The BEAST

[JayeSF]

OK, Well...before I get to my post I have to make an announcement:

It's official...the NOBLET forum has now taken the Title of:

"Most Ghost-town Section on SOTW"....

It has displaced the Malerne section...

....seriously....5 months with not a single posting......

Which begs the question....WHY ?????

I have owned 3 Noblets, now...and they are all excellent horns. Not just 'pretty good', not just 'respectable players', but very good, very well-made, sweet sounding instruments.

So, I now am proud owner of this one, a Noblet Standard Tenor:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/album.php?albumid=125&pictureid=705

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/album.php?albumid=125&pictureid=706

$300 on eFlay, I was the only bidder...and it plays up and down, just needed a few pad leaks taken care of.

I don't get it...I mean, I guess the selling market really IS that bad....

Review: This horn has as big a Tenor sound as any of the old classic Americans. It has just as big a sound as my Conn 10M.
My other French Tenors (Malerne, Dolnet) are smoother sounding, not as much "bite" or edge to their tone, more midrange-y horns. But this Noblet just roars. Great big bottom and it keeps its punch in the upper register. Ergos are fine, no uncomfortable reaches. Intonation seems good, nothing jumped out at me as being off.
Reasonably heavy horn, straight toneholes, large bore, nicely finished keywork....

Pretty sweet tenor...

[NissanMarkVII]

Noblet's are good horns ( I have played a couple), but I wouldn't put them in the top 5. Top 15 yes. But they lack a certain something (can't really place my finger on it) for me, that Cousnon and Beaugnier excell at (which I sould put in top 10 for sure!).

My opinion on Top 5 (in the broadest terms):

1) Selmer Paris
2) King (pre-Eastlake)
3) Buescher (pre-Selmer)
4) Conn (Pre-Mexico)
5) Martin

and Top 10:

6) Beaugnier/Vito
7) Yanagisawa
8) King (Eastlake)
9) Cousnon
10) Yamaha

Top 15:

11) Noblet
12-15) Fill in the blanks! So many vy for these spots, it's hard to choose!

[Sax Hut]

Jaye, judging from those pics the horn looks like an older Beaugnier. If I'm not hallucinating, Vito sometimes put their name on these.... Which raises the question, did Noblet actually even produce saxophones? How's the tuning on yours?

[JayeSF]

Hi. Well, I see what you are saying.

IOW, did Noblet....the woodwind company.... subcontract out their saxes to someone else ?

That I do not know. Now, it's funny that you bring up Vito, because....

I have read that Vito Pascucci (sp ?) confirmed that Robert Malerne used to be the foreman at the Noblet plant, before he went out and opened his own saxophone plant. Malerne, Vito, and Leblanc were all homies, apparently.....

NOw, my assumption had always been that Vito meant that at Noblet, Robert was the foreman of the saxophone manufacturing....but...I have nothing to go on there other than that was how I interpreted Vito's quote on that matter.

Please take a peek at the rest of my photo album (accessed via the links above), there are my 2 other Noblets there...the alto and the bari....do they also look like Beaugniers to you two guys ?

I will upload some more detailed pics, too.

Nissan...does this horn look like your Vito-Beaugnier, by any chance ? Just wondering.
I have looked at some other pics and indeed, it resembles some Vitos and some Beugnier Specials.

My Bari has similar detailing...BUT...my Alto doesn't have any of the details which the Tenor does (bell brace, pinky table, spat keys, neck collar, octave key, keyguards, etc. are all notably dissimilar from this Tenor...)

Hmmm...so...if Beugnier made some Noblets, my alto would indicate they didn't make ALL Noblets....because the alto is a completely differently designed horn, at initial glance...

Lastly...is there a Beaugnier serial # list ? Now I am wondering if these horns coincide with a different serial # sequence......BTW, I can't find the serial # on the Tenor...must be here somewhere, though....

Also...Nissan, I wasn't necessarily calling it the top 4 or saying it is as good as, etc, etc...just noting that, for a French horn, it has more balls than my other ones....and a sound more reminiscent of a big ol' American Tenor than any of the other Franks I have....

I am eagerly awaiting a Couesnon Tenor which should arrive any day now, so I'll do a comparison once it gets here....assuming it plays....

Noblet-Couesnon-Malerne-Dolnet.......hehehehe.....

....I'm such an idiot......

Thanks for the replies so far....

[NissanMarkVII]

Jaye,

I noticed that big "American" type sound out of my Beagnier built Vito Tenor as well. Not "French" sounding at all, as one would expect (and some think they hear from them!). I'm sure setup and playing style have something to do with it, but the sax has to get you part way there first :) .

My Vito Special, is a later RH bell key model, like this:

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss254/NissanMarkVII/vito_leblanc_hodges.png

This is my Tenor: Circa 1950's (built to compete with the Mark VI, Buffet, Super20, and Couf of the day):

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss254/NissanMarkVII/1950sBeaugnierVitoSpecialTenor1.jpg

I have heard the same about Noblets, as some Vitos, though here is the "accepted" hiearchy of the Beaugnier built saxes: Beaugnier, Vito, Noblet, other stencils.

Cousnon is definately a "French" sounding sax though. Central Lakes College has one, and the sound is very centered, focused, and strong. Build quality though, is less than Beaugnier/Vito, about like early Japanese build quality. Robust, bust has some very obvious weak points (the pearls are glued, not swedged, like my Vito, the double socket neck is easily bent, making putting the neck on a delicate task, and there are other small things like that that they used to cut corners and cost).

Weakest point in the Beaugneir/Vito is the bell to body brace. I had to have mine soldered, because the screws were stripped out, causing the bell to move from the body! Selmer has a far superior design there!

[JayeSF]

Mine looks a bit like your '50's one, except bellkeys on left.

...where is the serial # on your horns ? It isn't apparent on this one....

I haven't got the Couesnon tenor speaking quite yet, but am looking forward to a comparison.

DEFINITELY, the Vito/Noblet is a heavier instrument...significantly.

[NissanMarkVII]

It is under the thumbrest. If there is any lacquer wear at all, it will be difficult to see. The stamping is VERY thin, and sometimes only a few of the numbers can be made out! It took me a week to locate the numbers on mine!

[NissanMarkVII]

Mine looks a bit like your '50's one, except bellkeys on left.

...where is the serial # on your horns ? It isn't apparent on this one....

I haven't got the Couesnon tenor speaking quite yet, but am looking forward to a comparison.

DEFINITELY, the Vito/Noblet is a heavier instrument...significantly.

From the bell brace, it is Beaugnier built, 100%! Those bell braces are as unique as Kings and Selmers. Your Noblet could very well be 1950s, as Noblet was ALWAYS the last to get the latest features. Beaugnier (French Market) and Vito (American Market) got them first. Noblet was the affordable alternative to Beaugnier. A step-up horn if you will. And, like any step-up, it doesn't make them play any less than the pro-line, it just makes them less expensive to produce :) .

[Joe Green]

Kim Slava has a partial serial number list at http:\\doctorsax.biz/beaugnier_ser_nos.htm.

It includes a section on Noblets with a partial list of serial numbers and some pictures. I just bought a Noblet standard tenor with the serial number 10527 that Kim thinks might be from the late fifties. My horn needs some TLC and plays very well from top to bottom. It looks and feels very much like a Beaugnier Vito tenor from the 60s and has the same booming low end.

Hope this helps.

[JayeSF]

Yeah, I agree with y'all it's definitely a Beaugnier-built horn. It's detailing is spot-on with other Vitos and such I have seen.

Thanks for the link to serial #'s, Joe.

I have to tell you....I am very SURPRISED at how GOOD this horn is...seriously.

Nissan...I know you have been saying that here for a while and recommending the Beaugnier Vitos very strongly...but I always sorta figured "yeah, sounds like a good sleeper horn, probably pretty respectable player".

Sometimes I actually don't wanna pick 'er up...because when I blow her after some of the classic old American and German ones....jeez...she still sounds hella, hella good....

[NissanMarkVII]

They are extreme sleepers! The Noblet name has 'Intermediate' conotations, while Vito has 'student' conotations, which we all know is false with the good old models! Though, I never knew of any Noblet ever being marketed to the pro market (which is inmaterial, when they do sound as good as they can!). As with ANY instrument, your results may vary :) . I have never played a Noblet, but I have played two old French Vitos, and I can't recommend them more :) .