[aayler]

greetings,

i've been looking into vintage vitos and was wondering if you could please share your impressions, experiences, preferences regarding a) vitos in the xxxxA vintage with the G# mechanism and lefthand bellkeys "versus" b) the horns in the 1xxxx range with the selmer-like lefthand pinky table and the righthand bellkeys ...

looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

[edsel00]

I have had one of each. The left-bell key pre-selmer pinky table Vito was the better of the two. The sound was just phenomenal. Magical. Full of character. But ... it was a whipped old school horn and wouldn't stay in regulation. i sold it b/c i was weary of sinking $600 or so into it for a full rehab, which is what it would have needed. Probably should've done just that. It was a magical horn. Action was nice, too. Sure, the older flat pinky table was a bit cumbersome, especially the tiny "B" key, but that you can get used to. You can't get used to a horn that doesn't speak like you want it to.
The 2nd one was a later one with the right-H bell keys and the slicker pinky table. it was a Vox Duke (same as Vito Duke). action was nice and fast, but sonically the horn was a dud. I have heard, as many have stated here, though, that many of these are GREAT and represent some of the best deals on the vintage market.

 

[aayler]

thanks for your thoughts edsel00,

when you mentioned "wouldn't stay in regulation," did you mean it had intonation problems - i've heard word of this? as there is a scarcity of reliable documentation on these horns, lots of what circulates may be hearsay ... so it's great to hear from actual owners.


best,

 

[old999]

I've got an 87XXA alto and love it. The intonation is phenomenal. The sound is gorgeous. My teacher was really impressed (I'm a late bloomer). I recently got its sibling tenor. The intonation is very good, but not as phenomenal as the alto. The sound is terrific, but at this point - still early in my getting acquainted period - I like the sound of my King Zephyr tenor better, though its intonation is a bit erratic. I like the older LH pinky table and find the C# very easy on my pinky (unlike the Kings, which are stiff). Both Vitos are easy to play altissimo, at least to the limited extent that I can play it at all. (I can get to G# easily.) I bought both on eBay from dealers who said the instruments were in good working order. So far that has been true.

 

[eugeneherman]

I have several Vito saxes. I like them all... #329A tenor, this with the Conn like LH pinky table and G# lever which I am very comfortable with, altos... Mod 35 'Leblanc System' , Mod 37 ( no G# lever and no teeter totter octave mech ) and Mod 38 France with the left splayed LH pinky setup and RH bell keys. As is noted the Vitios play well in tune and have a fine action and great sound. A unique feature also is that while on many saxes ( my Buffet SDA tenor & my Conn 6M alto included ) a false fingering can produce a 'phonic' non-note or warble trill with a conventional fingering... on these Vitos any false or unconventional fingering will produce an in-tune note abeit a different shaped one... All very lyrical and great sounding saxes... I feel lucky to have acquired near minty examples. The Mod 35 has a slightly larger bore at neck than the 37 or 38... I guess that this was planned so that the neck could not be confused or interchanged... the Mod 35 neck is just a totally different alto neck as to length/pip location... I actually prefer the older LH table to the later French (Selmer like) table...

 

[edsel00]

when you mentioned "wouldn't stay in regulation," did you mean it had intonation problems?

NO! emphatic no. fine intonation with a large chamber piece (modern link tone edge).

I guess I should have said "couldn't keep its adjustment"? Meaning, the rods and keys were so soft and shifty that it was very quick to lose its adjustment after a tuneup.

But I really think this was just an artifact of its being a whipped former school horn and not any knock on the quality of the axe. it sang!

 

[aayler]

I noticed from a posting here at SOTW as well as the brochure listed at http://doctorsax.biz/vito_sax_cat.htm (page 1) that the "Americana," (what I assume as the "A" designation in the serial numbers) and the Model 35 are both manufactured in Nogales, Arizona and not Kenosha, Wisconsin. Any comments regarding this information? Perhaps the LeBlanc literature was published at a later date in the production run where there was indeed a shift from Kenosha to Nogales?

 

[artstove]

Slightly straying from the original question, I have a V-16xx series Vito Kenosha alto, which is kind of an in-between model. It has a really lovely tone. Ergos are fine, although the C# key is stiff. Intonation differs somewhat between upper and lower registers.

 

[saxphil]

I have several Vito saxes. I like them all... #329A tenor, this with the Conn like LH pinky table and G# lever which I am very comfortable with I actually prefer the older LH table to the later French (Selmer like) table...

I just acquired a Vito/Kenosha 597A tenor with the individual LH bell key guards like yours Eugene.
Are these tenors considered vintage?

What are they, '60's?

The LH table keys are very similar, if not the same, as my Kohlert tenors.
The Kenosha Vito tenor is much lighter, weight wise though.

Apparently, this one has Beaugnier parts from France , but assembled in Kenosha?
It has stainless springs.

Do Beaugniers have stainless, rather than blue needle springs?

 

[marton]

is $400 a good price for a vito tenor in - what looks like - good condition?