WorldwideSax - Sellers of  Fine Vintage Saxophones

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(Inventory is out of date. In your http address, you'll see "old" for these

WWS archives. We wanted to keep this live for saxophone research.)

For current inventory and services, please see: www.WorldwideSax.com

For 2016 Work Schedule

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Work Schedule 2016

On-going '16 side project:

Conn Chu Tenor-Super Gigger Custom

WWS horn #211k gets Custom Rebuild  with custom RED roo pads, maxed out Silver resotech resonators, Premium upgrades, keywork fabrication...etc

In Progress/On Hold

1-5-16 Conn 10M Tenor:

Worldwide Sax horn #349k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with natural cork throughout for customer, and neckstrap moved. Long

Complete 

~LIMITED AVAILABILITY~ 

1-25-16

"The Martin Alto" Full  Standard Rebuild

Hurwitz

Complete

2/5/16 - 2/17/16

  Gold Restoration, Martin Typewriter alto: Customer horn returns from plating to get assembled and put together! I can't wait! Hurwitz

In Progress

~LIMITED AVAILABILITY~ 

2-25-16 King Zephyr Alto: Worldwide Sax horn #322k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with natural cork throughout for customer. Chant  Complete

3-16-16 Nickel plated CONN 6M alto: Worldwide Sax horn #249k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with natural cork throughout for customer. Griffin

Complete

5-9-16 Buescher "Big B" Silver alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Buescher Rebuild with snap in pads and natural cork throughout, repair octave trigger too. Dickson Complete

6-15-16 Gold plated Conn "Artist" New Wonder II alto: Worldwide Sax horn #234k gets a Custom Rebuild with Chocolate Roo pads, and custom Resotech Gold, oversized resos with cork throughout. Donnelly Complete

6-26-16 KING SUPER 20 ALTO: Worldwide Sax horn #367k gets a Special Rebuild with Black Roo pads, premium upgrades, FOR CUSTOMER. Martin Complete

8-4-16 Original Lacquer CONN 6M alto: Worldwide Sax horn #279k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with natural cork throughout for customer. Leung

Done

8-11-16 Conn C-Melody: 

Customer sax #97k. Customer sax gets a WWS Rebuild with Black Roo pads, and 60%+ flat metal resos, and new stainless springs.  Mattina

Complete

8-20-16 Silver Restoration - Aristo 1 Tenor: Customer sax assembly after 3years of progress. Sax gets a WWS Rebuild.

Havenfield

Complete

10/20/2016

Buescher TT BASS: WWS/Customer sax #145k. A WWS Inventory sax to be restored for customer. Setup TBD--customer Brass Resos.  Pearson

In Progress

11/1/16 SML Reynolds Contempora Tenor: WWS horn gets a Sarge Premium Rebuild with black roo pads, Silver Resotech resonators, Premium corks and felts for customer. Felix In Progress

11-25-16 Slot Open

12/10/2016

The Martin Tenor:

Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with natural cork throughout, replace missing key, and "Acid Bath +" treatment. McCarthy

12-20-16 Slot Open

- 2017 -

1-5-17 Slot Open

1-20-17 Slot Open

2-5-17 Slot Open

DATE TBD Buescher Silver C-Soprano: customer sax #155k  Crosby

If you wish to schedule a rebuild, or purchase one of the saxes (and it still needs to be rebuilt),  send me a 50% deposit to hold your place in the work schedule.  I work from a published schedule (see left margin) so that your sax will only be out of your possession a couple weeks, while i do the actual work, it does not have to just sit on the shop floor, until its turn comes up... you send it to arrive on schedule and we return it on schedule.

  E-mail chadd with  questions about our vintage saxes at:   worldwidesax@gmail.com  

Sure Pay/ClearXchange: The newest Bank-to-Bank $ transfer option by mobile phones to send money to our Email address! No fees attached! Perhaps THE way of future banking and payments. Use: WorldwideSax@Gmail.com

(Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase...)

  If  a horns says "just rebuilt", then it's ready to go, saxes that say "scheduled for a rebuild" are waiting for the work to be done, but it will be included in the posted price.  If a sax says "ON TRIAL" someone is taking advantage of the "Three Day Trial" policy (See Info and Orders page).

Saxophone Comparison Chart 

Some of the best vintage saxes of all time

(and SOUND FILES)

Here is a pic of some custom resonator work. The reso can be sized to your tonehole, or whatever you would like.

I can get you virtually any resonator ordered. Sarge's favorite was the  Resotech solid silver reso.

Check out Sarge's Tribute page...

WE  DO GOLD AND SILVER ELECTRO-PLATING

That's right! 

We have a:

 GOLD STAR

Pro plating system

The Industry's Premier Silver and Gold Plating System 
 Ask about having us Plate your Bell interior in 24 carat or  ROSE GOLD 

It is our business to Rebuild your sax or sell ours as Fully Rebuilt Saxes. We never sell our stock "As-Is". We are Restorers.

If you wish to schedule a rebuild, or purchase one of our saxes and it still needs to be rebuilt,  send us  a 50% deposit and we will schedule its rebuild before any of our other worldwidesax.com inventory. 

Everybody loves these new Kangaroo skin pads, aka Saxgourmet  Pads and you can get them from Curt, at musicmedic.com you can request that any WWS stock be rebuilt with them, or just click this link and order some for yourself.

Check out our newest pages...

Hard to find:

Here is a helpful outline of SML serial Numbers:

S.M.L. Serial Numbers:

0001 – 3000  /  1934 to 1940

3000 – 5500  /  1940 to 1945

5500 – 8000  /  1945 to 1950

8000 – 12000 / 1950 to 1955

12000 – 16000  /  1955 to 1960

16000 – 19000  /  1960 to 1965

22000 – 24000  /  1970 to 1975

24000 – 26000  /  1975 to 1980

26000 – 27000  /  1980 to 1982

SML Stencils:

HINT: no one ever says that these models play "bad".

(I have seen that many are connected to the Gold Medal era and into the King Marigaux era. Rev D era ones are very rare. WWS 'seen' examples are noted with their serial number.)

Pitchard Artist 

(#19k GM)

A.Cojan

 (#21k--UNIQUE: with F#!, unique for the early number!, with Rev D guards, GM engraving, Marigaux F#.)

Reynolds Contempora 

(#19k GM)

Jen Co Harmonica 

(#8k, Rev D)

Alexandre 

(#10k Rev D)

"The Woodwind Co." 

(#14k Rev D)

Vedette

(#20k, GM)

Here is a helpful outline of Keilwerth serial Numbers:

Keilwerth Serial Numbers:

1925:   0-800 

1933-5:     9000     

1941:  18,500

1947: #20,000

1953: #23,000

1958: #28,000

1960: #38,000

1962: #43,000

1964: #49,000

1966:  #55,000

1971: #69,000

1975-6?: #79,000

1977: #81,000

1986: #91,000

1993: #99,100

1996: #104,000

1998:  #109,000

2004:  #119,000

Keilwerth made The New King and Tone King  as their main brand names, from 1932 to 1969 or so, but there were always stencils, like Edgeware and later Couf.  Here are few of the other names you may find on Keilwerth made horns.  The New King and Tone King saxes were identical except for a high F# key on the tone king model, but keilwerth marketed the Tone King as the "deluxe" Pro model and the New King as the "standard" Pro model

Known Keilwerth Stencils:

Couf Superba 1 & 2

 Royalist

Conn DJH

Buffet

Edgeware

Marco

Vincent Albert

Martelle

Winsall

Tam

Bundy Special

(H&A Selmer)

(La Sete - seen: baritone/soprano)

Armstrong

Heritage

King Tempo

Champion

Calvert Deluxe

Silvertone

Hammerschmidt (sopranos)

Jean Barre Artist (seen Alto) 

Princeton (seen Alto)

American Master (seen Alto)

Keilwerth copiers, such as Amati,  Dörfler & Jörka (1949 to 1968, then purchased by Keilwerth) and B&S

H.Genet

Roxy

Jubilee

Voss

Silvertone

Rene Dumont

Keilwerth relatives:

Max Keilwerth and Richard Keilwerth (Graslitz) made saxes under the names:

Weltklang (baritones only)

Senator

Hohner

Here is a handy chart for King ZEPHYR series:

Zephyr and Zephyr Special
Zephyr, "Series I": 

s/n 170xxx to 180xxx
Zephyr, "Series II": 

s/n 180xxx to 237xxx

Zephyr Special: 

s/n 200xxx to 280xxx
Zephyr, "Series III": 

s/n 237xxx to 305xxx
Zephyr, "Series IV": 

s/n 305xxx to 423xxx
Zephyr, "Series V": 

s/n 423xxx to 540xxx

1945 was the beginning of King's  Super 20 (s/n 272xxx)
and Zephyr "II"s (s/n 272xxx)

Here is a handy chart for King SUPER 20 series:

1945-1949 "Series I":

#272xxx to 295xxx

Tranny "Series Ia":

#295xxx to 305xxx
1950-1951 "Series II":

#305xxx to 340xxx
1955-1962 "Series III":

#340xxx to 380xxx
1962-1967 "Series IV":

#380xxx to 426xxx

Factory moves to Eastlake
1967-1975+/-  "Series V":

#426xxx to 540xxx

1975 "Series VI":

<1975? era debate 1975+?

#540xxx to 800xxx

Past Work Schedule 2010:  

4-13-10  Gold Plated The Martin Soprano 64,xxx:   Done

4-18-10 Silver The Martin Tenor 184K "USMC":  Done

5-7-10 Buffet SDA Alto 18K:  Done

5-14-10 Armstrong Low A Baritone: Done

5-25-10 Conn 10M:   Done

5-28-10 Martin Committee 2 Alto: WWS Done

6-1-10 J. Keilwerth 1934 New King Alto:  Nickle plated  Done

6-11-10 The Martin Alto:  Done

6-17-10 Silver Buescher Big B:  Silver plated WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos for customer. Done

6-24-10 1948 Conn 6m Naked Lady: Done

7-2-10 Buescher 400 Tenor #505K:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with Prestini rivetless dome metal resos. WWS Done

7-8-10 1928 Silver Conn Chu Alto:  Customer horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos. DONE

7-20-10 King Super 20 Alto #415K:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos. WWS Done

7-28-10 Conn 6m:  customer horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos. Done

7-28-10 1945 The Martin Tenor:  WWS horn 153K gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with Seamless Domed resos. WWS Done

8-5-10 Buescher Aristo "156" Tenor #338K:  Done

8-12-10 1953 SML Rev D #10K:  Chadd horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Presini pads, some Premium upgrades, minor fabrication work, and some plating restorations.  Done

8-13-10 1972 Selmer Mark VI alto #208K:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Presini pads and natural cork throughout. WWS Done

8-27-10 1940 Conn 26M alto:  Customer horn gets a Premium Vintage Rebuild with White Roos & Seamless Flat resos. Done

9-7-10 1952 King Zephyr Alto:  WWS horn 328K gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild. WWS Done

9-23-10 Buescher Big B Tenor #322K:  WWS horn gets a Standard Buescher Rebuild with Buescher snap in pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Done

6-17-10 Silver Buescher Aristocrat #280k:  Silver plated WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Buescher snap-in Rebuild with original metal resos.  WWS Done

10-15-10 1960s LeBlanc Rationale Tenor:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Presini pads. Sarge/WWS Done

10-22-10 1953 SML Rev D #10K:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Presini pads for customer. Done

10-26-10 1940 Martin Comm 2 alto:  Chadd horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Presini pads, some Premium upgrades for customer. Done

11-4-10 Buescher Aristocrat Alto #345k:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Buescher snap-in Rebuild with original metal resos.  WWS Done

11-4-10 Buescher Big B Aristocrat Tenor #317k:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Buescher snap-in Rebuild with original metal resos.  WWS Done

11-18-10 Silver Conn Chu alto:  Customer horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos. Childs Done

12-2-10 Buescher Big B Aristocrat Alto:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Buescher snap-in Rebuild with original metal resos.  WWS Done

12-14-10 The Martin Tenor #208k:  WWS horn gets a Standard Vintage Rebuild with flat metal resos and rivet center.  WWS Done

12-17-10 Nickel Conn Chu Tenor:  WWS horn gets a Vintage French Standard  Rebuild with plastic resos. WWS Done

    Please e-mail or phone us for   additional   descriptions or  JPEG's  of  any  of  our current  inventory,  or if  you don't   see   something   you would  like  to  have,  let  us know.
     Unlike some web shops, we will  try  to list all  of  our current inventory and prices so  you  can  see  and  shop here  in  our  virtual  store.

     We  have  a  long  list  of customers  you  can  e-mail for references. (see References Page)
    Thanks,  for  visiting Worldwide Sax.  

~~Chadd&Steve~~

Past Work 2011:  

1-1-2011 H.Couf Superba 1 Tenor:  Customer horn gets a Standard  Vintage Rebuild with Pisoni rivetless dome metal resos. Thaut  Done

1-4-11 1938 Buescher Aristocrat series 1 Tenor:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Buescher Snap-in Rebuild with natural cork throughout. WWSDone

1-19-11 1940s Buescher Aristocrat Alto:  Customer's alto neck gets pull-down repair and dents removed. Garcia Done

1-19-11 Conn "tranny" Chu alto:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Rebuild with natural cork throughout and Sherry Huntly Engraving. WWS Done

1-28-11 Conn 6m alto:  Customer horn gets a Vintage Rebuild with natural cork throughout. Harford Done

2-5-11 King Super 20 alto - pearls:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Rebuild with premuim extras. WWS Done

2-22-11 King Super 20 tenor - pearls:  Customer horn gets a Vintage Rebuild with oversized Noyak resos on Black Saxgourmet Roo pads. Atkinson Done

2-23-11 Buescher 400 Tenor 429K:  WWS horn gets a Vintage Buescher Snap In rebuild. WWS Done 

3-10-11 Conn Gold C-Soprano 98K:  WWS horn gets a rebuild for customer with silver Resotechs to be gold plated & Premium Upgrade. Gast Done 

4-7-11 King Super 20 tenor --full pearls:  Sax gets a Vintage Rebuild with premium extras and seamless flat resos. Sarge Done

4-14-11 Conn Chu tranny tenor:  Customer horn gets a Vintage Rebuild with oversized Resotech resos on Black Saxgourmet Roo pads and a Premium Upgrade and New stainless steel springs. Mattina Done

4-21-11 Buffet S-1 Tenor:  Sax gets a Vintage Rebuild with premium extras and seamless flat resos. Sarge Done

5-10-11 Vintage YAS-62 purple label:  Customer horn gets a French Standard rebuild with plastic dome resos. Tebo Done

5-13-11 Vintage Dolnet #24K:  WWS horn gets a French Standard rebuild with Flat Metal resos. WWS Done

5-19-11 Selmer Mark VI alto:  Customer horn gets a Silver Restoration with a French Standard rebuild with plastic dome resos and full Spring Replacement. Zax Done

6-3-11 Selmer Mark VI Tenor:  Customer horn gets a French Standard rebuild with plastic dome resos and swedging. Layer Done

6-20-11 Silver Buescher TrueTone IV Alto:  Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard rebuild with Buescher Snap In Pads. Tarvin Done

7-1-11 King Saxello customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild. Zax Done

7-15-11 Silver Conn curved Soprano: WWS horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild after chemical Lacquer stripping, for customer. Luchtan Done

7-29-11 Silver Conn 26M alto:  WWS horn gets Rebuilt and some much needed TLC. WWS Done

8/7/11--8/13/11 TIME OFF

8-15-11 1935 Conn 10M tenor: WWS  horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild for customer.

Oleru Done

8-16-11 The Martin Tenor 1953:  Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild. Neilo Done

8-29-11 King Zephyr alto:  WWS (OS) horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild for customer. harrson/Keller Done

9-1-11 Maintenance & School Prep 

9-10-11 Maintenance & School Prep 

9-20-11 Martin Committee II alto: Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild.Siboliban Done

10-1-11 Martin Committee I alto: Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild + a new custom screw rod. Siboliban Done

10-18-11 Martin Committee III "The Martin alto": WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild for customer. Zink Done

11-1-11 H&A Selmer Bundy Baritone: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild for customer with domed metal resos for customer. Snowhill Done

11-13-11 Mark VI alto:  Silver Restoration Returns from Andersons. Customer horn gets a with a French Standard rebuild with Metal dome resos and full Spring Replacement with Rose Gold Plating Accents. Zax Done

12-6-11 Buescher Big B Baritone: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with metal-backed pads and natural cork throughout. Aaberg Done

12/22--31/11 TIME OFF

~  2012  ~

1-3-11 Conn Gold Artist "Harp" alto: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild for customer. Seward Done

1-17-12 Buescher Big B Tenor: Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with metal-backed pads and natural cork throughout. Williamson Done

2-1-12 SML Rev D Alto:

Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with prestini pads and natural cork throughout, + custom key fabrication. Heine Done

3-8-12 The Martin Tenor:

WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with prestini pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Gillette Done

3-16-12 Buffet Super Dynaction Tenor: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with prestini pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Croasdale Done

3-28-12 Conn baritone?:

Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with prestini pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Tarvin Canceled

3/29--4/16/12 TIME OFF

4-26-12 Martin Committee I Alto: Customer horn gets Vintage Standard Rebuild with prestini pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Lindberg Done

5-10-12 Buffet SDA Alto #18,7xx: WWS horn gets Premium Rebuild with Saxgourmet Black Roo pads with Noyak resonators for customer. Sheedy Done

5-31-12 Silver/nickel The Martin Alto: WWS horn gets vintage standard rebuild with new stainless steel springs, Rose-gold wash bell. Krause Done

6-21-12 Silver The Martin Tenor: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild for customer plus custom thumb hook, post repairs. Evans Done

6-27-12 The Martin Tenor, Official Music Man Model: WWS horn gets Premium Standard rebuild for customer with Saxgourmet Roo Pads. Tuncel Done

7-3-12 Selmer Super Balanced Action Tenor: gets Premium Standard rebuild for customer with tan pads and domed metal resos50%+. Maxwell Done

7-13-12 The Martin Tenor: 

Customer horn gets a Premium Rebuild with prestini pads and seamless flat resos, and custom work. Leisenbach Done

7-27-12 B&S Blue Label alto: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild (premium) for customer and custom pearls installed. Incorvaia Done

8/2--8/5/12 TIME OFF 

8-6-12 Buescher "The Aristocrat" alto: WWS horn gets a Vintage Buescher rebuild with original snap-on pads and natural cork throughout. Complete

8-10-12 Selmer Balanced Action alto: Customer horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild  for customer with stack swedging and screw replacements and minor fabrication. Suhling Done

8-22-12 Silver Conn Chu Alto: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild (premium) for customer, with neck octave key work and swedging throughout. Hayes Done

9/1--9/12/2012 School Prep

9-13-12  Conn 6M viii alto: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild  for customer with natural cork throughout and case solving. O'Brien Done

9-28-12 Gold Plate SML Rev D Tenor: WWS horn gets The Sarge Special rebuild (Premium) for customer, with gold plated domed Resotech resonators on Black Saxgourmet Roo pads. Ester Done

10-12-12 Silver Selmer " Model 26"  Tenor: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with neck repair and oversized flat resonators with rivet. Verver  Done

10-31-12 Selmer Mark VI alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with Saxgourmet Roos with original resos. Premium? Spring Replacement?. Johnson Done

11/3--11/14/12 TIME OFF

11-16-12 Conn Virtuoso Deluxe C-Melody 8M: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with White Roos for consignment sale. Emmons- Catalano  Done

11-23-12 The Martin Alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild Natural cork throughout. Machin Done

12-6-12 Conn 10M Tenor: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild  for customer with natural cork throughout. Ruud Done

12-17-12 Conn Artist Soprano in gold plate: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild Natural cork throughout and Saxgourmet Roo pads. Woodmancy Done

12/21--1/2/13 TIME OFF

Christmas Break

The Work Schedule 2013:  

1-7-13 Conn 10M, silver 1945 Tenor: WWS horn gets Vintage Standard rebuild  for customer with natural cork throughout. Smith  Done

1-10-13 Buescher 400 alto: WWS horn gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap in pads and natural cork throughout. Done

1-18-13 SML Rev D Alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with oversized flat resos, Natural cork throughout and acid bath. Pearson Done

1-29-13 The Martin Baritone: WWS horn gets Premium Rebuild  for customer with vintage standard resos and tan pads. Bogle/Ryba Done

2-21-13 King Zephyr Tenor #308k: WWS horn gets Vintage Rebuild  with seamless flat resos and Black Roo Pads! WWS Done

3-1-13 Buescher 400 TH&C alto: WWS horn #306k gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap in pads and natural cork throughout. WWS Done

3-13-13 1960s Selmer Mark VI alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and plastic resonators. Adams Done

3-25-13 1952 Selmer Super Balanced Action Baritone Low A: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and metal resonators. Hanan Done

4/1--4/7/13 TIME OFF

4-29-13 Buescher 400 TH&C alto: WWS horn #306,44x gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap in pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Lindberg Done

5-2-13 King Silversonic Tenor: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and metal resonators. Gifford Done

5-16-13 Martin Imperial Baritone: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and metal resonators; and new blue steel springs. Johnson  Done

6-1-13 The Martin Alto: WWS horn #163k gets Vintage Standard Rebuild  with tan pads, flat resonators and natural cork throughout. Done

6-18-13 Conn New Wonder Alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and flat metal resonators. Fisher Done

7-1-13 Silver Conn 6M VIII alto: WWS horn #314k gets new GOLD plate in bell and a Vintage Standard Rebuild  with tan pads, flat resonators and natural cork throughout for customer. Balk  Done

7-11-13 Selmer Balanced Action alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with tan Prestini pads and plastic domed resonators. Backman Done

8-7-13 The Martin Tenor, Official Musicman Model:

WWS horn #214k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild  with Black Roo pads, seamless flat resonators +50%, and natural cork throughout for customer. McKeirnan Done

8/19/13--8/30/13 

Two weeks School Prep

9-1-13 Selmer Balanced Action alto: Customer horn gets new springs Backman Done

9-2-13 Conn C-Soprano: 

WWS horn #117k gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild  with flat resonators +50%, and natural cork throughout for customer. Lindberg Done

10-3-13 Buescher Tipped Bell Bb Soprano: WWS horn #204k gets a Buescher Standard Rebuild  with snap in pads, and natural cork throughout for customer. Zax Done

10-15-13 Conn Gold C-Melody: WWS horn gets a prepared for customer. Lindberg Done

10-29-13 The Martin Alto: WWS horn #163k gets Vintage Standard Rebuild  with tan pads, flat resonators and natural cork throughout. Done

11-1-13 Selmer Mark VII alto: Customer horn gets a Vintage Standard Rebuild with plastic resos and natural cork throughout. Rachmiel Done

11-21-13 Selmer Mark VI Tenor 205k:  Customer horn gets a Vintage Rebuild on Saxgourmet Roo Pads with seamless domed metal resos at 60%+ and natural cork throughout, also some neck repair. Coile Done

12-10-13 Conn Curved Soprano: WWS horn #57k gets Vintage Standard Rebuild  tan pads, flat resonators and natural cork throughout for customer. Eberhard Done

12/22/13--1/1/13 

TIME OFF - Xmas Break

Schedule 2014:  

1-16-14 Buescher TrueTone Baritone:  customer horn #224k gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap-in pads, natural cork throughout, acid bath and clean up work. Cantrael Done

2-4-14 Buescher Tenor: Customer horn #13k gets TLC and Buescher Standard Setups for customer. Balk Done

2-24-14 Buescher Big B alto: Customer horn gets a Buescher Standard Rebuild with Snap-in pads and natural cork throughout for customer. Strassmaier Done

3-1-14 Buescher "The Aristocrat" series 1 Tenor: WWS horn #278k gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap-in pads, natural cork throughout for a customer. Gore Done

3-10-14 1952 Selmer Super Balanced Action Low-A Baritone: Consignment horn gets a Custom Rebuild with tan pads, resotech resos, natural cork throughout with some premium upgrades for customer. Vitale Done

3-24-14 Conn Chu Berry Alto: Customer horn gets a WWS Vintage Standard Rebuild with Prestini Pads and natural cork throughout. Miranda Done

On-going '14 side projects:

King Saxello

WWS horn #76k gets Vintage Rebuild  with black roo pads, and some Premium upgrades.

Done

4-14-14 Selmer Mark VI Tenor: Customer horn #183K gets a WWS Vintage Standard Rebuild with Prestini Pads and natural cork throughout, spring replacements. Vogelgesang 

Done

5-9-14 1980s Vito Low-A Baritone: Customer horn gets a WWS Rebuild with tan pads, large metal resos, natural cork throughout. ASD

Done

5-29-14 "The Martin Tenor": WWS horn #158k gets Vintage Standard Rebuild, body metal cleaning, Tan pads and flat resos with natural cork throughout for a customer. McDonaldDone

6-5-14-Side schedule: Julius Keilwerth Tone King Tenor: previous WWS sax returns for cosmetic work and tune-ups. Silver spot plating and Goldwash bell. Balk DONE

6-10-14: "The Martin Tenor": WWS horn #187k gets Vintage Rebuild  with black roo pads, custom resotech resonators,  natural cork throughout and some premium upgrades for a customer. Axton In Progress

6-25-14: Selmer New Largebore, gold plated Tenor: WWS/customer horn #13k gets Vintage Rebuild with original metal resonators,  natural cork throughout and some premium upgrades for a customer. Maxwell Done

7-2-14 Buescher Big B alto:

WWS horn #328,1xx gets Vintage Buescher Rebuild  with snap-in pads, natural cork throughout for a customer. Bertrand Done

7-12-14 Selmer Mark VI Alto: WWS horn #101K gets Vintage Selmer Rebuild with original plastic resos, custom Premium upgrades, natural & tech cork throughout for a customer. Lindberg Done

7-22-14 Selmer Super Action 80 series II alto: 2004 customer horn gets Premium Rebuild with Saxgourmet Roo pads,  tech cork, ultra suede etc... and silver Resotech resonators for a customer. Simonishvili Done

AUGUST-2014 

SHOP CLOSED:

On-going '14 side projects:

Conn Chu Tenor-Super Gigger Custom

WWS horn #211k gets Custom Rebuild  with custom RED roo pads, maxed out Silver resotech resonators, Premium upgrades, keywork fabrication...etc

In Progress

Sept./ Oct./Nov. 2014 

SHOP CLOSED:

--MOVING!--CLICK

~~ 2015 ~~

4-1-15 Silver Bundy Special Baritone: custom help for a customer horn. shipping damages. (non rebuild) JOHNSON

 Complete

4-12-15 Buescher Silver C-Soprano: customer sax #155k  Crosby

4-19-15 King Zephyr Special Alto: WWS horn gets Rebuild  with upgrades for a customer. Keen Done

5-9-15 Buescher Big B Alto: Customer horn  Dize Done

6-1-15 Buescher Big B Alto: Customer horn  Nordmann

  Done

6-13-15 H. Genet Tenor: WWS Horn for Customer Meyers Done

6-19-15 Martin Committee 1 alto: Customer horn #116K gets Standard Vintage Rebuild  with 50% resos, natural cork throughout for a customer. Hodgson  

Done

7-20-15 Selmer Mark VI alto: Customer horn #147K gets Standard Vintage Rebuild  with reused resos, natural cork throughout for a customer. Harned 

Done

7-29-15 Conn Chu Berry Tenor: Customer horn #236K gets Standard Vintage Rebuild  with 50% resos, natural cork throughout for a customer. Parashes  Done

8-22-15 Silver Restoration - Aristo 1 Tenor:

Havenfield 

  In Progress

8-15-15 King Super 20 Alto: WWS horn #427K gets Standard Vintage Rebuild  with 50% resos, natural cork throughout for a customer. Rarden  Complete

9-5-15 Conn Chu-tranny Tenor #166k: WWS horn #166K gets Standard Vintage Rebuild  with 50%+ resos, natural cork throughout for a customer--no silver polishing. Donnelly Complete

SEPTEMBER-15 

BACK-TO-SCHOOL

Local Repairs

10-15-15 SML Rev. D tenor: WWS horn #9K gets Custom Rebuild  with gold resotech resos, premium upgrades for a customer. Uchiya Complete

10-29-15 1919 Buescher Curved Soprano: WWS horn #61K gets a Vintage Rebuild  with seamless,.  metal resos, and natural cork for a customer. McInnis

Complete

11-15-15 1956 Selmer Mark VI Tenor: WWS horn #65K Vintage Rebuild  with flat metal resos, and natural cork for a customer. Nik 

Complete

12-5-15 Special Orders: Christmas prep...

12-12-15 Buescher Big B alto:

Customer horn gets a Vintage Buescher Rebuild with natural cork throughout--Jan 2 pickup. Reynolds 

Complete 

HOLIDAY BREAK

Dec. 22, 2014 - Jan. 2, 2015

Relacquers and Restorations

(photos below)

Sarge: I wanted to weigh in my opinion on Relacquers and Restorations, because i get almost daily emails, wanting to know what i think about them.  

A vintage horn is heavier and more solid than today's Chinese, Taiwanese or Japanese horns... and can usually take one relac/buffing, without any real ill effects... but many "+50 year old"  horns have been relacquered 2, even 3 times.  By the time this happens, weight is lost from the horn and the sound does change.   Take a look at a sax that has been buffed and relacquered so many times, the engraving is virtually gone.  This is not a wise choice, for a potential buyer.

Now, restorations, like my silver plating jobs, work great, if a horn has only been relacquered once... the weight is added back on, with the new coat of silver  and the engravings are restored (by re-Engraving) to bring back the beauty of the horn.  My opinion is the best thing you can do for a overbuffed, dented up horn is to play it until you can get  yourself something better.  You will know "better" when you see it, after you have worked your way through a few ebay disasters...

More Relacquer Info

     I have received so many questions and requests about Vintage instrument finishes and lacquers, that I have created this page to try to help answer your questions.

     There are many tricks to uncovering the history of a sax, it's history of repairs and care.  There are also as many tricks to cover it up as well.  A really good refinish will look just like the original finish.

     Sometimes when you see an ad, it will say Factory Relacquer...the reason this is desirable, is the factory will usually have the exact color tint formula, for an authentic look.  An elderly Selmer should have a dark gold hue to it.  As it ages,  it will take on a sort of brownish-red highlight near the edges of some areas.  This is usually because the original technician, many years ago, polished and cleaned all the acid and residue, off the main bell, but missed some at the outside edges.  This continues to oxidize under the lacquer and cause color variations.  A 40's  instrument without any blemishes or discoloration could be a relacquer.  A older instrument with a light gold finish like a Yamaha is probably not original.

    Runs in the lacquer are a dead give-away.  Look for paint that has sags or runs off of posts... then it almost surely is a relaq.  Another good way to tell, is if the lacquer fills in and smoothes out the engraved areas of the bell and serial number location.  Original engravers received the horn after it had been lacquered, and then cut the engraving, by hand, through the lacquer, into the bell or other areas.  This was frequently done with a temporary tattoo, called a STENCIL, (a drawing of the pattern they are going to engrave on the sax was called a stencil) hence the term "Conn stencil" etc.  The engraver would transfer the stencil pattern onto the bell and then follow it's pattern as he engraved. 

    Yet another give-away is to look for fine scratches under the lacquer.   When the finish is removed, the buffing process can leave tiny lines in the metal.  These are then lacquered over and can be seen where it was hard to do the fine buffing and rouge polishing process, like behind the bell, around the keyholes, etc.  Many times red rouge compound can be found inside the toneholes too.  That said, many fine horns, such as mid 60's Selmer have buffing lines under original lacquer... sometimes rouge in the horn too.  this is normal and sometimes happened because they hurried their work too much, trying to keep up with production.

    The most difficult "tell" is the depth of the engraving.   It should be clear and deep and a little rough to the touch.  If the instrument has had the original lacquer buffed off, it takes a couple thousandths of an inch of metal off the engraved area and lightens the engraving.

    It is most difficult to tell the engraving depth on French instruments from the 40's and 50's.  The French seem to engrave very lightly, and this makes the depth tell difficult.  When in doubt, take it to the very best vintage sax specialist in your area for a 2nd opinion. 

    I also frequently see acid bleed and copper bleed under the finish on Selmers.  This was probably due to an overall rushing the manufacturing, assembly and finishing, in order to keep up with the overwhelming demand for Super Balanced Action and Mark VI saxes.  A little solder acid under the finish, not thoroughly cleaned off, will show up years later as discoloration.  There are several things that will cause discoloration, but they are considered part of the "original" finish and therefore do not detract from the value or playability of the instrument. 

Here is a common picture of a relacquered finish on a Conn 10M Naked Lady.

Can you find the Lady?:

    Note the smoothness of the engraving.  It should be sharp and distinct and maybe even have a little corrosion in the lines that are cut through the lacquer into the brass.  The engraved lines here are filled in with lacquer and smooth, rather than cut and sharp.

thanks, sarge

"When in doubt, it is probably a ReLacquer."

Here I put together a side by side comparison of two "The Martin Tenor"s for your viewing.

     On the Left, 1945 a one-time relac, good playing, deep tone due to the early serial number era(153K). On the Right, a 1948 Original lacquer(164k). Notice the clearer cut engraving and deep, deep patina on this one.  Still deep tones for the serial range and darker lacquer than the later 50s/60s era Martins. 

Enjoy, chadd.

however, in person, i must attest that the relac engraving was much more noticeable, to give it some credit.  ...oh! and the #164K original tenor has keys that were relacquered! tricky!

Relac solo photo:                   Original solo photo:

When did lacquer start being used?

     Rumor has is that Conn did some experiments in the 1920s but you can't find any "originals" that could be until the 1930s. That is, "originals" by our modern inspections. In my opinion, it only makes sense that the manufacturing process experimented with when and how to lacquer with regard to the process. Was is "before engraving or after"? Was is a multi-step process?: Lacquer, prep, lacquer, engrave, lacquer, polish, lacquer....etc. (just an example). 

     Most big companies adapted to engrave as a final step for a while. That helps get that "cut" look we all love that allows the brass to tarnish in time for a color contrast. This is commonly seen in the vintage sax world.

Here's some of that Cut Look: 

                1936 Conn 30M:            1968 Selmer Mark VI:     1934 Buescher Aristocrat tranny:

      We know that Selmer Mark VI's changed the order to lacquering steps with engraving too!...in the 1970s! ...still experimenting? haha. Always! Their floral patterns (and most French brands) are the most faint when compared to American horns and engraving style.

     I find that the best two timeline examples are with this trait are: 

-Buescher Aristocrat series 1, "The Aristocrat" 

-Conn M series, "Naked Lady"s  ....from the era, you catch this on the "transitional" models between the Chu and the Naked Lady

 

1934 Conn Chu Transitional with "naked lady":

This was another fun one to work on: 

1934 Conn Chu with "Naked Lady" Transitional tenor:  please ignore the few raindrops that made it on camera.  :)  Serial #260,xxx. If ever a sax should get relacquered, it should look like this one! Although up for discussion, This could be a Professional job that could have happened in the late 1940s or 50s. It's a true beauty and I can't tell how many people ask us about a Pretty "chu" in lacquer. {{{could it be original?! 

I THINK IT IS ORIGINAL LACQUER! 

timeline dates it to the beginning of lacquered saxes...Hmmm  }}} ...one reason to help support this is because i was able to get the story of the this sax from the original owners' son. :)  So the true "cool factor" is that this tranny era Conn has the Chu keywork and the Naked Lady engravings -- all still highly visible from the pro lacquer work. It also features the distinct Rolled Tone Holes of the era and the big, early Chu sound. The sax is in overall good shape aside from the relacquer, neck looks good -- minor dings to mention (see photos) and perhaps the only major damage in its lifetime happened to the high E area where the damage only shows the repair. 

SOLD  Sound File: Selmer VI vs Conn Chu tranny vs Buescher 400 TopHat&Cane

Bueschers in the 1930s...

      I have seen several common dark lacquer Bueschers from the 30s that don't match the prior and later lacquer prep style. There was less 'cut' after the finish. Again, more debates but after seeing so many similar series 1's... 

     Here, enjoy some beautiful pictures. :)

#1 #2 #3

 

#1) 1934 Buescher Aristocrat transitional model. A beautiful original from Sarge's collection.

#2) 1937 Buescher Aristocrat. I believe this is what the originals changed to as the process evolved.

#3) 1938 Buescher Aristocrat. I believe this alto is a good relacquer. Tricky! no?