Vito C-Mel here is the proof that they exist!

[mosplace]

I have just bought a real Vito C-Melody made by Leblanc in France http://www.simplysax.mynetcologne.de/Vito.htm

Have a look at the pics. It is as new! No big scratches, gold laquer 100%, no dents or dings or anything, just beautiful.
Facts:

Straight neck (is about 1,5 cm longer than the Conn straight neck)
Heigth: ca.64-66 cm withouth neck (vintage c-mels are ca. 61 cm.)
Weight: 2,7 kg ( my heaviest vintage c-mel is my Conn Chu Berry 2,5 kg)
the bell is ca. 3 cm shorter than a vintage bell, and big
the diameter of the bell is ca. 13,7 cm (my Martin c-mel ca.10,5 cm)
Pads with flat big metall resonators

The way it sounds right now is already pretty good, but it will need at least adjustment and some new pads.

I have a theory that the serial (19657) number is the manufacturing date so i guess it is either manufactured 19.June.1957 or it has been manufactured 1965 and is number 7 out of this line. This is just a guess.

[dolphyo]

very nice mosplace. i picked up this year a very inexpensive a french vito tenor all original and also marked "the duke" #19319. french vito horns were ordered and sold by leblanc but made by beaugnier in mantes,france down the road from Selmer sax factorys. if its really a C melody than their can't be too many around. good luck.

[bruce bailey]

WOW, nice find. You Germans get all of the good cars and now the saxophones! What is the mouthpiece?

[mosplace]

@Bruce, there must be one advantage to live in the "old Europe" :D :D

Unfortunatly it didn´t come with mouthpiece and original case. I worte to Leblanc to get some more information. But you know, the Frenchmen are sometimes a little odd, until today i haven´t received an answer.
If this was a Keilwerth i would have got an answer within a few hours. They are realy great in instruments and customer relation.

[SAXISMYAXE]

Wow, what a great find. I'm eager to hear your opinions on how it plays/sounds. I too am envious!

[mosplace]

Well, first i had a few problems with finding a mouthpiece. Now it is realy great! It plays very well in tune, hardly any differences, at least no big ones. I play it with a vintage Franklin C-Melody mouthpiece and a Meyer G '6 Tenor mouthpiece. At the moment i have to push the mouthpiece almost all the way down on the neck, but then it is perfect.
The pads are still the original ones with oversized metal resonators but they still work just fine. You can play every key and it sounds very nice. It has a open clear sound. The person it had belonged to, probably never played it. It is realy as new and well taken care of. I love it.

[martincoltrane]

But you know, the Frenchmen are sometimes a little odd, until today i haven´t received an answer.


Pleaz, express yourself...:(

[SAXISMYAXE]

Wow Martin, you're a tad late entering the conversation with that one!;)

I completely forgot about this thread, and now remember what a nice horn Mo has...I'm still jealous!