MODERN vs VINTAGE Selmers: SBA or Series III? Battle of the saxes!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ค. 2024
- Which saxophone sounds and plays the best? Does 70 years make a difference?
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In this video, Jeremy compares a 1948 Selmer Super Balanced Action with a 2003 Selmer Super Action 80 Series III (still Selmer's 'newest' model in 2020).
You'll learn:
- Sound comparison: Which sax sounds better?
- Ergonomics: Which sax is easier to play?
- Visual appeal: Which sax looks better?
- Price comparison: How much will you have to spend?
Questions about anything in this video? Please leave them in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed the video, please hit the 'thumbs up' button and subscribe to SaxTuition TH-cam channel for more great saxophone content.
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Jeremy's sax equipment on Amazon:
Alto Saxophone
Meyer 6 Mouthpiece ►► amzn.to/32bj2sR
Rovner Ligature (for Meyer mouthpiece) ►► amzn.to/2SGw6n8
Vandoren V16 Reeds (size 2.5) ►► amzn.to/2vOklls
Cebulla Neck Strap ►► amzn.to/2HCAjld
Cleaning Kit ►► amzn.to/2wxeAJn
Tenor Saxophone
MACSAX D-Jazz Mouthpiece (Caution: Pro's only!) ►► amzn.to/38LOFMb
Vandoren Java Red (size 3) ►► amzn.to/2Pauvnd
Jazzlab Saxophone Harness ►► amzn.to/2SZrSpp
Cleaning Kit ►► amzn.to/2wxeAJn
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What are you thoughts on these two awesome saxophones? Share your comments below!
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The SBA is unbeatable. It has the core sound that built the Selmer legend. It's more intimate, perhaps, but oh so pretty. Focused, dry, warm, lyrical, beautiful!
Best sax comparison video I've seen. Thank you. I really needed to hear them played on a modern recording as I'm getting ready to record. Loved the bright sound of the III. Well played brother
Great video. I’m a pro player and my main horn is a 1952 SBA tenor and I’ve had several 80s, tenor, alto and sopranos over the years. I think your summary is spot on. For pop gigs I prefer the 80 for the cutting tone and perfect intonation but when it comes to jazz the SBA is just awesome. It never runs out of tone however much I push it. When I pick it up I can almost feel it vibrating it’s so resonant (Spinal Tap moment there)
Ben Martin, as a Ben Martin and SBA player I agree. It never runs out of tone.
The old one is more mellow, subdued. The silver is brighter.
This is an exceptional and thoughtful comparison. Great job! I've played Yamaha for decades but have had a hankering to explore vintage Selmers again (I used to have a Cigar Cutter alto). When I tried one a few years back I was surprised to find the Serie 3 played a lot like my Purple logo 62 alto - same clarity and punch so this was a particularly helpful comparison for me. Thanks.
Very thorough review 😎🎷🙏🏽
Thank you, GREAT information
You sound amazing on that SA80 series three!
I love them both in their own way. They both definitely have “character,” as other saxes do. I also enjoyed that “click” sound from your much older horn.
As a King SilverSonic Alto Sax, and a Selmer Mark VI owner/player, ....I definitely am attracted to the SA80 sound. Your 1948 Selmer is a classic to be sure, and sounds fantastic. In both cases, I'll stand by my King SilverSonic, and the Selmer SA80, being drawn to the Silver, cutting sound. Fantastic video. 👍
Enjoyed both but the SBA Sounds so much more enjoyable tone wise. Ergonomically might not be as user friendly. I have an old New King that looks so similar to the SBA But no where near as good a sound as my Selmer s80II. Enjoyed your video. Thanks. Denis
I am privileged to own one of each. I have a 1938 BA and I am the second owner and have played (Classical, marching bands, studio, and gigs) it since 1967 and then I purchased a new Series III in 2003 and it has become my goto alto (I also play a Soprano Curvie). I love both horns and really can't fault or praise either. They are different, but it is subtle, and are a joy to play. The Series III keyboard is not a fast as the BA, but close and the intonation is hands down better on the Series III.
Both are excellent horns. I play a Silver C star metal on the BA and am privileged to have had Ron make me a custom RPC for the Series III, and I play Fibracell reeds.
Nice review.
I’m enjoying your video
You sound fantastic on your $BA, man. Wow. Once again, fantastic video. Do you mind if I ask what mic setup you're using? I have an original 41xxx alto myself, but I'm primarily a clarinet player and have a lot more experience mic'ing clarinet. Thank you for your time and any advice you might be able to give!
Also, thank you for including the weight difference between these two horns. I do notice that later sba's are significantly heavier and feel sturdier. I used to have a 34xxx SBA that was lighter than my BA! And I had a 50xxx that felt almost like a modern Selmer. And both were o'hauled by the same person. Crazy!
The final point that I would make to anyone reading this would be that, as a doubler, I find SBA Altos far more comfortable than any modern horn. They tune and drive more like a "classical" woodwind (with reference to pitch and resistance, rather than sound). Apparently, Toscanini would have his oboists double on saxophone in the orchestra, because oboists "have the most control." I feel in control when I play an SBA. When I play a modern horn, it feels like the horn controls me (and I HATE that feeling).
Hey Dale, thanks for your insight into your SBA experience! I'm a massive fan of the SBA also 👍 For recording I use a Shure Beta 98 H/C, which is a clip-on mic I also use for live gigs. For the purposes of these sound comparison videos I leave the EQ flat, but add a little bit of compression and reverb - the same amount to both instruments. Technically the Beta 98 is not really a studio mic, but I find I can still pull a great sound from it in a studio setting. Eventually I'd like to get a Electro-Voice RE20 for these videos, since that's a fantastic mic for recording sax.
I saw you're selling your SBA on ebay! I would have bought it if it weren't for the roo pads! I can't stand roo pads! But you sound so great and this horn sounds amazing. Good luck with the sale!
Thanks Dale! Yes, sadly I’m parting with it.. Just out of interest, what don’t you like about roo pads?
I re-watched your video and found it interesting that you describe the SBA as restrictive in tonal palate. I find this diametrically opposed to my experience. On my SBA, I can achieve any sound I want, depending on the mouthpiece I use. It really is the greatest chameleon of any horn I've tried. As a classical horn, to a super-cutting Sanborn style. It's really up to dictating with breath control and voicing. What IS restrictive to me is roo pads. Especially on a vintage horn! They restrict the sound and absorb so much. Especially playing lead, the tone just disappears on a roo pad horn vs the same SBA with, say, Feree's B58's and the original Selmer Tone-ex resonators. And shellac. But again...I'm a clarinet player. I use a LOT of air and I feel very restricted by the dozens of roo pad horns I've played, regardless of make, vintage, and model.
Hi, Thanks for all your wonderful videos. I am 43 and play flute. Now looking for a good sax ...which one should I go for? ALTO or TENOR or anything else? This would be of a great help...!😊
Hi there! That's really a personal decision, as you can start on either. Check out this sound comparison video, it might help you to decide :) th-cam.com/video/tfp7fbrCfgM/w-d-xo.html
My YAS-21 is pretty great too 😂
It must have a different kind of lacquer. Maybe epoxy instead of actual lacquer because it’s 40+ years old but doesn’t look like any vintage horns. Just scratches and some red splotches but not that dull bare look where the lacquer wears off.
I own an SBA alto as well as a MK6 and a SA80 serie II. I love them all but the SBA is my favorite but not by much.
What's the serial number of your Mk6? And of your SBA?
Thanks for such an informative video! I'm thinking of trying out some SBAs, and the prices really seem to vary. I've noticed that re-lacquered horns are less expensive than horns with original lacquer. Is this simply because collectors will value a original lacquer horn more, or are there other reasons that should matter to someone simply looking for a horn to play?
Thanks Henry! There are some purists that think that the sound of an original lacquer SBA / Mk VI is superior to a relacquer, but if there is a difference, it has to be tiny in my opinion. It certainly does become more of a collectors item, which is the main reason why the price is driven up. Also, a sax in original lacquer is unlikely to have been played much in its lifetime, which might also be desirable to some people. I personally like the idea of purchasing an old workhorse 👍 As long as the sax has been looked after, there’s no reason why a sax without its original lacquer can’t play every bit as well as it’s ‘mint condition’ counterpart.
@@SaxTuition Thanks a lot, this info will be really helpful as I try out some horns.
Alright, so, I've been very motivated to finally start learning how to play the saxophone. I've never played the saxophone and my budget isn't too big. I've already seen online a Jean Paul AS-400 alto sax, great for beginners and intermediate players, at a very reasonable price, just under $500 for a pretty good quality sax, but it's still a bit too pricey for me since I don't know if I'll stick to playing the saxophone long term and if I'll really like it. So I've been eyeing other music stores in my area and they sell some other brands of alto saxophones starting at $399 which I've never heard of such as Alexes, Oxford, and Maybach. My question is: are any of these good saxophone brands for a beginner like me? Are they good quality saxophones that won't fall apart and easy to repair?
The saxophones I just mentioned that are at my local music store, beside the Jean Paul of course, are priced at around $399.
Great question! Personally I've never heard of any of the brands you mentioned, but it seems like new beginner sax brands pop up every day. Apart from the Jean Paul, I think your next best option would be to purchase a second hand Yamaha saxophone. You can check out my complete Beginner Sax buyers guide here: th-cam.com/video/GHVdR8nkcvE/w-d-xo.html
Now Selmer has just released their newest alto model, the SUPREME, claiming to have achieved the combo between the sonic features of their best vintage models and the ergonomics, tuning accuracy and overall sound balance throughout the horn registers of their best modern ones. Longing to try one of them!! If you get a Supreme to try, I'd love to check your review out!! 🎷😎🎷🎶🎷
Hi Anderson. I would love to get my hands on one! If I do, I’ll be sure to make a full review video. Thanks, Jeremy. 🎷
They both sound beautiful. But it seems that the series III sounds a bit "cleaner" if that makes any sense
I would go another step and say the Series III is not just clean, but sterile. But that's just my opinion.
Both thanks for the videos. I am a fan of Selmer saxophones they have a distinctive sound of their own especially in the second register for me. I once played in 1922 silver alto which belong to a student and it still had that special sound! I even like Selmer mouthpieces. The ebonite has a warm sound. However beauty is always in the ear of the beholder.thank you for this lovely video and your enthusiasm for the instruments. - God bless you - Bill - UK
To my ear the SBA sound is less edgy and it has a 'truer', a lovely, more traditional Selmer sound. Ergos are great on a SBA. Lots of extra keys on the Serie III. Do you really need them? That of course is a personal preference. Thanks for the video.
No problem! I agree with everything you mentioned but can only actually think of 1 extra key on the S3 (the high F#)… Did I miss one? 😄
SBA is warmer. SIII is more incisive. YMMV of course. Probably the III is more practical for a working musician.
How would you describe a "vintage sound"? As in the SBA. What does it offer that the s3...
Hi Anderson, it’s very hard to put into words - after years of listening to jazz records from the 40’s-60’s and picking up a vintage saxophone from that era, I immediately recognise the sound from those records. The newer saxophones sound ‘clearer’ but they don’t have the same tonal properties. You can still get an incredible sound from them and they’re superior in many other areas, but from a tone perspective those vintage Selmer’s just sound ‘different’. Only my opinion of course! 😊
Merci beaucoup l'Ami !!!
Series III for me.
Wud they sound very diff from my yas23?
Hey Carlo! I made a video about the YAS-23 here, where I also playtest it with the same mouthpiece / ligature combination: th-cam.com/video/UpFBxQFdRmM/w-d-xo.html
You could put the videos in separate tabs and perhaps compare them for yourself! I love the YAS-23.
I am possessing SBA and Action 3 with Tenor. In my opinion, SBA is much superior to action 3 in sound and playing.
For sure in the tenor
Be careful with those sax stands...make sure that bottom bracket is in the right place before setting the sax on it. Yours was folded up, it should be down.
The Mark 6 has some key noise. The silver plated doesn’t.
I am only watching this for asmr
silver :) as its more clear for me *
The SeriesIII is sound much better.
Silver horn better
SBA 100%
Wind instruments not strings! New instruments extacly better than old instruments!!!
Wrong