A visual guide to the evolution of Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone bow lengths from 1954 to 1974. See side-by-side photo comparisons and learn how each design—from short bow to long and medium—affects intonation, tone, and playability.

Explore the full range of Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophones, year by year.

The Selmer Mark VI was produced from 1954 to 1974. Each horn has its own voice, feel, and story. Below you'll find video play tests of Mark VI tenors from every year of production — all recorded and posted by DC Sax. Whether you're a collector, player,...

A Curious Case: 1971 Selmer Mark VI with a Long Bow

A few years ago, we received a 1971 Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone in remarkable, near mint condition: original pads, minimal scratches, and absolutely no dents. At first glance, everything looked correct. But something felt... off. It took a couple of days for me to figure it out.

This horn has a long bow, which is something Selmer stopped producing five years before this horn was made.

A...

How I Recovered a Stolen Selmer Mark VI Saxophone

In 2018, I sold a Selmer Mark VI saxophone through my website to what appeared to be a legitimate buyer. Unfortunately, the buyer used a stolen credit card, and the instrument was intercepted from a UPS distribution facility before it could be delivered. It disappeared without a trace.

I filed a police report and listed the saxophone as stolen on my website, hoping it might surface again, though realistically, I didn’t expect that it would.

But earlier this year, something unexpected...

As this is my first blog post, I want to share with you what I'm currently working on and give you a good idea what DC Sax is all about.  I recently acquired a wonderful 1958 80,xxx Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone from the son of the original owner. This saxophone came to me with pads literally falling out of the horn, and it was obvious that it hadn't been touched in many decades. The tarnish and poor playing condition would have turned off many potential buyers. I could essentially only play palm keys before the rest of the pads...