The Selmer Mark 6 is an 'over rated' Saxophone?!?!?

[Michael Bishop]

Hi Johnny,
Our music shop was open today, stopped by to pick up some Java Greens 2.5 reeds. We got into the subject of different Saxophones and I brought up the Selmer Mark 6–it’s every Sax player’s dream to have one 🙂 The guy behind the counter, who also claims to have experience as a Sax repairman, told me the Selmer Mark 6 is an overrated Sax and that it takes a lot of work to keep them playing in tune. He also told me they’re prone to a lot of problems.

I understand older Saxophones needing care/attention to keep them playing well, but to say it’s overrated and plays out of tune?!? I can’t imagine any real Sax Pro/repairman just ‘shrug off’ the Selmer Mark 6 like it’s a piece of junk or something! My own Sax Instructor always referred to the Selmer Mark 6 as ‘The King’ of all Tenor Saxophones. He’s told me experiences of Sax players who were endorsed by Yamaha, but when it came time to record in the studio, they put the Yamaha down and pulled out their Selmer Mark 6!

Is the Selmer Mark 6 prone to a lot of mechanical problems/playing out of tune, or is this guy just pulling my chain? I just think this guy is ‘full of smoke’. I can’t help but noticed how all the greatest Sax players in the world are holding the Selmer Mark 6 in their hands…..

[john]

I bought mine almost 30 years ago. never had it overhauled, just take it in to replace the pads a couple times and have never had a problem with tuning or anything else. it’s the nicest horn I’ve ever played. If he said that to me I’d be honest with him and say you don’t know what you’re talking about. I wonder why just about every top player since the 1920’s or 30’s chose a Selmer Mark 6 and it’s predessesors.
But this will be a topic that will never go away because some guys like to have that sort of talk….maybe to put it down because they want to sell something else. There are horns that can compare or be pretty close and I’ve tried a couple but to say the 6 is over rated is nonsense…
just go online and try to buy one and see what they’re still going for.

[Michael Bishop]

Those are awesome points and I’m thinking along the same line of ‘what in the world would the great Sax players say about it?’ The Sax instructor I worked with locally didn’t even hesitate or blink about the Selmer Mark 6, calling it the ‘King’ of the Tenor Saxophones. He doesn’t own one but said he has played one and even called it a ‘privilege’. He uses Cannonball ‘Vintage Reborn’ Saxophones. He loves Cannonball, they make some nice horns! I’m planning to start working with him again this Spring when I can pay for my lessons. He charges $30 per hour, 1 hour a week.
On a side note, I filled out your form for the waiting list for premium membership/sent you an email about it. If a spot opens up sometime after March, I’m good to go.

[Mike Potter]

This topic comes up quite a bit on other forums and FB groups related to playing sax. I had a Mark VI tenor back in the mid 80’s, SN was isn’t the 230K range, it had been relacquered and had the tone holes leveled. The intonation was sketchy, most likely from the tone hole work but mechanically it was a solid horn. I kick myself in the butt for selling it, I quit playing in the late 80’s and picked it back up about 12 years back. I’ve test driven tons of horns, lots of yamis yanis, I’ve owned an 82z a JK SX90, PM, YTS61, all great horns but none of them had that Mark VI feel, sound wise I pretty much sound the same on whatever I’m playing so I’m not going to comment on the “sound” so much, more the feel. Most comfortable model sax I’ve ever played. Hoping one day I’ll have an opportunity to get another one, but as Johnny noted a Mark VI in good shape is costly.

[john]

I agree Mike, it is more of a feel thing…
they feel perfect. My mark 7 actually sounds better than my 6 but it doesn;t feel as good.
Yamaha horns feel great, it’s no secret they copied Selmer. But they don’t sound as good. I guess they just couldn’t do justice to the material (composite)

Hey, this topic will never go away.you don’t hear any Mark 6 owners bringing it up. they’re happy.

[brother cavefish]

delete please

[Mike Potter]

Came across this add on the local craig’s List, going to check it out this week. It’s a 2 hour drive but if the sax is solid and ind good shape i might buy it.

Selmer Mark VI

[john]

weird, it says the serial# is 235xxx, but according to the Selmer chart
http://www.jazzbarisax.com/selmerserial.htm

those numbers have it as a Mark 7.

[Mike Potter]

Yeah, I asked him to send me clear pics of the other side of the sax, if it has a three point connection and the large spatula keys I’ll know it’s a 7.

[john]

makes me curious, I have a 7 too and it just doesn’t look like one in the pics.
also, a 7 isn’t gonna go for that kind of money.

[Author]

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