Saxophone Forum


by SaxAppeal
(67 posts)
19 years ago

Question about buying

Recently a offer of $1700 for a used Selmer Super Action 80 (very good condition) was given to me. I assume this is a fair price considering the horn is about $3500 new, and $1500-1600 on eBay used. If i were to buy the SA 80 what mouthpiece, kneck, reeds, etc should i use to make the horn to its full potential. The focus for sound is a dark tone, for classcial songs. (I have been playing on Yamahas, and want a better horn)

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  1. by phathorn
    (165 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Question about buying

    when you say better horns.....I hope you've been playing on student yamaha's

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    1. by SaxAppeal
      (67 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Question about buying

      Yamahas are good (yes i have mostly played on their student horns) ,but Selmers are better in my opinion. Anyways back to my question....

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      1. by SaxMan88
        (318 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Question about buying

        What do you mean what necks should I buy? Doesn't this sax come with a neck? I'd hope so...otherwise don't go changing it. You can get a Selmer Paris Silver Neck which makes it brighter, but ya really don't have to. Depending on the years experience you have and what kind of music you're looking to make you can go with either a hard rubber for classical and some jazz or a metal for most jazz and no classical. Metal of course requires at least 10 years experience in order for the embouchure to handle it. Most mouthpieces like Rovner inverted ligs, I use the Dark on both my pieces and feel it is a very versatile lig for both jazz and classical. Some will argue this, but boo hoo. Now honestly, I feel you got a killer deal. The only quirk I have with the SA80 is that the one I played on (my band director's) was very hard blowing. You had to warm it up for quite some time in order for it to be playable. Even then, you couldn't hit an Eb (low) quietly without honking the note out. But, that could be a number of marginal errors besides the sax. And I do assume your SA80 is not a Series II...the one I played was a 'vintage' SA80. Before Series II, but I still think that's a killer deal. That's about what I paid for my Selmer LaVoix new. I hope you can get this sax and if you do, boy, have fun with it!!!

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        1. by SaxAppeal
          (67 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Question about buying

          You've been very helpful. Thank you...i'm gonna jump right on the offer.

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        2. by eman19
          (131 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Question about buying

          "Metal of course requires at least 10 years experience in order for the embouchure to handle it." Boy I must have missed that note, as I play on a metal piece and definitely don't have 10 years experience. I had Joshua Redmen tell me I sounded better then some who have played for ten years whe I played with him once, but thats not quite the point=o). How did you come by that thought anyway? Also please note I'm just curious, not looking to start a fight.

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        3. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Question about buying

          Eman, What I stated is not a thought, but a teaching by 99.9% of all High School teachers, music professors, and those in authority in the music field. I have only adopted it, and believe of course there are exceptions in every case (so you must be one of them) but the majority don't have enough control in the jaw and lip muscles to handle a metal mouthpiece. No fight taken, no pun intended, just one question. If you don't have ten years how many do you have? I have seven and I'm gonna get a metal for my alto over the summer, just to try one. If my band director is right, ima put it away and not touch it again until I'm ready. Hope I answered your question and take care!

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        4. by eman19
          (131 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Question about buying

          I've been playing for a little under two years, but this is not my first instrument, I've been playing others since I was 4 or so. This is my first woodwind however. I am a well trained vocalist, so perhaps that helped. I've been using a link on my tenor since february or so, and the quality of the sound is much better than with my original hard rubber, an Evette Sheaffer mouthpiece that I'm guessing was meant for classical work. I have also noticed that my sound on my alto has gotten better since using the metal piece on my tenor, but I don't know if there is a correlation there or if its because I've been playing more (10-20 hours a week).

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        5. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Question about buying

          Most metals are a little harder to contol and require better embouchre control than most hard rubbers. Many metals have a more open facing. The spoilers that many metal pieces have can also cause complications for some players. Not all metal pieces are the same. The Otto Links are pretty tame compared to many others that I have tried. Other pieces though are definately not designed for an inexperienced player. The 10 years experience is a generalization. Some students are advanced enough in 3 years to play any piece you give them. I've seen others with more than 20 years experience who couldn't handle one of those advanced metal pieces. As for your Selmer SA 80, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal. They're a good horn. I would try a few different mouthpieces and see which one you like best. As for the necks, I wouldn't worry too much right now. Maybe eventually you'll want to experiment there too. I've heard that the copper necks have a nice sound.

          Reply To Post Yahoo!