What is it ?

[LBAjazz]

Ebay item 2520534383. It has bevelled tone holes but looks like a tunable neck. I recognize the bell key guards but can't place it. Is the horn and neck a mismatch? Any help appreciated.

[saxmanglen]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewItem&item=252053 4383

[morgan]

Martin didn't have a monopoly on bevelled tone holes. I've seen them on a 1918 Buescher.

I don't think this is from the 1950s - - split bell keys suggest pre-1930.

Unless I am imagining things this horn lacks
- front F
- Bis key
- chromatic F# key


I'd guess it isn't a stencil at all! Just the sole survivor from a short-lasting and otherwise forgotten manufacturer.

What companies (if any) have put tuner necks on tenors?

[LBAjazz]

Pete, Saxtek, Goodson ....anybody know this thing ?

[Pete]

No pearls, bevelled tone holes might indicate early Couesnon: they did sell a bunch of horns to different companies, including Selmer. The horn also looks pretty similar to my ca. 1900 Couesnon bari. Never seen one with a microtuner neck, though, so there's an even possiblity that the horn is from one of those small companies that you've never heard of, but are listed in the New Langwill Index.

The microtuner neck wasn't a Conn-only thing. Companies off the top of my head:

* Pierret
* Dolnet
* Huller
* Keilwerth
* Kohlert

... and I'm sure there's a dozen more.

[Joseph Boucher]

It looks like a early Conn 'Pan American' , 1920's perhaps older. Joe.

[MitchP]

In a pawn shop a while ago I saw a silver plated tenor, rolled tone holes, tuner neck. It was a Champion, the key work was definately not a Conn. I also remember seeing an older Buescher with the beveled tone holes also.

[Pete]

Joseph, Pan Americans had straight tone holes and were made in the USA, not Paris.

Mitch, "Champion" is a Keilwerth model that was eventually watered down for Boosey and Hawkes (this factoid is from the pictures I have and from the www.musicgroup.com forum, the company that now owns the Boosey and Hawkes music instruments division).

As mentioned, several Keilwerth models had microtuner necks.

Ooops. Missed one.

After Buescher left his own company in the mid-1920's, he founded a "start up" music company called "F.A. Buescher", appropriately enough. This company was primarily concerned with brasswinds, but eventually decided to add a line of saxophones -- stencilled from Martin. I've got a few pics lying around if you want me to post one. They most definitely have bevelled tone holes.