Selmer 72KBSTD Kookaburra Alto Saxophone

SELMER 72KBSTD Details

Limited Only 90 Manufactured with Bell, Bow, and Body Engraving and Special Case.

Key: E flat
Range: High F sharp
Multidirectional, in metal
Leather pads, plastic booster
Finish: dark lacquer, enhanced collector "Kookaburra" engraving
Mouthpiece: Selmer Paris "Super Session" fitted with a "Ligaphone" ligature.
Case: special "bird" case with silk accessory pouch

With a dark gold lacquer finish, this exceptional instrument, released in a very limited series, distinguishes itself by its original engraving, finely chiselled, from an original work. Thanks to the talent of the best Selmer Paris artisans-engravers, each saxophone becomes a masterpiece, part of an exceptional collection.

A top-of-the-line "Kookaburra Collector" case and accessories, exclusively designed for this model, contribute an exceptional touch to this elegant ensemble.
The bore is specific to the "Reference" 54. The acoustic tube is made of a particular body/bow/bell assembly.
The neck features an original design; a different angle and bore ensure great playing flexibility and a natural position. Special "bird" engraving.
The keywork is compact and ensures excellent playing comfort, without contraction: left- and right-hand little fingers, high-register keys, right hand spatulas, F sharp mother-of-pearl. The double F key is fitted with mother-of-pearl.
The leather pads feature a plastic booster which contributes to the roundness of sound.
The right hand multidirectional metal thumb rest affords well-balanced handling.
The "Super Session" Alto saxophone mouthpiece, brand new from Selmer Paris is supplied with the Reference Alto. A hand finished hard rubber mouthpiece, especially designed for Jazz players looking for power, projection, and flexibility without aggressiveness.
A specific "Bird" ligature, made especially by "Ligaphone" for Selmer Paris, equips the Alto mouthpiece. The tenor mouthpiece is equipped with a gold-lacquered "Selmer Paris" ligature.
The "Bird" case, a compact, luxurious case in imitation leather combines design and technical innovaion. It ensures excellent protection of the instrument.
A silk embroidered pouch for accessories, with interior lining, gives the whole an exceptional touch.

 

 

 

FREE INSTRUMENTS
for your school!

Your beginning band and orchestra parents can help, if you sign up for…

 

SMART Parent is a rewards program that you can easily incorporate into your beginning band and orchestra.

With this program, parents register their instruments and automatically earn points for your school. These points can be redeemed by your school for FREE high quality band and orchestral instruments from Conn-Selmer.

Getting students started with their first band or orchestra experience is an exciting time! Every beginner already envisions that first performance in front of family and friends, even before they touch their first instruments.

Getting the right first instrument can be the difference between success and failure for a student.

It’s most important that the instrument brands your students bring to their lessons are easy to play, easy to use, reliable, in tune, and repairable.

You probably already know what brands don’t perform well in a school situation. Yet, every year, students show up with instruments from who-knows-where, made by who-knows-who and you are left with the difficult task of telling a new music parent that the instrument they purchased is simply not acceptable.

Conn-Selmer’s SMART Parent program can help you overcome these issues, while providing FREE instruments for your ensemble at the same time.

Advocacy for your school!

When your parents go on-line to register their instruments, they will be directed to a new music parent website: www.firstinstrument.com. Besides registering their instrument for the SMART Parent Program, parents will be able to learn how they can support your schools music program and you!

Here is how to get started:

• Go to www.firstinstrument.com , register your school or school district and establish your school’s SMART ID CODE.
• Download the SMART Parent Flyer and fill in your school’s information, including the SMART ID CODE.
• Copy and hand out the flyer to all potential beginning band parents and advise them to register their new or used instrument at www.firstinstrument.com. Instrument registration begins April 1, for 2008 spring programs and the 2008-2009 school year.
• Every Conn-Selmer student instrument registered earns points towards new instruments for your program! Instrument rewards begin with as little as 24 instruments registered!

See the complete program at www.firstinstrument.com!

The SMART Parents program begins April 1st for the 2008-2009 school year.

Be sure to register today!
Tell everyone that your students really do have

 

SELMER 72KBSTD Selmer History

The Selmer Company encompasses the greatest names in musical instruments – Selmer and Bach wind instruments, Ludwig and Musser percussion instruments, Glaesel and Lewis string instruments. Always committed to serving the needs of students, music educators, amateurs, and professionals, The Selmer Company has grown steadily over the years, becoming the industry leader recognized for craftsmanship and quality. Our story is both unique and fascinating.

The Selmer family traces its roots back to the 18th century rural Lorraine region of France with Johannes Jacobus Zelmer. Enlisting in the French army provided a means of moving families from the country to the city. For three generations Zelmer men served in the same regiment, while the boys, too young to be soldiers, played in the band. Jean-Jacques Selmer (son of Johannes Jacobus), in addition to changing the spelling of the family name, ascended to the rank of drum major. The military afforded great opportunities for education and travel.

When Charles-Frederic Selmer (son of Jean-Jacques) died in 1878 he left sixteen children, five surviving to adulthood. Of these, Henri and Alexandre graduated from the Paris conservatory as accomplished clarinetists. Henri went on to perform in the famed Garde Republicaine band and the Opera Comique. By the early 1900s Henri had opened shop at Place Dancourt in Paris to meet the demand for his handmade reeds and mouthpieces. Soon repair work and customizing led to the manufacturing of clarinets.

From 1895 to 1910, Alexandre Selmer served as principal clarinetist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. At the turn of the century, a small retail store was opened in New York City for selling the family wares. Selmer clarinets prospered after winning a gold medal at the Saint Louis exposition of the 1904 World's Fair. In 1918 Alexandre returned to Paris to assist Henri in their growing family business, leaving an employee, George Bundy, the rights to distribute Selmer products in the United States.

Having a firm hold on the professional clarinet market, Bundy next set his sights on flutes. In 1920 Bundy hired George W. Haynes, the first in a family famous for flute making, to design the Selmer flute. These fine instruments bore the brand names “Original Haynes” and “Master Flute”. In fact, Selmer flute manufacturing was briefly moved to Boston, site of several famous flute companies.

Louis Lot flutes became the rage with professionals in the late 1920s. Selmer responded by offering a copy of a Louis Lot owned by Charles Selmer (first flutist with the Opera Comique and the Concerts Colonne Orchestras). To cement Selmer's position in flutes, Bundy brought a young flute craftsman named Kurt Gemeinhardt to the United States from Markneukirchen, Germany.

Bundy recognized the need to leave New York City in order to expand his manufacturing operations. By the 1920s Elkhart, Indiana, had established a reputation as the band instrument capital. Drawing on a skilled labor pool, the company was moved to Elkhart. A New York showroom remained open until 1951.

In the 1940s, Selmer entered the piano market, purchasing the Jesse French Company of New Castle, Indiana. The division was closed in 1954 to concentrate on band instruments.

American industry in the 1940s prospered from advancements in efficient and economical production methods and the newly developed field of plastics. Selmer combined these factors in 1948 to produce one of the first commercially successful molded clarinets--the Bundy Resonite® model 1400. The 1400 was patterned after the famous Selmer (Paris) BT clarinet, used by such great artists as Benny Goodman. The Bundy Resonite clarinet launched a revolution in affordable, high quality musical instruments and established Selmer as an industry leader. The 1400 passed the one million-units-sold milestone in 1978 and continued to launch musical careers.

The band instrument industry grew rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s as demand increased due to a “baby boom” in the number of school age children and the proliferation of school music programs throughout the United States. Selmer seized the opportunity to reinforce its position as an industry leader by skillful acquisitions – Vincent Bach Corporation (1961), Buescher Band Instrument Company (1963), Brilhart mouthpieces (1966), Lesher double reed instruments (1967), Glaesel String Instrument Service (1977), Ludwig Drum Company (1981), Wm. Lewis & Son (1995).

 

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