The value of vintage Selmer saxophones are nowadays greatly determined by: 1) The exact condition and especially whether the horn was ever relacquered or if it still has its original lacquer. The price difference between original and relacquer can be many thousands of dollars for certain serial numbers. 2) The …
The part of the neck that changes when a pull down occurs is the area under the octave key saddle – right in the 90 degree curve of a tenor neck. A neck with a pull down will have gone from a round shape to an oval shape in that …
I have had the honor of repairing and overhauling Ravi’s saxophones since 2010. In addition to him being an incredibly accomplished and unbelievable sax player, Ravi is also a truly sincerely wonderful person. His humble and gracious personality is always apparent. When his shop visits often see other star struck …
Here are a couple of quick tips that may come in handy someday if you are not near a repair person. Spring breaks Saxophone springs are made of stainless steel or blued steel and does have a limited lifetime of service. Especially if blued steel needle point springs start corroding, …
Back in 2016, John Ellis had just done a recording session where Joe Lovano was also featured. John was already playing one of our early KB Sax necks and talked with Joe about these handmade necks at that session. A few days later, Joe and I were in contact and …
Maybe not! You might have just the right neck for your horn and for what you are looking for in terms of sound and response. However, there are a number of situations where you might consider trying a new neck. 1: You current neck has been damaged, possibly beyond repair. …
I use two methods for checking if a sax neck has a pull down. First, I hold the neck with one hand on the tenon, and the other hand’s thumb and index finger lightly holding the area of the neck tube right under the octave key saddle. I then slowly …
I would say there are two main things that make a saxophone enjoyable to play: Good sound and comfortable ergonomics. Selmer was on the forefront in both areas back in the 1930s when they developed the Balanced Action (BA). The word “Balanced” in the model name refers to the new …
The doorbell rings and there are a couple of deliveries – some tools and supplies and a horn. Ah yes, this is the mint 5-digit Mark VI that was overnighted. The person called after he shipped it, saying he had decided to have me look at his prized horn since …
In my experience, a horn that comes with the added high F# key tends to play a little wider and fuller than the same horn without the high F# key. Without the high F# key, the tone feels more slender and focused. I think the best side-by-side comparison is possible …