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Super 20 Fan Club

318K views 1K replies 236 participants last post by  Instrument Attic 
G
#1 ·
We're baa-aaaack! Super 20 players, stand up and be counted.

Super 20 tenor, 364xxx, silver neck, brass bell, no pearls on the side :(

I've had this horn since 1974 (sophomore year high school). Dad paid $75 for the horn, then another $100 for a complete overhaul/relacquer (it needed it).

Despite what you may have read, these are very flexible horns, adaptable to all musical styles. The combination of the sterling silver neck along with bore taper/neck curve/bow curve allows the Super 20 tenors to bring out the best in a variety of mouthpiece setups.
 
#847 ·
A member asked me to compare the volume between my 300xxx S-20 and 400xxx Silversonic. I have also added my 433xxx Eastlake SilverSonic to the mix. I cant find the original thread so I'll just post here. Using a 10mFan Robusto 9 with a Fibrareed 3 and an original Guardala King Fibrareed 3 the results were as follows on my decibel meter:

Middle D: 15 inches away

S-20 Robusto:104; Guardala: 106
Cleveland-SilverSonic Robusto 106; Guardala: 107
Eastlake Silversonic: Robusto 107; Guardala: 109

Middle D; 30 inches away

S-20 Robusto: 102; Guardala: 104
Cleveland SilverSonic: Robusto: 102; Guardala: 103
Eastlake Silversonic: Robusto: 103; Guardala: 104

So the 433xxx is the clear winner for shear volume. 400xxx SilverSonic appears a bit louder than the S-20 and mouthpieces make a difference.
The Cleveland Silversonic has regular kid pads and what appear to be Selmer plastic resonators.
The S-20 required a full repad so I selected White Roo's and Resotech oversized polished nickel chrome domed resonators.
The Eastlake Silversonic has what appear to be original metal resonators that are medium/small; flat; with lines radiating from the center rivet to the circumference.

The Eastlake is the most mouthpiece friendly; The Cleveland does better over all with and open chamber mpc and the 400xxx is somewhere in between. Then it comes down to the right tool for the job. If I'm playing with a rock band the Eastlake with the Guardala is clearly the way to go. Peel the paint off the walls; If it's Solo or small jazz/pop combo where you are playing underneath the conversation the S-20 with the Robusto has awesome tonal qualities up and down the register.

Altissimo is much easier for me to hit with the newer horns, (especially with the guardala) on the other hand low Bb; B; C on the S-20 have sumptuous overtones.

When gigging in a large hall there's a lot of fall off in volume about 20 feet out; so when competing with electric guitars and drums I, 1.) Keep the bell pointed away from the other musicians (If they dont hear you they wont cover you up hahaha) 2.) If using a microphone make sure the monitor is facing away from the the guitar players and drums hahaha. In a medium size bar (3 pool tables and a 30x30 dance floor) I can cut through without a mic; Did I say don't let the guitar players....... Of course a better player than me could probably even all this out; but I thought since I have the gear I would share these results.
Cheers




MiddleD 30 inches away
 
#850 ·
can't say; however another interesting note: Using a digital kitchen scale the 300xxx came in at albs the 300xxx came in at 6 1/2lps. Brass vs silver? or did they just make the heavier?
 
#851 ·
oops typo...300xxx S-30 7lbs; Silversonic 400xxx 6.5 lbs

BTW the s-20 alto with Durga very resonant, but with a little edge compared to my 56xxx MVI (Silver plate) which is very dark. Love the S-20. MVI alto back in the closet along with the 89xxx tenor.
 
#854 ·
I see it's a big fan club...now I understand why! I've had mine for a bit, but I didn't want to "sign up" until I was sure. Wow! What a great instrument. Mine's an early 60's with a silver neck in great condition so it's a looker too. And it's got that awesome reto Alligator case that's so cool. This ones a keeper. I just love those low key-heights (They are about a third lower than on my MKVI). Seems to make it snappy. I'm not sure why they designed such a strange octave linkage but it works...just wonder what they were smoking that day...
 
#855 ·
I have 3 King tenors: 300xxx Super 20; 400xxx Silversonic; and 434xx Eastlake Silversonic. I tried a little mouthpiece test and discovered something I thought I'd share.
I have an Ottolink hard rubber 7* with a low baffle large chamber that I pulled off the shelf (Normally I play higher baffle med chamber pieces) The modern pieces dominate the tone so much that they blur the distinction between the horns. With the Link I could hear the tonal differences between model years much more clearly.The 300xxx deeper, more sub tones down low and a little dark; The Silversonic more compact and brighter; and the Eastlake a bit brighter still with almost no resistance.

My usual setups are: 300xxx 10MFan Robusto 9; 400xxx Guardala King; 434xxx PNR (Guardala clone) MBII to give me a little more resistance. cheers,mk
 
#856 ·
I have an Ottolink hard rubber 7* with a low baffle large chamber that I pulled off the shelf (Normally I play higher baffle med chamber pieces) The modern pieces dominate the tone so much that they blur the distinction between the horns. With the Link I could hear the tonal differences between model years much more clearly.
Thats a good observation.
I tend to see low baffle pieces as a more 'transparent' connection, between player and final product that take something out of the equation with regards to dominating the sound. Hence they emphasise the differences in the remaining horn set up i.e. reed, chamber and horn its self.

It's a good angle...
 
#857 ·
I always want a King Super 20, but it is too expensive and out of my budget, so, I was trying to look for a King Zephyr. However, the King Zephyr is getting more and more expensive. Then I come across a good deal on a King Super 20, serial number 415xxx with silver neck, and I decided to bite the bullet. All I can say is ..

WOW ...

Even it is expensive, I think it worth the money. IMO, this is the best tenor, period :)
 
#859 ·
I have a 1955 King super 20 alto with all pearl keys....a guy in a music store told me that this is rare since sometime in the year 1955 they stopped making the pearl keys for the left hand keys and then the keys were only pearl for the right hand. Can any of you tell me more about this instrument?? is it in fact rare?? I'm looking to sell it and while it has been appraised, I'm not sure how to go about finding a buyer.
 
#860 ·
I have a 1953 King Super 20 Full Pearled tenor. It's my first instrument...., it's like a Conn, but something more, you can play with incredible ease subtones, but if you push you can easily play overtones, and everything more, altissimo. I love the king sound, it seems you're playing a selmer, too. (In fact i'm selling my Mark VI).
I modified the keywork, exactly the Pinky table. Now there isn't much distance between C# and Bb, and Bb-C#, it's really like a mark vi spatula.
Great Horns, they play fat and very loud.
 
#862 ·
I could post a picture...., but you couldn't really appreciate the work, that is invisible.there's no more step between the mentioned notes, goin' up and down. I'm talkin about the only full pearled pinky table. That one on Silversonics and super 20 with normal brasa table probably doesn't require any adjustment....IMO.


Inviato utilizzando Tapatalk
 
#863 ·
I could post a picture...., but you couldn't really appreciate the work, that is invisible.there's no more step between the mentioned notes, goin' up and down. I'm talkin about the only full pearled pinky table. That one on Silversonics and super 20 with normal brasa table probably doesn't require any adjustment....IMO.

Inviato utilizzando Tapatalk
I would also be interested in a pic. thanks Patrick
 
#865 ·
I just picked up a King Super 20 from a forum member. It's a later serial number (466,xxx) Eastlake tenor with a brass neck. I love this horn! It has a beautiful, warm sound with a nice core and is a really easy playing tenor as well. I expected it to be a great horn for rock and roll, and yeah, that's pretty obvious. But the low register is deep and rich, just a perfect sound for me for the jazz ballads I love so much. And definitely, a lot more tone in there than I've been able to access so far.


Turtle
 
#867 ·
I just picked up a King Super 20 from a forum member. It's a later serial number (466,xxx) Eastlake tenor with a brass neck. I love this horn! It has a beautiful, warm sound with a nice core and is a really easy playing tenor as well. I expected it to be a great horn for rock and roll, and yeah, that's pretty obvious. But the low register is deep and rich, just a perfect sound for me for the jazz ballads I love so much. And definitely, a lot more tone in there than I've been able to access so far.
Congrats on the horn, Jimmy. The low register on a Super 20 can be such a delight - and the upper register as well. Then there's the middle...

Yeah, I'm lovin' my Super 20. And it seems to like all my favorite mouthpieces. That's a bonus!
 
#876 ·
My Cleveland S20 is just north of 423800. If there was a clean cut to Eastlake in the 423xxx's, it's somewhere in the last 200 before 424000 then.
My Sonic is a 423663 ... just in the neighbourhood of yours :)
 
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