[Yellowhorn]

I have always wondered why King named the Super 20 Super 20. After a long search, I have found the answer.

After WWII, when King was under the leadership of Mrs. Edna White, the Super 20 came out. And it was her who named the horn as such. And the reason was that the 20 had 20 points of refinement, or improvement, from the Zephyr.

To see what those 20 points are, click here:

http://www.hnwhite.com/King/Whiteway Catalogs/super20 points.jpg

 

[bluesaxgirl]

That's very interesting. You would of never guessed...or thought to guess ever.

 

[princeganon]

so why didn't they change it to the super 19 when they stopped doing the pearls? and i can understand "clear D," but what about A? A isn't usually a stuffy note... am i missing something?

 

[saxphil]

New and improved marketing hype. It will never end.

 

[Yellowhorn]

The difference between King and others

Well, I agree that companies do come up with new marketing strategies. For instance, Yamaha now has the Z and EX series that it boasts to be better than the old 62. And it even reissues the 62. Selmer now boasts the Ref. 54 as the new MK6. In both case, we know that the new horns don't beat the old legendary horns, do they?

As for the S20, the King's legend ends right there, IMO! That is it! The 21 is not in the same league - let alone being a replacement or improvement.

Steinway, which owns King and Conn, now only makes student horns and does not try to replace or reissue the S20, or the 10M for that matter. I CANNOT, even if it wants to, I think.

 

[spiderjames]

Improved bore? Does this put to rest the debate over the pre 20 Zephyrs being the same bore as the Super 20?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

Improved bore? Does this put to rest the debate over the pre 20 Zephyrs being the same bore as the Super 20?

No. It's probably just marketing hype

 

[shmuelyosef]

Most of the 20 features were present in the 1st revision of the Zephyrs around serial #260xxx.

 

[drakesaxprof]

Here's more info on the 20 points:

 

[ianhart]

Look at those prices! Expensive for that era.

 

[drakesaxprof]

Look at those prices! Expensive for that era.

I'd like to compare that to Mark VI prices at the same time. Also, check out those finishes! Anyone ever see an Artist's Special finish?!

 

[Pinnman]

What I find interesting here is that King followed the same approach to advertising the Super 20 as Buescher did a few years earlier with the 400. Buescher listed 16 improvements; King appear to have capped that with 20.

There was a thread I initiated on this about 18 months ago.

 

[AmSaxPlayer]

I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read the title to this thread was that this was going to be a Seinfeld-esque standup routine: "What's the deal with the name Super 20? Was there a Super 19? Or a Super 21... oh wait, there was a Super 21. Umm, what about those airline peanuts?"

 

[ianhart]

Also, apparently, the things we've been calling pearl inlays are actually ONlays. And what are Protect-O-Guards?

 

[Turnaround]

Anyone ever see an Artist's Special finish?!

Gold lacquer over the gold leaf and silver bell. The necks have the same gold lacquer.

 

[shmuelyosef]

Protect-o-Guards are the sheet metal replacements for the wire 'eyebrows' on the Zephyrs. Note that King still did not put key bumpers on the guards...

 

[drakesaxprof]

Gold lacquer over the gold leaf and silver bell. The necks have the same gold lacquer.

Beautiful! But how does that differ from Finish II-Silver, Gold Bell or Finish II-Silver, Gold Bell, Gold Trimming? Both of those imply a sterling bell with gold lacquer or leaf. And what's the trimming?

 

[ianhart]

Protect-o-Guards are the sheet metal replacements for the wire 'eyebrows' on the Zephyrs. Note that King still did not put key bumpers on the guards...

Thanks! Regarding the bumpers, the super 20 bari that I played for school had them, could those have been added? It was a late model, and the bumpers were green. Knowing the school's instrument budget, they are probably original.

 

[Turnaround]

Beautiful! But how does that differ from Finish II-Silver, Gold Bell or Finish II-Silver, Gold Bell, Gold Trimming? Both of those imply a sterling bell with gold lacquer or leaf. And what's the trimming?

Gold Bell I believe is referring to the gold on the inside of the bell. All Silversonics have it. Most Silversonics came with the lacquer on the body, gold on the inside of the bell and natural silver bell. Gold trimming was the gold added on top of the engraving. The artist special finish was the custom requests a buyer could ask for on top of all that. Some are gold plated (I've only seen a few pictures of them) and silver plated (never seen one but I've heard they exist) and gold lacquer like the ones in the picture. I'm sure you could order some other options, but I wouldn't know what they would be.

 

[NissanVintageSax]

I've seen the silver plated Super 20. Amazing! Priced close to a Mk VI though.