Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone Review [Worth 10k]
I was given this high quality Selmer Mk VI Alto Saxophone by a generous family-friend of mine who was the original owner.
I invested about $1,250 into this fantastic horn to have it overhauled at a prominent repair shop in NYC, namely Perry Ritter.
Now, the retail value of this instrument is easily worth $10,000. (No, I'm not selling it so please don't ask, though I'd love to talk about the horn!)
In my view as a sax player, it was entirely worth the money to get the instrument overhauled, in addition to the increase in retail price.
Some of the words on the saxophone say:
“Brevete France & Etranger”
“Henri Selmer Paris”
“Fabrique en France”
“Selmer”
“New-York Elkhart”
“London”
“Made in France”
"Mark VI"
Is the Selmer Mark VI Alto Sax worth it?
Yes! This is a great saxophone with amazing tonal quality! It may even become my main instrument.
The thing that stands out about this horn is that it easily resonates in terms of sound when played.
This horn is built for “belting” out the sound!
Additionally, I learned that this saxophone had the best “action” or key mechanism for a saxophone of its time. This makes a little more sense to me as a piano technician since the saxophones available now at Selmer are so reasonably priced.
See Selmer prices on Amazon
The Bell
The bell on this Mark VI looks absolutely beautiful. The engraving embodies a royalty of its own, yet matches present day professional horn engravings as well.
You’ll notice that the overall size of the bell is consistent with other saxophones. Some professional horns of today have a larger bell, like my high school saxophone, my Keilwerth Shadow.
On the front of the bell we find serial numbers, engravings, and old scratches from long ago.
Here we can see that this saxophone was Made in France, along with patent information and its serial number.
It always feels good to know that your instrument was built in a European country. I can’t explain it, but it makes it really special.
Made in France
Brev-SGDG-920653
Eng. Pat. 632799
U.S. Pat. 2940640
U.S. Pat. 2710558
M 90312
The inside face of the horn looks very typical from an untrained eye. This pulls the attention towards other portions of the horn that hold greater detail.
Like many other horns, the pads themselves are yellow/orange in color. This is the standard color for all saxophones.
The exception is to find a saxophone with different color pads, such as the pads in my Keilwerth Shadow that are black.
The outer facing portion of the horn is decorated with green felting, key pearls, Selmer logo engravings, key gaurds, and the classic characteristic of the Mark VI.
Additionally, the horn was in great need of cleaning. Further deterioration was prevented by shining up the horn sufficiently to prevent further decay.
After warming the horn up, it plays nearly effortlessly.
Pros:
“Modernized” action - like modern saxophones
Vintage classic collectors item
Distinct and unforgettable character of sound
Good for “belting” out sound
Has a low b flat
Cons:
No high F Sharp Key
Fingering always takes a little while to get used to
It makes you fall in love with the instrument!
Buy if:
You are a collector of vintage Selmers (seriously, how could you give one of these up?)
You are lucky enough to have the money! This alto saxophone is worth it!
You need a vintage horn that has character, resonance, and style
Don’t Buy if:
You don’t play saxophone
It’s out of your price range
Retail/Market Value $10,000+
Thankfully, modern horns made by Selmer are available for a better price.
Check out the newer models of Selmer Saxophones like the SAS711 alto sax conveniently available on Amazon! It’s amazing that it’s possible to get such a great horn on Amazon these days.
See Selmer prices on Amazon
These modern day horns come at a much better price point for that all sax players can appreciate.