Here is a photo of a serial number.. reportedly 77439.

I find this strange... since the range of Noblet serial numbers I have sen so far are from ~7000 to a bit over ~16,000

Does the leading 7 look like it doesn't belong?

 

I noticed the same thing. It definitely looks different, and is the horn dented there? It's hard to tell. I don't know what adding a 7 would do. It is clearly Made in France.

 

I bought alto 8826 from Kim Slava (DoctorSax). Here are pictures from his site. http://www.doctorsax.biz/noblet_8826.htm

I really haven't done anything to it since then except play it. It is still great. I love it's tone. I've been trying different mouthpieces to see what that does. It seems really sensitive to mouthpiece / reeds changes in the type of sound it puts out. I have Chinese alto that sounds basically the same no matter what set up I use.

The other thing I like is that I have never found the top of its range. This is partially because I have never made a concerted effort to find the top and partially because the altissimo is just a natural extension of the normal range, so it goes way beyond the few fingerings I know.

 

twocircles, thats a nice looking sax.

 

Thanks, saxmanted told me what to look for, and this one fit the bill. I think it is truly all the sax I could ever handle.

There are no less than 3 Beaugnier-built saxes on this page and SOUND CLIPS!!! Perhaps the owner will release the S/N if they are not associated with the horns.

http://drlarryross.bizland.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.htm

I had not gone anywhere near the bottom. There are 7!

 

Just got a "Vito/Noblet" alto #9937. It's branded as Vito, but has the Noblet medallion on the body brace and neck. I also have a French Vito, so I can say for sure this new horn is different in many ways. Smaller bore, balanced action, right hand bell keys, different G# cluster, engraved "Made in France". Also, the keys are fully ribbed where the Vito is not.

 

Soybean,

Thanks... I am lifting your comments and dropping them verbatim into the spread sheet.

Fremont

 

Hey, folks

A student of mine has an opportunity to buy a Noblet bari - serial # 11,xxx.
Horn is in good cosmetic and mechanical condition.

Does anyone have a sense for the value of this horn?
The tech selling it hasn't given him the price yet -- assuming it may be a bit of a haggle session. So, we were hoping to get a ballpark value.

Any / all advice welcome!
BTW, couldn't find any listed on eBay at this time.

sincerely,
~ Rick
(Pennsylvania US)

 

my guess is $800 to $1000 for one is reasonable shape except needing pads then another $1000 to $1200 to get it re-padded, all the clanks out and shined up.

So depending on condition $800 to $2200

 

Hey FremontSax, I just took a look at your spreadsheet and actually found my tenor serial # on there. 11126 (it has left side bell keys). I actually bought it from dr-daves-music on ebay in 2009 (who knows where it was before then!). The lacquer is beautiful, the engraving is clear - just a few light scratches (no dings). My tech says it's original. How did you get interested in Noblet saxes? I can't find too much info on them so every bit helps. Hope this little bit of info is helpful to you.

 

thanks Chazpants.... Yep the whole spreadsheet is nothing but a collection of little bits. Over 530 saxophones listed on my non-released working version.

I started with a Vito Model 35 that my parents bought me (1972 i think) and I was clueless about until I pulled it out of the closet and took it to a tech to get the leaks out of it. The tech started pointing out some of its unusual features.. which lead to researching the horn which lead to the Lablanc system horns which lead to the Beaugnier factory and all the brands associated with Beaugnier, which includes Noblet.

Edit: by the way, I added your update and quoted you on its condition.

 

I have a Noblet tenor that is currently at the shop having a frozen key repaired and a dent removed. Just picket it up along with a 50s Vito that is nearly perfect. Bought both from a friend of the original owner who was assisting the the sale for his friends widow. I will post serial number and pics when I get the horn back.

 

I've just recorked the neck on my Noblet tenor 13996 (which looked to be original) and found the last 3 digits of the serial number scratched on the barrel under the old cork.

 

Same on my Noblet “Standard” alto—and pad sizes engraved under each pad, in inches.

 

I got the sax back a while ago and had forgotten to post serial number and pics. Its a good player though the ergonomics are taking a little getting use to as well as the way it hangs fronm the strap is a little different than I am used to. Its a fun horn to play. Still trying mouthpieces with it. The serial number is 8306 and it has Noblet Paris engraved on the bell and near the bell joint it has an engraving that says "Serie Maville"

I had the lower stack worked on since it had a badly frozen rod and a couple dents repaired. Had a couple pads changed as well but other than that it should be fairly original. Left hand bell keys and rt hand C and C#.

Working on pics next.

 

Here are some pics. I can add more detailed ones if there is an area you want to see.

 

jetmech, Your Noblet is 'very' similar to my avatar Vito tenor but distinct in several ways... The Bb1 & B1 keys have straight arms on mine, while yours are angled toward the neck, & of course different neck and bell brace.

 

Replying to an old thread. I have a Noblet alto SN 7099, all lacquer RH bell keys, looks to be before Beaugnier had a lot of influence from looking at the bell brace, not the typical curved rod on Beaugniers
Cant access the sn list provided here years ago.

 

The Dr Sax website is gone, but I found the list on the Wayback Machine here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200609234143/http://www.doctorsax.biz/beaugnier_ser_nos.htm

 

I should hope that Kim Slava is ok?

 

Noblet alto, #15800. ( 1960's? ) It was an ebay find, came with an Armstrong case and included a possibly original mouthpiece (a Noblet N3). When I pulled it out of the case (in which it was shipped without a neck cap.. yikes), much of the linkage was pretty much crud-bound and several pads were sticking. I thought I was in for a whole lot of cleaning and troubleshooting, but I dribbled oil on any point that looked like it moved and suddenly all the key mechanisms worked perfectly. Not began to work better and improved with more wiggling... nope... it just went from crud bound to perfect as soon as the oil hit it. Interesting. The pads all seal perfectly, and the keywork is amazing. Intonation, as with my other Noblet (still in need of soldering), is dead on perfect. Still getting to know it's sound and capabilities - it's definitely quite a bit different from the 57/58 Noblet I already had, doesn't like to be 'pushed', or at least not in the same way as it's sibling.

I'm sad that Doctor Sax has retired. I'm in Madison WI, and had been planning to take my other Noblet to him for repair after the dern pandemic was behind us. Hopefully there's someone else in the city who I can trust to take a torch to the poor thing (needs the body to bell brace re-attached).

 

Beaugnier has 2 series of serial numbers. Series 1 goes from around 1925 until sometime in Ww2. Up to around 10,000.

series 2 starts in ww2 and goes until about 1973 when they shut it down. Firm was sold to LeBlanc in 1967 and they ran it until 1973.

the bell brace with the screw to detach was patent applied for in 1958.

full made in France serial #s are not sequenced with the Vito hybrids ending in A. The made in France stamped Vitos and noblets with no A at the end are Beaugnier numbers.

 

back in the early 70s, going into 10th grade, my older brother helped me put together $300 to buy the Alto from the previous lead player in the jazz band.

It was a Vox alto, which amused us. I got something of a reputation for having a Paul Desmond-like tone, using a Selmer (old style} c* mouthpiece.

45 years gone, and when I get her out, I still have the dark tone.

Many years later, I found out Beaugnier made the Vox altos, which I think are similar to Dukes. Mine is serial number 37xx, left-hand Bell keys. I developed an odd affinity for LH keys. :'/

Phil C.

 

Welcome filkamel! I think they used the brand name Vox because some of the Vox instruments had pickups and electronics (“multividers”) built by the Thomas Organ company in Sun Valley California. Thomas Organ was also affiliated with Vox electric guitars and amps. There was a “Vox Ampliphonic Orchestra“ led by Bill Page of the Lawrence Welk band. All of the instruments in the band were branded Vox. Even the trumpets and trombones.

 

Welcome filkamel! I think they used the brand name Vox because some of the Vox instruments had pickups and electronics (“multividers”) built by the Thomas Oregon company in Sun Valley California. Thomas Oregon was also affiliated with Vox electric guitars and amps. There was a “Vox Ampliphonic Orchestra“ led by Bill Page of the Lawrence Welk band. All of the instruments in the band were branded Vox. Even the trumpets and trombones.

I've just acquired an Alto, serial #20xxxA (didn't know they went that high!) made for Vito, from a Goodwill online auction, for less than I bought the alto for in 1977! I guess I paid the proper price back then.

info to follow, if desired. LH keys... very similar to, off not identical to, my Vox alto!

 

I have a Nobet Alto serial 9313
It’s over 60 years old
Mother of pearl keys

 

Just picked up a Noblet Bari, serial 13516. Low A, LH Keys. From the charts, looks, and features, it's appears to be a french made Beaugnier.

It does not have a model stamped on it like some of the Tenor or Altos I've seen on the old serial tracker have (IE: Standard). It does have a 'Made in France' stamp on the front bell and has the standard Noblet engravings (just hard to see on it as the lacquer is well worn). It has the industrial bell brace with the screw to detach but the bell has been soldered (still has the original screws though).

Did an initial play through and will need to track down a leak around the high G and another leak starting at the low C. Otherwise, tone is mellow and I'm really liking how it sounds paired with an older Selmer C* mouthpiece.

 

I have a Noblet alto, #13153, left hand B and Bb under one guard, C# on bow next to C, switchable G#, tagged “Standard.” Nickel keywork. Goodwill auction horn.