SELMER BUNDY ALTO SAXOPHONE - MATTE EPOXY FINISH, SELF LEVELING PADS - PLAYS!!!

Description

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his listing is for a  Selmer Bundy
alto saxophone. The serial number is 611,xxx. It was manufactured in the mid 1970's, shortly after Selmer bought out Buescher. This horn is basically the same design as the Buescher Aristocrats that were made at that time.
Selmer continued to sell this model under both the Buescher Aristocrat brand name, as well as branded as a Selmer Bundy. This was a hugely popular student model sax in the 1960's and 70's. The design is simple, but tried and true. They have solid intonation, and were built much more sturdy than today's horns. Remember, this was made back when instruments were designed to last, not to be disposable!
This one is a little different than most Bundys from this era though. It has matte epoxy finish, and self leveling pads. Both of these elements are original. Selmer offered the epoxy finish for a while, but it never really took off, presumably because kids preferred typical 'shiny' looking horns. The self leveling pads are a little less common, but you do see them from time to time on Bundys from this era.
Sometimes horns with these features get a bad rap, but for the life of me, I don't understand why. I have played a number of Bundys with epoxy finish and self leveling pads, and they are fantastic players! I think it is due in large part to the epoxy being very reflective of the sound waves, giving these horns a very bright, lively sound. They are also capable of incredible volume and projection. I would imagine maybe the pads also contribute to that. Regarding the pads, they seem a little odd at first, in that they tilt within their key cups, but they really don't feel that much different under the fingers than normal pads do, and the rubber gasket material they are comprised of lasts a LONG time!
This horn is in ready to play condition right out of the box! I just did a basic playing condition job on it, because it really didn't need much. The pads were already sealing very well. I just did a few tweaks to correct the couple of minor leaks I found. I also replaced a handful of key corks and felts, and the neck cork. That's really all it needed to put it in proper playing condition.
Just like the other horns of this type that I've played, this one is a burner! The tone is very bright and powerful, and it can be super loud if you want to be. This would be a great horn for playing with heavily amplified instruments in a rock band. The tone just cuts like a knife! It plays easily from high F down to low Bb, as you can hear in the video demo below.
See the product in action.
This sax is in overall very good physical condition. The body is perfectly straight. The neck has not been pulled down, or otherwise damaged. There is one dent on the bow, plus a couple minor pings elsewhere, but these do not affect how it plays. One of the key guards is slightly bent, but the key still functions properly. The lip of the bell was bent down slightly and repaired, which resulted in some finish loss. Other than that, the finish is almost fully intact. The epoxy is extremely durable, so it really doesn't scratch or wear like lacquer would. The keys are all operating smoothly with minimal mechanical wear. The self leveling pads are in very good condition.
This sax comes in its original plastic shell case. The case is also in great condition. There are no cracks to the exterior plastic shell. The inside has minimal wear, and it is odor free.
There is no mouthpiece, nor any other accessories included, except for a plastic end plug.
Just FYI, I'm not sure that I would recommend this horn for a kid to use in school band. This is primarily because of the pad type, which most teachers will not be familiar with, and might look at a bit askew. It would be perfect for an adult though, particularly someone playing with a loud contemporary music group. Collectors will also appreciate the unique features of this instrument.
Please feel free to message me with any questions!
Thanks again for looking!