1966 Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone, s/n 136464. This is one of the very first medium bow altos that Selmer made following the long bow design. I've owned two other 136,xxx altos previously: 136443 and 136769, both of which had a long bow. The latter is numbered over 300 later than this horn, so there was clear production overlap at the factory during the transition.

Selmer marked every bow length differently. In addition to a visual inspection of the shorter bow tube, the "R" trademark symbol on the French bell stamp has three tilde markings (~), located at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, which identifies the early medium bow. The preceding long bow version has only two tilde markings. (Thanks to Doug Pipher for this historical research!)

Bow length makes the single biggest difference in how a Mark VI alto plays, and this early medium bow setup is the most popular and valued vintage. Many players and collectors consider the late 13x,xxx through 14x,xxx serial range to be the absolute pinnacle for Mark VI altos, offering incredible core focus and stable intonation. Saxophonists like David Sanborn and Kenny Garrett famously played and collected altos from this vintage.

Physically, this horn is in wonderful shape. The lacquer is 100% original and about 98% is still present. The neck is original and has never been pulled down. The pads appear to be mostly original. My repairman just serviced the sax, replacing one pad and one key cork, and regulated the remaining pads. The pads seal well, and it plays perfectly across all registers and plays with an effortless, rich response. It comes in a form-fitting hard case.