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Author Topic: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?  (Read 6610 times)

Offline deyb kos

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Being an amateur sax player, I have been hearing a lot of praises for the Selmer MK VI, a sax which is apparently the horn of choice of most professional sax players. Ano ba talaga ang qualities nito na superior to other saxophones like the Keilweirth, Yamaha and Yanagisawa which are part of the the so called "Big Four"

Offline randypogi

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2011, 08:57:04 PM »
some forum discussion consider the topic both a hype and a myth
why?  because not all mark vi saxophones play well according to some professional musicians.

why didn't selmer brand the reference 54 as mark vi (or even mark vi version 2 for that matter) which claims to have the same features? 

i read in SOTW, it's a marketing strategy.  if they brand the reference 54 as a "mark vi" this will make the series III an inferior model. 
another thing is, they will kill the brand equity as "the leading saxophone" brand.  they need the mark vi hype to build
the selmer brand vs competition.  i believe (i may be wrong) the mark vi model was the first saxophone model addressed the correct feel
and ergonomics of the keys making it very comfortable to the sax player.  it became the "template" or "stencil" for the right saxophone
design of other brands.  thus started the legendary mark vi "myth" as the best saxophone ever. 

2 cents worth.... :-D 





 

Offline randypogi

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2011, 12:53:50 PM »
as for the serial no.# of mark vi, i read in forum discussion the myth started because from 1954 production of the mark vi up to 1974 they claimed
the machine has worn out.  fresh pa yung machine in doing the early model mark vi compared to the late models. therefore having an effect (daw) with the production of the sax.  kaya nahinto ang production ng mark vi because the machine responsible for it just conked-out through the years.

there are difference in the size and length of the bow therefore the sound of an early mark vi are round vs late mark vi of edgy.  a late model neck
will not fit to the early model mark vi.

its almost the same as collecting other items (i.e. vwbeetle), the more vintage the higher the price.  thus, musicians and collectors
determine the serial no.# therefore identifying the year it was built.  however, professional musicians claim not all mark vi are excellent saxophones. 

meron pa nagsabi the selmer alchemist responsible with the metallurgical properties of the metal used died with him the secret formula recipe.
parang coke softdrinks or gravy ng KFC ang dating.  ang secret formula ng coke is kept inside a vault over the years.  only one person lang daw may alam ng formula.

i know of an excellent musician who has a mark vi and yet use his king silversonic.  now, he sold his mark vi to acquire a super balance action
and still kept the king silversonic. 

paano ba magkaroon ng magandang tunog sa saxophone? 
2% getting the right reeds...8% having the right mouthpiece...10% having the right saxophone and 80% of the sound produced by you.

there's a topic in SOTW re: mark vi...a hype or just a myth?


Offline trees

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2011, 01:46:57 PM »
I guess, most of the "top players" uses a Mark Vi...even the great Sonny Rollins still uses a Mark Vi even if he can afford the other "BIg Four". . . ..  .. .

The Mark VI is really known for the versatility of it's tone compared to other vintage saxophones.  You can go for classical, Jazz, pop, rock..or any other genre.  Is it suitable for a super20/zephyr to be played on a classical music compared to a MarkVi?

Accept it or not, it's the most revered horn on the planet  :-) Napansin ko din sa ilang website na yung mga nagki-criticize ay gusto ding magkaroon ng magandang Mark Vi.....weird...
 



« Last Edit: June 16, 2011, 02:07:31 PM by trees »


Offline randypogi

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2011, 08:27:52 PM »
the mark vi was the first saxophone to addressed the right saxophone design:
key mechanism, key placement/spacing, weight, neck design and etc...making the mark vi very ergonomical
and very comfortable to the sax player.  sax players immediately went into the bandwagon bought the mark vi replacing their current horn. 
therefore, the mark vi became the standard design for upcoming saxophone of other brands (i.e yamaha 62). 

some saxophone brands were late to adapt to the mark vi design.  selmer was reaping the success of mark vi.
effective marketing strategy (print ads) and selmer endorsement during the time also help promote mark vi as the best saxophone. 
now, some (if not all) brands are based on the mark vi design (i.e. yamaha, yanisigawa, keilwerth, p mariat). 
selmer even released the reference 54 as based on the mark vi design. 

the mark vi design improvements (print ad).


john coltrane was a selmer endorser (print ad).


currently, the mark vi is considered the "holy grail" of sax musicians. 

all of these contributed to the success of mark vi as the choice of saxophone of all sax musician.

Offline deyb kos

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2011, 03:06:39 PM »


paano ba magkaroon ng magandang tunog sa saxophone? 
2% getting the right reeds...8% having the right mouthpiece...10% having the right saxophone and 80% of the sound produced by you.

there's a topic in SOTW re: mark vi...a hype or just a myth?

I agree! A versatile sax player can produced a good sound even if he is using other saxophone makes as long as it is properly set up although good ergonomics which is one of the features of a Mark VI would also be an important factor.

Offline vincelahorra

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2011, 08:46:28 PM »
Speaking of myths, here's an interesting one going around:

During World War II, Germany confiscated thousands of church bells from the countries that it invaded (Poland, France, etc. ) in order to source metals in the manufacture of casings for bullets, bombs and other explosives. The war resulted in all these spent casings littered all over Europe. After the war, the Selmer factory in Paris gathered all the spent ammunition casings they could find, melted them, and used the recylced metal in the manufacture of its mark VI line of saxophones.

What started as symbols of peace (church bells) was converted to weapons of war (bullets, bombs, etc.), and then converted back to symbols of peace (musical instruments).

Click here & enjoy!



« Last Edit: June 21, 2011, 08:47:31 PM by vincelahorra »
Vince Lahorra
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Email: vincelahorra@gmail.com

Offline randypogi

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2011, 09:43:59 PM »
Speaking of myths, here's an interesting one going around:

During World War II, Germany confiscated thousands of church bells from the countries that it invaded (Poland, France, etc. ) in order to source metals in the manufacture of casings for bullets, bombs and other explosives. The war resulted in all these spent casings littered all over Europe. After the war, the Selmer factory in Paris gathered all the spent ammunition casings they could find, melted them, and used the recylced metal in the manufacture of its mark VI line of saxophones.

What started as symbols of peace (church bells) was converted to weapons of war (bullets, bombs, etc.), and then converted back to symbols of peace (musical instruments).

Click here & enjoy!


kaya pala ang mark vi is considered a "holy" grail by sax musicians...

Offline deyb kos

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2011, 11:27:43 AM »
I am just wondering why Selmer stopped the production of the Mark VI if there is still a considerable demand for it in the market? My understanding is that there is also a Mark VII which I presumed is the successor of the Mark VI.

Offline randypogi

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Re: Why is Selmer MK VI the horn of choice of most pro saxophonist?
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2011, 07:20:39 PM »
I am just wondering why Selmer stopped the production of the Mark VI if there is still a considerable demand for it in the market? My understanding is that there is also a Mark VII which I presumed is the successor of the Mark VI.

dami discussion niyan dito:  http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?149844-The-Mark-VI-quot-thing-quot-Why-can-t-they-get-it-back