Selmer Paris Supreme Tenor Saxophone

After 12 years of secret development, Selmer reveal to us their "best tenor saxophone ever designed!"

After 100 years of innovation, design, and manufacturing, the most iconic saxophone brand in the World has set out to redefine the modern saxophone.

Following the huge success of the alto version, the tenor has been highly acclaimed by various World-leading saxophonists who have had access to the Supreme before its Worldwide release. Such artists include Chris Potter, Ravi Coltrane, Branford Marsalis, and David Sanchez.

The Supreme has been built with the flexibility to handle all genres. Selmer has aimed to take the best qualities of the models that preceded it - the legendary suppleness of the Mark VI, the ease of the Super Action 80 Series II, the precision and elegance of the Series III, and the power and the roundness of the Reference. 

DEVELOPING THE SUPREME TENOR

The starting point was an extensive survey conducted internally and among musicians, technicians, dealers, and distributors to determine the broad outlines of what the Supreme would become.

Once the specifications were drawn up, the Research & Development at Selmer Paris went into action.  They were ready to convert all the acoustic and technical knowledge accumulated over many years of research and acoustic experimentation.  Their objective was clear: to make the best saxophone ever designed.

And within this, this instrument needed to be flexible and able to span across all musical genres; that’s why they sought input from both classical and jazz players when designing this sax.

No acoustic, mechanical, ergonomic, or aesthetic detail was neglected during the numerous trials carried out by the Selmer testers and their designer Jérémie Bernard.

The use of new technologies has been widely employed: 3D printing, metrology (3D scanner), automated control of machining tools, etc.  The idea was to reinvent everything without having to start from a completely blank page.

Finally, after 12 years of overcoming obstacles that nourished and enriched its development, Selmer has ended up with an instrument that is unanimously appreciated by all of its artists and contributors, no matter what style they play in.

Staff Review

“As I mentioned in my equivalent review of the alto Supreme, it is a grand claim laid down by Selmer to state that their goal is to ‘create the best tenor saxophone ever made by Henri Selmer Paris in terms of acoustics, mechanics, ergonomics and aesthetics’.  Any other company that makes gestures like this, we perhaps take it with a pinch of salt, but when that company is Selmer Paris I believe you have to sit up and listen!

Beyond that, the very fact that Selmer has been laboring over this tenor for over a decade, and along the way passing pre-production models to top players for their feedback, suggests to me that they have taken this seriously!

Well, I finally got one in my hands, a few weeks before the Worldwide launch, and I have to say that I had a marvelous experience with it.  The new Selmer way forward (for some years now) has been to go to town on the presentation of their instruments.  The case is perfect and expensive (if a little heavy!), and even when you open it you are faced with a beautiful microfibre dust cloth that drapes over the sax before you eventually reveal it!  The sax itself has been perfectly manufactured, and everything has been thought of; incredible aesthetics, beautifully finished components, a highly tuned and low tolerance mechanism, and perfect and precise ergonomics.

And how is it to play?  Immediately I realized that I was dealing with a rich, smooth, and warm tone, full of quality.  As I worked through all of the registers I could hear the quality in every note through the range – no weak spots, and no duff intonation areas.  Everything was just there.  And then when I ventured further into pushing the dynamics, trying different phrasing, and articulation, I realized that the sax just followed me and allowed me to express whatever I was trying to play.  The sound opens up a gives power and bark when pushed and retains a dark focus when holding back.  I also love that slightly closer key action that Selmer has put in place, just making you feel really in touch with anything that you’re trying to play.

It's just as well that Selmer has got this one right because this instrument is expensive!  More so relatively than the alto, it seems to me!  But if you are looking to get the ultimate saxophone, then perhaps this is the price you must pay for such luxury!” Jim Cheek - SAX