The Vito Beaugnier-stencil tenor, being made in France, has the French sound. A Beaugnier tenor should not be any different. My Vito Beaugnier, for example, has a wonderful tone full of resonance and color and I'm often asked what kind of sax it is and what setup am I using to make that happen.

I bought my Vito Beaugnier tenor from honkytone a couple of years ago for under $800 and it plays, IMHO, as good as French-made horns (read Selmer) the least expensive of which cost several hundred dollars more. Or, for the purists who are igniting their flame throwers, it seems that way to me.

I think the "Selmerish" sound is a subset of the French sound family. Several French-made saxes produce a sound - geographically correct to refer to these as French sounds - different from, and arguably better than, saxes made anywhere else in the world. But, what is a pleasing sound to some, could be noise to others, it being a highly subjective issue.

That said, there is nothing like a good condition Mark VI tenor, or alto for that matter, if you can afford one.

 

Have you checked out the videos from 'jazzmanted', like this one?

That might help.

 

That guy is due some respect. It's too bad his illness has affected his ability to play full time. As he mentions in one of his videos, he plays in all 12 keys, can play the entire Omnibook even with his illness at half to 3/4 speed, and plays everything from bassoon to piccolo, words to that effect. And, on top of all that, he seems to know what he's talking about when it comes to repairing horns.

Very interesting gentleman.

Thanks, Kim, for sharing the video. I remember watching the one with him showing the Rationale setup.

 

Hello !!

Is a BEAUGNIER Tenor sax a "viable" alternative to the search of the french sound (AKA SELMERISH sound) ??

This horn has slick action ? Dark sound type ?! Open sound ?

A completly overhauled and in excellent condition one for less than 1500 $ is a bargain ?!

thanks !

In addition to Beaugnier, there are other French brands that make fine saxes: Buffet, SML, Pierret. While the 6 is legendary a horn, it is known for inconsistency: that is, not every 6 plays well, but it does sure cost a lot.

So, as Goodsax put it, you can have a French horn that costs less than a 6.

 

Or a Couesnon.. There's one far sale near Belgium, cheap too.

 

Re : Re: BEAUGNIER Tenor

Or a Couesnon.. There's one far sale near Belgium, cheap too.

Hi !!

Can you tell me where ??

thanks.

 

I insist on adding Dolnet to the list.

 

I respectfully request that you take it off again .

There have been reports of very good ones, but overall I think Dolnets are a much riskier buy than a Beaugnier or a Couesnon. I started a thread about this a while back:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=59336

I've not played a Beaugnier Vito, but I have recently had an original Beaugnier alto and tenor (both early 1950s, I think) overhauled and they play very well indeed. I previously had a very slightly later tenor, and that also was very good. For me, definitely one of the easier vintage actions, first class intonation, and a warm, rounded, lyrical tone.

 

About halfway down the page

 

Re : Re: BEAUGNIER Tenor



Thanks for the link ...This is a serious and honest seller (muziekcentrumvangorp) ???

 

I've got a Beaugnier special perfect tenor (and also an alto), it's quite à good sax. It has a very nice dark sound and a good action. I've tried a Dolnet which had a similar sound but not such a good action.

 

Re: Re : BEAUGNIER Tenor

it's quite à good sax.

This sounds like a carefully considered assessment. Would you care to elaborate on why, for you, it isn't "good" or "very good"?

 

I'm definitly "quite a bad" english speaker !
I just mean I love it !

 

Re: Re : BEAUGNIER Tenor



I'm sure your English is much better than my French! I love mine too. I'd be interested to know the approximate serial numbers of your Beaugniers. I have alto 19XX and tenor 20XX, both in silver. The bells are engraved "Fabrication Artistique" and they are earlier than the Special Perfect; but, judging from the photos I have seen, they are effectively the same model.

I'd also be glad to know what mouthpieces you have found to give good results on these horns.

 

Re : Re: Re : BEAUGNIER Tenor

Hi,

My both Beaugniers are "special perfect", my alto (49xx) is silvered with gold in the bell, my tenor (61xx) is nikeled. They have the bell keys on the right side.

 

Re: Re : Re: Re : BEAUGNIER Tenor

Hi,

My both Beaugniers are "special perfect", my alto (49xx) is silvered with gold in the bell, my tenor (61xx) is nikeled. They have the bell keys on the right side.

Beautiful instruments, Gaston.

 

I have seen an alto "fabrication artistique" very silimar to mine exept the gold, the tuner and the G# system.
I use a custumed Brilhart mouthpiece with the alto, it sounds very nice, better than with my Morgan (too strong). For the tenor I don't know yet wich one i will choose between my brilhart and my Link. At the moment I plays better with the Brilhart I used to play with my last tenor. I only have this tenor since a few weeks.

 

Hello !

What about construction, mechanics, adjustments, sounds...Explain ,please...

Thanks.

 

Mhoyoux, You're from Belgium, if you can speak french, (i'll not be able to answer all your questions in english) you can send me PM.

You can also see there :
http://www.saxofan.fr/topic1631.html

 

Cher ami gaulois,

j'en prends bonne note et vous recontacte en message privé. Merci pour ce lien intéressant...

Max.

 

Yes, very similar but not exactly the same, the hight F key is also different.

 

Re: Re : BEAUGNIER Tenor



Yes, the "Special Perfect" does seem to be a development of the "Fabrication Artistique", rather than a whole new model. You are right about the Artistiqe's unusual high F key on a long rod. I think it is a nice refinement, expecially the way it links with the front F key. I have had two Dolnets (alto and tenor) with a similar arrangement; but on the Dolnets the rod was used to include a fourth key as a left-hand high F#. (Very cool!)

 

OK, here are my Beaugnier "Fabrication Artistique" tenor (20xx) and alto (19xx).

More detailed pictures here:

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w237/sax-ony/Beaugniers/?albumview=grid

I (and my repairer) both think these are really well-built, nice playing saxophones. Ergonomics, intonation, response, all up there with the best from (we guess) the 1940s.

I am still deciding on mouthpieces for the alto, but the tenor (like another I used to own) prefers long mouthpieces (or they have to be hanging off the end to play in tune) with medium+ squarish chambers. The following (all metal) work well: Vandoren V16, Wolf Tayne, Guy Hawkins, but best of all is a Zinner Ed Sperber 5*C (the chamber they call "soft", but which could equally be called "warm"). I have found both my Beaugnier tenors to be flat at the top with some mouthpieces, but intonation is excellent with these four.

 

I am still deciding on mouthpieces for the alto

I wrote that on this thread back in July '08, regarding my Fabrication Artistique alto. Just to keep things up-to-date, I can report that I've settled, for now, on a Morgan Vintage 7. I would still highly recommend these horns if you come across one.

 

Finally, has anyone tried the BEAUGNIER on junkdude.com ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Max.

 

Sax-ony,

You and GASTON have two nice pairs of Beaugnier tenor and alto.

I like the low neck on your tenor (King, Conn, SML, and Martin have it, too). I wish Buffet made it too.

 

Hi guys! Could you tell me what this model is? Sound, ease of control?

 

Looks like a Model 38. Can you share a picture of the left hand G# cluster?

 

Is this a good photo?

 

Yes.

Indeed, it looks like a Model 38. As far as I understand the Model 39 had a slightly different design.

 

Thanks for your help 🙏🙏🙏, I heard 38 Vito is a good saxophone. Now I need your opinion in choosing between 38 and YTS 31🙃🙃🙃