NicolasTrefeil
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"Selmer."
Paris 1910 -1975
Elkhart 1927- 1956
London 1939 -1951
Selmer Paris.
"Standard"
ebonite mouthpiece.
(1910 >1926)
* Made in France
* Old Selmer logo
* Available in only one tip opening only.
* Large chamber design
Selmer Paris.
"Standard"
wood mouthpiece.
(1926 >1927 )
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* Made in France
* European market only.
* Available for sopranino, soprano, alto, C melody,
tenor, baritone, and bass saxophone.
* New 1926 Selmer logo
* These mouthpieces were made in Ebony or
Grenadilla.
* Only available in one tip opening.
* Large chamber design
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Selmer Paris.
"Standard"
Ebonite mouthpiece.
(1926 >1936 )
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* Made in France
* New 1926 Selmer logo.
* Available for sopranino, soprano, alto, C melody, tenor, baritone, and bass saxophone.
* These mouthpieces were bored from hard American rubber rod.
* Available only in one tip opening in 1926
* Available in 3 tip openings from 1927 to 1935 : A - B - C
* Available later in 6 tip openings from 1935:
A - A* - B - B* - C - C*
* This mouthpiece was supplied with all Selmer saxophone
until the mid 30's
* Same external and internal design than wooden model.
* This mouthpiece was supplied with Selmer models 26, 28,
28 "Large Bore", Super and very first serie of "Balanced Action" saxophones.
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" Rudy Wiedoeft " model.
(1927 >1928)
* Made in USA from 1927 to 1928.
* Available for soprano, alto, C melody, tenor and baritone saxophone.
* Made from the finest Steel Ebonite hard rubber.
* 2 distinct tip opening: B - Medium lay
C - Open Lay
" Clarion " crystal Selmer
mouthpiece. Serie I.
(1927 > 1932)
* Available only for soprano, alto and tenor saxophone.
* Only one tip opening from 1927 to 1928
* 3 distinct facings from 1928 to 1932:
A - short close
B - medium and more open at tip
C - Slightly longer and more open than B
* Has a joint of silver plated brass that prevents joints breakage.
* Made in clear crystal from 1927 to 1930
* Made in black crystal from 1930 to 1932
"Gold Medal" Selmer
mouthpiece. Serie I
(1928 > 1940)
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Made in France
* Available for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone sax and clarinet.
* Bored from hardest American rubber rod
* Large chamber design.
* Especially made for the artist. Finished by Henri Selmer personally
* These mouthpieces are characterized by the inlaid Selmer gold seal and knurled gold metal band.
* 3 distinct tip openings:
A - medium
B - medium rather open at tip
C - slightly longer and more open than B
* Tip opening number stamped lengthwise at the bottom of table.
"Master metal" Selmer
mouthpiece.
(1929 > 1947)
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* Made in France
* Sold as " Metal"model in 1930 or "All-Metal" in 1932 and called "Master-Metal"
in 1936.
* Available for soprano, alto, tenor baritone saxophone and clarinet.
* Made in silver or gold plated brass.
* New and improved sound chamber for added volume. (later called "Air -Flow")
"The tone chamber was designed so there is no break in the flow of air
where the saxophone neck is inserted in the mouthpiece"
* From 1929 to 1937: 3 distinct facings: A - medium
B - medium rather open at tip
C - slightly longer and more open than B
* 6 tip openings available from from 1937 to 1947: A - A* - B - B* - C - C*
" All Crystal " Selmer
mouthpiece.
(1930 > 1938)
* Made in France
* Available for alto sax and clarinet only.
* Available in clear or black crystal from 1930 to 1931 and
only in clear crystal from 1931 to 1938.
* The black crystal combined the clarity of the clear crystal
tone with the soft smoothness of hard rubber.
* 3 distinct facings: A - medium
B - medium rather open at tip
C - slightly longer and more open than B
Selmer - Elkhart.
" Merle Johnston "model.
(October 1934 > 1939)
* These fine mouthpieces were actually made in France by A.Lelandais for Selmer - New york.
* The line for saxophone was available in two facings, "M" and "Original" Merle Johnston personnal facing which was slighltly more open at the tip. than the "M" facing.
* The line for Bb clarinet were available in two tip opening only: " HS* " and "S" .
* First version of " Merle Johnston " mouthpiece appeared in 1934 and the line has been
re-designed in 1936 with new tone chamber, facing and bore.
* From 1938 to 1939 it was only available in the "Original" Merle Johnston facing.
* On later models, numbers were embossed on side of mouthpiece, it is not a serial number but facing lenght and tip opening.
See this interesting page on Merle Johnston by Albert Haim: Merle Johnston redux
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" Andy Jacobson" Selmer
mouthpiece.
(1936 > 1939) US market only
Andrew "Andy" Jacobson from Boston Mass. Formerly with the John Philip Sousa band from 1921 to 1927 then Leo Reisman, Jacques Renard orchestras. He later devoted his time to teaching, conducting and playing with his own orchestra, on some radio programs. Jacobson is credited with originating the idea of playing lead sax parts on tenor instead of alto.
" Standard " Selmer
mouthpiece.
(1936 > 1947)
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* Made in France
* available for soprano,alto, tenor and baritone saxophone
* Made in hard rubber.
* New: molded scroll shank design and no longer metal ring.
* The last French made Selmer ebonite large chamber design
mouthpiece.
* New ultra precision machinery ( Roto-Lap) were used for
facing these mouthpieces to within 4/10,000 " of H.Selmer
specifications.
* 6 tip openings available: A - A* - B - B* - C - C*
* Tip opening number stamped widthwise at the bottom of
table.
* This stylish mouthpiece was supplied with the "Balanced
Action" saxophones from 1936.
* From 1939: new smaller exterior size for baritone sax.
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" Standard Air-Flow" Selmer Paris
mouthpiece.
(1939 > 1947)
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* Made in France
* available only for alto (402SB) and tenor (404SB) saxophone.
* Made in hard rubber.
* The first French made Selmer ebonite mouthpiece with "Air-Flow"
chamber design.
With "Air-Flow" interior, slightly smaller and longer than standard,
giving more penetration.
* New design of the scroll shank ( also found on later "Standard" 1947-
1952 model).
* New ultra precision machinery ( Roto-Lap) were used for
facing these mouthpieces to within 4/10,000 " of H.Selmer
specifications.
* 6 tip openings available: A - A* - B - B* - C - C*
* Tip opening number stamped widthwise at the bottom of the table.
The first models have also written "AIRFLOW" on table under tip
opening number.
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"Gold Medal" Selmer
mouthpiece. Serie II
(1939 > 1942)
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* Made in France
* Hard rubber only.
* Available for soprano, alto, tenor baritone sax and clarinet
* 6 distinct saxophone facings: A - A* - B - B* - C - C*
* New "scroll shank" design without gold metal band
* Tip opening number stamped lengthwise at the bottom of table
* Side stamping indicating precise facing lenght and tip opening
* From 1939: "new interiors make the latest Gold medal mouthpieces even better than the fine previous models."
Above and right: 1939 - 1940 alto model with new "scroll shank" as found also on 1939 "Air-Flow Standard " model.
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" Contact "serie
Selmer mouthpieces
(1939) UK market only
* Contact range embodied exact bores and facings used by ten famous British players of the 30's
* Made in "Steele Ebonite"
* Bb Clarinet: Frank Weir model
* Alto sax: Joe Crossman, Freddy Garner, Burton Gillis, Mickie Lewis, Sidney Millward, E.O Pogson models.
* Tenor sax: Billie Amstel, Georges Evans, Pat Smuts.
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Above: the "E.O Pogson" alto model.
" Air-Flow" Selmer New York
US market only..
(1939 > 1940)
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* Made in USA.
* Available only for alto and tenor saxophone
* "Air-Flow" chamber design also found on 1939
"Standard Air-Flow" 1939 model.
* These very nice mouthpieces were made in hard rubber.
* Facings were applied by the new Selmer "Roto-Lap"
method on 1939 models.
* 4 distinct facings for 1939 to 1942: A* - B - B* - C*
* 6 distinct facings for 1940:
S20 - S30 - M20 - M30 - L10 - L20 - L30
" Crystal - X Air Flow " Selmer New York mouthpiece.
(1939 >1942) US market only.
* Made in USA and in new trensparent plastic material
* Available for alto, tenor saxophone and clarinet only.
* Facing applied with "Roto-Lap" machine
* Available in 5 tip openings.
* Same external design than "Clarion Crystal " model
​* "Air-Flow " chamber design.
" Magni -Tone "
Selmer New York mouthpiece.
(1939 >1943) US market only.
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* Made in USA
* Available for alto, tenor saxophone and Bb clarinet
* Made in hard rubber
* Large chamber design.
* Facing applied with "Roto-Lap" machine
* Size and shape of chamber were carefully coordinated with
the thickness of the sidewalls and facing to give a clean tone of maximum body and carrying qualities.
* Knurled extension rim permits mouthpiece to be adjusted on the instrument without disturbing the reed or ligature.
* Available in 5 tip openings from 1939 to 1942:
A* - B - B* - C*
* In 6 distinct facings from 1942 to 1943:
S20 - S30 - M20 - M30 - L10 - L20 - L30
Above, below and at right: Alto Model, M20 facing.
" Jimmy Dorsey"
Selmer model mouthpiece.
(1941) US market only.
To the right and below: the alto model.
To the right: the tenor model
The rare " Jimmy Dorsey signature mouthpiece " was intoduced in may 1941.
They have a large type " Synchro-Sonic" chamber.
" Plastic "
Selmer model mouthpiece.
(1942 > 1943)
" Clarion " crystal Selmer
mouthpiece. Serie II.
(1943 > 1944)
* Available in clear crystal only.
* New interior producing a big tone.
* The siver plated brass bore and joint disappear
* 4 distinct saxophone facings: S30 - M20 - M30 - L30
" Goldentone "
Selmer model mouthpiece
(1943 > 1951 ) US market only
" Clarion " crystal Selmer
mouthpiece. Serie III.
(1946 > 1959)
* Only available for Bb clarinet and tenor saxophone
* 5 Bb clarinet facing: S - S* - HS - HS**
* 4 tenor sax facings: C - C* - D - E
" Selmer Standard Air Flow" Selmer mouthpiece
(1947 >1952)
* Made in France
* Available foe alto, tenor, baritone saxophones. Bb, alto and bass clarinet.
* Air-Flow"chamber design with flat inner side walls and medium round chamber
* Smaller scroll shank diameter than 1939 standard model.
* New steel ebonite hard rubber compound.
* Tip opening stamped at the bottom of the table in an oval shaped frame.
* Stamped "Made in France" on top of barrel, under Selmer logo.
* From 1947 to 1951: available in 6 facings: B - B* - C - C* - D - E
* From 1951 to 1952: available only in 3 facings: C - C* - D
​* This elegant mouthpiece was supplied with the "Super Action" saxophones from 1947 to 1954.
" Brillmet "
1947 metal Selmer mouthpiece
(metal, short shank, fluted body)
(1947 >1974)
* Made in France
* Available for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone.
* Made in silver plated brass
* Short scroll shank design
* Fluted external body. (1947 - 1964)
* Medium squeezed chamber design (same than 1947 "Standard" model).
* 6 available facings: B - B* - C - C* - D - E from 1947 to 1951
* Only 3 facings in 1951 - 1952: C - C* - D
* 9 alto facings available in 1953: B - B* - C - C* - C** - D - E
* 9 tenor facings available in 1953: B - B* - C - C* - C** - D - E - F - G
* 4 alto facings available in 1961: C - C* - D - E
* It was the model used by Marcel Mule (C* facing)
"Selmer FF Bi-Vocal" mouthpiece
(September 1948 >1951) UK market only
* Made in England
* Available for alto and tenor sax only.
* Gold plated brass
* This was the model used by Charlie Parker from 1949 to 1955.
" Selmer Elkhart " mouthpiece
(1951 >1956) US market only
* Made in USA.
* Available for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone saxophones, Eb, Bb, alto, and bass clarinet.
(the baritone model were available with normal external design and streamline design)
* Made of highest grade Ace hard rubber.
* Medium large chamber design.
* Available in three popular facings: n°2 Medium close - n°3 Medium - n° 4 Medium open
" Soloist" (short shank) ebonite Selmer mouthpiece (1952 >1964)
" Metal Jazz"
Selmer mouthpiece (1956 > )
"Soloist" (long shank)
Selmer mouthpiece
(1964 > 1974)
" Metal " classic
Selmer mouthpiece
(1974 > present)
"S 80" Selmer mouthpiece (1974 > present)