Description
The Selmer Mark VII, the last remaining relative bargain Selmer-wise, is a very well-built vintage Selmer with a slightly odd left hand pinky table, but it more than makes up for it with quality, value, and tone. Speaking of tone, the VII alto features the same big, powerful, and deep tone of a late VI alto, and I find them to be very similar (and I really like late VI altos, especially the American-assembled ones).
This particular instrument has recently been serviced, and plays very well on a mix of older (some original) and newer pads. It has not seen much use in its life based on how little wear it has, and the lacquer is original and in extremely good condition. There is no evidence of past repairs, dentwork, or resoldering, and the original case is still in very good condition as well. The ergonomics, although slightly different from a VI (and the following model, the Super Action 80) in the left hand pinky table and Eb/C spatulas, are easy to get used to, and some players with large hands even find it preferable over a VI. I possess hands of merely average size, but I don’t find it to be different enough that I really notice it at all in playing.
All in all, this is an excellent condition alto that plays very well and represents an uncommonly good value for a Selmer.
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