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.
Got my first one (tenor) brand-new, to go to college (where it was later stolen, but that's another story). Had all the cash for a new pro-quality horn in my pocket (that was measured in the hundreds in those days, not thousands!), ran around to different music stores and tried three new Mark VIs, and two Super 20s, and actually remember being a little disappointed that one of the Super 20s played and sounded much better than any of the Selmers, as I thought that Selmer (Paris) should certainly be the top choice over anything made in the USA. The difference in cost (new) then was not nearly what it is today, and I did have the money, but I went with what my ears and hands were telling me and have no regrets.
Of course, if I had gotten a Mark VI, I would be financially better off now, but I bought the horn to play, not as an investment!
I'd not have thought that I'd ever cite Heston, but in the case of this Super 20, my answer to the question if I would ever let go of her again would be: "Out of my cold, dead hands!"
Sorry I'm borderline with OT but read below...
I own a 385xxx Silversonic tenor, it's a really a beast... but too bright with Guardala MB, Sakshama MB, Vigilante NY, TW Durga, Ponzol Super (even with Hemke 2.5 reeds who are well known to be "dark").
Not because of mpcs (they are great mpcs : I'm using them on Selmer SIII silver neck (for 15 years) or with Selmer Model 26 Bigbore with good results) that's just 'cause it's a Silversonic !!!
Got awesome result with Brancher J27 + Hemke 2.5 reeds + 402 lig... lower baffle "cool down the horn"
Thanks. She's a great horn and it's taken me a about 6 month to adjust my breath support after a long haul with a Selmer SA 80 Ser II.
I hear you on mpc's. I too have gone through a lot of mpc experimentation (PNR Super King; Sakshama King, Jody Jazz ; Wanne Kali and Datta to name a few) Right now I have gone back to the PNR MBII with Fibercell 2.5 and it seems to be working for me. But I play it pretty bright. I really like Wilton Felders tone and shoot for that range.
As mentioned in another post, none of these work on my 300xxx S-20.(Gurgles at low B even with a wine cork in the bell) So I usually play a Barone HR Vintage Contemporary on that horn.
Have your horn looked at by a tech who has the proper equipment to check for neck leaks and is experienced in fixing them (surprisingly, not all do or can). Such things can plague double socket necked horns.
My tech has been all over it including a full repad (White Roo's) It's a small shop here in San Francisco and we have tweeked it often. Just seems to like the more traditional mpc's. ( I have about a 1/2 dozen tenors mostly vintage except the series II)
I had a highly regarded (at least by some) tech go all over my Silversonic, including a full repad. However, it took another tech with a proper device to check for neck leaks (and with less of an inflated ego) to find the leak, fix it and give me back a truly super horn. If you don't know, ask your tech how he checked the horn for a neck leak just to rule that out. Your horn shouldn't burble down low.
Mines a little loose at the neck, but I don't think there are any significant leaks there.
As far as ergonomics go, the super 20's have it pretty well covered.
There's a really nice action and the pinkie table isn't overly complicated.
Pinkie table is very smooth without all the fancy crap that some others have.
You don't need a tilting Bb and an annoying link fowling up a possitive C# action.
It's all there and it all works.
Not to mention the sound, oh the sound!
Mark me down as a fan of the S20's
At least the late Cleveland models as this is what I can't seem to put down.
Thanks for that Grumps. When you put that isolator inside the tenon, you then put the neck on and do what: suction to see if any air comes? Is a certain amount of air okay, or does it have to be completelly sealed off? I'm just wondering if it is even possible to have a complete airtight seal.
I don't have one myself, but just know that was what was used by my tech to diagnose the problem with my Silversonic and fix it. If you start a new thread in the tech section naming the product, I'm sure there will be folks on the site who could better explain its use (as well as offer other alternatives).
I'm using my 308... tenor pretty much all the time now. The tone, projection and sheer Mojo is intoxicating. I still love my 130... V1 . I'm also using my King saxello exclusively.
Hello! I love my 358xxx alto brought recently from a seller here, just love it! I paired it with a JJ HR 5M and got the sound I like. Recently added an early brihart, even better!
As mentioned earlier here's my 300xxx Super20. Pearls; Silver neck. Neck and silver nickel rods still have some of the original gold lac
quer. Set up with white roo's, oversized reso tech chrome domes; and teflon cork material to quiet down the action.
I've been playing a '38 Selmer BA for over 30 years and just recently purchased a '61 Super 20 376xxx. It has made me put away the Selmer for awhile. The sound on the King is hard to beat. I've become a fan of the Super 20 and my try out a Silversonic if I can get one. Great horns!
I'm generally not big on serial numbers and this one is better range than another, but the 308 tenors are amazing horns. Once setup, I bet you'll have a monster.
I'm thinking of biting the bullet and having my alto done by Lee at Saxworx.
I've avoided it because I'm not sure I'll like it (I'm really more of a Desmond player*)
and
I think I'd probably make more selling it as is.
What do you guys think?
I have the top alto,silver bell and neck with pearl keys.
The body is in great shape.
It's been in my closet since 1978.
*
btw I gave Lee a blind fold test with this Cannonball alto and my 1960's Selmer and he thought the Cannonball was the Selmer:0
There's also a Super 20 fan page on Facebook called King Super 20 Saxophone. I hope the Lords and Masters of SOTW aren't angered by my plug for it. Lots of pictures and cool members just like here.
My V1 tenor and sop are resting. I'm playing my 1952 Super 20 and 1929 saxello pretty much exclusively now.... still using V1 alto, bari and sopranino.
The Kings are all about sound and projection..intonation on the saxello is challenging but its got a monsterous unique sound like a shenai crossed with a klezmer clarinet..wild and wailing..
New recruit checking in! I was lucky enough to get an amazing deal on a 5 digit mk vi as a teenager and ever since considered it would be the only sax I would ever own. I completely bought in to the whole hype around the holy grail thing and never considered trying anything else even though I went through loads of different mouthpieces and reeds over the years trying to find the sound I wanted. If it sounded 'wrong' then it ccouldn't be the horns problem because it was a Selmer...
I've tried many new horns but they all felt wrong or sounded inferior to mine so was happy to keep my sax. Until I tried a Silversonic.
Literally on a whim on a shopping trip with my daughter I saw one in a shop and asked to have a blow. The experience was along the lines of...
'WHOOMPH...,'
Wow.
'PRAAAaaaaamph'
Blimey.
I was almost laughing at how easy it was to play and how well it responded to dynamics. I had to get one. It took a while to find one in my price range but I'm now the proud owner of an Eastlake 454xx tenor that has simply become my number one sax. Ive needed to get a lower powered mouthpiece as it simply does not need the same pushing as a selmer but I love how it can do soft as well as blast. The mark vi may be the Rolls Royce of saxophones but you wouldn't take a roller out on a race track.
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