AMATI
Country
of manufacture : Czech Republic
Production span : 1945-
Amati Denak
saxophones have an outstanding reputation for
intonation and ability to stay in tune.
They are considered to be undervalued in the used instrument
market.
The vintage Amati
saxophones are known in general to have a sweet tone.
Amati was deeply tied in/grew out of Keilwerth, and there's a
lot of info under other makers like Keilwerth.
Some of the most popular
models are :
Toneking
Classic
Classic- Super Classic
Classic Deluxe
LINKS
Amati
Instrument
Manufacturer - The History
(by Dennis Gazarek)
BUFFET
Country
of manufacture : France
Production span : 1866-
Buffet
Crampon et Compagnie is perhaps most famous for their
clarinets.
The saxophones are
known in general to have very dark tone and great
workmanship.
Some of the most popular
models are :
Super Dynaction
S1
LINKS
COUESNON
Country of manufacture :
France
Production
span : 1882-1980
Couesnon
was "estabished" in 1882 and was one of the grand French
names in brass and
among one of the several "conglomerates" of small French
manufacturers.
Their main
facility burned in 1969, taking with it all the archives, serial numbers lists,
e.t.c.
Couesnon pretty much disappeared in the 1980's when the
contract for distribution of
Couesnon instruments to the United States was
termintated. The company has recently
been reborn as a small limited produciton manufacturer.
Some of the most popular
models are :
1900 models (1882-1936)
Monopole Series I (1937-1949)
Monopole Series
II (1950-1980)
LINKS
Review
of
Couesnon
Monopole
Series
II
Tenor
(By Haynes)
DOLNET
Country of manufacture :
France
Production
span : 1888-1994
Dolnet horns were produced in very
small numbers by a small French workshop that
specialized in saxes.
Production of saxophones was no more
than about 500 horns per year.
The horns are known to be
solidly made, are quite jazzy and have a huge lower end.
Some of the most popular models are :
Stencils
Series I
Series II
Bel Air
Imperial
M70
Universal
LINKS
General
description
of Dolnet
(By USA horn)
Review
Dolnet M70 (Stencil)
(By Haynes)
HOLTON
Country of manufacture :
USA
Production
span : 1898-1964 (*)
(*) Bought out by Leblanc
The Frank Holton Company of Elkhorn,
Wisconsin is one of the earliest saxophone makers,
They do
produce a quite respectable line of brasswinds as well.
These saxophones
are known to have some questionable intonation, odd keywork
design
and arguable sound and the price level on the market
are normally not too high.
Some of the most popular
models are :
Rudy Wiedoeft model
LINKS
KEILWERTH
Country of manufacture :
Germany (*)
Production
span : 1925-
(*) Keilwerth was
founded in Czechoslovakia
Keilwerth was
involved in much of both the German and Chez. saxophone
market.
Keilwerth had associations with Boosey and
Hawkes
(before and after they purchased the Keilwerth company),
Selmer, Kohlert,
Amati and several other smaller manufacturers.
Keilwert is considered to be one of the best brands
available.
Some of the most popular
models are :
New King and Tone King
H- Couf & Armstrong
Peter Ponzol
Keilwerth Model: Modell 1- 1934
LINKS
KOHLERT
Country of manufacture :
Germany
Production
span : 1900-1977
Some
of the most popular models are :
VKS Models
Kohlert Models
Kohlert Amati
LINKS
LEBLANC
Country of manufacture :
USA
Production
span : 1921-
Some of the most popular
models are :
LeBlanc
Rationale
LINKS
RAMPONE
& CAZZANI
Country of manufacture :
Italy
Production span : 1818-recent
Rampone
& Cazzani have been making wind instruments in
the Italian hills above Lago D’Orta
even before Selmer existed but only recently have
been re-discovered
because of their ability to imitate the sound
of the Vintage Saxophones of the past !
Rampone
& Cazzani are making fine hand made
saxophones in a lot of different finishes.
The top-of-the-line R1 and R1 Jazz saxophones
feature a very large bore and gold plated bodies,
for a sound closer to a vintage sound than
that offered by any modern saxophone.
Jan
Garbarek is one out of many artists playing on a
Rampone & Cazzani saxophone.
Some of the most popular
models are :
R1
R1 Jazz
De Luxe
Alessophone
LINKS
SML
Country of manufacture :
France
Production
span : 1934-1982
Strasser Marigaux & Lemaire
was founded in 1934 by three partners: Charles Strasser, a
businessman who
was born in Switzerland; Marigaux,
an instrument maker who trained at Buffet-Crampon, and
Lemaire.
The SML saxophones are known to have very high quality
and good intonation -- even the Standard models.
Some of the most
popular models are :
Coleman
Hawkins Series
Rev B
Super Series
Rev C
Rev D
Gold Medal
Standard Models
King Marigaux Stencil
SML Gold Medal II
LINKS
SML Most of
the story
(By Fred Cicetti)
SML
The ongoing story
(By Peter Hales "Sax on the web")
