Description

SELMER HISTORY

Henri Selmer’s brother, Alexandre Selmer, moved to New York from France in 1909 and opened a shop on 86th Street selling Selmer Paris instruments, marking the beginnings of what would become Selmer USA. In 1920, the H&A Selmer store relocated to 117–119 West 46th Street. Seven years later, the operation moved to Elkhart, Indiana, where a factory was established at 1119 N. Main Street. There, Selmer Paris instruments were engraved, finished, and assembled for nearly 50 years.

In 1929, Henri Selmer acquired the workshop and assets of the Adolphe Sax company, making Selmer the successor to the inventor of the saxophone. From the 1930s onward, Selmer saxophones were increasingly adopted by leading musicians around the world.

SELMER TODAY

Modern Selmer saxophones trace their lineage through pioneering instruments from the Elkhart era and back to the very inception of the saxophone itself. This legacy of innovation and craftsmanship continues today, with Selmer recognized worldwide as the global standard in saxophone design and manufacture.

The Selmer saxophone lineage has evolved model to model since the 1920s, progressing through the Balanced Action, Super (Balanced) Action, and Mark VI eras, and culminating in the Signature as the latest iteration of this storied genealogy. The Signature USA exclusive model references the Elkhart-assembled era and is distributed solely through Conn Selmer.

SIGNATURE USA EXCLUSIVE NYC MODEL

Elaborate Art Deco–style engraving adorns the bell, bow, and body of the Signature USA NYC model, featuring motifs and icons from ages past alongside a portrait of the New York City skyline. The instrument is finished in a unique nitrocellulose-based Elkhart Dark Lacquer. Premium French-made pads are fitted with a modern revival of 1950s ToneX resonators: domed, machined, solid-nickel discs with reusable screw-back fittings.

A ring-style bell-to-body brace, Grenadilla wood end plug, and Soloist D mouthpiece pay further homage to Selmer heritage. Complementing the saxophone is a full accessory kit, including a swab and cleaning cloth imprinted with motifs from the engraving, echoed on the exterior pocket of the bespoke black case that secures the instrument. A Certificate of Authenticity documents the limited number of each saxophone produced.

Each neck, featuring the classic blue “S” octave key logo, is meticulously paired to its body and marked with a unique serial number. Securing the neck to the body is Selmer’s nickel-silver concentric clamping ring.

The key action of the Signature USA is fast, light, and precise, with balanced and responsive spring action. Built with Selmer Paris precision and further set up by Conn Selmer’s Elkhart team, the Signature USA reflects the remarkable resonance, liveliness, and responsiveness of classic Selmers.

As a nod to Alexandre Selmer’s New York City shop address, a total of 86 tenors will be produced in the Signature USA NYC series.