Selmer SUPREME - TENOR SAXOPHONE BB LACQUERED

The Supreme: a new benchmark in the Henri SELMER Paris tradition

Manufactured in France at the Mantes-la-Ville workshops, Henri SELMER Paris saxophones rely on over a century of artisanal and musical excellence. The Supreme continues this legacy with a clear ambition: to elevate acoustics, mechanics, ergonomics, and aesthetics to a level of precision rarely achieved.
Its name pays tribute to John Coltrane and the album "A Love Supreme," a symbol of absolute sound exploration. After more than 12 years of development, this tenor aims to surpass historical models by offering a sensation of lightness and suppleness, while inheriting modern standards of intonation, stability, and mechanical reliability.

Who it is for, and in which styles this tenor saxophone excels

The Selmer Supreme is primarily aimed at advanced and professional saxophonists seeking a tenor capable of everything, without compromise: from the most intimate nuance to a more percussive attack, with immediate response. Its balance also makes it very appealing for musicians in higher education programs wishing to invest in a "definitive" instrument.
It naturally finds its place in jazz (modern jazz, hard bop, ballads), but also in classical music, pop, big band, and amplified contexts, thanks to generous projection and a timbre palette that remains manageable at all volumes.

Sound and design

The Supreme stands out with a very free response for a tenor, with reduced inertia from the first note. Its design emphasizes powerful projection, a rich roundness full of harmonics, and ideally balanced intonation, while maintaining a great capacity for sound shaping: deliberate roughness, lyricism, breathiness, density, and finesse can coexist depending on your air column and reed choice.
Consistency across registers is supported by a revised acoustic architecture (neck, tone holes, bell, body tube) and mechanics designed for velocity and comfort: mother-of-pearl heights, side keys, and pinky keys are optimized for a more natural hand position. Aesthetically, the specific Supreme engraving highlights the instrument's high-end character.

Recommended compatible accessories

To complement the provided equipment, you can simply plan for tenor saxophone reeds (strength to choose according to your embouchure and style) and, if needed, a replacement maintenance kit (grease, swabs) to maintain the same playing sensations daily.

• Extended bell for rich, more accurate low notes
• Reduced key cup diameter to free up the tone holes and optimize the timbre
• Direct adjustment arm between the right-hand F♯ and F keys for finer, more reliable adjustment
• Octave key system with Teflon bearings to reduce play, noise and wear
• Left-hand pinky keyboard with articulated rocker for easier fingering transitions
• Rolling rollers for smoother mechanical action on the F♯ and G♯ keys
• Raised D♯ and high F keys for quicker access
• Repositioned thumb rest and thumb hook for improved grip
• Rebalanced springs for smoother action
• Concentric-clamping socket for a better connection between the neck and body, ensuring improved long-term clamping stability and preventing deformation of the socket and tenon

Technical specifications

Level	Professional	Color	Yellow
Tone	Bb	Finishing	Varnished
Body material	Varnished brass

Pitch	440Hz - 442Hz	Thumb boss and hook	repositioned
Bell	extended	Springs	rebalanced
Body tube	new design	Pads	leather, with rivetless metal resonators
Tone hole diameters	modified	New neck bore	increased input and output diameters for greater projection and a fuller sound
Tone hole drawing	machine-made, assisted by tone hole grouping	Bore	neck input diameter
Keywork travel	reduced	Socket	3-point concentric tightening
Key diameters	reduced	Supreme Case	case with an exclusive design made especially for the Supreme by partner BAM, compact format, ample storage space, two detachable interior pouches, comfortable straps ; midnight-blue ABS shell echoing the color of the " S " on the neck key
Adjustment arm	direct, between the F# and right-hand F keys	Concept Mouthpiece	innovative design, dedicated manufacturing technologies, ease of play, rich sound and great consistency ; supplied with mouthpiece cap and ligature
Octave key system	with Teflon bearings	Strap	foam and leather neck strap, with a gold metal slider shaped like the Henri SELMER Paris logo marked in Black
Left-hand pinky keyboard	with articulated rocker	Silk/microfiber textile	dual-material textile shaped to fit the case, microfiber side featuring the Supreme engraving and silk side to be placed on the instrument for maximum protection
Side keys	redesigned shapes and positions	Stopper	metal
Left-hand mother-of-pearl heights	realigned	Body swab	round shape, microfiber featuring the Supreme engraving, central absorbent foam
F X and G# mechanism	rolling rollers	Neck swab	microfiber fabric featuring the Supreme engraving
D# and high F keys	raised	Grease tube	tube featuring the Supreme engraving