Noblet Tenor Rocks

**OffKeyAudio** · 03-23-2012, 07:29 AM

I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Noblet tenor saxophone thanks to the service of William 'Bill' Bua!!!! Thank you!!!! Thank you!! Bill!! This is easily one of the best sounding and playing tenors I have ever owned. Does anyone know any history about these fine French made horns? This is one of the 'face' brace horns.
Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You again 'Sir' William "Bill" Bua!!!!!!!!,,
Charles @ offkeyaudio music productions and vintage saxophone sales

**milandro** · 03-23-2012, 08:00 AM

Noblet are great saxophones and very undervalued, there is not much written about the company history which is true of many other French brands considered “ minor”. Their origins are common to the Leblanc factory and they are well known as clarinet makers even before the saxophone was invented.

**mrzel** · 03-23-2012, 12:18 PM

I agree totally on the underrated nature of these horns. I loved mine for years before i moved full time to baritone sax. Congratulations on owning a great horn.

**eugeneherman** · 03-23-2012, 03:49 PM

I played a Noblet 'Standard' tenor in high school and college, laxquer w/ nickel keywork. My avatar is a 'sister' (Vito) tenor also from the Beaugnier family of horns... Yes, very fine horns, congrats on having a real 'player'... The 'Face' model Noblet horns are virtually identical to the 'Vito' Model 39 horns...

**eugeneherman** · 03-23-2012, 03:53 PM

This catalog shot shows the Vito Models in the mid sixties including the Model 39... http://www.doctorsax.biz/vito_sax_cat.htm

**OffKeyAudio** · 03-23-2012, 09:17 PM

Thanks for the kind words and cool pics! I love this horn with my RPC 115B!

**swingguy** · 08-09-2012, 10:19 AM

I have a Noblet "Face" alto and it is quite different from the "Standard". Like so:
It has the Selmer style offset lower stack instead of inline. Right hand bell keys. It has adjusting screws in the F,F# to Bb arm. The brace of course is totally different. Adjustable thumb hook. Large plastic left thumb rest instead of a pearl. Solid metal palm keys instead of the thinner hollowed out type. Many of the keys are different size and arms different lengths and shapes ... More solidly built overall. The sound is quite similar but maybe a bit more gutsy. These horns are so different it occurs to me they may not have been built at the same place.
Here's my main point (at last):
I have a Noblet tenor "Standard" and with original neck it's kind of bland, but with a Selmer neck in it it has a wonderful tone, but I wonder if the "Face" model tenor would have all those different features the alto has. If it does I think that would be an incredible horn!

**bfoster64** · 08-09-2012, 04:33 PM

I played a face tenor. It was nice and sort of a poor man's Mk VI. Tight bore with a big bell. The intonation was noticeably worse than a Mk VI. Ergos not quite as good. Pretty good response and excellent tone, though a few notes were weaker than others. Good horn for an intermediate player looking for a vintage French tone on a budget.

**swingguy** · 08-09-2012, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by bfoster64

I played a face tenor. It was nice and sort of a poor man's Mk VI. Tight bore with a big bell. The intonation was noticeably worse than a Mk VI. Ergos not quite as good. Pretty good response and excellent tone, though a few notes were weaker than others. Good horn for an intermediate player looking for a vintage French tone on a budget.

Interesting. I wonder if the Face tenors are not the same (as good) as the altos. The Face alto I have has very Selmer-like ergos while the "Standard" tenor has not, but the intonation is fine and it has a large bore neck receiver, about the same as a Conn.