Check out the Dolnet Tenor I just Bought.

[tkushin]

Wheck out the Dolnet tenor sax that I just bought on ebay:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16233&item=2523580 087


I mailed out payment today. I hope that after my repair man adjusts it, she will sound pretty good. I've never played a Dolnet before. The price was good and I am quite curious about that mouthpiece.

This is a Bel-Air model, right?


Tom
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[BigDaddyJ]

What a deal! The Dolnets I've tried all had this great smooth, buttery sound. Intonation seemed pretty consistent with all horns. I think you'll really enjoy this horn once it's set up to your preferences.

[tkushin]

The seller has another sax listed that looks surprisingly like the Dolnet:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16233&item=2523579 274


This is a Pan Tenor. By the looks of it, I would guess that this stencil was made in the early-mid sixties. I wonder how it plays. This has many features of the Dolnet and the price is great. I am not going to bid on this one, but at 295/ 495 buy it now, it is probably worth at try. Out of curiosity, does anyone know about this make?

[I. Fallon]

I'd rather have that Dolnet than the Pan anyday. I was unaware that Dolnet made a saxopohone with rolled tone holes. Enjoy.

[rxsaxjazz]

I purchased a Dolnet tenor from WorldWideSax about 1-1/2 years ago, and it's a dream. Steve does beautiful rebuilds and this sax is the buttery smooth horn I had heard Dolnets are. It's about 3000 digits removed from your serial number. It plays well with every mouthpiece I've tried from an old Vandoren Java 99 to Berg Larsens to an old SML that I have. I hope you're as pleased as I am.

In the meantime, I picked up an alto from Junk Dude near Columbus OH, and it's going to get a rebuild this summer, and I can tell you it's very close to my King/SML Marigaux sax, a horn that plays with any Selmer I've tried in thirty years. Then I found another alto, this one a Dolnet Imperial, and it has the fattest, warmest sound, especially with an old MC Gregory/Desmond mpc. I treasure, I've ever heard in an alto, but the upper register from D above the staff on up is stuffy, and the only mpc. they'll speak clearly with is an old Selmer short-shank D. I plan to rebuild it as well and see if there's something in that which will help the problem...it's got too gorgeous a sound to not try and resolve the problem, so suggestions on fixes, mpcs., etc. are welcome. Enjoy that tenor!

[yaucante]

Now that we have a bunch of Dolnet players here, I've seen a lot of them
for sale these days and most of them appear to be the "studium" model which apparently dates back to the 1950 and has a typical lacquer coverage with nickel-keys and rods. Although saxpics.com shows pics of a studium and identify it as a "Ble air", I'd like to know if this particular model isn't more of a "student horn" : the name "studium", the combination of lacquer + nickel (although used on some great horns), and the lack of elaborate engraving compared to most silver models could suggest this. What do you think?

In other terms, if you had to choose between a Studium and an earlier lacquer belair series (same condition and price), what would you do?

Y

[yaucante]

Now that we have a bunch of Dolnet players here, I've seen a lot of them
for sale these days and most of them appear to be the "studium" model which apparently dates back to the 1950 and has a typical lacquer coverage with nickel-keys and rods. Although saxpics.com shows pics of a studium and identify it as a "Ble air", I'd like to know if this particular model isn't more of a "student horn" : the name "studium", the combination of lacquer + nickel (although used on some great horns), and the lack of elaborate engraving compared to most silver models could suggest this. What do you think?

In other terms, if you had to choose between a Studium and an earlier lacquer belair series (same condition and price), what would you do?

Y

[Gaijin-san]

tkushin, I assume you have the horn by now and have had it to your tech. How is it? Let us know!

[rxsaxjazzy1]

My tenor and one alto don't fit the bill of a student horn by your description. They have elaborate engraving all the way down on the bell bow, as does on of my altos, so I'm still not sure which model name fits them from all I've found on sites like saxpics.com, especially the Cartier stencil, which they both resemble. It does have rolled tone holes. But...if it is a student horn, I'm blessed and I'll put it up against any other intermediate or pro horn I've ever tried, because it flat out holds its own with any brand and model.

The other alto is all-lacquer, and looks just like the one pictured on the saxpics site called an Imperial. It too has tons of engraving and rolled tone holes, but has a different feel to the mechanism I can't put into words...

[yaucante]

I did not mean to hurt anybody's saxy feelings. I was just curious about the different aesthetics of those Dolnet and have only played one in bad adjustment so far. I'd be interested if you could send me a couple of pics of your alto that fits with my description of the studium (especially close-up of the bell)...by the way is there any mention of the word "studium"? or of Royal jazz ? How would you describe its sonic qualities, versatility with different set-ups, and intonation? my email is yaucante@princeton.edu

Thanks.

[tkushin]

It came a few days ago in ok condition. The horn is beautiful and the brass is solid. The lacquer and overall body is good (including the toneholes) . It had a resoldering job on one side (small and pretty clean), not too many nicks (nothing large), and some rust marks (not really "rust," but you know what I mean -- I like a horn with *some* lacquer wear). The original mouthpiece had a little chip on it, but I am not sure if it is in the right spor to affect the tone (I, of course, did not buy the horn for the mouthpiece). The neck is in fine condition and the pads mostly have a good amount of life in them. However, the octave mechanism was a bit out of wack, as was the G# mechanism, as was the C#. This is all quite correctable. It will cost under $200 to get her up and running and it is currently in my tech's shop. The keywork is great on these horns. My hands are big, but my fingers are slender and it just feels very comfortable. By the way, even in a state of desperate attention (it could't really play a complete scale, but you know how it is --- the domino effect of of a screwed over G# mechanism can be quite annoying), the altissimo came out effortlessly (the very high ones, as well as the G that so many people have problems with.


I expected that it would need work. Ebay orders always include some hassle. I will of course give the seller (who said that the horn needs nothing) positive feedback as soon as I get the chance.

I will tell you how it plays when it gets back.

[tkushin]

Well, she's back from the repair shop in fine condition. What a tone. And she sure is comfortable. Beautiful horn too. I will probably play it for the summer, get it readjusted, and then sell it on ebay or trade it (I am thinking of selling my other vintage horns in order to go all Mark VI -- It is tough to decide though). If you can find a dolnet for a good price, buy one. You really won't be disappointed.

[rxsaxjazzy1]

Yaucante...if you were speaking to me, no offense and I hope I didn't sound that way. I will send you some pics this weekend (5-24/25) and see wat I can offer.

tkushin...if you do decide to sell your Dolnet tenor please let me know, I think I'd like having a second one as crazy as I am for the one I already own...I'd have to give up my Martin Committee II tenor to do so, but I think in the long run I'd be happier. Thanks!

Now if anybody knows where I can find a Dolnet soprano...I missed out on one last year on eBay, and haven't seen any since.

[stitch]

Good luck with your search for a soprano rx - I was keeping an eye on that one too! Hard to be sure you're getting a low pitch horn sometimes if the seller doesn't play and there's no mark. There have been a couple of older (ie pre-Bel-Air) tenors on European eBays recently, but as they're not marked for pitch (according to saxpics), it's a bit of a risk.

[tkushin]

------- Dolnet is now for sale -- price $250 (includes shipping) ------- I spoke too soo. Though the 185 bucks I paid the repairman made the horn capable of playing from bottom to top, the pads are pretty bad and the intonation of high A Bb C C# is sharp. The sound of the middle and lower horn is great, and the intonation is pretty cosistent there (though the mouthpiece has to be near the end of the neck in order to play in tune). In order for serious playing, she needs a reuild and I am not in the position to have it done. I have a nice alto to play until I can afford a better tenor. The lacquer is good and there are very few dents. The brass is very strong. The serial # is 73XXX The action feels nice, and I am sorry that in the end I will lose a good chunk of cas (I put close to 850 bucks altogetehr into this horn), but I can't stand playing on anything that doesn't have consistent intonation in all registers. I am a college senior spending my summer with family on Cape Cod. Th setting is idyllic, but the technology is is lacking. I am using a webtv and can't provide any more pictures than the one in the ebay auction link at the top of the page (I can also email you that picture). my email is
tkushinjazz@webtv.net --- (my ebay ID is tkushin)

[Anonymous]

tkushin, check your email!

[Pete]

Gotta love that search feature!

http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2474&highlight=studium
http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=3296&highlight=studium
http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=5523&highlight=studium

... and of course, my own website, www.saxpics.com/dolnet