I just bought an SDA Alto

[TheChristianSax]

I just bought a beautiful SDA alto 68xx from and old sax player. All I have to say is that I never considered the Buffet, but am now a changed man!!! After playing it, I am amazed!! What a horn. Now I just need a pad job and everything will be just fine. I feel like I should be passing out cigars!! :lol:
Sincerely,
Matt

[Saxa]

Although its not an Alto. I just recieved my Buffet S-1 transitional Tenor. Maybe we should throw a party! :D Party-Party

[mostly alto guy]

Both the SDA alto and the S1 tenor are missing from my stable of Buffets. Just how much do you guys love these horns? Hmm??

[TheChristianSax]

I would say that I love the horn a lot!!!!!!! I am going to be doing a repad soon, so I am sure that will improve things even more. The response and action are wonderful. It is a really good looking horn too!! The ONLY drawback is that the left hand pinky table is not as nice as modern-tilting ones, but besides that, it is awesome. There is one on ebay right now for a reasonable price!!!

Sincerely,

Matt

[noelpaz]

I have just gotten hold of an SDA tenor as well. I had a post with a link to the pic. It is really a nice horn, mint and looks new for a 31 year old horn. I use to have a Selmer balanced action which got stolen. I finallyfound this horn locally and I lve in a town were good horns are scarce. I got a Yani which I promptly sold when I got this one. I am very pleased. My friend has a lot of good horns, Selmers especially and when I went over his house to buy one of his links, he was amazed by this horn. Inspite of the so called buffet stuffiness, this actually played louder than all his selmers but not as loud as the Conn. And he has nice Selmers - 2 Mark VI and a Euro Balanced action. Now I see why cybersax says the SDA is a cross between a Mark VI and a 10M. And the intonation is great and really I find better than the balanced in ergonomics and almost Mark VI like except for the left pinky table. Your hands are in their natural position. It's neck has more resistance than the selmers and conn, but good resistance, so you can use a easier reed moutpiece setup and not run out of breath and fatigue in your embochure and still project

Honestly I won't mind having a good Mark VI still if I can evr afford it., but the buffet SDA is really a good bang for the buck when you are buying a 60's to 70's horn. I also think that since my lacquer is almost 99% - I am not getting the resonance I get from my memories of my balanced action and my friends Selmers. But I do feel the potential for resonance will come once the finish wears off. There is definitely more vibration felt on the buffet and it is a much heavier horn.

[TheChristianSax]

I looked at your horn pics, and it looks great. When talking about the vibration, that is exactly what I experienced!! When I went to play it, I thought it was going to be a really dark and stuffy horn also. On the contrary, it was a beautiful, ringing sound that was clear. I have played on a Mark VI and King Super 20, and this had more of ring than either one of those horns. I would love to experience more Mark VI's and other vintage horns, but am in the same predicament where it is hard to find good horns to play. I can only base my judgement on the few that I have played, along with an old Conn that I owned, and my Jupiter. I think I will make a lamp out of the Jupiter though. :D

There is a professor where I work that has a Selmer sax that I am trying to get him to bring. He says his parents bought it new in 1967 because a friend had one. When I questioned him about it, he said it was a Mark VII, but after I informed him of the production years, he said he didn't know! So he is keeping a Mark VI in the back of his closet and doesn't even know it. :?

Sincerely,

Matt