1970s

Showing all 6 results

  • Couf Superba 1 Tenor Very Good Condition Original Lacquer Getting Overhauled!

    $ 3,850

    Getting a full mechanical overhaul now!! This horn is going to have a HUGE, powerful tone, with effortless, fat low register, and crisp, fat upper register. It should be ready by the end of April if not sooner. These horns are just a joy to play when they are totally tight and snappy. This one will be no exception. It’s getting the fancy, TenorMadness hand-machined, slightly-domed, reusable metal resonators that work so well on these horns, and that look great also. 

    This is a very nice condition Couf (made by Keilwerth for Herb Couf) Superba I tenor, which is a great modern ergonomics horn with a lot of the big, fat tone of an old Conn.  Some people also compare them tonally to a good Selmer SBA, and they do indeed share the big sound you can get on a great Selmer.

    This particular sax sports a high F# key and phas lived a relatively cosseted life thus far.  The only evidence of any repairs or damage past or present is a resolder on the low Eb keyguard foot, which is fairly common on these, and has no impact on playability. The original gold colored lacquer (which has a particularly beautiful lustre to it that can often be mistaken for gold plate) is in very good shape.  

    The Couf Superba I sports rolled toneholes and a really cool modern engraving pattern and was built in West Germany by Keilwerth to be imported by Herb Couf, a distinguished professional saxophonist who later was a Vice President of the W. T. Armstrong company.  As told to me by those who knew him and also as evidenced by playing the saxophone he chose to put his name on, the man had good taste in saxophones. If you have been looking for an extremely well built modern ergonomics horn with a bigger sound than you find on most modern instruments, look no further- Couf has you covered.  

  • Selmer Mark VI Alto Original Lacquer American Engraved Excellent Condition 233486

    $ 5,450

    This very clean, American-assembled late Mark VI alto is a good example of why I think the late American-assembled VIs are a relative bargain.  It is very nearly unplayed, sporting most of its original pads (I had a bit of repair work done on it to bring it up to playable) and it possesses an undeniably huge tone, probably the most strident and powerful of all the VI altos.  The American-assembled Mark VI altos in the very late run have a large patch soldered to the inside of the bow at the factory to reduce the overall volume of of the interior of the bow, and they play better with noticeably less burble and resistance down low.   It is a low-tech solution, but one that works very well and was therefore done at the factory to every American-assembled Mark VI alto after around serial number 210,000 or so.

    This particular saxophone is in very good condition, with its original lacquer.  There are a few small scratches here and there and some playing wear on the touchpieces of the side keys and palm keys, but 99% or more of the lacquer remains and it shows no evidence of past repairs or resolders.  This is a nice, solid Mark VI alto in excellent condition that will blow the doors down if called upon to do so.

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano from 1971 Excellent Original Lacquer 189112

    $ 5,250

    This is an extremely nice condition, original pads Selmer Mark VI soprano.  It appears to have been played very little, and actually plays extremely well on its original pads, which to me is an indication that this horn has led a very sheltered life and harbors no surprises for its future owner.  This horn is original lacquer, Euro-assembled with no engraving. The original case, protected by a case cover, is in excellent condition. The horn plays with the warm, centered and focused tone that VI sopranos are known for- with the certain alluring beauty that makes them hard to put down.  If you’ve been looking for an original, unmolested Mark VI soprano to make your own, it would be hard to find one in better shape than this one, and the later serial makes it one of the less expensive ways to acquire one.

    It includes the case in the photos, and if you want to add a nice BAM Signature soprano case, I can get you a great discount on one. Keeps the horn very safe in shipping and gigging.

    Only one available!

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano from 1971 Original Silver Plate + BAM Case 189125

    $ 4,200

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano Original Lacquer Very Good Condition 197315

    $ 4,950

    Wonderful example of a Selmer Mark VI soprano. This beauty has almost all of its original lacquer still remaining, as well as its original pads. Nobody has messed with this horn. It is still factory clean repair wise, with the nice, snappy factory setup still intact. If you’re going to be playing this seriously, you will want to get the pads replaced soon I would think. They are currently sealing surprisingly well, for it being 50 years old, and you can play it plenty well enough to tell that it has a rich, centered tone, medium between bright and dark, with a good amount of projection. With the right mouthpiece, the Mark VI is the ultimate smooth jazz soprano a la Kenny G. Kenny G gets both love and hate from the saxophone world, but there’s no question people far beyond the saxophone community love his sound, and he plays a Mark VI soprano just like this. There are no dents or dings, and there are no past repairs on this saxophone. It’s an amazing example, and well worth the price. The hard case is in good condition. Not original, and more protective than the original anyhow. You can upgrade to a BAM Signature (best modern soprano case) for not much extra. No mouthpiece comes with it, but we can discuss mouthpiece options if you don’t already have one that you love.

    Only one available.

  • Selmer Mark VI Soprano Saxophone 253537

    $ 4,850

    Beautiful original lacquer Selmer Mark VI soprano saxophone in excellent condition. The pads are a mix of older and newer, mostly older. But it plays nicely on them with a warm, resonant tone. This is a great VI soprano and sounds rich, and also tunes quite well. Original case is in good shape too. No dents or dings, no resolders. A bit of stand wear inside the bell flare is about all there is to say about this very nice Mark VI soprano!