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I'm looking for clarification

1K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  saxxophonism 
#1 ·
Hello all, i hope someone can help. I've got this old alto saxophone, it says BEL AIR on the bell and it has a bit of decoration around this name. The serial number is under the thumb guard and it is vertical, not horizontal, and it starts with an F...I've tried to research this and have found out that Dolnet made Bel Air student saxes...but I don't see a country name or the Dolnet name anywhere on this instrument. Is there a way for me to tell what this sax really is, when it was made and how much it realistically is worth? i can't find much info on this so your help is much appreciated!

thanks!
:treble::?
 
G
#2 ·
Dolnet made also a lot of stencil horns of the belair. What is the serial#?
If you got Pearl Inlays on the Keyguards it is a real Belair. If not it is a student horn based on the belair but cheaper build. Although these student horns where not bad at all. Maybe you can post some pics? Is there any other name on the sax engraved?
 
#3 ·
If the serial is vertical and starts with an F, that's a fairly good indication you DO NOT have a Dolnet sax. Although Dolnet made a PROFESSIONAL horn that has been referred to as their Bel Air model, other makers also used the Bel Air name. Your horn sounds like something Italian.

Dolnets have numerous trademark features: hexagonal keyguards, squarish palm keytouches, extensive bell engraving....

Take a look here:
http://www.saxpics.com/dolnet/index.htm
 
#4 ·
Any more info?

hey! Thanks for responding to my question! So it's not a Dolnet, now I know, but someone said something about it being possibly Italian...any idea as to what it could be? There are no other markings that i can find on this horn, only Bel Air, all in capital letters, with a space between the words. The serial number is F1294 and it is vertical, under the thumb guard, the F being closest to it. I'm thinking of selling this instrument but I don't want to overcharge for it, this is why I'm trying to figure out what it is...quite confusing...
Anyway, if anyone else has any kind of info or could steer me in a helpful direction, this would be much appreciated. I've checked out saxpixs.com quite a few times(the only place I could find with info about Dolnet) but I wonder where to look now that I've eliminated Dolnet as a maker...Is there somewhere with a list of the manufacturers that used the Bel Air name?
Thanks for all the info, I'm loving this forum!
(as for pics, I would put them on but my sister has borrowed my digicam to go on a trip to England so I can't)
:)
 
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