Selmer Supreme | Alto Saxophone Review 

The savings account joke was priceless

I can do a Yanagisawa setup in one hour and love the result. A Selmer can take a day and 10 pads and I am still frustrated at the end because I can't fix some factory flaws without an overhaul and the horn costs twice as much as a Yanagisawa or Yamaha that doesn't have similar issues out of the box. I hope they improve; I believe they are certainly capable. Their legendary status has proven remarkably resilient to their own assaults upon it (thanks in part to the shops that sell them finishing the work that should have been done at the factory), but it won't hold up forever. One day, I'd like to play a modern Selmer I wasn't already mad at. They make great body tubes (the slotting and intonation on the Supreme has to be felt to be believed, it is truly incredible), and I even really enjoy the aesthetics of the new machine-done engraving, which is surprising for a vintage curmudgeon like me. Thank you for the honest review.

I know I'm a bit late, but I figured I would share my experience anyway. I have owned a Selmer Supreme for about one and a half years now, having bought one in June of 2021. I do have to disclose that I got an exceptionally good price at slightly under 6000€ and that did play a role in me pulling the trigger on that particular instrument. But, it did have to get overhauled after I purchased it for everything to seal 100%. The shop I bought it at never acknowledged this problem. I also played about a dozen of them in several different shops and the one I ended up buying was the only one I liked. At first it was more of a rational choice, since I was in the market for a new alto and it's just simply so good, but after a while I did really grow to love it. I will finish my masters degree (classical) on it this year and I have grown to really appreciate it for the powerhouse it is. Response is second to none, as is intonation. Mine has almost no resistance and plays easier than any other horn I've ever played. (I probably tested around 50 professional alto's so far, ranging from silver yanagisawas, to gp yamaha customs and all of the modern Selmer models). I do get what you are saying that it feels less enticing to play than an older Selmer horn (I have no experience woth other brands' vintage instruments). However that doesn't take away from my love for the instrument as it reliably does exactly what I want. So in the end I agree with most you said about it, although as a classical player I can only imagine my perspective is a little different. I hope this is useful to anyone reading.

In the spring of 1962 I went to the Selmer factory in Indiana and selected an alto mark VI from the 23 they had on hand. One of their tech staff then did some fine tuning on the set up to my specs. After a month of lots of forte long tones on the bottom fifth of the register, the historically stiff Selmer finish was broken in and sax played beautifully, That summer Frank Kasper of Chicago replaced the needle springs with piano wire for a lightning quick action and I am still playing that instrument today. Tried many others but nothing came up to the old VI.

Only 42.4K Subscribers? Come on guys, we need to do better than that!

I played a Supreme at the Selmer showroom in Paris about a month ago. I agree with most of what you say about the horn. My alto is a Selmer Series II from 1996 or so. I loved the look and feel of the Supreme, but would not get rid of my Series II for it. When I was gifted that Series II in high school (brand new) I had the luxury of playing six of them side by side for a week before taking my pick, and the Selmer build quality issues reach back decades. I love the Selmer sound, but every new horn I've bought in the last decade has been a Yamaha or Yanagisawa. Every new and used Ref 36, 54, or Series II or III just didn't do it for me.

Your back to back comparison between the Supreme and the Mark 6 was very interesting. The Supreme sounds brighter and the Mark 6 sounds a bit richer and maybe a bit warmer as well... And I would agree with you that how any instrument actually feels when you are playing it is as important, if not more important than anything else.

Check the interview to Phill Woods about this anecdote with Charlie Parker. Forget about your equipment, is it decent, just practice the right stuff with discipline and forget about the setup, the important part is the guy in the back playing.

Thank you so much Dr. Wally for all your reviews, always honest with unbiased reasoning. As an old man am still taking lessons with my Selmer Ref.54 which is a very good, yet expensive saxophone. My understanding was when I purchased it that Selmer trusted their dealers to set up the instruments themselves which happened in my case. I notice that another subscriber has encouraged you to do a review on the Wood Stone (Ishimori) Alto and would endorse his request - I believe they have been designed on the Mk.6!. Appreciate all your input and expertise!. Happy Christmas to you and yours and every blessing for the New Year.

In discussing the build quality, I'd be interested in a little more information about the exact problems. For example, I'd regard things like problems with spring tensions, key heights and pad seating as being set-up issues. These shouldn't make it out of the factory, but when they do they can all be addressed relatively cheaply by a repair technician. On the other hand, build quality problems might include things like tone holes not being level, pillars being mis-aligned and requiring resoldering, or free play in the keywork. These are the mark of a cheap horn, and if you're seeing them on a high-end instrument I'd like to know about them.

I thought you sounded a bit better on the Supreme but not $3000 better. I play jazz for fun and use a Selmer Bundy II which sounds OK but the key work does not respond to what I want to do. I have to play loudly so that my phrasing doesn,t drop off and sound ridiculous. I think I might get the horn mastered and playing by the time I reach the age of 78. I,ve been listening to jazz since the age of 15 and have heard hundreds of players at my age now of 75. I hear Paul Desmond in your playing and really enjoy listening to your teaching approach as I too am a retired science and math teacher who had the students laughing for most of the class time. Thanks for your contributions to music. The education system tells me that I'm not supposed to be interested in music as a science teacher, but little do they know that music is chuck full of science and math principles. My favorite musician is Joe Henderson.

I bought a Supreme about 14 months ago after playing on an SA80 for the previous 26 years. It takes some time to get used to the differences. I agree with you regarding the feel; from the point of view of playing jazz ballads or in a cool style, my SA80 has more built in resistance and a much darker, more spread tone that suit this style better, both in playing and listening. However, for pop, funk and classical imho the Supreme simply is that; the best there is. Being able to sit in an orchestra, chamber group, in a pit etc. and KNOW that you’ll play in tune on every note is worth it. 8k spread over 20/30/40 years of playing is worth it for amazing homogeneity of tone through the registers, super fast response, warmth of tone, great ergs and yes the best intonation on any alto. Yes, mine came imperfectly set up too. But the dealer should include a free initial service anyway, and new pads take time to settle, possibly necessitating a further service, so I think this is a bit unfair. Pad adjustment is not what I’d categorise as ‘build quality’, and I think it’s fair to say all Supremes will be pretty much identical, so the ‘make sure you get a good one’ is no longer relevant advice for this model of Selmer (or the Axos I’d imagine). But yes, some people will buy the Supreme because it’s very pretty and they have the cash, when they don’t really need it for their level of playing, and for these buyers it doesn’t represent good value.

What an honest and insightful review! It is so rare in the RU-vid world to get this kind of information. I also agree that feel for the player really is what separates a great instrument from the rest. We can always tweak the sound for the audience.

Love this review. There are plenty of reviews of this saxophone so I was VERY curious what your focus would be. The connection of "feel" with a horn is rarely marketed, but so incredibly important. Most players sprinting for one of these won't be in the beginning stages of their relationship with the saxophone. So. We get it. If you can ever get one of the Model 2022 saxophones, I would LOVE your comparison opinion. (hint: I know a guy)

Fun review, as always. Watching your body language in playing both horns brought a question to my mind as to whether there is a possibility of bias toward your MkVI, as it looked like you were making love to it, whereas with the Supreme you looked like you were driving your date home and couldn't drop her off fast enough :)

This was really...tight!!! On and on, to my taste, i d go for the Mark VI...!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely love selmers new and old. Own and play modern and vintage. I teach at a big music store and play/teach for a living. Can confirm, all our new selmers need an overhaul when arriving stateside. I have a modern super action 80 and brand new it needed flatened tone holes and key adjustment. Once all that was talen care of it outplays everything for me. Its been this way for so long I think it must be part of their strategy? "Ecoutez bien! You finish your own horns okay? We are to busy here at selmer injecting them with soul and passion to assemble and ship them properly!!! Zut alors!!!!"

I tried one of these at a conference. It played and sounded fantastic. But of course, the conference one was probably set up flawless. I came back the next day to do a video comparison between it and other top end horns but by that time the horn was gone. Anyway, the sax played great but I am still a Yanagisawa person. Good honest review, Dr. Wallace!

One of the good ones... my teacher took weeks, touring dealerships between Paris and Mulhouse, trying dozens of Selmer saxophones until he found me one of the good ones. That was 35 years ago. Whenever I played one of my colleague's instruments, I was very grateful he put the effort in. And yeah, he was one of those "French contemporary music" guys.

Great review! I’m completely in love with my Supreme. It did take some work to get it playing well, but omg what a beauty.❤

Great review. No one more objective and honest than Dr. Wally.

I love my Supreme! Best saxophone I’ve ever played! It is worth the price especially having it for many years down the road! Furthermore, those that play a mark VI will pay 6500-12000 for a 50 year old horn that needs a lot of work. I’ve had my Supreme going on two years and it’s held up great. The tuning, easy response especially down low, even scale and subtle nuances it has when you play music is just great! It has the great Selmer sound and for the iconic company they’ve figured out how to be a step ahead of all the rest.

Thanks for the review. I'm having similar set up problems with a new Supreme tenor. Thankfully my dealer is giving great after sales support. But I agree. At the price paid I expected more. I've had an SA series 2 tenor for many years which is really great - but it requires lots of work & love to keep it that way.

With my eyes closed I could not really tell the difference. The Supreme seemed sterile when I watched and listened-but slightly. I didn’t see what you were playing I doubt I could tell the difference

$7850 + 7% state sales tax equals $8399.50, a number that makes my hands too numb to finger a middle C#, and it makes my embouchure unstable, too.

I bought a brushed finished supreme 1 year ago. I play classical and in my opinion the sound was more full and darker than my yanagisawa a992 that had been overhauled 1 year prior (2 years now). Here's the issue, it was very resistant when it first arrived which I was willing to put up with for the better sound but, after a few days it became unplayable right before a live audition. It was set up very poorly from the factory and the palm keys were leaking after 3 days of use. I got it fixed by the seller, Kessler and Sons is amazing, and now it is by far my favorite saxophone I have ever tried. Yamaha EX, Custom Z, Yanagisawa a990 and a992, and Selmer series 2 are all not as even, rich, and in tune as the supreme.

It's subtle. But the Supreme sounds a tiny bit more focused than the VI, which I like. But it's all subjective.

I like your review, but I don't like the sound of this instrument. He's pushing too hard. This sound is asking for too much attention. I think it's a bad saxophone, but if it sells for $800, then why not buy It remotely resembles Selmer and king. Yes, someone will say that I'm a bad person if I don't like this $8000 saxophone, because marketers can't be wrong, but this is my opinion.

Another problem with the Selmers that you didn't mention here (athough maybe it's just understood by everybody) is that they're also more expensive to keep functional, not just get functional intially. I especially find this with the larger saxes. The rods, springs, etc. on my horns need to be "tweeked" about every 1-2 years depending on how much playing I've been doing. A sax player friend of mine compares this to keeping a Mazzerati vs. a Honda running well. One requires more constant care and fine adjustment on a regular basis. That being said, this comes back to the other point you made: how does it FEEL to play. While I might have sounded disparaging to Selmers above, I'm a devoted fan. A Selmer (that is properly set up) just plays. I don't have to think about it or force it or worry about a certain key responding correctly. I'm in the music, and the ONLY thing I'm thinking about is the music, and the horn responds like my fingers or breathing...effortlessly. To feel that connected to a piece of metal...like you mentioned: you could just stand there and play for hours because...it's just "right".

Will you be reviewing the Signature? Will love to hear your thoughts.

Great vid doc. I was a tech for45 years, worked on thousands of horns. There's nothing worse than a raw horn, and every Selmer that was shipped to us always seemed to need 4-10 hours of work. The newest models I worked on were the SA, ad SA II. I just didn't understand why they used what appears to be contact cement for a pad adhesive. If the pads aren't leveled to the tone holes, it seems like they clamp the pads with too much pressure. If you clamp them heavily, they will cover, but only briefly. When the pad seats are not of uniform impressions around the circumference, you get some nasty leaks. Of course, there's also buffing and tone hole issues that occasionally pop up. Never buy a raw horn.

Fantastic review. Wally is an amazing educator and content creator👍

I had the exact same feeling about the sound. I think this is because the Supreme is based on the Series III which was inteended to produce a certain type of sound. But yes, you sound great on anything!! :)

I haven't gotten my hands on a Supreme yet, but every modern Selmer sax I've played has been stuffy and, as you said, just doesn't have the sparkle or ease of playing. Also, every modern Selmer I've ever played has this weird vibration when I play a high C - it feels like a disruption where the note is fighting itself. Nice breakdown of the Supreme!

Thank you always for your time given to all of us

Thanks for the video, interesting review. I got my supreme nearly a year ago after playing mark 6 for 6 years. My experience with the supreme is that i discovered more and more colors, and comfort zones with the instrument over the time. And me myself as well as my colleagues from the very first day said it definitely sounds like me. There are some moments where I find it quite close to a mark 6 character, but of course it has a modern sound which I believe is fitting very well with many very contrasty musical genres. Regarding the build quality I had no issues, but I choose my instrument out of 7 supremes. Interestingly I was playing a yamaha ex875 for a short amount of time (4-5) months, and this was exactly an instrument which didn’t let me sound like I want, it was just it’s sound and I couldn’t do anything about it…

Great review! The sound works for me with a Claude Delangle mouthpiece but, when I bought the Supreme, I first used the Concept mouthpiece for a while that I had used on my Yamaha 875EX. So, I didn't feel as though I needed to change mouthpieces to get the classical sound I was looking for. The issue of build quality is real. I know that some things can settle in with new horns and that they can require some adjustments after a period of serious playing. However, after paying $7250 in March 2021, I had a felt fall off under the key arm for the middle C before a concert in Dec. 2021. I've since had to have another replaced and, more seriously, I'm taking it to my tech in January to have some pad work done. I've had a Yamaha tenor and soprano since 2004 and have never really had much serious work to do on them since purchase. I think the Supreme is a well designed horn but Selmer needs to up their game in build quality to match the Japanese horns.

I love your videos. Your savings joke was hilarious ! Lol ! 😂

Now you’ll need to do a video on the new Selmer Signature!

Dr. Wally: Thanks for the honesty in your review of the new Supreme. All comments are great. Although I can afford to buy one, I've been reluctant to get one without knowing much about it. I've played my MKVI tenor and MKVII alto for many decades and prefer them over a number of other saxes. I agree, the Supreme sounds nice, but for $8K it should arrive in perfect playing condition. Also, your comment on "feel" is a very important distinction to the player. So, I'll shy away from the Supreme for now. Thanks a lot for your very insightful thoughts and advice. 👍

A thorough and well presented review, thank you. And also thanks for explaining about the "feel." I knew exactly what you meant as I experienced that when researching and buying my piccolo (yeah I know, not quite the same but the idea is) . The high end high priced hand made one... didn't light me up. I didn't feel like it called me to play it. I didn't enjoy it and wasn't looking forward to playing it. Then I found a much cheaper, like half the price One and I love it!! The best instrument is the one you look forward to playing.

Supremely expensive! A student at my school had one and insisted on eating tuna sandwiches before blowing it. That's not a joke.

Last summer I tried one in Marseilles,France, with a Yamaha 62 and Yanagisawa awo10. That’s what they had in the store. The supreme wasn’t supreme at all😅. It should not cost that much. The best I liked was the Yanagisawa. Tried them with vandoren 5s+ which is amazing mp.

I played a MK 6 for 18 years. When the Yamaha custom Z hit the market the Selmer went on eBay. Most 5 night a week players had a standing Friday afternoon date with the repair man to replace cork and fluff pads. I never gave up on Selmer, the Series 3 came close but the Z was half the effort to play and one could easily adjust the keys. I played it 10 years before it needed to go to the shop, less the neck cork.Thanks for the review, I still haven’t given up on Selmer but they need to look at what the Japanese are doing. Who wants to cut and sand and glue key cork when all you do is turn a screw on other horns. The wait continues. Peace

Really good video Dr Wally. Nice to watch a long look and demo. I understand Baptiste Herbin had a lot to contribute to the design and he knows what he's doing. I don't want to disrespect him. That said, well, you said it all. I'm never going to own one and never likely to play one, (no one I know can afford one) but I look at this and think your Mk VI looks better. They changed the blue S!! FFS it looks like a cheap knockoff. The engraving is neither here nor there, but where's the iconic black button thumb rest, and the neck, no lyre socket and I miss the silver receiver collar of the VI and that bloody tear drop instead of a pearl! Nooooooo!!!! And those flimsy key guards on the big pads. Oh dear! The VI was and STILL IS the best looking sax ever. The ref 54 was a travesty, a parody of it. Idiosyncratic inconsistent manufacturing might have been a 'magic' ingredient in the past, but modern day CNC manufacturing (modern, ha, Yamaha been doing it for decades) makes it unacceptable today. And the price just declares that Selmer can't make saxes that people can afford to buy.

Nice job Mr. Wallace. I've played for 50 years. And these new horns are a bit brittle sounding to me. An excellent attempt with modern metal mixes, but nothing like WWII brass. I'm playing on a copper horn myself.In high school I had a MK 6 that Sinta picked out and I like the way you put it... Here's the sound enjoy it. My MK7 tenor same thing. I play on a Chateau S90 and King Silver Sonic tenors. I get great feed back from both. Best of luck to you.

When I switched to Yanagisawa I never looked back. I played vintage horns for years and enjoyed them, but my Yanis helped me get the sound I was looking for and they play so well not to mention the ergonomics. I suppose one thing to consider is the Supreme is still cheaper than the cheapest solid silver handmade flute I could find.

Great review and explanation…completely understand what you’re saying…I do feel that Selmers are very mouthpiece/reed sensitive…I own a Mark VI and had a Series III and both were very fickle until you found the right reed/mpc combo…my Yamahas, I could throw a trumpet mouthpiece on it and it’ll still play very well…Given I own a Yamaha 62 (mark 1), and a Mark VI (silver), think I’ll be looking for a Yani for my next…on the looks, not a fan of the boxes…a little odd…while music is a very mathematical language, when you speak it (through your horn), it’s all art…the boxes don’t really convey that…

Wow! Army issued saxes! How cool is that!

Great video, Wally. I purchased a Selmer Serie III alto for $4k about 10 years ago. I was coming back to saxophone and clarinet after decades of being away from performance/practice and I notice that the horn is 25-35 cents flat in the lower octave and even or 5 cents flat in the upper octave, despite being pushed in as far as possible, with any mouthpiece I try. Seriously considering shortening my neck or trying to find a shorter neck for this horn. The possibility of finding a horn better in tune for me is very tempting, but I don't know about $8k tempting. I also have the problem of spending half my time in a community band on clarinet and half my time on baritone saxophone in a different band. Completely different embouchures.

I honestly believe you sound much better on the supreme with the first mouthpiece. It’s a very perceptible difference to my ears. I’m inclined to say that he prefers a slightly more spread /fat sound rather than a focused /nimble sound.

Merry Christmas dr. Wally.

Thanks for the review. My setup for alto is the Yamaha EXII with solid silver E1 neck and the solid silver V1 neck. I use the V1 neck for dance club gigs and I use the E1 neck for jazz gigs. I have the same solid silver necks for my Yamaha 875 tenor. I feel like I don't need to upgrade my old tenor because the solid silver necks makes my tenor sound better than anything else I've heard. I love using the Roberto's Winds reeds on alto. On tenor I use Roberto's Winds for the jazz gigs. If I want some extra brightness on tenor, I will use the Rigotti Gold reeds. I love how the Rigotti Gold reeds play beautifully at softer dynamics and they get brighter at louder dynamics. I have a P Mauriat System 76 II soprano that I love more than my old Yamaha 62. P Mauriat fixed the key springs on this newer soprano. The first version of this soprano had weak springs for the keys. I love the D'Addario Reserve reeds on soprano.

Wow Wally, another great review and I really appreciate your honesty here.

Thanks for the straight forward review of the new Selmer Supreme. These days new technology is mostly about ergonomics and styling. The sound will vary with each player. It’s a beautiful horn but $8K is a lot of money. I think I’ll take lessons an then, Go Practice!

…….”it doesn’t sing the way you want it to”………well, then must the search not continue? This video is candid and informative, while educating us all on the nature of saxophone itself, very nice!

Quite expensive but a very nice sounding saxophone. I love the engraving on it, especially on the black lacquer version where it stands out. To me the sound of the Supreme is more even than the Mark VI but there is not much in it as they sound very similar,. It is like the Supreme sound is a cross between a Mark VI and the Reference 54. I am really surprised you mentioned they were not set up correctly, especially at that price. I have heard that Selmer do that so that the dealer can set up the saxophone how the player wants it before they get it, but I do agree it should be set up well from the factory and only need minor adjustments if the player wants them. My Yanagisawa AWO2 was set up perfectly from the factory and still plays and feels perfect and the only thing I had to do with it is have the spring tension lightened. I think Selmer is releasing a tenor version next year, and I am looking forward to finding out about that and how that sounds and plays.

It makes my Yanagisawa TW02 increase in value, thanks Selmer... :)

It's not worth it. As I am turning 60 this month I always wanted a new Selmer, maybe because I got teased in high school for playing a Buffet. I recently bought a new Selmer Super 80 series II Jubilee for less than 5K and after a proper set up, I am really enjoying it. Love that core Selmer sound

wow - confident there is justification for the price - if this is a classical standard, then for jazz it may take modification by the player, but wow what a beautiful horn (if only in 2D)!

We in the clarinet world know all too well about a highly reputable brand having issues with factory setup. Buffet Crampon is by far the most popular brand of professional clarinet, but their instruments are notorious for being wildly inconsistent and having very poor quality control. In fact many serious players will go out and try out dozens or more of the same model of Buffet clarinet just to find one that is acceptable.

The 6 sounds slightly warmer. I enjoyed the Supreme with the second mouthpiece. Great review!!

I've played several horns that made me feel as if the heavens had opened. I bought the last one that happened with. Been in love with my Reference 54 for the last 6 years. I sometimes regret the cost (traded a 10m and a Zephyr) but I remember why I did every time I play it.

Wouldn't trade my 58' VI for that... If I had to replace it I'd go buy an Ishimori for half the price of the supreme and most likely receive a superior saxophone to the supreme.

So a retailer has to set up a Selmer but what is the profit margin on a Selmer compared to the Japanese brands . Personally i dont think of set up as build quality that to me is the metal forming and keys , soldering and Lacquering . Soundwise it was very near the mk.6 and to have near perfect intonation built in is a big plus for some saxophonists. On pricing the comparison for me is with the mk6 , and late models are now fetching £ 5500 in the U.K. so a Supreme is only around £ 700 more . Thanks for an interesting review Dr. Wally .

Every pro I’ve heard demo the Supreme all seemed to sound bright on the Supreme even those who have a dark/warmer sound on their usual horns. I preferred your tone on the VI.

Compelling content as always! Speaking from my place of expertise (although I shouldn's dismiss my serious playing of the sax as well) - it is almost impossible to "even" the resistance and pitch of a clarinet out without losing some (or all) of the "ring" in the sound. I suppose it is a mandate to keep on trying - and over the course of the years there has been steps towards it - there is a "magic" that goes away. You sound great on the supreme, and had you not edited in you playing a VI - I am sold on that being the right horn for you. However, there is a way that to my ears at least, the VI is somehow brighter AND darker at the same time. There is just more sound in it. Around my parts, the guys I work with have been going backwards in time and playing cigar cutters. Last night I sat next to a great player playing a radio improved. I just keep playing my flawed but beloved VI's. Inspired and inspiring work Dr. Wallace! thanks for doing it

My series III Tenor 25 years ago came straight from Paris and played great right out of the box. So did my Supreme alto three months ago. It's a great horn. Maybe I'm just lucky. My B-WO20 Yanagisawa came last week. It's a phenomenal Bari. I love the sound of the bronze horn.

My cannonball Albright special has the most player sound of any horn I’ve played on alto. Yani for tenor hands down for a flexible quality tone.

Good... Thanks for your opinion on this saxophone. What do think about the SENZO by Buffet Crampon ? It would be very interesting listening to you talking about that saxophone...

Great review. Very honest and insightful. I like that you did not pull any punches when describing the setup issues; when an instrument costs that much $$$ you would think it would be set up perfectly out of the box (as most Yamaha horns are). BTW: I sold my Mark VI tenor after I got my hands on a Yamaha Atelier tenor earlier this year. The Atelier tenor is an incredible horn. I look forward to your review if/when Yamaha introduces an Atelier alto.

I bought a 2nd hand silver plated Supreme a few months ago. My impressions of it at this point are similar to this video - listeners say it has a really, really nice sound while my feeling as I'm playing it is it sounds quite nice but doesn't seem to really sing. Mouthpiece I'm using at the moment is an older Selmer E with a round chamber (can't find any other id on it). I plan to try a different mouthpiece and reeds when my finances have recovered a bit. The original owner was a sax/clarinet teacher and payed good money to have the instrument set up when he first bought it. Overall my impression is it's a nice instrument (definitely pro level, which I'm not) but it doesn't really grab me, so I'm finding it difficult to justify the expense.

I tried the Supreme in my local shop as well and everything you say in this video I agree with. I ummed and ahhed about the Supreme and in the end I went for a Yamaha YAS82Z/MK3. Intonation on the Supreme, amazing and it also had a richer, darker midrange in the instrument but the 'feeling' of it was wrong. It felt disconnecting to play, particularly on the front E, F and fork F# needed a shit ton of air where's the yamaha they popped out and I could do all sorts of things with the instrument across the entire range. Maybe the set-up was an issue because it just didn't play amazingly compared to some other new horns but for $12,000AUD I was expecting it to be the best of the best and it simply wasn't.

Interesting review, the cool jazz sounded nice. For me this is the ultimate classical saxophone, but the voice is wrong for up tempo bebop, it's too big and lush. The Supreme does sound good with the Selmer jazz flow mouthpiece, it could be great for new age and fusion music, if that's still a thing. I haven't heard a lot of live jazz from the name endorsers on their Supremes, they seem to have reverted to their mkvi altos?

So, went to Chuck Levins in DC and was able to test the Supreme side by side with the AWO20…both great horns…Took a little bit to find the right reed/mouthpiece combination that I liked…I will say unlike my Mark VI, this one was more mouthpiece friendly. Compared to the Yani AWO20, the AWO20 felt like a more substantial instrument (could be the brass?). Ergonomically, both were excellent, but the Yani felt like I was fitted for a set of gloves. The Supreme felt much like my Mark VI with the additions I have on it (front F and side Eb). You can’t go wrong with either, but for me, since I already own a Selmer Mark VI, and the price difference between these two, I don’t think the Supreme is that much better, if at all, than the Yani…I’ll go back again with my Mark VI and test it along with them, as well as against a AWO2 as well…we’ll see what I wind up with…

...and also... not before time perhaps I was never really anything BUT a "Supreme'O".... Snappy do...!?

What a difference that second mouthpiece makes

I’ve had and sold every Selmer Paris alto from a Serie I to Ref 54 and an Euro MK VI with silver keys . I will put my Yanagisawa AWO2 UL up against all of them and win ! The Supreme is waaaaay overpriced . Sorry , not sorry 🤷🏾‍♂

Yes, my beloved singular mouthpiece , a MC Gregogry Model A, repaired and adjusted especially for me got stolen 2 weeks ago, but wtf! If you can‘t play on an OttoLink Tone Edge, you can‘t play Saxophone!

I've had my SA80 II for 20 years. I also have a soprano SA80 III.. hey are of decent qualifty and decent enough for me not get another horn. I have aJody Jazz Jet mouthpiece that is also decent. I'm tempted to get their metal mouthpiece but the prices sure have went up over the past few years (just like saxes-glad I hve mine).

In fact: It is never fair to compare a newly overhauled sax with one that has been played for years (and is assumably in same working condition). Compare what happens when you hit a car: it leaves a dent. The dent is the memory (also when removed) of the moment of impact. Same happens with sound vibrations; they're like small impacts and leave a memory in the material. When the new sax has been played for years and you do the comparison again, the result will be different. It's the same as comparing plastic and steel resonators; it only makes a difference with the size and form of the resonators, not the material.

Chiming in here, this reminds me of the perfectly in-tune guitar… it doesn’t sound like a guitar, it sounds like a synth. Instruments have imperfections, harmonics, and subtle intonation issues add to the overall color of the sound - it sounds organic. To me, this is part of the allure of a VI - they have character. The supreme to my ear, is in tune… almost too much so.

I have a suprème DGL and I simply love it. I play also with a Claude delangle mouthpiece and this sax really sings. I have to admit that my sax was overhauled by a specialist even changing the oem pads with better ones. Indeed for this price the saxes should be perfect from factory but this is not the case. When I tried three Supremes at the shop only one was ok…. This is an issue that I agree upon. For classical playing I love the suprème. I believe you can play jazz also. There are a lot of good cheaper saxes on the market, is it a must to buy a suprème ? I would say no. But if you can find a good one that you like, it is a good sax. And unique looks.. but pricy! I baught my suprème early, now the prices are risen extremely on this short period. Doctor Wally I LOVE YOUR VIDS 😉

I did buy one, it played cool for two songs and then went completely out of tone, I thought I had done something wrong, sent to the dealer, they fixed it...sent it back to me and then, again played nice for two songs and then back to the same problem... ended up sending it back... I even went so far as to contact selmer directly and let them them know and the answer I got was that no problem could be identified by the serial number I gave... it was disappoinitng and now I am really afraid of spending that much of money for an instrument...just based on past experience...

Thank you for the insights on the Supreme. Very interesting. I have been playing a black series III for 7 years, and very satisfied. However I experienced the same issues on setup, and cork falling off. My local repair man set it up and replaced much of the cork with synthetic “cork” and has worked flawless since. 😊

I've been playing Selmer for most of my life, and I nie play a 80 superaction serie II, but I have never been totally convinced. I reasently baught a cheap Yamaha and find the intonation much better. So now I'm thinking about buying a Yas 6204 .

Guitars are the same issue in some ways. Yamaha makes a superb high end acoustic guitar, yet old brands like Martin, Taylor, etc., kinda rule the lore. I'll keep my Yamaha, thank you.

Awesome review! I love Selmers! With that being said it is awesome to see that a horn made decades ago would even be able to compete with a modern horn. Selmer must have done some time travel and took modern horns back. 🙂

Seems like a great horn, but Selmer is pricing themselves right out of the market..... in my opinion! I've been on Yamahas since the late 70s, but I do very little classical playing on any sax, with the exception of the soprano. For that, I prefer the Yamaha 62 to the Selmers. I will say that the Selmer mouthpieces produce a better tone quality for classical playing. Yamaha does better with a Vandoren classical mouthpiece. Nice review, and I'm sure it's a great instrument!

Almost 20 years ago, I picked a Selmer SA l because it sang more than the SA lls. It's always been better than what my playing deserves. There will be no other alto for me.

I do agree about the price is in my opinion a rape job. However it’s a shame men in this country have become more finicky than women. I find it difficult to take any of you at face value.

@ 12.59 in the timeline : It‘s the sad truth ! No later than playing the instruments for a few days, they won’t work anymore, nevertheless which model of the Selmer lineup. So frequently it’s necessary to have a good mechanic and though to invest some extra money. A fact, which really is hard to accept regarding the price of nearly 8000 Dollars/Euro and the image of being the leader in the market, if we speak about prestige, reputation, quality, heritage and so on. So to try the competitors to compare, maybe an option 😊.

Fellow 875EX fan here. I’ve had it for 6 years and I’ve had no issues, and I get what you mean when it comes to that little something special about it. I’ve tried Yanis and the 62 but they just aren’t the same. Good, but different. I’m going to try a supreme today just to satisfy my own curiosity.

I has the chance to test it myself! It‘s a great Saxophone, out of Question! But I don‘t want one, not even as a present, as well as I don‘t want a Maserati SUV or a Rolex Submariner...I play my Amati Toneking from before 1950 with an ordinary Otto Link tone edge, a new one... that’s it. And I love my own sound!

I know that feel/feedback that the horn gives the player is a personal experience. However, asa listener, I preferred your sound on the Supreme with the orginal mpc, to the Mk VI or the Supreme with the 56mpc. It WAS a little darker, but to me more focused and round. Very pleasing in my headphones.

To my ear, your MK VI sounded much more mellow and complex. The Supreme had a bit of an edge to the sound which was not as pleasant. Great review!

It sounded very nice but it seems you were working very hard to get that.

Nice demonstration, gotta mention it’s been painful to watch you drag it on your table without a mat.

For comparison Selmer Supreme is listed at AU $11700 by the company which has completely renovated my 1934 Eb Selmer at a cost of AU $1500. .That very quickly made up my mind to put off a new sax. The current best offer is a Selmer Paris Series 11 (2?) Jubilee Black Lacquer reduced from $11000 to $7995 AU. Have you ever tested the Paris model?

Thank you for such a great review. It was honest and insightful. I play a few different saxes and I like them all. My alto is a Super Action 80 series II in black lacquer that I found in a pawn shop in the 90's. It's a phenomenal instrument for me. I have experimented with different necks, but ultimately came back the factory neck that came with it. I haven't found another horn that plays as well as it does for me, and I have tried a lot of alto saxes, but keep coming back to this one. I also have a 1940 Selmer Balance Action that had intonation issues. I finally found a Warburton neck that fixed that for me, and that's my regular tenor I play. I own several other saxes such as a Yanagisawa 901 Tenor, a 1963 Martin Magna Tenor with a silver neck, a 1975 Vito Bari that was made by Yanagisawa, a H. Couf Superba I alto, like the one Grover Washington, Jr. played on his last albums. I like them all for different reasons, but keep coming back to the S80 II alto and Balance Action tenor as my "Go-To" horns. They feel right in my hands and sound right to my ears. Instruments are such a personal preference. What I love and play will not be good for someone else. I know that. I tell all of my students they have to be able to play the instrument before they buy it to really know what they are getting. For my younger students I make sure they get a mechanically good instrument with good intonation and good tone quality, but I tell them all that sooner or later they will have to find their own saxophone voice, and it may not be in their first intermediate or professional instrument they buy.