Thanks for such a great comparison video. You sound great on all of them. I have the 54 matte tenor and have enjoyed it since purchasing it in '03. It brightens up plenty with my SR Technologies PRO115 or Berg Larsen HR 105/1 and 110/2. It is generally very warm and mellow but can take anything I can push at it turning it into a beast that can also compete in an electric band. It is truly a great horn.
The matte one in the video recorded really well. I actually like its sound a little better on the recording than in the room. Funny how those things happen.
Thanks man. When it comes to great horns for me, it all boils down to which direction one wants to move the needle in. Any energy I can take out of crafting my sound, let’s me put that energy into the creativity….and looking good while doing it never hurts!
@@BMackJazz I hear that! I am actually looking to get a ref 36, 54, series iii, keilwerth sx90r, or a mark vi next year. You know any sax shops that would have these horns available to test out?
Thanks a lot for comparsion. I was not sure Yanagisawa, Selmer reference 54 or reference 36 or Series III. Hear Your beautiful playing and comments and buyed a Selmer reference 36 in end of february 2021, Total happy and enjoy the reference 36 as much as I can :-) Wish You all the best!
A good friend of mine has a matte finish 54 tenor. I considered trading in my SA80ii tenor for one, but I could never find one I liked enough. I also felt more at home on my SA80ii, so I kept it. His 54 has a nice dark, dry, yet punchy sound. I played a Serie III in the Selmer office/showroom in Paris and it was perhaps the best tenor I have ever played! (Side note: I have never played a III alto I have liked). Brian, great in-depth review of these beauties- you’ve got a fantastic sound!
I’ve got a Reference alto, which is my favorite modern horn. I actually prefer the II for a “classical” mindset on a personal preference...but only because there are III’s and References (haven’t had the experience of The Supreme yet).
I had a Ref 54 matte tenor and it was extremely dark and very focused, like a laser. I liked my Series III tenor more than the Ref 54 I owned. The extremely focused sound of the 54 makes it more one dimensional in sound vs other tenors that have a more spread sound. The spread sound allows you to push the horn in different directions and you could do more with the horn. I still prefer the Mark VI's over the Series III though. The Series III is my second favorite modern horn (I had a killer 875EX Yamaha) but VI's are just more musical if that makes any sense, and I really don't like the newer keywork of modern Selmers as the vintage ones feel smaller and tighter like your fingers are driving a sports car vs modern keywork feels like your fingers are driving a truck. Best tone on any tenor I've been able to get is a Buescher Aristocrat Series I with the small bell flare - highly underrated and sounds better than my 45,xxx SBA tenor which is my main horn.
Excellent performance on each of those tenors. With the Reference 54s, I can literally hear and feel the sound. I can hear John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. With the Reference 36 and the Super Balance, I can hear each note that you are playing. I can hear Lester Young , Stan Getz or Dexter Gordon. Between the three, I would go for the Reference 54 for the big, phar sound. The finish I would choose would probably be the gold. All three horns are excellent for whatever you want it to do.
Eventually, if a player progresses enough, 98% comes from them. But still, I always recommend going for equipment that moves the needle in “your” direction, so one can put more energy into making music.
I thought the silver horn had a broader spectrum and included more overtones. Then again, I’m not a huge Selmer fan. I play Ishimori Woodstone, Yanagisawa (1987), and a Yamaha 82Zii, two of which are silver. I can darken up the Yamaha with an Ambika 3 mouthpiece. Overall you have a nice tone.
Yeah, the BA is my main horn I’ve been playing for 16 years (now with a Boston Sax Shop neck), and that will always be my first, my last, my everything. And I actually just A/B’d the Reference 54 and an Ishimori. I’m a big fan of the Ishi products (have a lot of them), they’re making great quality and helpful things.
woah?! I'm clearly the less popular, less Polish, more saxophone'ie representation of that DNA combination. One of us clearly needs to grow a goatee, so one of us can be the evil one....which is probably me.
Great playing. To be honest, the differences are subtle. I hear the Ref 36 as a little darker and this is more noticeable above the staff. There’s less brightness though it’s not massive between them. Now all I need is a winning lottery ticket to get a Ref 36. Or an SBA 😁
For me, I’m going to dominate 90+% of a horn no matter what. It comes down to if I’m moving the needle in the “less-work” direction for what I’m going for. In person, the differences are even more, like the size/presence of the sound. If one is looking for darker, you’re right, I would recommend the 36 over the 54. And you don’t have to win the lottery either, there is always the used market out there. Lacquer wear and scratches won’t make it sound any better or worse, but sure does drop that price! But even if someone wants new, think of it as $$$$ over your lifetime (and beyond), because the quality is built to last and is quite possibly the last horn most people would ever need.
@@BMackJazz I have an eye open. It was somewhat sarcastic. 😉 Knowing what you want your sound to be is half the battle. Then you buy gear that is in that area. I favor dark/warm tone quality myself so buying a high baffle mouthpiece wouldn't be doing my playing any favors. On the other hand a large chamber, low baffle certainly does trend that way.
The 36 has the old sound of Selmer, the 54 just sound to me like a very good modern horn...both are great horns but I vote 36 all day long, great playing Brian.
The 54 has a vibe to it, one that fits a few gig settings well (especially competing with amplified instruments). The 36 is my favorite modern horn, hands down. Makes sense being a Balanced Action player myself.
@@BMackJazz Brian I just got a 36 this week and absolutely love it,is serial 601xxx, did you find the keys to be a bit on a tight? Seems like spring issue, I have been playing a Yani TW02 and also love it for my commercial gigs? I find the action a lot smoother than the 36 but I can probably adjust it with my tech.
@@rogersalles200 yeah, they’re a bit stiff especially compared to my vintage horns. If you’ve got a good tech that can adjust the spring tension right, go for it, I’m sure it could use the tweak.
@@BMackJazz did you by any chance tried a after market neck on these horns, especially on your SBA? Just curious about how well the stock necks are compared to the other especial necks. Cheers
@@rogersalles200 I’ve got a Boston Sax Shop Heritage neck for my BA, paired quite nicely. Haven’t tried it with the 54’s though (the tenon is rather large to fit the BA, so it won’t work on other horns). I’ve got a review video of it comparing it to the original neck (from the early days of the pandemic, before I got better lighting).
One of the best vintage sax out there which rivals any of these Selmers for ¼ price. Grassi Sax . Italian Pride. The best in Italy as of then. Before they stopped production
You might just be hearing the schizophrenia of switching between all those horns. It’s one of the best set up 36’s I’ve played. It aaaaaallll most stayed permanently with me it was so impressive.
I’ve played a number of 36’s in matte and I can tell you it will influence the sound towards the “darker” direction. Every Selmer matte finish I’ve played does that as a general rule.
@@raefblack7906 It's a horseshoe chamber Soloist, not what they call a cathedral Soloist. Originally a D opening, that I had opened up to a .105 by Brian Powell.
El mate oscureció el sonido y grabó muy bien, eso me gustó mucho. El dorado tenía un sonido en vivo más grande que la grabación no capta tan bien como cuando estás en la habitación.
Played a silver III for a few years, and play-tested dozens since then. Great horn, a workhorse of the industry. I prefer them in non-classical settings. Jazz, funk, r&b, rock, etc.
@@BMackJazz Thanks Brian, i may be financially forced to sell my 54k late super. The are under 4k deals on clean serie Iii,s out there. I repaired a silver one for Bob Seger’s horn player and I thought it played well. I had to sell my 58k alto and replaced it with a serie III which plays well. I appreciate your input and enjoy your music and you tube content. Great tenor sound BTW and I didi get an RE 20 mic and love it
These modern horns are worth checking out. If you’re a Balanced/Super Balanced player now, the Reference 36 is something to consider. And one can never go wrong with an RE20...!
@@BMackJazz Hearing yours got me to buy it. Condensers are ok for the pop stuff I do but the EV sounds real. Im sure your sound without a mic is even better. Be well
@@zangsax Most condensers at the price of this ev MIC will capture a more natural sound than the EV. The EV is a great dinamc mic , it is better to have dinamic if your room isn't treated.
I wish Dexter Gordon was still here, I really do. Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Paul Gonsalves, Illinois Jacques, Wardell Grey, Ben Webster, Lester Young and so many others showed us the musical and emotional range of possibilities on tenor saxophone leading to Dexter who included them all and then some. Bring us to the 21st century and we're insulted with a greatly diminished (pun intended) message masquerading as some sort of truth.....nothing personal, we see the same in our politics and societal choices.
0:39 reference 54 Gold
4:57 reference 54 matte
9:36 reference 36 Gold
13:54 Balance action
Really fantastic comparison and excellent playing, Brian. Thanks!
Eh, it’s easy when you’re playing the same thing 4 times in a row...
I loved the reference 36, its GL and matte finishes which has a more balanced action sound.
Yeah, I've been Team-36 since it came out, which makes sense since I'm a Balanced Action tenor player myself.
Great comparision Brian! Beautiful sound and impro. Beautiful saxophones!
Finding the right gear lets one put more energy towards the art!
Thanks for such a great comparison video. You sound great on all of them. I have the 54 matte tenor and have enjoyed it since purchasing it in '03. It brightens up plenty with my SR Technologies PRO115 or Berg Larsen HR 105/1 and 110/2. It is generally very warm and mellow but can take anything I can push at it turning it into a beast that can also compete in an electric band. It is truly a great horn.
The matte one in the video recorded really well. I actually like its sound a little better on the recording than in the room. Funny how those things happen.
Excellent comparison & playing ! Thanks for sharing !
Happy to help! Really I just had cameras and microphones lying around and decided to record myself playtesting these wonderful machines.
Excellent comparison, exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks so much!
Glad my nerdy desire to play test saxophones could be of service!
beautiful sounds
The differences in sound are so subtle but I prefer the sound of the ref. 54 gold. Great tone man!
Thanks man. When it comes to great horns for me, it all boils down to which direction one wants to move the needle in. Any energy I can take out of crafting my sound, let’s me put that energy into the creativity….and looking good while doing it never hurts!
@@BMackJazz I hear that! I am actually looking to get a ref 36, 54, series iii, keilwerth sx90r, or a mark vi next year. You know any sax shops that would have these horns available to test out?
Depends on where you’re at. Don’t bother with internet, unless you like to gamble. Trying 3 or 4 of each would be ideal.
Thanks a lot for comparsion. I was not sure Yanagisawa, Selmer reference 54 or reference 36 or Series III.
Hear Your beautiful playing and comments and buyed a Selmer reference 36 in end of february 2021,
Total happy and enjoy the reference 36 as much as I can :-)
Wish You all the best!
Happy to help...I live for this!
@@BMackJazz Thank You so much!
A good friend of mine has a matte finish 54 tenor. I considered trading in my SA80ii tenor for one, but I could never find one I liked enough. I also felt more at home on my SA80ii, so I kept it. His 54 has a nice dark, dry, yet punchy sound.
I played a Serie III in the Selmer office/showroom in Paris and it was perhaps the best tenor I have ever played! (Side note: I have never played a III alto I have liked).
Brian, great in-depth review of these beauties- you’ve got a fantastic sound!
I’ve got a Reference alto, which is my favorite modern horn. I actually prefer the II for a “classical” mindset on a personal preference...but only because there are III’s and References (haven’t had the experience of The Supreme yet).
I had a Ref 54 matte tenor and it was extremely dark and very focused, like a laser. I liked my Series III tenor more than the Ref 54 I owned. The extremely focused sound of the 54 makes it more one dimensional in sound vs other tenors that have a more spread sound. The spread sound allows you to push the horn in different directions and you could do more with the horn. I still prefer the Mark VI's over the Series III though. The Series III is my second favorite modern horn (I had a killer 875EX Yamaha) but VI's are just more musical if that makes any sense, and I really don't like the newer keywork of modern Selmers as the vintage ones feel smaller and tighter like your fingers are driving a sports car vs modern keywork feels like your fingers are driving a truck. Best tone on any tenor I've been able to get is a Buescher Aristocrat Series I with the small bell flare - highly underrated and sounds better than my 45,xxx SBA tenor which is my main horn.
The 54 is very nice. That Matte finished horn does it for me.
Of the 54’s, the matte sounded best recorded, and the gold sounded best just in the room (had a bigger sound and more edge).
Excellent performance on each of those tenors. With the Reference 54s, I can literally hear and feel the sound. I can hear John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.
With the Reference 36 and the Super Balance, I can hear each note that you are playing. I can hear Lester Young , Stan Getz or Dexter Gordon.
Between the three, I would go for the Reference 54 for the big, phar sound. The finish I would choose would probably be the gold.
All three horns are excellent for whatever you want it to do.
And one of the best parts of the modern Selmer...I don’t have to work as hard with the intonation control.
I felt the same, spot on comment.
You sound great on both. Its the player more than the horn.
Eventually, if a player progresses enough, 98% comes from them. But still, I always recommend going for equipment that moves the needle in “your” direction, so one can put more energy into making music.
Great Review!!!
Great horns…
Convinced to go with the 36, but also convinced I should stop playing saxophone with your excellent playing 😅🙌
Don't stop because of my playing...stop because of Josh Redman's playing...
@@BMackJazz haha. seems about the same from here :)
I thought the silver horn had a broader spectrum and included more overtones. Then again, I’m not a huge Selmer fan. I play Ishimori Woodstone, Yanagisawa (1987), and a Yamaha 82Zii, two of which are silver. I can darken up the Yamaha with an Ambika 3 mouthpiece. Overall you have a nice tone.
Yeah, the BA is my main horn I’ve been playing for 16 years (now with a Boston Sax Shop neck), and that will always be my first, my last, my everything.
And I actually just A/B’d the Reference 54 and an Ishimori. I’m a big fan of the Ishi products (have a lot of them), they’re making great quality and helpful things.
At first I was confused, I thought it`s Polish vloger Marcin Rola playing saxophone... Interesting review.
woah?! I'm clearly the less popular, less Polish, more saxophone'ie representation of that DNA combination. One of us clearly needs to grow a goatee, so one of us can be the evil one....which is probably me.
Great playing. To be honest, the differences are subtle. I hear the Ref 36 as a little darker and this is more noticeable above the staff. There’s less brightness though it’s not massive between them.
Now all I need is a winning lottery ticket to get a Ref 36. Or an SBA 😁
For me, I’m going to dominate 90+% of a horn no matter what. It comes down to if I’m moving the needle in the “less-work” direction for what I’m going for. In person, the differences are even more, like the size/presence of the sound. If one is looking for darker, you’re right, I would recommend the 36 over the 54. And you don’t have to win the lottery either, there is always the used market out there. Lacquer wear and scratches won’t make it sound any better or worse, but sure does drop that price! But even if someone wants new, think of it as $$$$ over your lifetime (and beyond), because the quality is built to last and is quite possibly the last horn most people would ever need.
@@BMackJazz I have an eye open. It was somewhat sarcastic. 😉
Knowing what you want your sound to be is half the battle. Then you buy gear that is in that area. I favor dark/warm tone quality myself so buying a high baffle mouthpiece wouldn't be doing my playing any favors. On the other hand a large chamber, low baffle certainly does trend that way.
The 36 has the old sound of Selmer, the 54 just sound to me like a very good modern horn...both are great horns but I vote 36 all day long, great playing Brian.
The 54 has a vibe to it, one that fits a few gig settings well (especially competing with amplified instruments). The 36 is my favorite modern horn, hands down. Makes sense being a Balanced Action player myself.
@@BMackJazz Brian
I just got a 36 this week and absolutely love it,is serial 601xxx, did you find the keys to be a bit on a tight? Seems like spring issue, I have been playing a Yani TW02 and also love it for my commercial gigs? I find the action a lot smoother than the 36 but I can probably adjust it with my tech.
@@rogersalles200 yeah, they’re a bit stiff especially compared to my vintage horns. If you’ve got a good tech that can adjust the spring tension right, go for it, I’m sure it could use the tweak.
@@BMackJazz did you by any chance tried a after market neck on these horns, especially on your SBA? Just curious about how well the stock necks are compared to the other especial necks. Cheers
@@rogersalles200 I’ve got a Boston Sax Shop Heritage neck for my BA, paired quite nicely. Haven’t tried it with the 54’s though (the tenon is rather large to fit the BA, so it won’t work on other horns). I’ve got a review video of it comparing it to the original neck (from the early days of the pandemic, before I got better lighting).
Hello have You ever played a Vintage Ida Maria Grassi Sax before. I think you should.
One of the best vintage sax out there which rivals any of these Selmers for ¼ price. Grassi Sax . Italian Pride. The best in Italy as of then. Before they stopped production
The ‘36 sounded like it needs some tweaking by a repair tech. The 54s and your SBA sound just right.
You might just be hearing the schizophrenia of switching between all those horns. It’s one of the best set up 36’s I’ve played. It aaaaaallll most stayed permanently with me it was so impressive.
Hello, do you know if the other finish of reference 36 also influences the sound?
I’ve played a number of 36’s in matte and I can tell you it will influence the sound towards the “darker” direction. Every Selmer matte finish I’ve played does that as a general rule.
What is your favorite tenor mouthpiece?
Selmer Soloist for me. Mine has some work done to it, but what it lets me get the sound I have in my head out into the world with the most ease.
What mouthpiece are you using?
It's a custom vintage short shank Selmer Soloist
@@BMackJazz Nice tone and what lay? Square chamber
@@raefblack7906 It's a horseshoe chamber Soloist, not what they call a cathedral Soloist. Originally a D opening, that I had opened up to a .105 by Brian Powell.
@@BMackJazz Thanks, your piece sounds really good.
Todos son Excelentes Saxofones pero el mate da más profundidad al sonido
El mate oscureció el sonido y grabó muy bien, eso me gustó mucho. El dorado tenía un sonido en vivo más grande que la grabación no capta tan bien como cuando estás en la habitación.
Have you played a serie III ?
Played a silver III for a few years, and play-tested dozens since then. Great horn, a workhorse of the industry. I prefer them in non-classical settings. Jazz, funk, r&b, rock, etc.
@@BMackJazz Thanks Brian, i may be financially forced to sell my 54k late super. The are under 4k deals on clean serie Iii,s out there. I repaired a silver one for Bob Seger’s horn player and I thought it played well. I had to sell my 58k alto and replaced it with a serie III which plays well. I appreciate your input and enjoy your music and you tube content. Great tenor sound BTW and I didi get an RE 20 mic and love it
These modern horns are worth checking out. If you’re a Balanced/Super Balanced player now, the Reference 36 is something to consider. And one can never go wrong with an RE20...!
@@BMackJazz Hearing yours got me to buy it. Condensers are ok for the pop stuff I do but the EV sounds real. Im sure your sound without a mic is even better. Be well
@@zangsax Most condensers at the price of this ev MIC will capture a more natural sound than the EV. The EV is a great dinamc mic , it is better to have dinamic if your room isn't treated.
I wish Dexter Gordon was still here, I really do. Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Paul Gonsalves, Illinois Jacques, Wardell Grey, Ben Webster, Lester Young and so many others showed us the musical and emotional range of possibilities on tenor saxophone leading to Dexter who included them all and then some. Bring us to the 21st century and we're insulted with a greatly diminished (pun intended) message masquerading as some sort of truth.....nothing personal, we see the same in our politics and societal choices.
ummmm....okay?
MOUTHPIECE ?? Number ??
Vintage Selmer SS Soloist (.105) mouthpiece ..estaba escrito..
tenes razon
😄🎷
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