Saxophone Forum


by funkysaxophone
(5 posts)
18 years ago

relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

Hi, My Selmer Reference alto sax has brown spots, i have the option to relaquer or get a new one. My current sax is a great one, it took a few months to get this great sax and i'm afraid that it will take again so long to get a new one. When the sax is relaquered it will be done at the Selmer factory in france. What can i expect whith the relaquering?, is the sound influenced and can you see that the sax is relaquered? What should i do, relaquer or get a new one?

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  1. by barisax999
    (400 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

    why do you want to do either. why dont you just let it go? eventually every horn will have laquerware. thats just how it works.

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    1. by definition
      (963 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

      hehe laquer wear.... you wanna see my horns? then we'll talk about laquer wear! seriously, I wouldnt worry about the laquer wear

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      1. by chiamac
        (586 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

        well this depends, and there are a few threads on this matter and many opinons both on this forum and with players. There are two camps from what I can tell. One camp says it makes no difference, another says it makes a big difference. I'm of the opinon that it dosen't IF there is no or minimal buffing on the horn before new laquer is put on. However, the engravings will be covered (as in they will look gold instead of bare metal)... I guess we need a little more info, is Selmer willing to cover this cost or replace it? I mean this is a new horn and this was a lot of money and you should be able to expect something you paid that money for. However, (my opinon) the color (or discolor) adds something to the horn, to the story, and since it plays well... I really wouldn't mess around with it too much. =)

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    2. by barisax999
      (400 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

      all that needs to be said is look at breckers horn

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  2. by funkysaxophone
    (5 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

    Some more information.., on some places with the spots also the laquer is coming off the sax, also the places where the brown/ grey spot exists are getting bigger and spreading over the the neck and from soldering points over the body of the saxophone. When i want to change this sax to a new one, then my local dealer will do this for me and he pays for it, the re-laquering is covered by the garantee

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  3. by jamterry
    (573 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

    If the horn is new, I would ask for a replacement. You paid more for that horn than I paid for two new MK VI's. Make them stand by their guarantee. My horns are 40+ years old and the lacquer is going, but if your horn is new , get another one. Michael Brecker's horn isn't new. Don't do a relacquer. If you can't get a new one, you will get used to the worn spots.

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    1. by johnsonfromwisconsin
      (767 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

      Plain and simply, I would have it replaced. If the ref ends up being a valueable vintage horn, even a factory relaq will bring value down. On the more pragmatic side, even though this horn plays well now, it may not play well after the relacquer. No, the relac won't do it, but to relacquer they'll need to completely strip the horn down, replace all pads and felts, etc. From what I gather the Refs all play very well once setup is all squared away, but the setup from Selmer's factory has reputed to be inconsistent.

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      1. by jamterry
        (573 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

        I always take my horns to Paul Maslin in Chicago for setup.

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        1. by Slausonm
          (51 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

          I worked in an overhaul shop and still do an occasional relaquer. When most horns get relaquered it is because they are worn and dented. We always took the dents out before lacquering. Does this change the sound? Yes! for the better. If your horn is new with bad lacquer stripping the horn and relaquering will not change the sound. The new pads and corks may change the sound! Anyone who has been around a manufacturer knows that due to a variety of reasons a lacquered horn may get stripped and buffed a few times before it is sold as "new" Ifit is under warranty go for the new horn. If only covered by repair/relacquer...go for it. Matt

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        2. by Lefty
          (21 posts)

          17 years ago

          Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

          I, too, have worked in shops where refinishing was done. I don't want to enter on either side of the arguement; it must be understood that ANYTHING you do to the horn will change the sound, even repadding, as someone said in an earlier post. And as Matt says, if a new horn is free, that might be hard to pass up. If the offer is only to refinish it, and it is to be done in Paris, by the time it gets there, gets done, and gets back to you, you will have forgotten what it originally played like. And please don't take this as a put-down of you. It won't get done overnight. Lefty

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        3. by funkysaxophone
          (5 posts)

          17 years ago

          Re: relaquer selmer Reference alto sax

          Thanks guys, i have enough information right now. I will get a new saxophone because it's covered by garantee. I have an other question regarding resonators. Right now i have on my saxophone black roopads with gold plated noyek resonators. I like the roopads but the noyeks i do not like, the sound is too "round". What type of resonator can i use to get a more aggressive/ emotional and full sound? Thanks, Eric

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