1949 40,xxx Selmer Super Balanced Action SBA Tenor Saxophone 95% ORIGINAL LACQUER
1949 40,xxx Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone. Here is a wonderfully preserved vintage Selmer sax which has approximately 95% of its original lacquer remaining. The sax received a full overhaul from the previous owner in 2016. The sax was just adjusted before this listing, so it is playing magnificently. There's been some minor dentwork performed on the bow and bell over the years, but as you can see in the pictures, the overall condition of this horn is pretty awesome for its age.
The neck is in excellent shape along with the rest of the saxophone. It's never been bent down and is original to the horn. I should note that despite the neck being 100% original to the horn, the first number is a 3 instead of a 4 (40,xxx vs 30,xxx). All other numbers match. Sure enough, after contacting Selmer in Paris, it was confirmed the neck has to be original to the horn: the 30,xxx s/n stamped on the neck is actually an alto serial number! Verification from Selmer will be presented to the buyer of this saxophone.
Sonically, this horn is everything you could ask for with an SBA of this time period. The sound is full and round from top to bottom. It's a bit more lush and dark than a 49,xxx I currently have, but in no way dull. It presents a complex and spread tone that is a delight to play and listen to.
