sheskimusic]

Very informative video, Matt. Thank you. I just recently purchased a 39,000 super balanced tenor. Wonderful horn getting it set up.

[@godunovs65]

Enjoyed the review. Selmer also had serial numbers on the neck. Most of the times those numbers matched those on the tube. But sometimes they didn't and one needs to contact Selmer in Paris to verify the original configuration.

[@dbarashkov]

WOW, THE REVIEW. Cool to see differences vs. radio improved and conn 6M, both tenor and alto in wonderful condition. great video.

[@MyRegularNameWasTaken]

I never noticed the 15 degree offset on my Super Action tenor, but it does make it easier on the hands. When i go back to my old alto, it's a but weird.

[@Ajaykohli1971]

Great informative video on BA. I have a 1936 Balanced action 24☆☆☆. Mine does not have the engravings on the bell. Any idea ? I read somewhere wheb these horns were shipped to the US the engravings were not available. Could you possibly give me more information on that...if you can Thanks

[@eriksax]

My Selmer Balanced Action from 1940 plays like sugar-blended butter on a fresh gourmet hot cross bun, served by angelic chefs, while I magically hover above a bed of hypoallergenic lilies on the calm, summer sunlit shoes of a classy babbling brook. It is the very best instrument I have ever touched or been touched by, period.

[@ofunky]

Excellent informative video! 👌

[@pukalo]

Have you ever had one of those rare "concert model" mark 6s with the extra right hand keys in your shop?

[@ksmooth1973]

I couldnt believe Selmer and a lot of vntage horns had that uncomfortable thumbrest by the octave key, until the Mark VI. That thing used to kill me. I had all mine converted to the Mark VI ones.

[@knowcera]

Hi, I have a C-Melody sax and was thinking, which repair kit’s should I get? Alto or Tenor.

[@gengee21]

Awesome vid. Just bought a 156xxx mark vi alto. It is a great horn. Maybe I can send it to you for a setup?

[@ROY-COLLEY]

Hi can I ask you,if you think having a Read lacquered makes any difference to it. I mean if its a good relacquered job. ? Really interesting video. Thanks for sharing 👍.

[@dukkedusse]

but what ser.# was more relevant - the one on the bell or the one on the body tube?

[@AGC828]

Great channel. Even for novices to Saxophones. Q: What made the Selmer Mark VI the "Stradavai of the Sax world"? I heard there was only 4 companies back in the 50's-60's making saxophones. Not that much competition (vs today). Did Selmer simply make a sax that could play all genres of music and was well built for the time? Today many claim there are many other sax's that sound as good if not better. For less money.

[@avonriver2891]

I have Selma serial number is 45xxx what is the model ? I don’t know it’s model.

[@KabukiWeddingBand]

Hi Matt, amazed at your work, please keep them coming. What price should one pay for a 30's balance action, I have one in mind and don't know where to start as I have been for years a yamaha man - I know my mistake ! but here is a chance to reform me. Thanks Keith

[@JiveDadson]

I have a Super Action alto that blows away every other alto I have ever played. By miles. It destroys a nice Mark VI alto that I bought for investment. I played a Radio Improved tenor once that spoke effortlessly and had a huge, rich sound. Alas, I did not think I could adjust to the clunky mechanism, and not just the pinky table.

[@ClarinetGREAT]

JiveDadson Agreed. I think Super (Balanced) Action Altos are the greatest horns ever made! What sound!!!

[@godunovs65]

Totally agree. It all went downhill from SBA. Mine is a 1951 SBA alto

[@disgruntled_llama]

Hey Matt, cool overview. I know it's several years old, but I just found it. I like the way you work through the horns and talk about the Selmer innovations. I play a BA tenor in the 26k range which I love. Super in-tune instrument, even the low end bell notes seem to be great. Incidentally I do play a large chamber mouthpiece on it, but it seems to work well even with a medium chamber piece with a more serious baffle for more commercial sounding work. Perhaps I'm just subconsciously working a little harder to play in tune because I'm expecting it on the smaller chamber and higher baffle. My tenor has that larger octave vent like your alto does. Do you run across the teakettle vents very often on these? I'm trying to get a feel for how common they are (or aren't). Mine is the variation without a serial # on the body tube, just on the bell.

[@Sirvalorsax]

Super Balanced Action are in my opinion the Pit Bull of saxophones. The wild dog!...Tamed by the mark VI ( German Shepherd ) or maybe refined is a better word. Great Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@flatcarwillie]

Great video. Do you know when exactly Selmer changed from the individual guards for the bell keys on the tenor to the single guard for both?

[@BluesWilliam]

I have a 1950 SBA Tenor (S/N 403xx) and it has the separate guards. It was some time shortly after that. 1952 SBA's had the single guard.

[@stangetz534]

Can you do one for SBAs?

[@StohrerMusic]

Probably won't ever do one on Super ("Balanced") Actions or the Mark VI. Lots of info out there already!

[@stangetz534]

@@StohrerMusic how do these sound vs the SBAs? Any tendencies?

[@RiggedVedist]

Hey Matt, Have you ever run across a Selmer Padless ?

[@360camacho]

Good job

[@thomasyoung7615]

I have a Conn Alto Saxophone bought it used.

[@paulwagner4028]

i like conns

[@kaiserthegreat]

Balanced Actions generally sound better to me than Mark VIs, though I don't have a lot of experience with either, and of course every horn varies. On average, they seem sweeter and richer in tone, though.

[@iamthat4027]

u rock matt...;->

[@StohrerMusic]

much of that is age.

[@davidesferrazzasax6076]

SN 49.881 😃

[@william.chenoweth]

Every time he holds one saxophone over another and spin it, I worry about him dropping it and destroying both horns.