I was responding to an e-mail from Helen (our sax CE) regarding a vintage horn and I offhandedly mentioned that it'd be fun to do a thread or blog post on what saxophones a collector should have. This is that thread. Please feel free to add some instruments and discuss why the instrument(s) should be included. Give a submission a "Thanks" or two and I'll add the horn in that thread to this first post. I'll probably get around to adding pics, sometime, too.
Disclaimer: I'm not trying to show any make/model or collection any disrespect. I'm also not saying that any particular horn on this list is the best horn for you or is even a good horn. I'm essentially treating this as if I were collecting saxophones the same as collecting stamps and I had unlimited funds.
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1. An Adolphe (Antoine-Joseph) Sax instrument from the 19th century.
It almost goes without saying that you should have a horn from the inventor, himself. As a step down, you could get a pre-1928 horn from Adolphe-Edouard Sax, the inventor's son. As a step down from that, you could get a Selmer-made Adolphe Sax horn. As a step down from that, you could try to get a pre-1890 Evette-Schaeffer, as they were licensed by Adolphe Sax and had a very similar design to Sax's instrument.
2. One horn of each pitch.
Let's see if I can name them all: Bb sopranissimo, Eb sopranino, Bb&C sopranos, G mezzo-soprano, Eb&F altos, Bb&C tenors, Eb baritone, Bb&C bass, Eb subcontrabass and Bb, C and Eb contrabass. (I'll talk about the A soprano in a bit
.) For bonus points, you could also try to get one in each style, like a straight alto and regular (curved) alto.
3. A Selmer Mark VI alto or tenor.
Regardless of personal opinion, the Mark VI is a) regarded by a lot of folks to be the "Stradivarius" of saxophones and b) one of the insanely few make/models that has not only maintained, but increased in value. It's also probably the one make/model that most sax players can mention off the top of their heads.
4. Firsts.
There are a lot of different kinds of firsts. One that I can think of, off the top of my head, would be the first make/model of saxophone produced in a country. For instance, a Conn "Worcester" (first US make/model) or a Kohlert (or Adler) from around 1890 to 1904 (the first German-made horns). There are also first models made by a company, like the Selmer Modele 22, etc.
5. A slide sax.
Not only because they're visually interesting and have an interesting sound, but because they're part of the 1920's sax craze and all but disappeared in 10 years.
6. A plastic sax.
In my opinion, it'd be the Grafton Acrylic Alto, as that horn has an association with Charlie Parker and because it is one of those Firsts (i.e. first sax that was plastic). However, I do think a Vibratosax could be in this discussion.
7. A Conn New Wonder with Virtuoso Deluxe finish.
These are the horns Conn produced that had all the additional pearl keytouches, triple gold plate and custom engraving. If there was any horn that typified the 1920s sax craze AND some of the American excesses of that decade, this is it.
8. An interesting 1920s soprano.
You've got several choices: a King Saxello, a Buescher Tipped-Bell, a Holton/Couturier semi-curved, etc.
9. At least one horn from a manufacturer that is no longer in business in any way, shape or form.
That's actually harder than you might think. As an example, the nameplates of most of the US manufactures from the 1920s are still around. A lot of Germanic and Italian makes were just consolidated and those names are still around. You might have to go French. Which reminds me ...
10. One horn from each country that made saxophones. At the very least, US, France, Italy, Japan and Germany.
It'd also be kinda kewl if your selection typified the "US sound" (that'd be a Conn), etc. Bonus for Russian, Brazilian, Belgian and Romanian makes.
11. A decent high-pitch saxophone.
At the very least, so you can demonstrate an A=440hz horn vs. an A=457hz horn. Oddly, finding a good high-pitch horn is getting more challenging.
12. Something awesomely rare or one-of-a-kind.
I mentioned that A soprano, which was on GetASax.com awhile ago. You've also got things like prototypes (the King Super 21, for instance) and horns made in such small quantities, people don't know that they exist (e.g. curved C soprano and C bass). There are also really unique designs, like the Georgeophone or the Selmer Padless.
13. A low A alto.
Most folks have heard of the Mark VI low A alto. How many folks know about the Couesnon Monopole low A alto?
14. The ultimate pro horns from each manufacturer.
You could truncate it to something like, "The ultimate pro horns from each US manufacturer" (Conn Connqueror and Connstellation, Buescher 400 and Aristocrat, King Super 20, Martin Magna and whatever Holton, Couturier and York).
15. At least one interesting sax-fingered relative.
A Sax-Oboe, Sarrusophone, Rothophone, etc.
16. One horn from each model of a particular manufacturer.
Gottacatch collect them all!
17. (In)famous Student Horns
You've have to throw a Bundy and a Yamaha 21/23/25 in there.
Disclaimer: I'm not trying to show any make/model or collection any disrespect. I'm also not saying that any particular horn on this list is the best horn for you or is even a good horn. I'm essentially treating this as if I were collecting saxophones the same as collecting stamps and I had unlimited funds.
=============
1. An Adolphe (Antoine-Joseph) Sax instrument from the 19th century.
It almost goes without saying that you should have a horn from the inventor, himself. As a step down, you could get a pre-1928 horn from Adolphe-Edouard Sax, the inventor's son. As a step down from that, you could get a Selmer-made Adolphe Sax horn. As a step down from that, you could try to get a pre-1890 Evette-Schaeffer, as they were licensed by Adolphe Sax and had a very similar design to Sax's instrument.
2. One horn of each pitch.
Let's see if I can name them all: Bb sopranissimo, Eb sopranino, Bb&C sopranos, G mezzo-soprano, Eb&F altos, Bb&C tenors, Eb baritone, Bb&C bass, Eb subcontrabass and Bb, C and Eb contrabass. (I'll talk about the A soprano in a bit
.) For bonus points, you could also try to get one in each style, like a straight alto and regular (curved) alto.3. A Selmer Mark VI alto or tenor.
Regardless of personal opinion, the Mark VI is a) regarded by a lot of folks to be the "Stradivarius" of saxophones and b) one of the insanely few make/models that has not only maintained, but increased in value. It's also probably the one make/model that most sax players can mention off the top of their heads.
4. Firsts.
There are a lot of different kinds of firsts. One that I can think of, off the top of my head, would be the first make/model of saxophone produced in a country. For instance, a Conn "Worcester" (first US make/model) or a Kohlert (or Adler) from around 1890 to 1904 (the first German-made horns). There are also first models made by a company, like the Selmer Modele 22, etc.
5. A slide sax.
Not only because they're visually interesting and have an interesting sound, but because they're part of the 1920's sax craze and all but disappeared in 10 years.
6. A plastic sax.
In my opinion, it'd be the Grafton Acrylic Alto, as that horn has an association with Charlie Parker and because it is one of those Firsts (i.e. first sax that was plastic). However, I do think a Vibratosax could be in this discussion.
7. A Conn New Wonder with Virtuoso Deluxe finish.
These are the horns Conn produced that had all the additional pearl keytouches, triple gold plate and custom engraving. If there was any horn that typified the 1920s sax craze AND some of the American excesses of that decade, this is it.
8. An interesting 1920s soprano.
You've got several choices: a King Saxello, a Buescher Tipped-Bell, a Holton/Couturier semi-curved, etc.
9. At least one horn from a manufacturer that is no longer in business in any way, shape or form.
That's actually harder than you might think. As an example, the nameplates of most of the US manufactures from the 1920s are still around. A lot of Germanic and Italian makes were just consolidated and those names are still around. You might have to go French. Which reminds me ...
10. One horn from each country that made saxophones. At the very least, US, France, Italy, Japan and Germany.
It'd also be kinda kewl if your selection typified the "US sound" (that'd be a Conn), etc. Bonus for Russian, Brazilian, Belgian and Romanian makes.
11. A decent high-pitch saxophone.
At the very least, so you can demonstrate an A=440hz horn vs. an A=457hz horn. Oddly, finding a good high-pitch horn is getting more challenging.
12. Something awesomely rare or one-of-a-kind.
I mentioned that A soprano, which was on GetASax.com awhile ago. You've also got things like prototypes (the King Super 21, for instance) and horns made in such small quantities, people don't know that they exist (e.g. curved C soprano and C bass). There are also really unique designs, like the Georgeophone or the Selmer Padless.
13. A low A alto.
Most folks have heard of the Mark VI low A alto. How many folks know about the Couesnon Monopole low A alto?
14. The ultimate pro horns from each manufacturer.
You could truncate it to something like, "The ultimate pro horns from each US manufacturer" (Conn Connqueror and Connstellation, Buescher 400 and Aristocrat, King Super 20, Martin Magna and whatever Holton, Couturier and York).
15. At least one interesting sax-fingered relative.
A Sax-Oboe, Sarrusophone, Rothophone, etc.
16. One horn from each model of a particular manufacturer.
Gotta
17. (In)famous Student Horns
You've have to throw a Bundy and a Yamaha 21/23/25 in there.
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