So what da dillio wit kohlert 57's?...

[xax]

i keep reading how kohlert 55/57's are such great R&B horns. i'm interested but a coupla questions...first of all what kinda R&B are we talkin here...40's and 50's walkin the bar R&B? motown? rock & roll? all of the above? did many players use them back in the day or are they a later "discovery"? i've only seen pictures of them but i wonder about their durability. ie do they stay in adjustment? also, is the action as good as some folks say? finally, are they reminiscent of any other horn? i'm liking the idea of a kohlert as a "backup" tenor (after my '67 yani T-500) but i'm not for throwing money down a tonehole.
thanks

[Hurling Frootmig]

My Kohlert tenor "The Kohlert" 62k serial number reminds me of the Keilwerths. I think the Keilwerths are slighly better (except of course the Keilwerth made Kohlert's).

I prefer the modern Keilwerth's due to some better ergonomics but the tone from these horns is very nice.

[pbob42]

Just got my new 55 tenor in the mail - scored off Ebay for $425. Sounds very much like my 10M. Might be just a tad rattier, kind of a hint of King in there, but not too much. Blew it one time and put my 51 Silver Martin up for sale on Ebay.

Anybody done any augmentation on the pinky cluster? I think I will have my metal guy silver solder a small plate under the G# key. Don't want to get too involved.

[Hurling Frootmig]

I've been tempted to inquire with my tech about putting a modern left pinky table on my Kohlert. The table is not bad as is other than having the standard C# is hard to press issue. The rest of the keywork is very quick and comfortable.

[spiderjames]

soldered too brasspieces under the G# key on my 55s. positioned them so they clear the rollers on the low B and C3 keys. Worked like a charm. Makes the C# key a little bit harder to press though. Perhaps a step in the wrong direction?:doubt: My 55s play more in tune than the New King tenor or altos that I had at one time. I use them all the time and for the time being have ended my quest for the "perfect" horn.

[Kritavi]

I have a 55 I would sell (alto) in a closet here somewhere. PM me if anyone is looking.

[honkytone]

I had a Kohlert 57 alto for a minute. It got a little damaged in shipping and wasn't really playable so I sent it back. But just checking it out and playing it as much as I could I was surprised at its reputation on the internet (giving the Mark VI a run for its money and whatnot) as it was made out of some pretty lightweight brass. Had a very intermediate, studenty feel to me. Nowhere near the heft and build quality of a Selmer or Keilwerth.

[Kritavi]

I pulled out the aforementioned 55 and was knocked out by how big the sound was. A closer look revealed it was doing all that with the key heights set unusually low. So my tech is going to raise it up and this thing should be scalding when he's done. Its going to be my backup but I was really amazed at what a nice little horn it is. Should be a great candidate as a bar band kind of horn.

[markm]

Question#1:So what happened to kohlert in the years right after '57? I see that the new design of the '57 was critical, but wouldn't that have carried over to 58 and 59? Do they display the year as an engraving like the '55' and '57'. I've only seen those two years.

This is my first post. I've been soaking in all the info and experience of you Masters. I've been playing for about a year and am loving it. I'm satisfying a long-time itch. Right now I'm playing a Rene Dumont with a 70s Bilger MP, but I'm looking for another sax . GAS?

Question#2:Sifting through stencils for a '57 kohlert, can one assume that the Kohlert serial numbers can identify the year of the stencil? See the much quoted http://www.saxpics.com/kohlert/serials.htm
For example, a Revere Special - with dead-on Kohlert looks - numbered in the 62xxx would be a Kohlert produced in 1959.

Thanks to you All!

[spiderjames]

Markm-

What type of Rene Dumont do you have? Some are kohlert stencils and others are D&Js. I have 2 that are kohlert 55 stencils. They play very well.

[markm]

Spider - (ignore the PM, I dodn't see the post here)) I'm betting that my Rene Dumont is a D&J -the serial number does not fit into kohlert numbers and the bow brace does not look like kohlert. I've always seen the kohlert's brace as a flat V-shaped brace. My brace is a single straight tube or post seen on may horns. Is the V-shaped bow brace a good identifier for a Kohlert stencil?
I know you have an RD that you believe to be a 55 stencil. Does it have the V-shaped brace?
My RD plays well. I like the sound and am using a pretty dark Bilger MP with a Rovner. BUT...I am intrigued by all i 've read about the smokey '57 and would love to get my hands on one of those or a true stencil. I've seen Revere Specials that I know are 57 stencils - but what OTHER names should I keep my eye out for?

Thanks for the advice.