[Oldtenor]

My tenor looks just like mistermeshmass's alto in post #15.

 

[NissanVintageSax]

I've owned an "Americana" Alto (in 2002), Model 38 Tenor (bell connected at pinky table), and a Model 38 Alto (bell keys linked at the key cups). They were very good saxes. Owened the Model 38 Alto for 5 years (it replaced a Selmer Mark VII I was having troubles with). Only went to a Yanagisawa A880, because it was like the VII marrying the Model 38! The best of both worlds!

 

[Kendoro]

I had a model 38 alto that sounded great, but I didn't like the feel of the L hand pinky table because of the L sided bell keys. I probably would have gotten used to it over time, but it also went out of adjustment too often for my comfort, so it was sold on.

 

[NissanVintageSax]

I had a model 38 alto that sounded great, but I didn't like the feel of the L hand pinky table because of the L sided bell keys. I probably would have gotten used to it over time, but it also went out of adjustment too often for my comfort, so it was sold on.

Left side bell keys would not have been a model 38. Those were the "Americana", Model 35 "Semi-Rationale", Model 36, and Model 37.

 

[Kendoro]

Left side bell keys would not have been a model 38. Those were the "Americana", Model 35 "Semi-Rationale", Model 36, and Model 37.

Good catch. I just rechecked the serial and it was a model 37.

 

[Oldtenor]

I need to make a small correction. My Special Perfect tenor, serial 6074, has the older style touches for the octave key touch: a pearl button for the thumbrest and a pearl button for the octave key touch. On the other hand, my Revere tenor, with only a slightly higher serial number (6414) has the same octave key touch shown in mistermeshmash's post #15. I guess they made a change along the way. My Revere should have been stenciled by Beaugnier in '57-'58.

 

[RogerD]

so, what is the difference between a tenor vito serial number 5XXA and a serial number 2xxxx that said it is made in France? It seems the one in france has a lot more fancy engraving, but no duke or special...

any thoughts

 

[FremontSax]

so, what is the difference between a tenor vito serial number 5XXA and a serial number 2xxxx that said it is made in France? It seems the one in france has a lot more fancy engraving, but no duke or special...

any thoughts

well that is the question? I run a spread sheet trying sort out serial numbers and features.

My hypothesis is..... that there was a factory .... actually go look down the Saxophone Makes and Models--> Other--> A-J --> Beaugnier, G. Leblanc & Vito Beaugnier and read one of the history threads...

this factory made at least the bodies for several brand names. That bodies from this factory had a consecutive serial numbers independent of the brands..

So how fancy the sax was or how many features it had... the serial numbers are mixed together.

I expand my theory further by suggesting that serial numbers that ended with the character "A" were assembled in Wisconsin (the saxophones with serial numbers ending or preceding the serial number in the character "B" or preceded by the character "V".

that itself is a mouthful. The idea is that US assembled brands may have modified the serial number by adding a character.

Have I passed along the idea that there might be a core serial number that came out of the "Beaugnier" factory and that if the saxophone was assembled in the US an extra letter was added?

Keep in mind that this is a theory only backed by rumor and speculation and hopefully documented by the spreadsheet (including a lot of the different features) at

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...ymk7qk3cj0pvHx4_stnzbyYwk8/edit#gid=736264149

have fun,

Fremont

 

[vries1]

I just stumbled on a very interesting Beaugnier serial number study (in French):

http://luthiervents.blogspot.com/2018/12/beaugnier-suite.html?m=1

The author distinguishes a first series until 1941 and then a second series starting from 1941. A few of the serial numbers seem to have a reliable date (from warranty cards or sales slips).