Selmer Radio Improved Tenor 19xxx American Engraved

Description

The Selmer Radio Improved model was only made for a couple of years, and the total number of Radio Improved saxophones of all sizes is somewhere around 2250 total horns. To give you a sense of the comparative rarity, there are about 100 Selmer Mark VI’s for every 1 Radio Improved. They are special for a number of reasons – the keywork is more modern than the earlier Selmers, like the New Largebore, but the neck design is very similar to a Balanced Action. The tone tends to be a lot bigger and somewhat more spread compared to a BA or any later Selmer. So if you are looking for a Selmer core tone, but you are wanting a bigger, more spread, lush tone, then you will find yourself looking for a New Largebore, Super, or Radio Improved. Since I play a BA tenor myself, I naturally also gravitate towards these slightly older Selmers. They are phenomenal horns, and they remind me of the best vintage Conns in some ways, which is high praise if you have ever played a good pre-war Conn tenor. The body tube tends to be very alive and resonant even at lower volumes, and the dark, velvety spread tone also leans in that direction. Coleman Hawkins played a Selmer Super very much like this early on, if that is any help in imagining some of the tonal possibilities. Lots of modern players are seeking out these horns, and you can look around online to find many other takes on what they can do.

This particular horn has American engraving, with a little cabin on a lake scene, surrounded by extensive floral engraving. American-engraved RI tenors are very uncommon, with the majority of RI’s seeming to be either Euro or British engraved and assembled. It’s fun to see a little preview of what would become a larger portrait on the slightly later Balanced Action tenors.

There is very little lacquer left on this horn. The patina on the brass is dark and even rainbow-colored from certain angles, giving this horn a unique look. I’m hesitant to have it hand-polished, because it looks so cool, and only about 80 or so years of use will make a horn look like this. If you wanted to polish it gently, it would go back to looking as shiny as you like. I can’t tell if this horn was ever relacquered – the tiny bit of lacquer it has is the right color to be original, but the engraving is either worn from handling over the years or this may have been relacquered and then all of the lacquer eventually wore off. Who knows? In any case, it’s a beautiful horn as it is, and it is in very good structural condition, with very few past repairs. The neck is basically perfect, which is extremely uncommon in such an old horn, and it has not been worked on at all. I had a few of the pearl key touches replaced because the pearl holders had worn down from use, and I had an oval pearl put on the G# key touch for added comfort, because the original one was no longer functional.

Right now, this horn only plays a little bit on the old pads, but the little bit that it does play says “this is a huge playing saxophone, if only someone would give me a good overhaul.” I plan to get that done soon, but for the time being, it’s sold as is with old pads, and you can get your tech to do the overhaul. It comes with a nice, new BAM case that is about a $400 value, because it deserves it. Grab this now, and I am sure you won’t be disappointed. Or let me know if you’d like to get it with a good overhaul, and we can discuss your options. I only use the best techs.