Vito information gaps???

[SaxParent]

I take it tracing a Vito's liniage is not easy. I watch various altos go through on e-Bay and wonder....might it really be a gem or not? Am I correct in reading old threads that a serial number/mfg. listing doesn't seem to exist and that it is somewhat of a gamble what vintage/which mfg. the instrument is really from? What shame...other than having it in hand how can one evaluate?:?

[knighttrain]

Vitos were made in several different plants. The Beaunier-made Vitos have a "switch" below the g# key and a different bell brace from the Yamahas and Yanis. Beaunier also made Noblet saxes which share the same basic features. I am not aware of anyone having a serial number listing.

[mosplace]

I think we can say, that all the Vito Saxophones made until ca. 63-65 are all made by Beauginier. They say "Made in France". Than Lebland bought Holton and other manufactures for the saxophones and closed down the Beauginier manufacturing.

One thing is for shure. The Beauginier "Vito's" are extremly good horns. I'd sax profi saxophones.

[smitty]

I used to own a french vito serial number 12xxx. about 6 years ago, I managed to track down an archivist of some sort from leblanc. he did some looking into it for me. here is what he found. 1st the production date was 1953. 2nd, the horn was definitely a beaugnier horn. ( oh, and by the way, they were more or less hand built, not assembly line horns. this is one reason that beaugnier horns didnt acrue very high serial numbers ie some of the last built ones were only in the 20xxx-30xxx range) 3rd via a little translation from french to english, the horn had a new list price in their catalog for approximately $700 us. He was floored, and said that with inflation , that it was equal to the price of a modern yanagisawa high end horn that sell in the $5000-6000 range. I have been working for years on massing info on french vito horns. I hope this helped you.

[saintsday]

Smitty- Which side were the bell keys on your 12xxx horn? I have one that is 124xxA with left side bell keys. Cruising around saxpics I can't find anything that looks much like mine. C#, B and Bb are all on the left side and covered by one keyguard. All the keyguard feet are spade shaped. Any info appreciated greatly.
John

[The A Train]

I have a Vito alto stamped Made In France w/right hand side bell keys serial#17XXX in the proccess of being reconditioned. I have yet to try it and am more eager to hear how it sounds now. Maybe she's a keeper(some I just buy and rebuild) or at least I have a better idea of year built & value now. Thanks smitty.

[Tryptykon]

My Tenor is 11,000 bell keys on the LH side.
Soprano is 23,000

[saintsday]

Thanks, Tryptykon. What I can't figure out is whether Beaugnier made all the left side bell key horns. Mine doesn't say France anywhere that I can find, but the serial is consistent with the French manufacture dates. I know that some were assembled in Kenosha from French parts, but I've also seen horns that say Kenosha on them. Does your horn say France anywhere on it?

[Tryptykon]

John, both horns have made in France stamped on them.

The A-serialed LH Bell keys (w/ C# also LH..) are definitely assembled in Kenosha.

Got the sop from Saxquest on trial, and liked it a lot; shortly, after, hunted
down a tenor. :D

[Tryptykon]

My soprano, w/ a couple of pics,is in the next thread(under this one) .:)

[fiercekrypton]

hmmm well i have a old vito with kenosha wis on the bell serial number v-1031 but it says made in u.s.a., seems like if they started in frace id have a french made horn..........im so confused.

[knighttrain]

Fierce, "v" serial numbers are US made horns, not french. My Vito collection includes a US alto (v 20xx) and french alto (50xx A) and tenor (22xx A) horns. The US horn is completely different from the french Beaugniers, and in my mind is an excellent player in its own right with a dynamite vintage sound. Hope you like yours.

[Chris J]

I have just bought a Vito VSP Alto with Japan and Yanagisawa logo above the serial number. Plays well. Keen to know what the Yani connection was (?body only, assembled elswhere, full spec Yani under another name?) and with nothing to loose I faxed the question to Yanagisawa, Tokyo last night (number lifted from internet)

Within 12 hours I received a reply from Japan to tell me the instrument was indeed made entirely by Yanagisawa, it was made in April 1980, and that it was a Yanagisawa model A-600. It was one of only 50 made. In all my research on this I have never heard of an A-600 (not surprising, I suppose) so don't know if it was more closely related to the A500 or A800. Now I want to know why only 50 were made!

But it pays to ask!

I do remember seeing a post regarding the Vito mark elsewhere in these fora. I'll post again with the URL if I find it.

Chris