Beautiful Original Selmer Super Balanced Action Alto Sax w/ High F# - Serial # 39649

This is a very rare horn for you collectors out there: an original lacquer 1949 vintage Selmer Super Balanced Action alto sax with factory original high F#, serial number 39649. This horn looks incredible and has recently been repadded. If you like the unique stuff, this is an alto to enjoy.

For starters, it looks great, with 90%+ original lacquer intact. This sax features original Euro style engraving on the bell, which extends down onto the bottom bow. Most of the lacquer wear is on the backside of the that bell and bow; the rest of the horn looks much the same as it did the day it came out of the factory. There's some minor past dent work on the inside (back) of the curve of the bow, but I see no resolders or other repairs, and the bow cap itself is perfect. The neck is original and has never been pulled down or damaged, showing minor lacquer wear near the neck cork as seen in the photos.

This sax was repadded by another shop before coming to us, and features very firm leather pads with brown nylon resonators. The action has been set very light, honestly a little lighter than I typically like on an SBA (the keys have a bit of “bounce” in them), but I know some players really dig this kind of feel, so we are selling it on its current set up. The pads are all sealing perfectly and the firm pads have a definite pop when you finger up and down the horn.

This alto plays just as you want from an SBA. Its tone is more spread than you typically find on a Mark VI, while keeping all of the warmth and color of a “5 digit” era Selmer. Very smooth sound that is easy on the ears, but you can push it hard too when needed. Finding these SBA horns in such a nice condition is getting increasingly hard, especially one with high F#. The sax ships in its original Selmer Euro case, which is also in excellent shape.