Vintage 1972 Couf-Keilwerth Baritone Saxophone; serial #69250
A bit of info about Couf saxophones…
I’ve forgotten the exact year, but I believe it was 1973 or 1975. I was in Germany for a short business visit, stopped by Nauheim (south of Frankfurt) to visit Puechner and other friends. A short tour of the Julius Keilwerth workshop was only a few doors away, so why not?
I tooted on the saxes, particularly liked the sopranos and ordered half a dozen or so. Before I departed, I got a short tour of the workshop. The boss asked his “saxophone expert” to give me the tour and since his English was better than my German, I was glad to have his assistance.
“I worked for C.G. Conn in the late thirties,” he told me. “Worked in saxophone production, helped in the design of the 10M tenors and 12M baritones.”
“America and Germany were still friends before 1941, so there was no problem in my being employed by Conn. But after Pearl Harbor, everything changed and I was obliged to return home. I was in the German army for four years.”
It’s been quite a long time ago, but I remember the fellow very well. He insisted (and I agreed) that the 10M tenors and the 12M Conn baritones were the best saxes ever built.
“After the war, I went to work for Keilwerth. They’d just moved west from Graslitz and were in the process of establishing a shop that specialized in saxes. They asked my advice and I insisted they base them saxes on the pre-war “Lady Face” saxes from Conn.
It’s my opinion now, however. In my workshop, I’ve reserved a 1935 Conn 12M and a 1946 Conn 10M for my own use. And if I get “Big Fuzz” (as my wife calls the 12M, do to the carpet-covered case where it lives ) and compare it with the Couf-model Keilwerth, I can confirm that the two instruments have a nice full and fat voice…quite unlike a French instrument and very good for the (occasional) playing I still do with the local Shrine Band.
Herbie Couf played in the Detroit Symphony for time, later worked for Armstrong. I met him only a couple of times, thought he was a fine fellow. And it was Herbie who imported most of the Keilwerth saxes between 1970 and 1980.
OUR Keilwerth bari was acquired from another shop, several years ago. The lacquer had been stripped from the body, but the keywork wore the original finish. It’s been a “back burner” project until last month, when one of our better repair techs took on the challenge.
All dents and dings burnished and balled out, keywork swedged where needed, ALL pads and corks replaced and an overspray with new Nikolas 2105 lacquer….similar to the original. The sax as NOT been machine-buffed, has been lightly hand-polished and then given a satin finish.
BOTTOM LINE. Not a vintage “12M Lady Face”; I do have one, but I’m not yet ready to sell it. But our Couf-Keilwerth has a similar voice, superb intonation and a deep and rich opera-singer baritone voice.
That means I give it a hearty recommendation and offer it at a bargain price…. “Street price” on a new one is now somewhere around nine grand, I believe.
Saxophone questions? Man, write me! Happy to answer any questions, am always delighted to hear from Sax-o-Folks.
Regards from Wichita, GR
*****Ask us about shipping for a more accurate quote.*******
HG