Check out the Dolnet Tenor I just Bought.

[tkushin]

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[BigDaddyJ]

What a deal! The Dolnets I've tried all had this great smooth, buttery sound. Intonation seemed pretty consistent with all horns. I think you'll really enjoy this horn once it's set up to your preferences.

[tkushin]

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[I. Fallon]

I'd rather have that Dolnet than the Pan anyday. I was unaware that Dolnet made a saxopohone with rolled tone holes. Enjoy.

[rxsaxjazz]

I purchased a Dolnet tenor from WorldWideSax about 1-1/2 years ago, and it's a dream. Steve does beautiful rebuilds and this sax is the buttery smooth horn I had heard Dolnets are. It's about 3000 digits removed from your serial number. It plays well with every mouthpiece I've tried from an old Vandoren Java 99 to Berg Larsens to an old SML that I have. I hope you're as pleased as I am.

In the meantime, I picked up an alto from Junk Dude near Columbus OH, and it's going to get a rebuild this summer, and I can tell you it's very close to my King/SML Marigaux sax, a horn that plays with any Selmer I've tried in thirty years. Then I found another alto, this one a Dolnet Imperial, and it has the fattest, warmest sound, especially with an old MC Gregory/Desmond mpc. I treasure, I've ever heard in an alto, but the upper register from D above the staff on up is stuffy, and the only mpc. they'll speak clearly with is an old Selmer short-shank D. I plan to rebuild it as well and see if there's something in that which will help the problem...it's got too gorgeous a sound to not try and resolve the problem, so suggestions on fixes, mpcs., etc. are welcome. Enjoy that tenor!

[yaucante]

Now that we have a bunch of Dolnet players here, I've seen a lot of them
for sale these days and most of them appear to be the "studium" model which apparently dates back to the 1950 and has a typical lacquer coverage with nickel-keys and rods. Although saxpics.com shows pics of a studium and identify it as a "Ble air", I'd like to know if this particular model isn't more of a "student horn" : the name "studium", the combination of lacquer + nickel (although used on some great horns), and the lack of elaborate engraving compared to most silver models could suggest this. What do you think?

In other terms, if you had to choose between a Studium and an earlier lacquer belair series (same condition and price), what would you do?

Y

[yaucante]

Now that we have a bunch of Dolnet players here, I've seen a lot of them
for sale these days and most of them appear to be the "studium" model which apparently dates back to the 1950 and has a typical lacquer coverage with nickel-keys and rods. Although saxpics.com shows pics of a studium and identify it as a "Ble air", I'd like to know if this particular model isn't more of a "student horn" : the name "studium", the combination of lacquer + nickel (although used on some great horns), and the lack of elaborate engraving compared to most silver models could suggest this. What do you think?

In other terms, if you had to choose between a Studium and an earlier lacquer belair series (same condition and price), what would you do?

Y

[Gaijin-san]

tkushin, I assume you have the horn by now and have had it to your tech. How is it? Let us know!

[rxsaxjazzy1]

My tenor and one alto don't fit the bill of a student horn by your description. They have elaborate engraving all the way down on the bell bow, as does on of my altos, so I'm still not sure which model name fits them from all I've found on sites like saxpics.com, especially the Cartier stencil, which they both resemble. It does have rolled tone holes. But...if it is a student horn, I'm blessed and I'll put it up against any other intermediate or pro horn I've ever tried, because it flat out holds its own with any brand and model.

The other alto is all-lacquer, and looks just like the one pictured on the saxpics site called an Imperial. It too has tons of engraving and rolled tone holes, but has a different feel to the mechanism I can't put into words...

[yaucante]

I did not mean to hurt anybody's saxy feelings. I was just curious about the different aesthetics of those Dolnet and have only played one in bad adjustment so far. I'd be interested if you could send me a couple of pics of your alto that fits with my description of the studium (especially close-up of the bell)...by the way is there any mention of the word "studium"? or of Royal jazz ? How would you describe its sonic qualities, versatility with different set-ups, and intonation? my email is yaucante@princeton.edu

Thanks.

[tkushin]

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[tkushin]

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[rxsaxjazzy1]

Yaucante...if you were speaking to me, no offense and I hope I didn't sound that way. I will send you some pics this weekend (5-24/25) and see wat I can offer.

tkushin...if you do decide to sell your Dolnet tenor please let me know, I think I'd like having a second one as crazy as I am for the one I already own...I'd have to give up my Martin Committee II tenor to do so, but I think in the long run I'd be happier. Thanks!

Now if anybody knows where I can find a Dolnet soprano...I missed out on one last year on eBay, and haven't seen any since.

[stitch]

Good luck with your search for a soprano rx - I was keeping an eye on that one too! Hard to be sure you're getting a low pitch horn sometimes if the seller doesn't play and there's no mark. There have been a couple of older (ie pre-Bel-Air) tenors on European eBays recently, but as they're not marked for pitch (according to saxpics), it's a bit of a risk.

[tkushin]

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[Anonymous]

tkushin, check your email!

[Pete]

Gotta love that search feature!

http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2474&highlight=studium
http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=3296&highlight=studium
http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=5523&highlight=studium

... and of course, my own website, www.saxpics.com/dolnet