[Karl Dietmeyer]

Hello all,

I'm new here, so I apologize if this is the wrong area for this thread. I have an alto saxophone with the word "Telecaster" on it. The serial number is 5XXX. I realize that this is a stencil instrument; I'm wondering if anyone has information on this particular stencil story.

Thanks for your help!

Karl

 

[Seasax]

what is it a stencil of? conn? (RTH? split bell keys?) or a martin (soldered beveled toneholes)

post some pics!

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

I don't know what it is a stencil of. It is in the shop...I will post pics when I get it back.

Karl

 

[Reedsplinter]

I don't know what it is a stencil of. It is in the shop...I will post pics when I get it back.

Karl

I did a google search for "telecaster saxophone" and found the following thread:

You are here: Experts > Music/Performing Arts > Musical Instruments > Saxophone > telecaster saxophone

Follow-Ups to Answer from Expert Jonas Th. Lilliendahl

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KG4ONj writes on 2007-09-14 10:31:50
I am an instrument repair technician and I got a Telecaster saxophone in the shop this week for a repad. I can't find any info on it either. It appears to be a nice vintage horn, I'm guessing made anywhere between the early 40's to late 50's. It has rolled tone holes, no lacquer (looks like it has either been stripped or never had any at all).

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Is this your horn? If so, it may be awhile before you get it back from the tech!

That's at http://en.allexperts.com/q/Saxophone-2232/f_4633420.htm

 

[Oldair2]

Karl

I have a Telecaster Alto as well. I also have it's big brother (a tenor) but it is stencilled as an Orpheum. If you search for Orpheum on the forum you will see my search for who made these things - Saxpics has a picture of the Orpheum somewhere on his miscellaneous saxes page. I never got a difinitive answer as to who made them, but I think they are German made. They feel a bit like Kohlerts to me although there are aspects of Kielwerth and SML too. Some have suggested the ubiquitous maker "Dorfler-Jorka" who used Kielwerth bodies to produce saxes that are nearly indistingushable from the Bundy Specials made by Kielwerth. The Telecaster and the Orpheum are older than this though - they look more like a sax that was made in the late 30's and early 40s. The common D-J horns didn't appear until the 50's. In any case, they are built like tanks and they both play really well. The Orpheum is truly exceptional - intonation as good as my Big B but powerful enough to peel paint off the wall. The alto is powerful as well but I don't play alto much - the upper range on the Orpheum is effortless while the upper range of the Telecaster is not - not for me. I don't think the horns have much market value but intrinsic value is another matter. I would love to hear what you think of it once you get it back from your tech. I don't think I'll ever sell mine as I would get virtually nothing and lose a lot of fun. I like having the pair of them too - even if I don't ever play the alto.

 

[Rackety Sax]

It's not a stencil of a Radio-Improved is it? :twisted:

 

[Oldair2]

Not Radio Improved

Bell Keys are on the right hand side on both the Telecaster and the Orpheum - similar wire keyguards though.

 

[Rackety Sax]

Sorry, I guess my attempt at humor failed.

 

[Oldair2]

Ziiiiiiip!

Went right over my head! Sorry I missed the cues.

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you very quickly. I just found out today that the horn is ready at the tech (yes, Reedsplinter, that was my tech trying to find out about the horn.)

A thank you to Oldair2 for his prompting...I'll let you know what I think when I get it back, but it is very cool to find someone else that has a Telecaster.

I'll get back to you soon (hopefully with pix, if my daughter can teach me how.)

Karl

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

Here are some photos. Sorry it took so long! Can't wait to hear what y'all think.

Karl

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

And more photos:

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

One final set:


Have fun, and thanks for your help!


Karl

 

[warp x]

Looks like a German stencil. Too bad it's not a Fender.

 

[zxcvbnm]

Yep. Definitely 100% German or east european. There was a horn on here for sale that looked almost exactly like it. I think Amati? Yeah, I think that's it. Look at the pictures of this Amati. Looks exactly like yours.
http://saxpics.com/the_gallery/Kohlert/amati/alto/silver/28632/
Go to the second to the bottom section on this page under "amati". Read away.
http://saxpics.com/kohlert/vks_models.htm

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

Well, zxcvbnm, you got me going!

Did you all know that time passes faster when you are researching saxophones? I started looking at the Saxpics at about 10:00 last night, and suddenly it was 1:00 a.m. Who knew?

While the Amati looks close, I suspect that it is a later Keilwerth, along the lines (and time) of the Pennsylvania stencil. I'm still looking into it, and I will try to send pictures to Saxpics to get his opinion and to add to the storehouse of information.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

Karl

 

[J.Max]

Well, zxcvbnm, you got me going!

Did you all know that time passes faster when you are researching saxophones? I started looking at the Saxpics at about 10:00 last night, and suddenly it was 1:00 a.m. Who knew?

While the Amati looks close, I suspect that it is a later Keilwerth, along the lines (and time) of the Pennsylvania stencil. I'm still looking into it, and I will try to send pictures to Saxpics to get his opinion and to add to the storehouse of information.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

Karl

I think that "Saxpics" isn't saxpics.com anymore - the website is owned by USA Horn, so if you send it through the website, I don't think it will get where you might want it to go. Try sending a PM through this website.

 

[Karl Dietmeyer]

OK, thanks!

Karl

 

[Pete]

Howdy. Yes, saxpics.com was purchased by USAHorn.com a year ago. They "re-launched" the website yesterday but it has ... some ... problems.

I'll look into the horn for Karl (he did e-mail me). It's not a bad looking horn, but the out-of-focus pics are seriously giving me a headache ....

BTB, if there are any other markings/stamps on the horn, those might be helpful.

 

[Pete]

Well, let's talk about who didn't make it. That'd definitely be Kohlert. Why? The serial number is too low for VKS -- it'd be a horn made in 1902 -- and the Kohlert model would be from 1952, a Winnenden and that model is just too dissimilar. All the VKS stencils I've seen have a full VKS serial number.

I investigated the Orpheum horns, as they seem to be mentioned with Telecaster saxophones (specifically by Mike Furbee who sent me pictures of his horn a long time ago) and I can appreciate the similarities, but the name "Orpheum" was used on a variety of other horns, too, like this Italian made horn.

Now, it's *possible* it's an Amati, but I somewhat doubt it because the serial number would indicate a relatively new Amati: at 3xxx they were producing Tonekings and at 10xxx (or earlier) they had the Classic Super (the linked pic is of a Keing Lemaire stencil).

I'd love to say "Dorfler and Jurka", but everyone seems to indicate that they didn't make horns until the 1950's and this horn looks earlier than that.

I'm thinking it's either actually made by Keilwerth or it's a Keilwerth body. It'd be "made" by Keilwerth if it has the "Best in the World" stamp, if not, it may be same folks that made the stecil I'll mention in a moment.

* The serial number would be sufficiently early -- or not have to matter, at all.
* A s/n 9xxx horn looks mighty close to the Telecaster and we know that Keilwerth bodied horns were available with slightly different keywork.

Points to compare have to be:
* Age.
* G# cluster.
* Low C key (rather unique design).
* Available rolled tone holes.

No, it's not an exact match, but I think it's close enough.