![selmer reference 54 alto vs mark vi selmer reference 54 alto vs mark vi](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F0pH3aJdXZA/maxresdefault.jpg)
The right hand pinky keys are slightly less ergonomic on the 880 than the newer models though. Though I think I prefer the oval pearl front F key to the metal ones on my newer horns. It feels just like my more recent model 991 and 901 Yanagisawas. I expected the mechanism to be great of course, like all Yanagisawas, and it is. It’s always a pleasure to play an instrument under those conditions. My first impression of this now overhauled sax was “this feels great.” It now feels like a brand new horn that has been set up perfectly.
Selmer reference 54 alto vs mark vi trial#
So for the last three days, I’ve been playing the Yanagisawa 880 and I feel like it’s gotten enough of a trial period for me to know where we stand. If it didn’t work out as I suspected it wouldn’t, I would be able to sell it for a nice price. The idea was to give it a proper trial before deciding that it wasn’t for me. I took my time with it, and really did a meticulous job. Well, I finally got around to giving this horn an overhaul. So it sat in my sax cave for about a year. I wasn’t convinced that once overhauled, it would be able to replace the mark VI. It was in pretty good shape, but the pads were very old. Not long afterward, I got my hands on one. Not being one who can resist the prospect of acquiring a potential gem of a sax, I began a search for an 880 tenor in good shape at a great price. The ergonomics were indeed significantly better, but what saxophonist can bear the thought of sacrificing sound for anything?Īt this point, I heard about a preference among some Yanagisawa fans for the early 880 tenors. My impressions of these instruments were that they were excellent, but had a less brilliant tone that my Selmer did. (I now live in the south of France, and these horns are not as easy to find as in New York). Naturally I thought, wouldn’t it be great if I had a Yanagisawa tenor that I like as much as my alto and baritone? I managed to find a 901 and a 991 tenor to try out. I eventually settled on the Selmer as my preferred horn, tweaking and fine tuning many details of it’s setup (I am also a repair technician). I continued shedding away and experimented with mouthpieces until I found the Vandoren V16 T7 Ebonite that really suits me. Although these are both wonderful saxophones in many ways, I did miss the exactness and effortlessness I had grown accustomed to with my Yanagisawa horns. Besides the obvious benefits of learning melodies and playing chord changes in another key, switching from alto to tenor or vice versa for an extended period really helps your overall sound concept on both instruments.Īt the time of my switch, I possessed a Selmer Mark VI 168k and a Buescher Aristocrat Big B. This turns out to not be that big of a deal in the end. The main reason I didn’t do this sooner is probably because I was worried about having to learn all those tunes again in a different key. What I mean by this is that tenor became the horn I practice on daily. I switched to tenor a couple of years back. I have always been a doubler and probably did a lot more gigs on tenor than on alto throughout my career, yet until a few years ago, I was definitely an “alto player”. I still hadn’t fallen for their tenors though. My point is that I have been a bit of a Yanagisawa fan boy for the last 10 years. Admittedly, I am not much of a soprano player, but I definitely feel as though I could be if I spent enough time with this horn. The Yanagisawa baritone plays with the same ease, consistency and facility as the 991 alto. This replaced a Rampone Cazzani low A horn that was a disaster to play on. Shortly afterward I purchased a Yanagisawa 901 baritone. With that horn I felt and still feel as though I don’t need to look for another instrument. My sound no longer felt restricted and my technique was freed considerably. In the case of my 991 alto, it was a big improvement over the Dave Guardala horn it replaced. They have excellent intonation and a clear, focused sound. Those familiar with the Yanagisawa brand know that these instruments are very well made. My teacher at Queens College Antonio Hart first turned me on to these horns and this alto definitely allowed me to grow as a player. It is a bit long winded so if you want to skip to the conclusion go right ahead.
![selmer reference 54 alto vs mark vi selmer reference 54 alto vs mark vi](https://www.selmer.fr/media/image/a7/38/f684c24fb6aac79f60af9c549986.png)
In this article I discuss and compare these two saxophones and try to find out if the Yanagisawa can replace my Mark VI as my main horn.