Selmer Alto

Selmer Alto

I am a music dealerAnd repairman.Any instrument may be returned for full valueAs a trade in or on consignment for resaleProvided it is in the firstborn condition.All instruments are shop tested and adjustedTo play utterly before shipment.”it makes good sense to buy from people who service what they sell.”We service everything that we sell.I have been playing sax, clarinet, and flute since 1951.I have been repairing instruments since 1978.My last major concert was for a host of finelooking impressive guests,Including formerPresident Bill Clinton, when he was in Boston withSenator John Kerry for a fund-raising event forSenator Ted Kennedy.I Played in the 22-pieceJohn Payne saxophone choir at the Park Plaza Castle.Security was so tight,The mystery service did background checksOn each musicianAnd we had to leave our instruments at the doorTo be searched by white house staff.

Many instructors will commend the Selmer S80 mouthpiece to students that have been playing for a little while on the commonly cheap mouthpiece that came with their sax when they purchased or rented it. These are commonly very cheap plastic ones and a beginner will outgrow them quickly.

Probably the most commended is the Selmer C star, (Selmer C*) because of it’s medium size (opening, see underneath for explanation). It’s been a great deal of years since I’ve played on a Selmer C Star but a beginner moving up to one of these from a cheap one will instantaneously observe a divergence in their sound and the way it feels… a noticeable step up.

Many refer to this as a “step up” mouthpiece. If you’ve been around a saxophone for any amount of time you’ll recognise that Selmer is one of the top names in the world for their quality saxophones, and yes, mouthpiece’s too.

I’ve always said that your mouthpiece and reed set up is even more essential than your saxophone. Obviously we all look for a finelooking feeling, top quality horn we may afford but as you’re coming up to your pro model you may still have big success manufacturing your tone with a good mouthpiece… even if you don’t have a outstanding saxophone. The opposite is not true… you can’t play a top quality pro sax with a cheap plastic mouthpiece and get a outstanding sound.

Every mouthpiece manufacturer has a more or less dissimilar way of categorizing and labeling their mouthpiece sizes and the Selmer mouthpiece measuring scheme uses letters rather of numbers to rate the size of the mouthpiece: Letters A through H… A being the more closed, the smallest distance from the reed to the mouthpiece. H is the most opened.

The C is a medium to medium closed making it a good choice for beginners to get a good, full and warm sound. A closed mouthpiece will give a darker tone and a genuinely opened one will manufacture a more glorious tone.

Of course the player may still get dissimilar types of tones from any mouthpiece with the embouchure, reed size, air etc but the mouthpiece may be the divergence in this being easy or hard. The mouthpiece itself is a huge percentage of the overall picture but don’t forget that embouchure, breathing technique, reed type and reed strength and your saxophone all play into it.

And yes, you may get the Selmer S80 for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes.

Selmer Alto Pic

Selmer Alto Photo

Selmer Alto Picture

Selmer Alto Pic