We’re delighted to be selling one of these Selmer Ref 54 DragonBird Collector’s Edition Alto Saxophones. Only a select number (400) of these special reference 54’s have been made and they complete the final year of the ‘Tribute to Bird’ series that Selmer have been running. The series, which was launched in 2005 has seen a ‘bird’ reference for each continent; Hummingbird/America, Kookaburra/Australia, Flamingo/Africa, Firebird/Europe…and now the final DragonBird/Asia.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The reference 54 collector’s series was inspired to mark the 50^th anniversary of the passing of the great Charlie Parker (known as ‘Bird’).  Selmer have gone to extra lengths to make these collector’s editions especially exquisite and the DragonBird is the most exclusive of the bunch.

The Saxophone has impeccable detailing including extra engraving on the body and crook, black mother of pearl touchpieces, a plate between the bell and body with a limited edition serial # stamped for authenticity and various unique key work changes. The reference 54 DragonBird comes complete with official DragonBird case and accessory pack. This is arguably the only Saxophone in production that could very well keep if not increase in value over a period of years.

To mark the special nature of this Sax we have put together a truly VIP package for anyone purchasing the instrument. We feel this represents not only the quality of the instrument but also our desire to give the best possible service to our customers, from a musical and experience point of view.

The price paid will not only include the Selmer DragonBird Collector’s Edition Alto Sax, with special case and accessory pouch; but, we will also give the purchaser a 1 hour Teaching/Playing Session with one of the UK’s most highly respected Saxophonists ALAN BARNES here at Dawkes in our Acoustic Room. The package will ALSO include 2 complimentary tickets to the world famous Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London to a gig of your choice (*subject to availability), and a professionally framed set of pictures of YOUR sax and the session with Alan Barnes.

1. - Selmer Reference 54 Dragonbird Collectors Edition Alto Sax
2. 1 hour Teaching/Playing Session with Alan Barnes
3. 2 x Complimentary Tickets to Ronnie Scotts
4. Framed Professional Pictures of your Sax and session with Alan Barnes
5. All for the usual discounted price of £5596 inc.vat
6. *THIS SAX IS NOW SOLD, ARTICLE FOR INFORMATION ONLY*

Alan has performed as a member of Clark Tracey’s ‘Tribute to Art Blakey’, and is widely recognised as one of the leading names of the UK Jazz Scene for many years. During which he has won many British Jazz awards in Alto, Baritone, Clarinet and arranging categories. In 2001 and 2006 Alan received the prestigious BBC Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year award.

 Along with his Jazz work he has also appeared as a session musician on albums by Selina Jones, Bjork, Van Morrison, Bryan Ferry, Clare Teal, Jamie Cullum and Westlife. Alan also appeared regularly as a member of the Laurie Holloway Orchestra on TV’s Michael Parkinson Show and Strictly Come Dancing.

During your session with Alan he will be able to help and advise on any aspect of your playing and in the Acoustic Room you will have the opportunity to record something together that you can take away on disc. A chance to get tips from one of the UK’s best ever Saxophonists, and even record a track together!

This is a truly VIP package for a VIP Sax and of course you; our VIP customers!

*THIS SAX IS NOW SOLD, ARTICLE FOR INFORMATION ONLY*

At some point is has been converted to low pitch and some of theBoosey 4v Tenon Horn slides have been replaced and it looks like the Bow has been replaced.

Obtaining your first saxophone from Dawkes Music can be achieved in a simple and cost effective way. We offer various ways to get you your first saxophone, which we believe suits everyone.

As a woodwind and brass specialist shop, you will be guaranteed the best student model saxophones on the market, with the addition of ongoing workshop support from us to ensure the saxophone continues to play to its highest capabilities. Dawkes do not simply give you a saxophone out of the box; we add our personal touch to each instrument ensuring it is set up and easy to play suiting the players requirements.

All our saxophones go through our workshop where experienced woodwind repairers examine the saxophone ensuring the regulation and pads are seated correctly. This is necessary to ensure that there are no leaks, which could lead to the saxophone being difficult to play and preventing good sound quality. In addition, the springs can be altered so that if the player is young, the keys can be made lighter to press down. The repairers also ensure the mouthpiece correctly fits the cork, which prevents any accidental damage when putting the saxophone together.

Renting a saxophone

If your child is just starting lessons, you may want to consider renting a saxophone. This is a good option for young beginners who are just starting out for the first time. We provide, arguably, the best student model saxophone on the market, the Yamaha YAS 275.

The YAS 275 is a durable saxophone which is designed for ease of playing and tuning. It comes complete with a case and maintenance accessories. Each saxophone is provided with a care sheet to ensure you are provided with the knowledge to look after the instrument.

The price to rent an alto saxophone is £27.00. This is the most common saxophone that people start on due to its size and ease of playing. However we do rent tenor saxophones at £32.00, and for the smaller players you can rent a soprano saxophone for £28.00.

The minimum rental period if for 3 months, and there is no time limit on any rental. It includes free insurance and free maintenance.

The 7th rental payments onwards can be used at a later date to put towards the cost of a new instrument, meaning that whilst you continue renting with us, you are also saving for an instrument of you own should you wish to buy at a later date.

Buying a saxophone

Making a large purchase can be daunting, especially if you are not sure how things will turn out with you or your child’s music lessons. However, buying a saxophone with Dawkes makes this easier. All our new instruments come with a 2 year buy back guarantee which means you have the peace of mind knowing that if it doesn’t work out, you will get some of your money back. Within 6 months of purchase, we offer 90% of the original price back to you (less the VAT) Within 2 years, we offer 50% of the original price back to you (less the VAT).

So in actual fact, if you buy an instrument from us, and return it to us within 6 months, you’ll spend less money than using the rental scheme.

Lizzie – Woodwind Dept 03/09/2011

So, why R13′s? Well, from a retailer point of view we see people come in to try upgrade/pro clarinets and some people have preconceptions about what they want to buy, advice about what they should buy, and others don’t…regardless, when you put the main 4 or 5 choices in that testing room the R13 more often than not comes out as the winner. Projection, tone quality, tuning stability, good feeling keywork all contribute to the choice and of course the legacy of the name that has been so well known across the world. Basically it feels good and plays better than the others, something clicks inside the majority of people and says “buy me, I work!”

And here’s the point, this builds momentum, teachers buy them and consequently recommend them to their pupils, people sit next to other players in band who use an R13 and when they come to buy they of course know their friend has one and is happy with it…so they buy one too. So we stock more, we make sure the price is the best it can be and we sell more. Sometimes however it’s time to stop and think about it, let’s really assess all the options, is this still the best choice for 8/10 people? Well something has just come along that made us think…and it may just be the ‘game changer’.

The CSG range has been presented three times now, not the most stable start you may argue, the R13 name hasn’t changed since its birth in 1950…1950 people!! Take note manufacturers, just changing a name and re-marketing doesn’t work!! However, we’ll forgive Yamaha this little point because they may well have cracked it (not the best pun for wooden clarinets, I apologise). This III version has been developed with various European Yamaha Artists, most notably the UK’s Michael Collins. Internationally recognised as a leading name and virtuoso clarinet performer his search for something ‘extra’ from the current crop of clarinets is representative of the thoughts of many of today’s top players and educators. Yamaha have the will and expertise to work closely with these artists and help answer the needs of today’s musicians. Various improvements were made to tonehole design and internal tweaks to improve the tone and colour of the instrument, for more details a full review of the clarinet from our very own Prof Anton Weinberg follows this blog below.

Complimentary to these design improvements, that benefit the player’s ability to produce all manner of tone, the Yamaha also beats the competition hands, arms and legs down from the point of view of manufacturing. Without wanting to point fingers there are various points on the learned opposition which could be improved upon, nothing major but little niggles that needn’t be present. Why should the joints get stuck together after a month or two, why should cheaper cork equivalent be used that falls off easily, why should we cope with the slight tuning foibles that are present, you get the idea.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Yamaha YCL-CSGIII REVIEW – Prof Anton Weinberg

“I have just tested the new Yamaha CSGIII clarinet. The result is as I would have expected, expecially with Michael Collins acting as an adviser for the new design. The tone is full, round and rich and has the attributes of an excellent R13 without some of the problems. The high thumb C is a peach and there are no veiled notes on the instrument at all.”

“A mixture of cork and leather pads are used and similarly ‘shaped’ keys are placed in advantageous positions. There is the extra Eb/Ab key but for the first time on any instrument it does not get in the way. Equally the raised finger hole on the left hand C/G is excellently placed and there is a raised finish on either end of the left hand little finger C# tone hole, water is therefore discouraged from entering.”

“The quality of the wood is really impressive and two barrels are provided of different length. Lastly intonation is impeccable.”

“If I had any criticisms I would have added that Yamaha might have been more insightful as to current trends in mouthpiece chamber design. Instead they supply the standard ebonite mouthpiece that they have manufactured for some time.”

“Initially I was of the view that the new Selmer Privilege was probably the only clarinet that might be a threat to the R13 dominance (although it’s higher pricing makes that harder for people to attain), but this Yamaha CSGIII is a serious contender and ends the usual criticisms, of a lack of projection with little individual character, that used to be levelled at pro Yamaha clarinets.”

Sunday June 19th saw the birth of ‘LIVE @ Dawkes’…an ongoing commitment to live music in our community, here’s how we got there:

 We have set out on this musical mission to bring live performances, of all kinds W/Wind and Brass, into our community. With so many great players around we wanted to use what facilities we can offer to help people get to see more live music and hopefully inspire them to LISTEN and PLAY more.  We wanted to start with a bang!  Knowing Nick Blake personally as an ex colleague and co-player we knew he shared our passion for reaching out to new audiences and spreading the good word of live music. Running a Big Band like ‘Blakes Heaven’ is no easy task and it’s certainly not a profitable task! The hours of work that goes into arranging the music, organising band members for rehearsals and gigs is certainly a labour of love. But, knowing the band well (as an occasional dep), I knew they were the right group of players to kick us off.

We then had a lining up of the stars so to speak, our good friend Tevis Laukat from Cannonball Musical Instruments informed us he was going to be in Europe for part of June, we already had the band in the back of our mind for a gig and it just seemed to make sense that Tevis and Cannonball should be involved. As a pioneering company with fantastic products the Cannonball brand and owners share our passion for live music and we knew with Tevis and the band on board we already had a good start. Speaking regularly as we do to the Cannonball artists we mentioned to them that the gig was a possible, thankfully 3 of our top guys were available on the day and so the date was set.

Whilst this was a Cannonball event, it also was very much a Dawkes event…we had to work out a way to host a Big Band gig at reasonably short notice. We mulled over venues, some were expensive, some weren’t available and generally we didn’t get any great feelings about what was available. We wanted the shop to be at the core of this as it’s the place our loyal, regular customers know well and feel comfortable. You come here for your musical equipment and repairs, why not for some music! Also, this wasn’t going to be a one off, we want a series of gigs and musical performances here long into the future. So, we had to work out a way the shop could accommodate a big band, 4 superstar Sax players, and hopefully a healthy numbered audience…

Great help was found with our regular stand/display design company SD Displays of Maidenhead. Like us they’re up for a challenge and everything is possible. With some thought, design and inspired guesswork (based mostly on hope and desire) we came up with the idea of hosting the band inside the current sales desk. Of course, the first concern was safety, the stage had to be totally secure to take the weight of 16 grown adults and equipment. Much thought was given to this so that we could also use the stage into the future in different sizes and places.

The plan was made, the components were ordered and constructed, the promoting of the gig began, and the most asked question from puzzled customers was: “how are you going to get a big band in here!!”.  There were other considerations of course, where would the audience go, and how could we make sure everyone had an enjoyable time; customers and band members!

Although we had concerns over the actual volume of the band in the shop space we tried to make adjustments to help keep this to a minimum. The drums and bass were placed furthest from the audience with sound deadening material under where they were sat. No amplification was used except for the singer and soloists, even then this was through a modest PA and balanced so as to not blow anyone away. Clearly, if you were sat right at the front it would be loud, but way under levels in a pub with amateur rock bands, and clubs on a Friday/Saturday night etc. We also provided space outside to give a haven for refreshments and a break from the music if wanted.

On the day the band performed really well, the arrangements were weighted heavily to feature the guest soloists so of course it was a Sax heavy event. We had many comments from customers saying they liked the original style of the band, something Nick works very hard at. We were lucky and pleased to have Paul Jones (BBC Big Band) sitting in on lead Alto, complimented by Duncan Lamont (Multiple West End shows) on 2nd Alto,  Simon Spillett (BBC Jazz Awards winner) and Tevis Laukat (Cannonball CEO) took Tenor duties as guest soloists. Each player has their own style and this was hopefully reflected in the music chosen for them to feature in.

The day was topped off with a free prize draw, where the prizes included; a £50 Dawkes voucher, 2 x tickets to Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club and 1 x Lesson with a Cannonball Artist. We also decided it wouldn’t be a bad day to launch our biggest ever Sax Accessory Sale and some bargains were snapped up.

We’d like to publically thank all the guest Artists, and of course the band for giving us their time and skills. We’d also like to thank all the customers who made the effort to get out on Sunday to see the gig and support local LIVE music.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 “The new standard in Brass Band Instruments” – Yamaha’s tagline for the Neo range of instruments…  It rang true for the new neo tenor horn a couple of months ago; it also rings true to this new YEP642SII Neo Euphonium.

At first glance, the new Neo YEP642SII doesn’t seem to have changed much from the Yamaha Maestro. It does boast slightly wider tuning slide bows and a redesigned hand rest, the new emblem is clear on the flawless bright silver plate. It is available in both silver and lacquer and both look exceptionally beautiful, even without the “gold bits” on Yamaha’s Custom range.

When you stop ogling it and actually blow the Neo, it becomes apparent that Yamaha have been doing some quality work in the development room. It has a rich tone, warm and deep which blends remarkably well with the other lower brass instruments while being powerful enough when needed to sing over the top of the band. It is clear and precise across the entire range of the instrument, even in the pedal and “super” ranges. And tuning is as close to perfect as has yet been seen in a euphonium, even without a trigger. The range of dynamics possible is huge as it still speaks when playing at ppp and just starts to get “barky” and out of hand at a strong, accented fff.

Continuing the theme from the Neo YAH-803 Tenor Horn Yamaha chose to work with some of the most respected musicians in the brass band field. Conductor and Player Bill Millar (University of Salford) and Yamaha Brass Band consultant David King both had input amongst other top players who were consulted and used to test the various prototype models that Yamaha developed the Neo Euphonium from. Lengthy testing, moving of parts, changing of dimensions etc took place to ensure this was built from the ground up rather than being a re-make of the current Maestro.

Yamaha have created an instrument that will perform with good tuning and an excellent range at all levels of banding, It seems to “sing” like no other instrument and the clear and easy articulation at all dynamics makes it a serious contender to the Sovereign’s crown as the brass band euphonium of choice.

We’ve just taken delivery of our first YEP-642SII Neo Euphonium so come down and give it a try in the Acoustic Room. If you can’t get in we do offer a mail order service! In Stock…£4216 inc.vat (as of 13/06/2011)

ARTIST QUOTES…

Steven Walsh (Principal Euphonium Brigstock and Rastrick Band):

“The Yamaha Neo Euphonium has an unrivalled depth in tone and accuracy of tuning throughout the whole range of the instrument. These attributes can be projected across any ensemble with consummate ease.
This newest addition to the Neo range allows a performer the opportunity to portray their musical ideas with absolute comfort, culminating in a classic British Euphonium sound.”

Bill Millar (Professor, University of Salford)

“When trying a new euphonium a number of things are for me of paramount importance.
The first thing I would consider would be the comfort of hold, the positioning of the lead pipe and the hand rest are of particular importance. In this respect, I found that these were positioned ideally on the Neo to provide a comfortable hold when adopting a correct upright posture.
Quality of sound is for me the single most important feature of any instrument. I would be looking for an instrument that has both a resonance and a clarity of tone.
With the Neo I found both of these qualities in abundance throughout the dynamic range.
The modern day repertoire for the euphonium covers a range of more than four octaves so players need an instrument that they know will perform well at the extremes of the range. Again the Neo exceeded my expectation in this regard, performing with ease at the highest and lowest extremes of the euphonium register. The valve action on the Neo is both smooth and solid, providing an ease of execution when playing rapid passages and a sense of security in slower music.
This is an instrument that combines depth and clarity of tone with great projection, responsiveness and character, it truly is a joy to play and I give it my highest possible recommendation.”

Matt – Brass Dept:  13/06/11

After leaving a 6 hour rehearsal last Sunday aching I decided to dig out the tube of ChopSaver bought a couple of months ago. Applying after that rehearsal I didn’t expect a lot but when I got up on Monday my lips didn’t feel bruised as I expected and when I played at Lunch, they actually felt a little fresher than the day before. I have been putting the stuff on every day since and now no sign of dry or sore lips at all!

The list of players using this now is like a who’s who of the pro music world, manufacturers would kill to have this as a list of endorsees – view players
Anyone who has used Vaseline or any other petroleum based treatments knows that the mouthpiece sliding around can be a real issue and it can build up on reed instruments. ChopSaver is non-greasy so it can be used while playing.
There are 2 types of ChopSaver currently available, original and Gold. Original is perfect for any general use. Gold contains a sunscreen and gives SPF 15 protection, perfect for those up-coming park jobs over the summer and the Whit Friday Marches!
You can find it on our website under mouthpiece accessories 

Matt – Brass Dept (26/05/2011)

* For more info please see the ChopSaver website

The new Vandoren CL4 and CL5 clarinet mouthpieces arrived with us today. We passed them to our mouthpiece designer and Woodwind consultant Prof Anton Weinberg for a review:

An interesting departure for Vandoren with these two new mouthpieces: one has to ask the question: “is the new shape  complimentary to the tone and response of the mouthpiece or does it simply provide the opportunity to provide a ligature and mouthpiece together with an increased  mark up  price?”
Certainly upon examination, the tone chamber design could be derived from any stock  Vandoren clarinet mouthpiece and equally the two tip rails—one thin (CL4) and the other wider (CL5) —are already available. The walls of the mouthpiece are not that much thicker and the new very pliable ligature fits very well, but does not itself become a necessary requirement for the response of the new design, while the chamber design harks of American know how at its best.

The CL4 is a longer lay with a thin tip rail and slightly closer tip measurement: I would need to use no.4 V12 to make it work and even then found it too long, causing the tone to be rather vapid and ill defined.
It lacked the definition that I found in the Vandoren M30 which is also quite a long lay but has a strong core sound.

The CL5 was completely different: the wider tip rail, increased tip measurement and shorter spring gave a very safe comfortable response with a most attractive round tone. I think that students and those who like to blow with ease, will find it a most successful mouthpiece, however, for someone who has experienced the volume of the Chicago Symphony orchestra, I find the tone or core sound just too small.

Both these new designs are well worth trying and as there is such a wide range of personal requirements amongst the clarinet playing fraternity I am convinced that each mouthpiece will find its devotees without difficulty. The price—that includes mouthpiece and ligature with cap—is very competitive and I do not find this out of proportion given the price of some American imports. We are selling the set for £149 inc.vat (as of 10th May 2011). Please click to see our full clarinet mouthpiece list.

Prof Anton Weinberg – 10/05/2011

York Eminence Euphonium – £2995
When produced York Instruments were undoubtedly the finest instruments available for brass band and orchestral musicians alike, Endorsed by Cory and Black Dyke musicians they were in fine company.

This superb instrument has been impeccably maintained and played to the highest level. The sound this instrument achieves is rich and wide in tone and can sing across the top of the band with ease.

The valves are quick and precise making light work of the meanest semiquavers and quick passages.

Also included in this top class package are a Peter Gane straight mute and a Best Brass practice/warm up mute, K&M instrument stand and black leather Vincent Bach gig bag.

Schilke S32 Trumpet – £1495
Schilke have a reputation for high quality free blowing instruments with a great wide sound and have been adopted across the states by professional players and advanced young players.

This trumpet is in good condition, silver-plated; the S32 comes in a padded gig bag. The S32 products a full, rich sound which is centred and precise, ideal for orchestral, chamber and solo performers.

See all secondhand instruments : CLICK HERE

Selmer – Saxophones and Clarinets

So, Valentines Day 2011 comes around and arriving on our doorstep is a new delivery of Selmer Paris Saxophones and Clarinets. I’ve been selling Selmer personally for the last 13 years and it’s fair to say it’s been a bumpy time with various ups and downs…

My first experience with the Selmer brand was as an up and coming (I’m too old to be still be ‘up and coming’ maybe ‘come and gone’…) clarinet player, aged 11, grade 6 in the bag and needing a Wooden instrument to see me through to the later grades and the inevitable fame and fortune…ahem. I remember having the choice of a Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha. Sure the Buffet and Yamaha were fine and played well, nice and easy, but I remember the tone of the Selmer just hitting a chord with my idea of what a clarinet should sound like; rich, dark and woody yet sweet with no rattling brightness.

The instrument was a Selmer Prologue which at the time was quite new and came with revolutionary rubber O rings on the tenon joints, as opposed to the traditional cork that was prone to drying up and needing replacing etc. It was a remarkably forward thinking effort by the normally traditionalist French manufacturers and in true Gallic style it didn’t really work! A few problems later and my Selmer came back with real cork on the tenons and off I went with a more traditional but working clarinet.

It served me well enough through the grades and school orchestra, before I was thrown onto Bass Clarinet in Concert Band and occasionally Orchestra – I presume this was purely because the director of music no longer wanted me in their eye line on the normal clarinet seat! Anyway, the school Bass was American made ABS and probably would have been ok had it been serviced since either of the World Wars…however my weekly battle with this beast certainly put me off Bass, UNTIL I got my hands on a Wooden Low C Selmer…WOW! That was an eye opener, I’d found out the Bass Clarinet could (a) sound good and (b) work!

Step forward a few years and I’d joined Dawkes Music as a trainee repairer, still a bit dumbstruck with the amount of stock we keep of professional instruments I seek the opinion of my senior repair colleagues on what brands are best etc etc. There is resounding discontent with all things Selmer in the workshop; it was at a time when the French were really struggling with quality control. There were no problems with the manufacturing, crooks, bodies etc were all fine but the final finishing: padding, regulation, springing, corking etc was not great and the repairers here at Dawkes were having to spend hours sometimes getting these instruments into ‘Dawkes Condition’.

It amazed me that these instruments were being sold elsewhere straight from the box, people out there were buying blind, usually based on price and must have been really struggling to use the instruments. My mind was challenged though, how could this Prestigious brand breed such discontent with professional repairmen? Various changes were happening in the French labour market at the time and the working week had recently been restricted to 35hrs, this left Selmer with problems…they needed to make a certain amount of instruments per year to fulfil orders yet their work force had just reduced its capacity by around 30% due to the new labour laws. During this period of unease there had also been a factory strike (if my memory serves me right) and it became difficult to obtain any product.

In true Music Industry fashion this immediately upped the appeal to the end user as anything that is so hard to get must be worth getting! (It’s the same law that makes the only mouthpiece you can’t try that day be the only one that could possibly overcome all your problems!) Over time though that was the start of my falling out of love with Selmer, until recently (but we’ll come to that later!).

It was a retailers nightmare, the prices were ultra competitive at the time and so with very little margins you also had to account for 2-3 hrs in the workshop getting the instruments working to the correct level. Many retailers suffered with this and all of these factors helped to fuel the rise of other brands such as Yanagisawa, Keilwerth, Yamaha and more recently the slickly marketed Taiwanese models like Mauriat. In our sales over a 10 year period we saw Selmer slip from number 1 in our Pro Sax sales to number 4!

Various factors also contributed to this, and bear in mind these are our figures, but I think most major Woodwind retailers would share similar trends. The fact that Yanagisawa’s needed very little set-up to be able to work acceptably helped both the shops who had repairers and those that didn’t; if you put an instrument that feels balanced and blows easily from low Bb all the way up against another instrument (however good) that is badly set-up and has really heavy springing and comes in a polystyrene box (as Selmer did at the time unless you bought them with the pricey Selmer cases) then 9 times out of 10 the first Sax wins. Add to this Yamahas relentless consistency in making quality instruments and also learning how to market them to Professionals properly and you can see how a previous ‘power brand’ such as Selmer were starting to face problems. We also mustn’t forget the currency problems that all imported European brands have come up against. Looking at 5 years of £ vs Euro history you can see that in 2006 the rate topped out at around 1.50 Euros to the Pound, at its worst in recent times (2009) it went as low as 1.02 Euros to the Pound, a shift of 47%. This had pretty drastic effects on the shop prices of Selmer (and Vandoren reeds!), which have nearly doubled in 5years.

So, from 2002-2010 the picture is as above, in this time teachers and pro’s may well have bought other brands and consequently recommend them to their pupils and peers, this exacerbates the issue for Selmer. However, talk to the ‘top line’ pro players and most of them still use Selmer Saxes, whatever the glossy adverts for some other brands might say! From the legendary MKVI 1960’s instruments to MKVII’s and some SA80-II models, these were still the trusted instruments of those relying on them to make a living. It was hard work to tear these die-hards from the brand they knew and trusted, despite its foibles. Some dabbled with other brands but most ended up back on the trusty old ‘horn’ they knew and loved. Why? What makes them mythical? Well to answer that question on Vintage Saxes would tear me even further off topic and it’s a big topic already. My 1948 Balanced Action Alto has a wonderful sound but it’s like an Italian sports car of old, temperamental and full of issues, my D over the break is way too sharp for comfort and the high C needs careful manipulation to speak properly. Fully working though (for that brief 30 mins, it’s got a unique sound, not always suitable for a modern player but still unique) All I know is that there was something special…I’m also convinced there STILL IS something special with new Selmer instruments.

In late 2010 I bought myself a second-hand B901 Yanagisawa Baritone Sax, I’d been waiting for one to turn up for some time and set about getting my Bari chops in shape. Soon after a Selmer Series II Low A second-hand rocked up on our stock and I thought with my new found Tower of Power Bari chops I’d give it a try…The best description I can give is this; my B901 was (and is) lovely, easy to play, feels like a Tenor to blow and has a bright sound but still with some low end punch, I’d liken it to the Laser Guns used in Moonraker (bear with me, big 007 fan here). The Selmer was the musical equivalent of an Atomic Bomb in comparison, it nearly knocked the wall down in the testing room, and suddenly my Low A’s sounded like the thud of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park…the water even moved! This sparked a renewed interest in the Selmer instruments that had previously moved to a quiet place in my heart. I got out a NEW Series III 125th anniversary model Alto and Tenor, played them both and smiled inwardly as they both felt, looked and sounded like they should do. I even got my clarinet mouthpiece out and went back through the brands we sell, and yes I would probably only buy a Selmer for myself now (I appreciate I’m in a minority here as Buffet clarinets still outsell all others by some way).

So what’s changed? The quality seems to be back up to a highly professional standard, both in manufacturing and playing terms. Also, the price rises have caught up with some of the opposition due to movements in the £ against other currencies and raw material costs. Yes, Selmer are still the most costly but if I can borrow a well know slogan they are ‘reassuringly expensive’. I think it’s also reassuring knowing WHY they cost more than their counterparts; there is a tangible quality difference in materials and know-how that the marketing of some other brands can only cover up so long. It’s much harder to explain why some of the other fringe names are now costing more than £2000.

So, everything is solved and forgiven? The Golden Boys of the Sax World? It’s not so easy of course, Selmer face more competition than ever. They re-assure us that everything is 100% French made and they are a manufacturer, not an assembly plant reliant on variable supply from third parties. Still, the period of 2010-2020 in my mind could be ‘make or break’. They need to focus on why they were/are the best, remember those reasons and run with them. Yes they need to try and keep prices competitive but quality cannot suffer in a search for money saving. They’ve recently employed one of the top men from just down the road at Buffet. Not only does he bring with him lots of experience and obvious clarinet making pedigree, but also he brings a new approach and willingness to listen.

Of course these are ramblings from little old me and just give a snapshot of the situation in the UK. Does it mean all other main brands aren’t worth looking at? Of course not, we all have different tastes.

For all involved I’d love to see Selmer back in the hearts of all Sax and Clarinet players, don’t take my word for it, come and try some!

Some Selmer Facts:

Selmer make around 14,000 Saxophones and 2,000 clarinets per year. The Selmer family is now in its 4th generation, employing around 500 staff the production is based just outside Paris. I was lucky enough to visit a few years back and it was quite amazing to see the combination of technology and human expertise working in harmony. 2008 saw the Selmer brand as still being the top selling Pro Sax worldwide according to their figures, it’s difficult to get enough worldwide figures to confirm or dispute that. What we do know is 80% of what they sell is in foreign markets, making France, at 20% of sales, their third biggest market behind Japan and the USA. Making up the top 5 countries for sales is Spain at number four and Germany at number 5.

*Most pics are from my visit to the factory and showroom in Paris.

Sam – Sales Manager