I absolutely love my 323xxx 53' Zephyr Alto! When I went shopping for a new horn I chose it over a King S20 and a Conn 6M. At the beginning I thought it would still be nice to have one of the S20s I had tried out more than 5 years ago when I was living in Port., OR. Now that I have this horn under my fingers, I'm glad I didn't choose another one. While the 6M's a great horn, my Zephyr has such a range of sound possibilities. It sound great when I play dark, bright, and in the mulit-phonic range. There's nothing this horn isn't well equiped to do! I play on a Lakey mpc too, but I've no problems conrolling this horn (well, except when my lip starts going numb and blown out.) Who else loves their Zephyr?
I'm so glad to find other people who appreciate these horns! Thanks for the mouthpiece suggestion. I was thinking Dukoff or Berg Larson. I don't have a large music store that caters to pros nearby. I do have a fantastic shop that does top notch repair and sales - but they're rather small as far as items kept in stock. So I've asked Sakshama to make a Zimberoff copy for me to test play. After hearing some clips and corresponding with some guys playing on them I think it should be a good fit. I can't wait to actually test it out later this summer.
I have 308,xxx and a 307, xxx (on the way) tenors. I will be selling one eventually. The one I have sounds better than my 2 Mk6's. I'm playing Jumbo Java T75. I haven't checked it with a tuner yet, but haven't noticed any problems
I just got my 336 Zeph back from my tech and I've seriously never played a tenor with such a great sound. He even lightened the low C# for me and, while it's not as comfortable as my Keilwerth, it's actually pretty smooth and easy. Now I just need to spend about a million hours practicing!
What kind of Keilwerth have you got ericthomas? Vintage or modern? I have a series III Toneking from 1957 that I just had restored. It's a beauty. I don't find much of a difference in the comfort level of the horns (JK & Zeph). They're just different, that's all I notice.
Feeling the horn " vibrating in your hands" thing, is just because the zep has post construction, no ribs.
Folks said the same thing about Yani 900 series over the 990 series, again post construction vs ribbed.
I'm curious, what does the post vs rib construction actually look like? Are there cutaway views? I did a search but came up empty. Perhaps someone with knowledge would care to share?
Here is a photo of my two newly acquired Zephyrs. The one on the right is a complete horn and plays great. The one on the left is missing the thumb octave key and lower post.
It's been 7 months since I got my Zephyr back from my tech. I'm still in love with it. It's a fantastic horn. The only thing I would change about it is the left hand pinky cluster. I would still love to try one of Sakshama's Zimberoff copies, but I'm loving my Phil Barone on it. I just have a Barone jazz that came with my old Barone tenor. I talked him into throwing in a metal piece instead of hard rubber. It plays really well and it's bright enough without being over the top. I like that I can get real gritty when I want to and it can lay back and play pretty fat. My Keilwerth alto is a sx90R. I bought it new about 15 years ago. It's a great horn. I also have a 1938 or 39 Buescher Aristocrat that needs a complete rebuild. I'd like get a Zephyr alto to match my tenor.
Hi Everyone, I've just joined the Zephyr fan club by acquiring a 364XXX 2 tone. I should get it in a couple of days. Previous owner has had it since he purchased it in 1960.
I too have been playing a recently purchased Zeph tenor its a bit of a curiosity as its 331xxx with a 278xxneck with the hefty brace and i think the sax would have had the later neck brace ? being a 47 ... can anyone verify this .... when i first got the horn it was stuffy and not very responsive ,,, now i am a repair tech and pro player whos main tenor is an SML rev D fabulous horn heavy with tons of grunt and a beautiful subtone ... the problem with the zeph was the neck was elliptical and it was not pulled down as is usual with injury. But was lifted up Mmmmm so i took it apart and tinkered away at getting it round again ,,, a few hours work i can tell you burnishing away ... well i suceeded and the horn just burst into life and is now a screamer and a great partner to the rev d .... and i guess what is curious to me is the way the king tenors sit higher due to neck angle than most tenors ? anyone have any thoughts on this unusual neck design ... Phew
The solid silver cantilevered neck, similar to yours, on my 281xxx, does seem to make the horn " sit higher", compared to later Zep tenors, without the cantilevered neck.
My 299xxx, 305xxx, and 348xxx all have double socket necks, but non cantilevered necks.
Ok i dont mind it sitting high as the angle to my hands is improved ... quiet different to my sml revD ... and a very different horn the Z must be the lightest pro tenor i have owned ... the variety is nice .... at what serial is the zeph supposed to be less desirable ? i mean the later numbers
Serial numbers for the "less desirable" Zephyr tenor? What you have to do is follow the latest theories on which exact Zephyr / Zephyr Special model is most exactly like the Super 20, because there aren't many real Zephyr fans in the "Zephyr Fan Club", we're mostly Super 20 fans looking to save a few bucks. Good luck following that taxonomy, but of course it depends on whose idea of "desirable" you care about - probably not yours, eh? because you can put a mouthpiece on it and make up your own mind about it.
I remember noticing the weight difference, (someone else's) Buffet SDA is much heavier, even my Evette is heavier.
I love the sound of my 1954 King Zephyr, #338294. Double socket neck, vibrates and sounds as good as (or even better than) my cuban teacher's MkVI. I tape our classes so I know.
I second that! I have a 1954 Zephyr too. #336334. I too bought mine thinking I'd rather have a Super20 but could only afford a Zephyr. I like the Zephyr. I'm not saying that I wouldn't rather have a Super 20, but since it's out of my reach for now I'm really quite happy with this horn. It's got a huge sound that is robust and I love that feeling of it vibrating in my hands when I play. The only thing I would change about this horn if I could is the LH pinky cluster. That C# is still a tough key to work quickly and fluidly. The only tenor I've had that compares in weight was a Buescher Big B. While that had a really cool sound - I like the Zephyr better.
Tough c# pinky keys are common and its caused by the little bar sticking off your G# pinky key ... this bar articulates your G# and when playing a low note C# B Bb and you want to slide a G# its easier .... how often do you do this ? and it can be done without this mechanism ... i repair and customise horns and my answer for me is to remove it ... yeah cut it off and if its needed when i sell the horn i silver solder one back ... very simple and it makes he pinky cluster awesome and light ... SML horns have a sliding one so you can deactivate it ..
well i am my own tech and the spring tension is light and nice but i still prefer not to have an articulated G# and yes XAX the spring tension is very light on my zeph... very happy camper with it off i bought an odd tenor neck a few years back and it turns out to be a king late model one when they changed the neck brace so it looks more like an SML brace ... curious as it is 2.5cm"s longer [half inch] than my z neck have seen one like it on a very late S20 anyone know stuff re this ? .. Ta
...king late model one when they changed the neck brace so it looks more like an SML brace ... curious as it is 2.5cm"s longer [half inch] than my z neck have seen one like it on a very late S20 anyone know stuff re this ? .. Ta
In my experience, they improve the intonation on most the earlier Zephyrs/S20s as well as centering the tone a bit.
I've used a silver "SML" style neck on my Art Deco Zephyr for a number of years and now I'm using it on my "new" 295,XXX Zephyr. (I've tried it on my '53 S20 but in that case, the resulting tone is pretty meh.)
I know my tech lightened my spring tension when I took it in last time. It's about due for a tune up and checkup, so I'll talk to him about lightening that pinky cluster even further. That's my only complaint about the horn. What's the whole point of an articulated G# being connected to the C# key anyhow?
just so you can slide a bit easier from a low bell note to g# ? if you push dfown g# and hold it with a spare hand {someone else} then use your little finger to play low c# etc you will feel how it is to not have the articulated mech working ...
Ok how do you get around the fact its not a double socket neck ? i could modify the z or the neck ? am loath to modify the Z ... modern neck its a tight fit and plays without a screw clamp ... suppose i could make the neck a double socket ... still how did you do this... it does sound tighter and has more punch be nice to use both what year were the modern necks started ?
Hello. I am new here. I am a mom to a 16 year old who has been playing tenor sax, well this is his 4th year. We started with a rented Jupiter due to finances could not keep it up. A friend bought my son a sax from Amazon. It's a Zephyr. Now I know it is not the Zephyr that y'all speak of in this forum but I wanted to know what the difference is? Also, he is looking at a Cannonball. Does anyone know anything about those? I want the best for the price for him. He is currently having issues with his sax.
A friend bought my son a sax from Amazon. It's a Zephyr. Now I know it is not the Zephyr that y'all speak of in this forum but I wanted to know what the difference is? Also, he is looking at a Cannonball. Does anyone know anything about those? I want the best for the price for him. He is currently having issues with his sax.
As you surmise, it is not the Zephyr we speak of, so you're at least a step ahead of some of us. Very likely made in China. I can't really offer any great insight into this line, I'd never heard of them, just in general I would guess you can expect a little more frustration keeping things adjusted because of the economical use of materials. Mainly I just wanted help dispel any confusion over these Chinese Zephyrs, vs. the H. N. White King saxophones we have here.
I know people who like Cannonball saxes. I played a Cannonball bari for a few seconds, and I thought it was kind of wimpy but it worked. The way I vaguely remember, they would have been made in Taiwan, anyway I bet they're much better made than the cheapest grade of Chinese saxophones.
Hello Mom, the serial number is what identifies the model, it is written on the lower back side, underneath the thumb rest.
Even if it's a more recent production horn, it's still a very good intermediate/student horn, and if in good playing condition, it can definitely be ok for quite a while imo.
I just got a 400K Zephyr tenor to act as a backup horn to my FP Super 20 and Silversonic. I wasn't ready for how similar the Zep would play and sound compared to the Super 20's. The ergos of the Super 20 are better which was to be expected. Perhaps the best thing about this is that I got the Zephyr for a little more than $700.00
Few S20 tenor owners have compared the sound of their S20's to the sound of late '40's
and later Zep tenors and commented about their sound similarities on this forum.
First I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to leave information and comments about King saxophones. Now that I have my very own 1939 Zephyr Special alto I would like to add something salient as well.
Why do I love my new ZS? In a word I will say it is because it is distinct; from the deluxe engraving, to the extra pearls, to the rich tone. It is all American and makes no French pretenses. In a 1939 advertisement HN White claims "It will take all you can give it". I agree; I've been peeling paint off the walls utilizing the upper register.
In a side by side comparison with my repair guy's 1950's silver neck Super 20 the first thing we noticed is that the S20 weighs less. The S20 bow appears larger and the bell flair is bigger. Not surprisingly, the tone of the S20 is more brilliant and the ZS has a richer tone because it has more mass. After playing both horns with my Meyer 5M mouthpiece, I do not regret my choice of the ZS. It is all I hoped it would be!
Why do I love my new ZS? In a word I will say it is because it is distinct; from the deluxe engraving, to the extra pearls, to the rich tone. It is all American and makes no French pretenses.
It's a pleasure to hear from another true Zephyr fan here.
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