Selmer Balanced Action Tenor BA 28xxx Original Stohrer Overhaul

Description

If you are looking for a creme de la creme vintage Selmer tenor, this is it. The BA tenors between roughly 27k-30k serial are my favorite sounding vintage tenors. I play a 29k BA tenor myself, and I don’t think there is really any other saxophone vintage or modern that gives you such a uniquely beautiful, full, lush, velvety, delicately centered tone. The list of prominent players who played a BA tenor is a virtual who’s who of 40’s jazz, and with good reason.

Unfortunately, the range of horns that comprise the best of the best is pretty narrow. That makes these horns very hard to find in good condition. This one is a rare survivor with beautiful original lacquer, and it also has a fresh, $1900 full mechanical overhaul done by Matt Stohrer, who is one of the best techs in the business. Matt’s overhaul is described on his website: stohrermusic.com/repair-services/ . If you read through that description of the work, you will see that this means that the horn is now mechanically perfect, needing only regular maintenance for the next 50 years or so! It also means that it is shockingly easy to play low Bb on this horn – it has just about the quietest and easiest subtone in the low register that I have seen. The body tube is very alive as well – resonating under your fingers as the best saxophones do. If I didn’t already have a horn just like this, I would be keeping this one.

In terms of past repairs, there’s not a ton to mention: the key guards for low C and Eb have been resoldered, and the post at the upper stack and one under the G# key touch were also resoldered. It’s very clean, especially as 75 year old saxophones go.

I threw in a brand new, $375 BAM Cabine tenor case with this horn, because I think that BAM is making the best Selmer cases on the market today, and this horn deserves it. If you would rather have a different modern case, like a Hiscox or a different BAM, just let me know, and we can swap it out for your needs. This is a rare, turn-key purchase for a world-class vintage Selmer tenor that will make even the most jaded gear heads get excited. Grab it now before it’s gone.