Do you really NEED a Selmer Mark VI?

Everybody knows about the notorious Selmer Mark VI saxophone, but who really needs one? How does it compare to other horns, like the Series II, Series III, and Reference 54? Does it live up to the mythology of, “best horn ever”? Emerging jazz saxophonist, Kyle Brooks, and I dive in to find out how the Mark VI and other horns work for jazz and classical and also discuss other equipment choices. We also talk about how our personal needs shape the equipment we buy, the value of not switching too often, and more.

This is one of my longest videos yet, so try using the chapter markers to hop between various sound demos for a better comparison experience.

TL;DW: No.

Selmer Paris Supreme: Hands-On First Impressions

Howdy! Through an unexpected series of events, I came into possession of a Selmer Paris Supreme alto saxophone for a few days and was given carte-blanche to test it. So, as a followup to my initial thoughts blogpost, here is my hands-on first impressions! In this video, I directly compare the Supreme to my usual Series III and discuss the tone, potential for jazz, intonation, ergonomics, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief time with the Supreme alto, and I could see myself considering it if I could not directly replace my Series III. In the meantime, I am very tempted to pick up a Supreme neck for my Series III, as I found it to bring some intonation improvements and make the sound very slightly warmer and more homogenous. If you have any questions that I did not address in the video, please leave a comment!

TLDW: An appealing sound that combines the more laidback and warm tones of older Selmer horns with the immediate response and ease of the Series III. Small intonation improvements mostly attributed to the neck. Mostly good ergonomic changes, with the exception of the round pearl chromatic F# key and the LH palm keys feeling slightly more spread than I prefer.

A note on representation and sexism: On a more depressing note, Selmer Paris continues to be woefully tonedeaf in their marketing of this instrument to a male audience. See the recent kerfuffle surrounding their marketing of various finishes “to suit him.” Major kudos are owed to great saxophonists and teachers Sarah Roberts and Ellie Parker for speaking truth to power on public forum and rejuvenating this discussion. The company have since updated the post and attributed the exclusive gendered language as an “unintentional translation error,” but I nonetheless believe that these convenient mistakes are a result of the blind spot in perspective within Selmer Paris’ development and marketing organization. For a company that positions itself as a global brand for musicians everywhere, this is a pretty egregious oversight and seems to be a holdover from “old-world” thinking.

Selmer, please listen to, acknowledge, include, and feature the women, non-binary, IPOC, LGBTQ+, and other players who want to love your horns. Your products will only be made more rich for your conscious efforts towards embracing inclusivity. Do better.

Initial Thoughts on the new Selmer Paris "Supreme" Alto Saxophone

UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO READ & WATCH MY HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH THE SELMER SUPREME

It is not often that Selmer Paris releases a new top-end alto saxophone. For better or for worse, today will certainly will be considered a historic day in the history of the company! The newly released Selmer Paris “Supreme” model is being positioned as a new zenith in saxophone design from the company in terms of sound, versatility, mechanism, and aesthetics. Check out their pitch here. Selmer have also released a sumptuously produced video demonstrating the instrument’s capabilities and changes (dig Vincent David and Baptiste Herbin shredding, too).

After reviewing the newly-released materials on this instrument, I have prepared a few musings for your consideration as the Selmer Paris “Supreme” makes its way into the real world. This is by no means a review, but rather a collection of semi-organized thoughts.

• The new 3-joint tenon receiver looks like a promising way to eliminate play and common tenon leaks. This is not an entirely new idea but was, in fact, originally conceived on the SML “Rev-D” models in a 4-joint form. I am curious how the adjustable nickel-silver screw ring will hold up to wear over time.

• Selmer seems to have repositioned the Series III’s controversial C# venting/covering mechanism to be more similar to the mechanisms found on their soprano saxophones. The new position is somewhat higher on the body and seems to utilize a small-sized pad rather than the medium-sized pad from before. I imagine that these smaller pads may be slightly less prone to leaking; I also appreciate how the repositioning allows the relevant adjustment screw to be in a more convenient spot. I have never had complaints with my Series III’s C# mechanism and I am glad to see that survives in a revised form for this new model. Hopefully this one stays in adjustment longer and is indeed lighter on the octave key action.

• The materials mention “repositioned left-hand keys,” but I am curious to which horn they are comparing. Compared to the II, III, Reference? If they are anything like the changes previously seen from the Series II to the III, I am sure that they will be much-loved.

• I am glad to see that auxiliary keys have gotten some attention. I generally really enjoy these keys on my Series III (especially compared to the II and Reference), but I do somewhat envy the level of comfort that Yamaha EX-II players have enjoyed for many years, especially in the right hand palm keys. Selmer seems to have adopted similar changes in this area as well as the front-F key, which is now keyed with more leverage which should result in smoother/easier action than before. I am concerned about the chromatic F# key, however, which is has reverted to a vintage style round touchpiece rather than staying oval shaped. I personally prefer large you-cannot-miss-it touchpieces in this area, especially for fast passages, and because this style of key is more accommodating of various finger lengths. I am not sure why they made this choice apart from aesthetics. Selmer mention that this key has been repositioned however, so perhaps this is not so much of a problem with the actual horn in hand.

• The original adjustable Series III-style lefthand pinky spatulas have returned! I was dismayed to see this feature disappear around 2010 when all horns adopted the same Series II-style spatulas. I am glad to see that it lives on; I find it to be slightly smoother in action, appreciate the adjusting capability (which I have used), and find it more visually beautiful.

• The new key guard design is beautiful. I worry a little bit about how they will stand up to knocks though, especially the B/Bb guard which features long strips of thin metal. Perhaps this is by design, so that the guards collapse rather than transfer a dent into the body?

• The new engraving is ridiculously stunning and shows that there may be advantage to computer/machine engraving. This design would not be feasible on a mass production scale with human engravers. Engraving now runs the whole length of the horn… given the price, this is a nice upgrade. You used to have to buy a gold-plated sax for that feature! I also appreciate the darker lacquer, which seems to be between the Reference 54 and current gold lacquer shades. The engraving really pops through this darker color. Overall, gorgeous aesthetics!

• The fork-style t(a) and t(c) joints survive another day, and they are still adjustable! I much prefer this design to the ball-joint style used on Yamaha EX horns, which can become noisy after a few years wear.

• I am sad to see that the rear RH stack bar is still not adjustable. It seems to still rely on adjustment materials adhered to the key feet. I find these keys go out of adjustment all of the time, especially the F key, and I would have appreciated the capability to maintain adjustment myself without having to sand down or apply new material. Yamaha offers this capability, and perhaps Selmer will in the future. I see that they have added an F# adjustment mechanism, however, and that is much appreciated.

• This horn no longer comes with the classic S80 C* mouthpiece but instead comes with a Concept in the case. This is probably the most historic change of all… Selmer has been including this mouthpiece as a standard pack-in since 1976. The ligature and cap remain unchanged from the 2010 Jubilee revisions, hopefully they eventually update the lacquer color.

• Speaking of the case, it looks great. Reminiscent of a BAM New-Trekking, but with more storage. I love the shade of metallic dark blue used on the hard plastic exterior. Perhaps this case will prove somewhat more durable than the Selmer light cases that have shipped since 2010; their neoprene backpack straps are known to tear.

• The horn is being positioned as being “above genre”. Translation: we are probably going to simplify the lineup. Prepare to see the Series II, Series III, and Reference horns be phased out in the future. This also explains the price reduction from 2019… Selmer wants to get these old horns out of inventory. We will be left with a much simpler lineup: Axos (traditional, more outsourced final assembly, good enough for most) and Supreme (state of the art, completely French-assembled, for those who need the absolute best). Both lines are confirmed to be coming out with a full quartet. Hopefully this does not take 13 years, as in the case of the Series III lineup.

• I am seeing initial European price points around €6.8k-7k. I am curious how this will translate to USD after duty, tariffs, etc.

• Another thought of a different sort: why were none of the world’s leading female or POC saxophonists featured in the testing, design, video, website, testimony, or promotional materials? Shameful.

As always, these initial thoughts are worth very little; what really matters is how this horn feels and plays in hand. What cannot be supposed are the intangibles like tone quality, intonation, the physical sensation of the action, and the general spirit of the horn. As a classical player, any improvements in these areas are always welcome and make a meaningful impact on my ability to easily express musical ideas without barriers. I look forward to learning more and, hopefully, play-testing this horn at some point in the future!