Vito Duke or Special

[NFLaszlo]

Hello

can someone tell me what is the difference between Vito-Duke and Vito-Special models???


tx
rgds
Laszlo

[edsel00]

Then there's the "Duke Special":
http://doctorsax.biz/vito_tenor_18504.htm

Meaning ... maybe there is no difference between them.

Both were made by Beaugnier in Mantes, France. There are several threads in this forum that discuss Beagunier's history and their relationship with Vito (the man and the company).

They are nice playing, well-made horns with a huge and complex sound. And they're a steal for what they tend to go for (IMHO).

I play a "Duke" stenciled for "Vox" (the same brand as the Beatles' guitar amplifiers). Great horn.

Kim Slava at "doctor sax" is a big Beaugnier/Vito fan and if you buzz around his website you can see descriptions of a few of his Beaugnier-made horns (at least one of which is still in stock as of this writing, and it's a Beaugnier-branded "Special Perfect"; an earlier model I am pretty darn sure than the "Duke/Duke Special") as well as a French Vito serial number list. Might be interesting and perhaps helpful.

-ed

[NissanMarkVII]

The ad for my Tenor Sax:

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

My model 38T "Vito Special" Tenor Sax:

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

Vito and Beaugnier's biggest downfall (aside from the Vito brand morphing into student model hell) was their lack of design consistency and poor marketing. They were producing both LH bell and RH bell saxes at the same time, both pro models, and had gone from LH bell, to RH bell, to LH bell, back to RH bell, and a few different keyboard designs in the process!

In my opinion the best models built were the 1950s and 1960s Specials, Vox, and Dukes. These were very well built pro model saxes, designed to directly compete with Selmer Paris, King Super20, Couf Superbas, and Buffet Dynaction and SuperDynaction. But, those other brands were less varied and more consistent in their design.

These are very big sounding saxes, with comfortable keyboards, and an almost German/American type sound (big, bold, and spread).

Definately extremely undervalued and underappreciated!

[NFLaszlo]

Actually I was not enough quick in buying the "Duke":( but recently I find the Special version for very reasonable money. From the pictures that I find on the net, they looked very similar... even the VOX looks like the Special.I am talking about the serial numbers around 19xxx

[NissanMarkVII]

Very good range. Mine 17XXX. This still puts the one you're after in the mid to late 1950s.

[NissanMarkVII]

Oh, and keep your bidding under $400 for an Alto and under $600 for a Tenor. It may seem too low, but like I said, these are grossly undervalued, and if you buy for than that (chances are it will need some work anyway), though the build quality and tone are woth mid 4 digits, you'll never see even low 4-digit return on it!

[goodsax]

I'm a Vito fan (see signature below) who has enjoyed several business dealings with Kim Slava who currently is rebuilding my Vito Beaugnier alto and is about to receive (tomorrow) a Vito "Duke" Beaugnier alto I won on eBay and had drop shipped to him.

I'm sure that Kim will provide a thorough observation of the differences between the non-Duke Beaugnier I sent him earlier and the "Duke" Beaugnier he is to receive tomorrow after he's had a chance to compare the two. I know he's looking forward to the opportunity.

The only horn in my SATB arsenal not a Vito Beaugnier is my soprano. I'm constantly on the look-out for one now. My bari is a "Duke" Beaugnier low Bb model and it has a powerful sound.

My non-Duke tenor is my favorite. I play it every Wednesday afternoon in a 17-piece dance band (jazz chair) for a local community center's senior citizen dance and I get a lot of compliments for the sound from that tenor. It's what made me want to get more Vito Beaugniers to complete my collection.

Kim is a member of this forum and might share his findings after comparing my two Vito altos later this week or next.

[NFLaszlo]

I never heard bad things about intonation of these horns, my friends from France rate them very high. Curios how it will respond to my RPC-B??

[NissanMarkVII]

These saxes are perhaps the most in-tune vintage sax I have ever played! In fact, they are just in-tune period (just as good, or better than a Yani or Yamaha of modern make!). Like modern saxes, they work really well with med and small chamber mouthpieces (I found large chamber pieces to far more difficult to tune, and the tone far too spread to center the pitch).

[goodsax]

I never heard bad things about intonation of these horns, my friends from France rate them very high. Curios how it will respond to my RPC-B??I use an RPC HR Blue 110 on my tenor and it works great in a big band setting.

[sax-ony]

The only horn in my SATB arsenal not a Vito Beaugnier is my soprano. I'm constantly on the look-out for one now.

Well, I can let you look at one! (Serial number 20XXX.)

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w237/sax-ony/Vito%20sop/02.jpghttp://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w237/sax-ony/Vito%20sop/10.jpghttp://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w237/sax-ony/Vito%20sop/09.jpg

[goodsax]

You're too kind. 8-)

[FremontSax]

I have a 9XXA Vito tenor that has been abused but not beyond restoration. The bell brace is non-original and the neck is out of round. The key work is all there. The lacquer is 75% or so. A few good dings in the bottom. I don't planed on doing a restoration this year on it. But in the future....