Conn-Selmer, Inc.

What Conn-Selmer, Inc. does

Conn-Selmer, Inc. is a U.S.-based musical instrument manufacturer and portfolio company that owns and operates a constellation of heritage brands across brass, woodwind, and percussion categories, including Bach, Conn, Holton, King, Selmer, Henri Selmer Paris, Leblanc, Yanagisawa, Armstrong, and Ludwig Drums. The company produces trumpets, trombones, French horns, tubas, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, oboes, bassoons, drum sets, concert and marching percussion, timpani, and mallet instruments, along with a full line of mouthpieces, reeds, and replacement parts. Its primary customer segments are educational institutions (K-12 schools, school districts, and universities), professional musicians, and student/amateur players, with the educational segment supported by the dedicated Conn Selmer Division of Education.

Conn-Selmer operates a dealer-only distribution model in North America through a certified network of authorized dealers, supplemented by the Conn Selmer Chicago Studio experience center and a dedicated parts website for replacement orders. The company's go-to-market is anchored by the Conn Selmer Institute (CSI), Signature Schools, clinician networks, and instrument financing programs that embed its brands into school music curricula and create institutional lock-in. Marketing channels include the corporate website, trade shows, artist endorsements, and Instagram.

Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales across the instrument portfolio and accessories, with pricing set at the dealer level and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held by hedge fund billionaire John Paulson and is undergoing a significant manufacturing restructuring: the Eastlake, Ohio brass plant is scheduled to close at the end of June 2026 with approximately 150 jobs eliminated, while a new Chinese manufacturing facility is anticipated to be operational by July 2025 to absorb relocated production.

Name

Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Legal name

Conn Selmer

Website

https://conn-selmer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Conn-Selmer is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments operating heritage brands such as Bach, Conn, Selmer, Holton, King, and Ludwig Drums, serving schools, professional musicians, and students through a certified dealer network and dedicated education division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instruments

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH), Instrument Parts, Repair & Maintenance (Luthier, Tech Services, Spares) (MPAIAJAG), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)

Keywords

• Brass instruments
• Woodwind instruments
• Percussion instruments
• Musical instrument manufacturing
• Band and orchestra instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Sales: Conn-Selmer generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments under multiple brand names including Bach, Conn, Holton, King, Henri Selmer Paris, Selmer, Leblanc, Yanagisawa, and Ludwig Drums. Revenue is generated through dealer networks and direct sales to educational institutions and professional musicians.
2. Accessories and Parts: Sale of instrument accessories including brass accessories, brass mouthpieces, woodwind accessories, woodwind mouthpieces, reeds, and replacement parts through the dealer network and dedicated parts website.
3. Educational Services: Conn-Selmer Division of Education provides resources, financing programs, and educational support to schools and music programs, which supports instrument sales to educational institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Conn-Selmer manufactures and sells brass, woodwind, and percussion musical instruments under multiple heritage brands (Bach, Conn, Selmer, Henri Selmer Paris, Holton, King, Leblanc, Yanagisawa, Armstrong, Ludwig Drums) for educational institutions, professional musicians, and students. The company distributes exclusively through a certified dealer network and supports customers through a Division of Education offering financing programs, clinician networks, and the Conn Selmer Institute for music educator professional development.

Product overview

Conn-Selmer, Inc. is a portfolio company holding multiple musical instrument brands organized into three main product categories: Brass, Woodwind, and Percussion instruments. The company manages sub-brands including Bach, Conn, Henri Selmer Paris, Selmer, Holton, King, Leblanc, Armstrong, Yanagisawa, and Ludwig Drums. It also operates a Division of Education (DOE) providing programs such as Conn Selmer Institute, Signature Schools, educational clinicians, and instrument financing services. The company sells accessories across all instrument categories and maintains a dealer network for distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Armstrong: Musical instrument brand under Conn Selmer
• Bach
• Conn
• Henri Selmer Paris
• Selmer
• Holton
• King
• Leblanc
• Ludwig Drums
• Yanagisawa

Products and services

• Brass Instruments Complete line of brass instruments including trumpets, trombones, French horns, tubas, euphoniums, baritones, alto horns, cornets, flugelhorns, sousaphones, and marching brass, offered across multiple sub-brands (Bach, Conn, Holton, King, Armstrong) for students through professional players.
• Woodwind Instruments Complete line of woodwind instruments including clarinets, saxophones, flutes, piccolos, oboes, English horns, and bassoons, offered across multiple sub-brands (Selmer, Henri Selmer Paris, Conn, Leblanc, Yanagisawa, Armstrong) for students through professional players.
• Percussion Instruments Complete line of percussion instruments including drum sets, marching drums, concert drums (snare, bass, toms), timpani, mallet instruments (marimbas, vibraphones, xylophones, bells, chimes), and student percussion, primarily under the Ludwig Drums brand.
• Instrument Accessories Accessories and replacement parts for brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments, including brass mouthpieces, woodwind mouthpieces, reeds, and other essential supplies, distributed through the dealer network and dedicated parts website.
• Conn Selmer Division of Education (DOE) Educational division providing resources, programs, and services to support students, educators, and music program administrators, including educational clinicians, Signature Schools partnerships, California Proposition 28 support, the Fine Arts Leadership Alliance (FALA), and CutTime inventory management.
• Conn Selmer Institute (CSI) Annual professional development program for music educators offering events, masterclasses, and training such as the Music Educator Masterclass and Instrumental Inspirations course.
• Instrument Financing Financing program administered by Conn-Selmer to aid schools and educational programs in purchasing instruments.
• Conn Selmer Signature Schools Partnership program empowering music programs through lasting relationships with Conn-Selmer.
• Bach Brass Instruments Prestigious brand of brass instruments, including trumpets and trombones, known for professional-grade quality (established 1918).
• Henri Selmer Paris Woodwind Instruments Premium French woodwind brand known for saxophones, clarinets, and other woodwinds (established 1885).
• Ludwig Drums Percussion brand offering drum sets, marching drums, concert drums, and concert percussion instruments including mallet instruments and timpani.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MusicProfessorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConn-Selmer partners with MusicProfessor to provide digital music education content and video resources accessible to students and educators through the company's educational resources platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Yamaha Corporation: Yamaha is a global manufacturer of brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments serving educational and professional markets through a multi-brand portfolio, directly competing with Conn-Selmer across virtually every product category and customer segment.
• Pearl Corporation: Pearl is a leading percussion instrument manufacturer competing head-to-head with Conn-Selmer's Ludwig Drums in drum kits, marching, and concert percussion for school and professional markets.
• Buffet Crampon: Buffet Crampon is a French woodwind manufacturer producing clarinets, oboes, flutes, and saxophones, directly overlapping with Conn-Selmer's Selmer, Leblanc, and Henri Selmer Paris brands in the educational and professional woodwind segment.
• Jupiter Band Instruments: Jupiter is a major manufacturer of band and orchestral instruments serving the U.S. educational market, directly competing with Conn-Selmer's student-tier Armstrong and entry-level Bach/Conn/King products in school band programs.
• KHS Musical Instruments: KHS manufactures brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments under brands like Jupiter, Mapex, and Walden, directly competing in the school music market with overlapping product lines and dealer distribution.
• D'Addario: D'Addario is a leading manufacturer of musical instrument accessories (strings, reeds, mouthpieces) and the parent of Q-Chord and Rico, with overlapping accessories distribution channels and shared educational market customers.
• Sabian: Sabian is a family-owned cymbal and percussion manufacturer competing directly with Ludwig Drums in the professional and educational drum kit and accessory categories.

Broad incumbents

• Steinway & Sons: Steinway is a heritage musical instrument manufacturer owned by John Paulson's investment vehicle, sharing ownership with Conn-Selmer and operating in adjacent categories (pianos) within the same premium instrument ecosystem.
• Roland Corporation: Roland is a major music hardware manufacturer offering electronic instruments, percussion pads, and digital wind instruments, competing with Conn-Selmer in educational music programs where acoustic and electronic options coexist.

Emerging players

• Blessing (E.K. Blessing Co.): Blessing manufactures brass and woodwind instruments for student and intermediate markets, competing in the educational channel alongside Conn-Selmer's Armstrong and entry-level brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/DZsrLaaGgAr
• Xx.com/connselmerinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/connselmerinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connselmerinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Conn-Selmer, Inc.