Selmer Super Balanced Action Tenor 50xxx Original Silver

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This saxophone is sold! But click here to see our current selection of tenor saxophones.

This beautiful Selmer Super (Balanced) Action Tenor is in extremely nice condition. It has almost all of its original silver plate intact, and it has been overhauled recently. Playing wise, this is a very good SBA. It has everything you want out of an SBA – it’s darker and slightly more spread feeling than a Mark VI. The lower register is lush, and the upper register is delicate and lyrical. It is very easy to play a nice, saturated pianissimo lower register and whisper like Getz. You really would have trouble finding a nicer SBA – super clean structurally, great overhaul mechanically, outstanding sonically, and beautiful cosmetically.

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Sell Us a Saxophone Like This!

Your Name (required)

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Your Phone#

Your Message

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This saxophone is sold! But click here to see our current selection of tenor saxophones.

This beautiful Selmer Super (Balanced) Action Tenor is in extremely nice condition. It has almost all of its original silver plate intact, and it has been overhauled recently by Jan Olsen, who, I am told, is one of the top saxophone techs in Norway. His work certainly looks very good to me. Old school overhaul style that looks like authentic Selmer work. Leather pads, domed plastic resonators, and a nice snappy feel with a medium-strong spring tension that is still easy to handle in the pinky keys. This horn very few past repairs: The neck is perfect and has not been damaged at all. There were just a few minor dents removed from the inside of the bow area. It is hard to tell now. And the little guard around the chromatic F# key has been resoldered carefully. (Also hard to tell.)

Playing wise, this is a very good SBA. It has everything you want out of an SBA – it’s darker and slightly more spread feeling than a Mark VI. The lower register is lush, and the upper register is delicate and lyrical. It is very easy to play a nice, saturated pianissimo lower register and whisper like Getz. But you can also easily get that straight ahead Coltrane vibe on this horn, just by pushing it and playing straight tone with more aggressive attack. There’s a good reason why SBA’s are so popular. It does a whole lot of different things very well, and it’s very satisfying to play.

It’s also satisfying to look at! The silver plate is gorgeous, and the engraving is beautiful, extending down the back of the bell and down onto the bow. This horn was sold by the London distributor in 1952 or so, and it has been lovingly cared for since that time. I got it from one of the top saxophone players in Northern Europe who really knows his Selmers. He has great taste, and sold this because he wanted to move to an earlier Selmer – a nice Balanced Action out of my personal collection. So you really would have trouble finding a nicer SBA – super clean structurally, great overhaul mechanically, outstanding sonically, and beautiful cosmetically.

Only one available!