Universal tenor

[spiderjames]

Just bought a universal tenor off of ebay that looks like a dolnet M70 stencil, bell offset to the players left but it has left hand bell keys. Anybody ever owned/played one of these. It needs work and right now only plays from G and above due to some dents etc... Has some promise though. The notes that do play sound pretty mellow. 8)

[jazzpup]

Do you still have this horn? And if so, what do you think of them? I just saw a Universal tenor (SN 53xxxC) go for as little as $250.00. Looked like a great horn, from the pics at least.

[spiderjames]

The one I have had some extensive damage to the bow and body tube due to being dropped I'd guess. After straightening out the damage and doing a repad on it, it plays very well. Just like a dolnet bel air, which is what it is stencilled from I think. They have left hand bell keys so the G# table is diferent, minor keywork differences and no chromatic F# or front F.The lack of the F# doesn't bother me. but I will probably add a front F eventually if I keep it.

These were probably made for the student/Intermediate market but are good playing tenors on the cheap and I wouldn't hesitate to play mine on a pro gig. I have a belair stencil called a convair, exactly like a bell air except the engraving, and the body tube looks identical to the universal except the bell keys. They play and sound the same.