Article on Selman Saxophones

by SaxGuide

Article: Selman Saxophones: Not Just a Misspelling of Selmer!

Since this article on Selman Saxophones was written by one of our writers, it has caused much debate. I've gotten emails both for and against. In an effort to make this site credible and responsible, I've decided (not to delete the article but) to allow you to have your say on Selman saxophones. You can post your comments here. I will post a few comments that have been sent to me. Hope this helps. Tell me what you think below.

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Article on Selman Saxophones

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Sep 05, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Selman saxophones
by: Juliene

I read your article on Selman saxophones and thought you might like to know my experience. Two of my friends have bought them. I'm a professional player and I've played the soprano, alto and tenor and they all play well. One of the friends that bought one is a repairman and he says that they are pretty well made with many of the same features you find on Selmers. Whether or not they will stand up to the test of time remains to be seen. The only downfall to the horns is that the finish is not as resistant as the normal commercial brands we are used to--they scratch more easily.
Sep 05, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Selman saxophones
by: Jay

the bit about the Selman brand being a bad horn I just ordered one to test drive so to speake because I couldn't believe anyone could make and sell a sax of any kind for under $200. I was amazingly suprized at the playability, tonality and all around workability of the horn. I would put it against any student line horn I've played or seen especially a used one. I can tell by your article about the Brand you probably have never laid hands on one of their horns let alone played one before or you are going on hear-say
and or just typical sales jargon to try to make your product seem superior. I can think of several instances where a Selman horn would be the most practicle and quite adiquate.
Nov 04, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Selman sax
by: John

I just read your article on Selman saxophones. I just purchased a tenor on line from a reputable dealer. It was represented as a well made low-end saxophone. I have been playing woodwind instruments professionally for 30 years. I do admit that my main istrument is guitar. I sold my saxophones 4 years ago because I had gone through 5 episodes of pnuemonia. My lungs are better now so I thought I'd have a go at it again, which is why I bought the Selman sax. In appearance, with the exception of the blue laquer finish I looks very much like a Selmer Paris Tenor. I haven't played for 5 years and I had no problems playing this instrument. In fact, it has exceeded my expectations to the extent I have ordered matching Alto and Soprano horns. Tenor has always
been the most challenging of the three for me and I reasoned that if I could play the Tenor, the others should be cake. The tone is rich, even with the stock plastic mouthpiece and supplied reed. I feel that, after I tweek the whole mouthpiece thing I would have not problem playing the tenor in public. By the way, thanks for the website, I need to bone up on techniques. John
Dec 04, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Selman alto, Junk or not.
by: Richard Bernier

In regard to Selman saxophones, I bought a Selman alto and also a yamaha yas-23 on E Bay. I sold the Yamaha because it could not compare to the Selman in tone,playability,or quality. The Selman is built heavy and solid. It makes the Yamaha feel cheap. Put the two side by side and you can't help but see. I also have a Buscher tru tone that sounds great, but I play the Selman because it is so easy to play.
Jan 09, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		14 year old who bought blue selman soprano because he thought it was cool
by: dude who bought a blue selman sax in 8th grade because he thought it was cool

Well. i'm from houston and i bought a blue selman soprano from ebay. i was aware of the brand and how it was hardly ever heard of. Even my music teacher never heard of it.
Anyways. I know i was too young to have any good experience of what a good sound is like.
Well, I loved it because not many people could say they had a blue sax. not even a soprano.
As people commented saying it was bad sounding or comments such as " no wonder it's cheap." it made me regret buying it and i thought it was a bad buy. But i heard a lot of people play on a sopranos. I had the privelage of listening to Top in the state of texas play his soprano at the time. Because we both attended WTAMU band camp. and wow. I kept his sound with me all these years.
i'm 17 now. and when i play i always think of sounding like he does. It worked for me.
So long story short. I applied my knowledge to my long untouched selman. and to my surprise (not really). I could play better than some of the people who play on the school soprano...which is a Selmer SA 80. So of course. It's not the horn. it's the player.

In the end. The selman is a very good playable, functional, amazing saxophone. and for the price at the time....I think now...what a steal.
Although the blue has faded a bit. I don't care.
It's all about the sound.
Mar 20, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Better Than A Yamaha-475
by: Anonymous

I never knew I'd be writing this comment until I read your Article on the Selman Saxophone. Along with the other supporters here, I add my comments as well. I bought a Selman and had a Music Professor at Furman University play it and he liked it. I play it almost exclusively. I bought a YAS-475 for $1800 and then sold it because I was so disappointed in the Yamaha after playing the Selman.
The YAS-475 was hard to blow and didn't have the vibrato that the Selman has. I also love the sound I can achieve by putting a King Cleveland neck on it which fits beautifully and change my sound to the "raspy" sound of the "King"! For the money which was $224 at the time, was a better buy that any I have ever found. I have heard PROS and they all say, "Why buy a Selmer"? Now I know why! Because the Selman is just as good.
Nov 28, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Selman = JUNK
by: Esbspecial

I've been playing sax for 20 years and can say with full confidence, that Selman horns make better lamps than saxophones.

Imagine if you went to a car lot and was looking for a solid, inexpensive commuter and you were presented with a Civic, a Camry and a Yugo. Yes, the Yugo would be the cheapest and get great gas mileage and you may indeed like it more than the Civic/Camry for a while, until you got to know it.

I grabbed a Selman tenor from a coworker with the intention to use it as a loaner to my students who are still trying to figure out if they really want to play. I picked it up and started noodling on it and was plesantly surprised; it seemed to play well...until I went to the upper register. I started looking at the keywork more closely and realized that most of the keycups/rods were flexing out of shape the more the horn was played - this should not happen with any horn. I then recorded myself playing the same riff on the same mouthpiece on the Selman, a Yamaha YTS-23, a Yamaha YTS-61, a Conn 10m and a Conn 14m. On listening back to the recordings, the Selman sounded kind of like a saxophone, but more like a toy.

I came back to the horn a week later and felt exactly the same again. Looks pretty; sounds OK until you actually try to put it through its paces. It is now a lovely lamp on the wall of my studio.

In short, Selman horns, while cheap, are complete junk. Save up and get a real horn.

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