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Saxophone
Selmer AS600
No current price available
Availability: 0/10 (Very rare)
An entry-level Eb alto saxophone from Selmer's American student line, built from clear-lacquered brass with nickel-plated keys and a high F# key as standard. Its "Aristocrat" name is a direct holdover from Buescher's former professional line, repurposed for the student market after Selmer's parent company acquired Buescher in 1963 - a piece of corporate history that explains why a budget horn carries such an upscale-sounding name. Owner opinion splits between players who found it rugged and capable of carrying a student for years and others who ran into individual units with sharp intonation in the upper register.
About the Selmer AS600
The AS600 is built from clear-lacquered brass with nickel-plated keywork, a material and finish combination chosen for durability under the rough handling typical of beginning players rather than for tonal refinement. Its key feature set includes a high F# key - not universal on entry-level horns - plus a rocking table key mechanism with an articulated C# adjusting screw, details aimed at keeping action smooth and intonation manageable despite the lower price point. The horn ships with a D402 mouthpiece and a dedicated 5073 case, giving a new player a complete, ready-to-play setup out of the box.
Where to buy
Unfortunately we can't currently find any offers for this instrument. Check back regularly - we update our listings several times a day.
Sound character of the Selmer AS600
No verified, model-specific sound character beyond general playability and intonation reports was found in the available sources - the field is deliberately left without invented tonal claims.
What owners of the Selmer AS600 say
The overall mood is mixed but leans practical rather than enthusiastic or dismissive. Supporters describe it as rugged enough to survive years of student use and genuinely capable of letting a young player advance significantly, with build quality that strikes them as better than the low price would suggest. Critics point to inconsistent quality control, citing specific units with pronounced sharpness in the upper register and general build concerns, framing it as a company trading some quality for affordability. The most balanced advice from experienced advisors threads the needle: keep the AS600 as a dependable starting or backup instrument, but plan to move up to an intermediate or professional horn once a student commits seriously to the instrument.
Playability & handling of the Selmer AS600
Experience with the AS600 varies by individual instrument rather than pointing to a single consistent verdict. One long-term owner reported a son who played the horn from middle school onward and advanced greatly on it, suggesting the saxophone is fully capable of carrying a developing student for years. Against that, at least one teacher found a specific unit wildly sharp through the second octave, especially on G, with octaves running generally too high - an intonation issue that, where it occurs, falls on the player or a technician to manage through embouchure and mouthpiece adjustment rather than a universal trait of every AS600 built.
Recommended accessories & strings for the Selmer AS600
The included D402 mouthpiece is a reasonable starting point, but experienced advisors in saxophone communities tend to recommend investing in a better mouthpiece before replacing the whole instrument if a student needs more consistent intonation or tone - a cheaper, more targeted fix than a full horn upgrade. For students planning to continue toward more serious or professional playing, the common advice is to keep the AS600 as a backup or practice horn while stepping up to an intermediate or professional model such as a used Selmer AS42/AS210, AS411/AS711, or a comparable Yamaha, Jupiter, or Cannonball instrument.
Technical data for the Selmer AS600
| Type | Student-model Eb alto saxophone |
|---|---|
| Body | Clear-lacquered brass |
| Keywork | Nickel-plated |
| Features | High F# key, rocking table key mechanism with articulated C# adjusting screw |
| Included accessories | D402 mouthpiece, Model 5073 case |
| Case dimensions | 28 x 14 x 12 in., approx. 21 lb |
The history of the Selmer AS600
The "Aristocrat" name carried by this budget student horn has a surprising pedigree: it originally belonged to Buescher's high-end professional saxophone line. When the H&A Selmer Company acquired Buescher in 1963, it repurposed the Buescher factory, equipment and personnel to build its own student-line instruments under the Bundy name, while the Aristocrat name itself was downgraded and reused for Selmer's own entry-level saxophone range - which is why a beginner's instrument today carries a name that once signified a premium, professional-grade horn.
About Selmer as a manufacturer
The American Selmer company was founded in Elkhart, Indiana in 1927 by George Bundy with backing from Carl Greenleaf, initially to import Selmer Paris instruments and later to build its own US-made line. The Bundy Band Instrument Corporation, named after Bundy following his 1951 death, was established in 1958 and folded into Selmer in 1965, with the Bundy name living on as the brand for Selmer's student-line instruments. Selmer's 1963 acquisition of the Buescher Band Instrument Company brought Buescher's manufacturing base into the fold, and the resulting corporate consolidation eventually led to the 2003 formation of Conn-Selmer, Inc., which continues to produce the Aristocrat student line today.
Notable players & recordings featuring the Selmer AS600
No verified, model-specific signature-player association was found for this entry-level student saxophone.
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