Noblet Baritone

[hannibal]

I've been playing a lowBb Noblet baritone for a few years now. My tech guestimates its vintage as around 1947-1952.

Anyone know anything about these horns? It's the only bari I've ever played, so I don't know anything about its relative tone etc. Any guess on its valte? It's a bit of a battle ax with a patch on the neck, a few dings on the bell and bottom of the bow, and some of the laquer rubbed off where a previously rotund owner had it resting on his belly!

Any info would be appreciated.

[hannibal]

I've posted about this bari in a few different forums and still haven't had any reponses at all. I can add that it has a triple octave mechanism if that helps.

I'm ready to upgade, but don't know what the horn is worth at all. And I don't know how it compares ot other horns.

Any help out there???

[VeryBari]

2 years and no replies to this thread....? Well, maybe Hannibal and I are the only two owners of Noblet baritone saxes around. Or maybe Hannibal got rid of his sometime after starting this thread, and I just bought it from a dealer on eBay... :D

At any rate, I'm happy to be playing my own bari for the first time in my life, whatever its history. I've always ever played school horns or loaners.

As far as a comparison with other horns, I can tell you I have a 1928 The Martin laying on my bench right now, in the process of a minor refit. I've been playing that horn for a couple months now, filling in for a hospitalized friend. The reason his horn is now on my bench is simple: I played the Noblet and realized I didn't have to be working so hard!:cussing: Leaks and tweaks aside, the Noblet seems to be constructed more simply, and weighs less than, the Martin. The Noblet comes equipped with an alternate F# key for the right hand, which I sorely missed playing Gershwin and Jerry Mulligan on the Martin.

I'm loving the challenge of rolling out the rest of the dings and dents on my Noblet, but it's already a better playing horn than that Martin has been for at least 20 years.

Cheers, and come on out of the closet, all you bari players!!

[mikemartin]

I just stumbled onto the SOTW site and was glad to see some others who have Noblet baritone saxophones. Mine came from Ebay! And I think I got the deal of deals on it. It's a low Bb horn, which is fine for now.

The sound is great, the thing resonates. Interestingly, besides sharing the "ebay" origins in these postings, the sax likewise has some brass reinforcement plates on the neck. The brass and lacquer look great, even on the "patched neck" (it has two oblong-ish brass plates, one on the right and one on the left side of the neck). I wonder if I bought the instrument from the person who previously wrote in this thread. Could be.

Anyway, I started on a truly beat-up school Conn 12-M, that was nicknamed "The Murf" since it was so dented and ugly. Even after having been punished for Lord-knows-how-many-decades, the thing had a great sound.

In high school, I had the outrageous opportunity to buy a low-A Selmer Mark VI from Alan Yankee, who at the time was playing bari sax for Stan Kenton (I think that was when his band had two baritone saxes in it). Sadly, I sold that horn to play for overseas education in Japan. Ouch. One of life's regrets.:(

Anyway, the Noblet is great for what I need now. A nice round sounding, growl that can make cats howl, babies cry and bring a tear of joy to my eye.

I heard that Noblet is associated with the people who manufactured American Vito saxes after WWII. Is that true, anyone know?

[VeryBari]

I concur on the crying babies part -- my daughter (4 months old) will sleep through EVERYTHING BUT my Noblet baritone... We (the sax and I) have been banished to the basement.

[MLP1956]

I learned to play sax about 40 years ago on just such a French made Noblet It had a sound of its own. I have seen a few Noblet saxophones, all all were nice sounding horns.

[bfoster64]

If yours is an early Noblet it could have been made by Pierret or Beaugnier. There is a lot of mystery surrounding small-label French horns from the 40s and 50s. Take a look at SaxPics. Also, look at these Noblet horns on Ebay.

1.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NOBLET-ALTO-SAXOPHONE-VERY-GOOD-CONDITION_W0QQitemZ180055224442QQihZ008QQcategoryZ 16232QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2.
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-NOBLET-PARIS-MADE-IN-FRANCE-S-N-7775_W0QQitemZ120058214123QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16232 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

3.
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-NOBLET-PARIS-ALTO-SAXOPHONE-NICE-GIFT_W0QQitemZ220055001612QQihZ012QQcategoryZ16232 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Number 1, according to the seller, has a 3-Digit serial number! It has the same stylings as No.2. But notice the substantial difference in No.3, obviously a different manufacturer. I think No.3 was made by Beaugnier, and based on a few isolated pics on SaxPics I think the first two were made by Pierret, though they are unlike many other Pierrets I have seen in pictures. Beaugnier is credited with the Olds Parisian horns if I recall correctly (or is it the Olds Parisian Ambassador?).

I played a tenor with the same stylings as the No.1 and 2 altos and it had a beautiful round and centered sound somewhat like a good Selmer. Keywork was not as slick, and the palm notes were a little weak, but overall I was very impressed.

Maybe you could submit some photos of your baris to SaxPics. I would love to see a more accurate account of these horns.

[HUTMO]

I currently own two Noblet Bari's. One is being rebuilt and the other is a parts horn. The good horn was missing a few keys and I found the very beat up parts horn on ebay that had the appropriate key work the other horn was missing.

The key work on the two horns is identical but the palm keys are different because of the turn at the top of each horn is opposite. The parts horn has more complicated two part palm keys while the good horn has standard type palm keys. I have seen Vito Bari's on Ebay with the same the key guards, bell support and key work.


The good Bari is currently at a tech friend of mine who is taking out the dents and replacing the keys that were missing. The project is very low priority so the progress has been slow but what I have seen so far is really good. The good horn is still original lacquer and has not been worked over too much.

I have no neck for the Bari's, but have measurements from multiple Noblet Bari's that show that a Selmer neck will work perfectly.

Of the three horns you listed from Ebay my Bari support is identical to the third alto you listed.

Here is a link to a tenor that is very very much like my Bari's (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-NOBLET-Paris-Tenor-Sax-Saxophone-NR_W0QQitemZ120058089545QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16234QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) The keywork, gausrds and engraving is identical. Any idea who manufactured it?

I will keep you updated.

HUTMO

[AhCheung]

Here is a link to a tenor that is very very much like my Bari's (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-NOBLET-Paris-Tenor-Sax-Saxophone-NR_W0QQitemZ120058089545QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16234QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) The keywork, gausrds and engraving is identical. Any idea who manufactured it?

HUTMO

Couldn't see the pics. these horns were most probably made by Beaugnier and assembled here. Beaugnier stencilled for Vito, too, that's why they look so much alike. Seen the "Barton" bari on ebay recently? that looks like a Beaugnier made horn too.