Series II Bari vs. Series III Bari… what’s the difference & one should I get?
Obviously, this is a personal preference issue and opinions on this will vary with everyone you talk to. So this section is the opinion of Dave Kessler on this topic:

Both the Series II and Series III bari saxes are great horns. Especially with the level of manufacturing that Selmer has brought them up to today, either horn will impress players once properly setup. However, these two horns are very unique saxes. What I find between the two models is very simple:

• Series II Bari – Darker & Thicker in Tone. The Series II bari offers a wonderfully rich tone.
• Series III Bari – Brighter & much more focused in tone. Resistance is lighter though still present. Responds extremely easily with any style of player or mouthpiece. The horn has more potential for edge and brightness, especially for players that want to achieve power & projection with less effort. The Series III Bari has more power, projection, response & “bark” than any bari that Selmer has ever made!

Every Series II Bari we send out to a customer is not released from us unless it has been completely setup in our shop first. This is because the setup on the horn is of the utmost importance! Sometimes, a saxophone (regardless of who the manufacturer or the price point is) comes in needing 20 minutes of adjustments and then the very next one can require 2 hours! So if you were to get 5 of the same model right out of the box, they will all play different which leads people to believe that they are “good” or “bad” saxes… but the reality is that the one that was the best out of the 5 was likely the one that needed the least amount of work and on the flip side, the “bad” sax was the one that needed 2 hours worth of adjustments!

Once the same 5 saxophones are properly regulated and adjusted to perfection, they become near identical saxophones that even the pickiest of players would be challenged to pick a true “favorite” horn. However, since most stores do not or even can not perform this setup, the player never knows this and is simply relying on the luck of the draw. This is why we perform our setup (in our www.SaxophoneRepairs.com ProShop) on them before delivering your new sax to you. You trust us with the purchase of your Series II Bari and we want to make sure that you are rewarded by giving you your ideal saxophone setup flawlessly!