#Dolnet saxophone history serial
I'd think that production of saxophones was no more than 500 horns per year.Īlso note that the "Bel Air" series introduced letters after the serial number. Dolnet-A great French maker of clarinets and saxophones.
#Dolnet saxophone history serial number
It seems, however, that the serial number ranges incorporate the full production of ALL instruments produced by Dolnet, not just saxophones. All this makes me agree with David Hughes (an e-mailer): the Dolnets were produced until at least the mid-1980's, not the 1960's as many websites indicate (see also Saxophon-Service, which advocates an end date of 1984).Īs mentioned, there isn't an official serial number list, although there are some ranges cobbled together, below. The overall look is definitely influenced by (or influenced) Couesnon horns. IMHO, it appears that Dolnet production parallels Buffet, SML and Couesnon production, more than Selmer: not only is the keywork design on early Dolnets similar to early SML's (and becomes similar to Buffet after about 1940), some of the Jean Cartier stencils have the beautiful Sparkle Lacquer that is most famously found on the Buffet Super Dynaction. See page #193 of the German book "That's Jazz", for a photo of Lester Young playing a Dolnet tenor. Its easy to have special key guards, key touches installed on a sax. Changes were made but the sax had its character to the bitter end. and the quoted and requoted line that's going around the Internet (this is Wichita Band Instruments' version):ĭolnet horns were produced in very small numbers by a small French workshop that specialized in saxes. When I play an early 'The Martin', King Super 20, Conn 6M and 10M I get the same feeling/sound from the early models to the late models, A 'The Martin' was a 'The Martin' over the years. There is much in common with Selmers in terms of technical points and general ease of action and feel, though sometimes there are small errors in construction - such as occasional solder- and rod-looseness both very easily dealt with - but not worth getting 'sniffy' about if you want a potentially superb instrument like a Dolnet. I understand that there were two partners in the Dolnet company, going by the names of Messieurs Pigis and Lefevre their workshop was situated at Mantes, the historical 'heart' of France's woodwind craft workshops, and fascinatingly, the home of the Selmer marque. They are often good - sometimes breathtaking - and rank amongst the best saxes I've ever played!
Along the way I've made a small collection of Dolnets these I regard as unknown treasures of the sax world, and I rate them very highly indeed. Over the years I've been exclusively collecting French saxes.