Sax Addict

This is quite possibly the most legendary tenor saxophone of them all. You want to talk about a horn that fetches a ridiculous sum of money on eBay. This is that horn. Perhaps the most sought after horn of all, the Selmer Paris Mark VI is about as close to perfection as perhaps the tenor saxophone has ever achieved. The serial number range on the Mark VI is 53201 - 236000. It was Selmer’s longest production run ever. For obvious reasons, the earlier numbered Mark VI’s are more highly sought after, but a Mark VI is a Mark VI, that is to say about as good as a tenor sax gets.

When it comes to valuing a Mark VI, the condition of the saxophone can make a difference of thousands of dollars of value. I’ve seen junky Mark VI’s on eBay in questionable shape for $1,000 - $2,000. At the same time the perfect condition instruments command a pricetag in the $4,000 - $8,000 range. It’s important that the serial numbers on the neck match the body. Also of interest is that while the Mark VI is a historic tenor sax, there were also alto, baritone, and soprano models made.

The closest comparable modern saxophone that Selmer makes is the Selmer Paris Paris Reference 54 Tenor Saxophone. It’s a very highly regarded modern saxophone that carries a very high price tag as well over $6,000 in fact. That’s every bit as expensive as a vintage Mark VI, so it’s kind of a toss-up as to which is the better way to go.