Saxophones Dolnet tenor sax

[C_Claudemonster]

hi all, at some point in the near future I would like to try a Dolnet sax. Any reviews or opinions on these saxes and price etc? I have heard that the intonation is sketchy on some of these horns. I was thinking of saving up for one!
Thanks

 

[thomsax]

I have owned some Dolnet Bela Air. The intonation was ok but it was hard to get an even scale with a mouthpiece like Dukoff D chamber. A traditional HR was better. Nice saxes but I had to do some resolderings posts, keygards .... Maybe just my saxes? The sound was to sweet for me. Not like an American sax or a Selmer. I sold my Bel Air -48 for c £ 500.00 (new pads, cork, felt). Here is a picture:

How to insert a pict from my own computer?????

Thomas

 

[C_Claudemonster]

hi thomsax, thanks 🙂 so I noticed they are around the £500 mark approximately. They seem nice and they are unusual but I would be looking for a big sound rather than sweet I guess!
If you send me a message I will give my email address so you can send the photo if you like.
Thanks again

 

[rhysonsax]

I've got a Dolnet Bel Air sitting in the loft doing nothing. Its sound is definitely "French" (i.e. like Selmer) and as far as I remember quite loud. The ergonomics are pretty good, but not quite as comfortable as my Selmer. Nice looking horns as well.

Rhys

 

[thomsax]

Yes, the sound is more "Eurojazz"!!!! The Dolnets are wellbuilt horns.

I uploaded pict to my Photobucket site:

Dolnet Bel Air alto c -53.
http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm201/thomsax/?action=view&current=dolnetalt001.jpg

Dolnet Bel Air tenor c -48.
http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm201/thomsax/?action=view&current=dolnettenor.jpg

Right now it's a Dolnet Bel Air tenor for here in Sweden. They are asking c £ 550,00. I think saxes a a bit cheaper here in Sweden comparing to UK.

Thomas

 

[milandro]

Dolnet, tenors and altos are very nice and plentiful in Northern Europe so I guess that Sweden is no exception to the rule. A very good example would cost you 500€ to 800€ from a private seller and up to 1000€ from a shop.

If you buy one make sure that you bring a tuner with you, not so much because their intonation is sketchy but rather because I have actually encountered several high pitch horns (A=457 Hz instead of A=440 Hz). there is always the off chance that one of those has made his way to your location.

The best production has pearls on the keyguards instead of red or black beads of glass paste original pads of these early models (the ones with glass paste beads) should be bright red. Their very late production is also shabbier than the '60 , which, in my opinion are the best (difficult to date with any certainty because there are no SN charts, just anecdotical evidence).

If you want a great horn, try to find a Royal Jazz or a M70

 

[thomsax]

Dolnets M70 is a good sax but IMO it's feels differnt comparing to a Bel Air or a a Dolnet from the 60's. I got the same feeling when I compared a late King Super 20 (UMI) to a Super 20 from the 50's. With my Martins it's different. A Comm I from the late 30's has much in common with a Comm III from the 60's when it comes to tone and quality. Of course the ergonomic is better on the late Martins.

I've heard (not confirmed) that the M70 model was made by Weltklang (DDR) and put together by Dolnet???? Maybe this is way the sax is so good!!! They knew how to built saxes behind the iron curtain. Lots of good stencils were made in DDR or CZ and put together by the selling company. This sounds logical to me. A small saxophone manufactor suddenly appeared with a new saxophone model/line just before they closed down??

Off topic again. Yes, the Dolnet M70s are good. A player and a looker.

Thomas

 

[milandro]

Dolnets M70 is a good sax but IMO it's feels differnt comparing to a Bel Air or a a Dolnet from the 60's. I got the same feeling when I compared a late King Super 20 (UMI) to a Super 20 from the 50's. With my Martins it's different. A Comm I from the late 30's has much in common with a Comm III from the 60's when it comes to tone and quality. Of course the ergonomic is better on the late Martins.

I've heard (not confirmed) that the M70 model was made by Weltklang (DDR) and put together by Dolnet???? Maybe this is way the sax is so good!!! They knew how to built saxes behind the iron curtain. Lots of good stencils were made in DDR or CZ and put together by the selling company. This sounds logical to me. A small saxophone manufactor suddenly appeared with a new saxophone model/line just before they closed down??

Off topic again. Yes, the Dolnet M70s are good. A player and a looker.

Thomas

I am convinced that the M70 attribution to Weltklang is an urban legend (that I've never heard of before!) , if anyone else would have been responsible for this new design some elements of its innovative design would have been found on their production, and as for as I know, no one ever pursued this particular design before of since! The only common element would be that some German and Boheman horns had a high F# with a key that is not in the position where Selmer placed its own, but even that is different. By the way, Weltklang produced " unbalanced action " horns while the M70 is a balanced action one.

The M70 was produced to try to stay afloat but it was too late and too little, the '80 marked the end of an era for the majority of the european factories. The Italian Saxophone, for example, lost Grassi and Rampone, Borgani and Orsi barely managed to escape dissolution.

 

[berniesax]

if i remember rightly don byas played a dolnet tenor saxophone ! but is one had the crook octave lever in the shape of a hissing snake i believe its still on display at the institute of jazz studies new jersey us
just a recollection sorry
bernie

 

[milandro]

if i remember rightly don byas played a dolnet tenor saxophone ! but is one had the crook octave lever in the shape of a hissing snake i believe its still on display at the institute of jazz studies new jersey us
just a recollection sorry
bernie

yes it should be a Royal Jazz model

 

[berniesax]

i rest my case ! never seen a modification like that wow !
cheers milandro
bernie