Noblet Paris Alto Saxophone by Beaugnier 13xxx Fresh Repad

Description

Beaugnier was a small saxophone maker in Paris who made some excellent hand-made horns over several decades, and almost all were sold as (top-quality) stencils (made by Beaugnier for other saxophone makers). These horns come in several different vintages, and the precise dating is not quite nailed down yet, because there isn’t a lot of data surviving. In any case, all of the Beaugnier’s that I have played have been very impressive saxophones. The tone is somewhere between Selmer and Buffet – French, lyrical, interesting, and flexible. It’s not nearly as dark as an SML but it’s not as heavy as a Selmer either. Definitely a pro-quality saxophone that sounds great, but a little different from everybody else. The other notable quality is that the tone is bright and potentially powerful. This would be a natural choice for lead alto or for commerical/pop alto with an aggressive mouthpiece. But with a larger chamber piece (like an Otto Link or similar) the sound darkens up and has a full, rich tone like a Super 20 or even a Selmer Mark VII. Ergonomics are good, intonation is good. This particular one has about 95+% of it’s original lacquer intact, has nickel keywork, and is stenciled Noblet, as many Beaugnier’s are. It comes with all new pads and plays well.