#SELMER REF 54 SERIAL NUMBER PHOTO UPDATE#
#SELMER REF 54 SERIAL NUMBER PHOTO SERIES#

Chances are that you donвЂ™t have this finish, even though, since I discovered this finish choice, dozens of other folks have come forward claiming their horn has this finish choice. ItвЂ™s odd that, considering most student horns from about 1960 on have this вЂњtwo-toneвЂќ finish. Several French manufacturers offered this finish as a вЂњstep upвЂќ from the standard lacquer. The question is going to be, вЂњHow do I know if I have an American horn?вЂќ This is fairly easy: the American-made horns have a serial number inside the neck, matching the one on the body of the horn. Today, Selmer-Paris instruments have the same lacquer, engraving and high standard of finish throughout the world ( ref). Only horns for the US market followed this process balancing out a supply chain shortage in the French factory during the post- period.ДЇrom the Mark VII onwards (1973), all saxophones have been delivered 100% finished by Selmer-Paris at the Mantes factory. The American lacquer was darker red than the clear lacquer used in the French factory. Padding, lacquering, engraving and finishing was done in the Elkhart plant. Up to the Mark VI, instruments were shipped unfinished to Selmer USA (now Conn-Selmer, a division of Steinway Musical Instruments). In other words, if you come across a Mark VI that looks like itвЂ™s been вЂњpainted,вЂќ donвЂ™t think itвЂ™s not original and get out your lacquer stripper. Two other colors IвЂ™ve heard of are red (вЂњroseвЂќ) and blue. Selmer was one of the first manufacturers to introduce colored lacquers for their horns, albeit for a relatively brief time. ItвЂ™s much better.вЂќ вЂњNo, you want one with two. I also suggest, on the Woodwind Forum that the вЂњChurch of the Supremacy of the 5-digit Serial NumberвЂќ (see вЂњLegend of the Legendary LegendsвЂќ) now has another thing that they can argue about: вЂњHey, my Mark VI has THREE patents stamped.вЂќ вЂњMine has four. If you look on the Mark VI, stamped below the right-hand tumbrest can be several patent numbers - and no, it doesnвЂ™t matter what serial number the horn is. For the Eb alto and Bb tenor: 220800 (1974)ДЄs always, this is a guide, not a rule.For the Bb soprano, Eb baritone and Bb bass: 365000 (1981).More often, Selmer just kept using the Mark VI design, albeit sometimes with tweaked keywork: There are several different end dates for each pitch, as Selmer only created a small number of Mark VII sopraninos, sopranos, baritones and basses. If you want to get more granular, IвЂ™m sure the alto was the first model Mark VI, then tenor, then baritone, then everything else.

However, the lowest serial number IвЂ™ve seen is 55xxx (sold by ) and the highest Super (Balanced) Action serial IвЂ™ve seen is 53922, so the Mark VI was probably introduced around s/n 54xxx or 55xxx. The Mark VI was introduced in 1954, around s/n 55201, according to SelmerвЂ™s official serial number chart.

It was specifically launched to commemorate the 50th year after SelmerвЂ™s gold medal (for clarinets) at the 1904 St.

#SELMER REF 54 SERIAL NUMBER PHOTO SERIES#

The VI is called such because it was the sixth saxophone вЂњseriesвЂќ produced by Selmer: Modele 22, Modele 26 series (includes New Largebore and Modele 28), Selmer Super Sax (includes the Radio Improved and Jimmy Dorsey), Balanced Action, Super (Balanced) Action, Mark VI.

#SELMER REF 54 SERIAL NUMBER PHOTO UPDATE#

In other words, IвЂ™m going to update this article a few times and add pictures and other goodies. First, a little note: there is so much to write about on the VI, that IвЂ™m breaking stuff down and trying to get a section of stuff ready at a time.

Selmer ref 54 serial number photo