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These are specifications and data about vintage saxophones that I have gathered or discovered over time. This same data also powers the Sax Shop Companion desktop app, which can import and export all of it. Everything here is a work in progress; if you have corrections or data to contribute, please get in touch . Saxophone Serial Number Lookup Pick a manufacturer and enter a serial number to find…
Plate I of Adolphe Sax’s final saxophone patent, November 1880. Selmer was founded 11 years later and would eventually buy the Sax business and workshop from Adolphe’s son. INPI archive. I recently purchased high resolution scans of the complete 23-page file of Adolphe Sax’s final saxophone patent (he holds later patents for other things including electroplating!) from the INPI…
Leblanc “Le Rationnel,” serial #1 — the very first Leblanc saxophone, in silver plate. The bell is engraved “Le Rationnel — Tout Maillechort — G. Leblanc — Paris.” A guest article by Uwe Steinmetz. This history was researched and written by saxophonist and composer Uwe Steinmetz , and originally published on his website. It is reproduced here — compiled from that article…
These are original letterpress blocks from C.G. Conn dating from the 1930s-1950s.
A free, open-source desktop tuner for musicians. Two tools in one window: a 12-wheel chromatic stroboscopic tuner for everyday tuning and intonation work, and a just-intonation drone with live interval analysis and a vintage Lissajous CRT for ear training against true ratios. Download links at the bottom of the page. Runs on Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), and Linux. This page is a condensed…
This is the second Selmer Balanced Action Alto that was ever made. And it was the first one that was shipped to North America. It had several unusual features that disappeared quickly as the balanced action run continued. I highlight these in the video, and I took a couple photos of them below mid overhaul. I only actually took one photo of it after the overhaul was finished! So the video is the…
Well here’s something you don’t see everyday. I have to admit, even though I am well aware of the mechanical challenges that often come with a Rampone saxophone, when they are put right they have a lovely tone and good gracious they are so beautiful. This particular instrument is solid silver, which I have not seen before. It was passing through the shop for a little tune-up, with…
A 1937 Conn 30M that arrived here in two two different boxes will leave in one! This tenor arrived to me as something I had purchased very cheaply on a bit of a lark. It had been disassembled since the ’80s, was probably refinished, and it was not completely certain that all the parts were there. I was hopeful that there would be enough there for me to make a saxophone, and upon opening the…
Engraving detail on the second Balanced Action alto ever made, and the first one sent to America, meaning it is the first “American Engraved” BA alto. Nice steamship, cool spider! I have not seen those before I don’t think. There are also a few other oddities about this horn that I will cover in detail once the overhaul is done.
A free, open-source desktop app for saxophone repair shops and saxophonists that I have built with Claude Code . Generates laser-cutting files for the Phil Noy padmaking method , provides reference databases for key heights, serial numbers, and screw specifications, includes tooling generation for pad-making die inserts and holders, a 12-wheel chromatic strobe tuner, and a harmonic tone analyzer…
1931 Conn transitional 6M alto saxophone in original burnished gold plate finish, just overhauled by me. The art deco engraving is beautiful, and the CG CONN lettering is a rare style. This is the earliest example of the left-hand bell keys 6M I have ever seen, and shares some unique “features” with the first few hundred like this: a two piece inside neck tenon, odd alternate Eb…
No more worrying about bunched up skin on pad backs! Use the “darts” feature on the Stohrer Sax Shop Companion. Darts are customizable in shape, frequency, and at what sizes they are used. I thought I would be using them mainly for smaller pads, but I’m not really seeing any downside to using them in larger pads. Edit: I DO NOT WANT A PATENT stop talking about it darts are like a…
Pssst, hey, you want a free 12 wheel chromatic strobe tuner?? Working on this for next major release of the Sax Shop Companion app. Got it working at 60fps+ and looking really good!
Conn F Mezzo-soprano saxophone, 1928. Original silver plate, just overhauled by me. This horn smokes. If you want to see it or play it, check out the GetASax booth at NASA later this week.
Pad set! I’m really enjoying learning about pads.
This Buffet Super DynAction baritone wears a rather owlish look, due to a unique upper turn layout.
Worn neck strap ring repairs are fun when they go well! This was an otherwise excellent original condition Super 20 Silversonic, so a premium was placed on blending it in.
This is a reference library for pad set sizes for padmaking. This library is a work in progress. Pad sizes can vary between individual instruments of the same model, especially across serial number ranges, and of course variations from one to the next as a result of damage or even just variation at the factory is common. Note: not all sets here include octave pad sizes. Use these as a starting…
Took what I am nearly certain are original pads out of a Conn F-mezzo today for overhaul and the serial under the G# does not match the serial on the body! Felts and corks and everything were correct and matched the original setups I have seen on these in the past. I have done a weirdly high amount of F-mezzo overhauls, but I have never seen this before. Neither serial was on Peter Hurd’s…
Just finished and up next! 88k alto and 78k Mark VI tenor.
Not one but TWO rare Conn 18M “stretch” sopranos, both in rare finishes! One in gold plate, one in nickel. I will let you decide which one is cooler. The Conn 18M was one of the outputs of the Conn Experimental Laboratory around the same time as the Conn-O-Sax and the F Mezzo-Soprano. The stretch was supposed to be part of Conn’s 1920s major upgrades across the saxophone…
Doing a PC repair to this SML tenor and the maker’s mark is blank! This must have been on its way to be a stencil and never found a stenciler. Straight tone holes, 21k serial puts it at 1970.
NOTE: THIS IS VERY ROUGH AND I WILL CLEAN THIS UP SOON -matt january 2026 This is a reference library of saxophone key heights. Some are from original factory setups, some are heights I have come to prefer that have other provenance. This is not instructions to use these heights for a guaranteed good time- you have to use your ear for that! But hopefully you will find them useful.
This is a saxophone serial number lookup tool. Select your manufacturer and enter the serial and get the year it was made. Note: Not all serial number lists are accurate, but we do the best we can. If you see an error, let me know . Manufacturer Select a manufacturer... Serial Number Look Up Year Data from Stohrer Sax Shop Companion Sources # Serial number data has been compiled and…
Lookup Submit Specs This is a reference library of original factory screw and rod thread specifications for vintage saxophones. Having the correct thread pitch is essential when making replacement screws or sourcing parts for repairs and restorations. This library is a work in progress. I am collecting and verifying data as I research original specifications.
I have (with the major help of Claude Code) completely rewritten this site for the static site generator Hugo, and moved hosting. These two changes are major, but completely under the hood. What you should notice is that the site is now much, much faster and hopefully shows up better in searches for sax info. I have added a “new gallery” as well, with images from the past several…
New gallery started in January 2026 alongside a major website rebuild. Click any image to enlarge.
1968 Conn Product Manual, scanned in high resolution. https://www.greenleafcollection.org/research-text/1968-conn-product-manual
1951 King Super 20 “Silver Sonic” alto saxophone with full pearls, just overhauled by me. Original finish including lacquer over gold inlay engraving on solid silver bell, lacquer over solid silver neck. I did this one with my own handmade pads and flat metal resonators.
Just finished up the overhaul on this excellent playing King Super 20 alto from 1953. This one has been refinished at some point in the past, which makes a lot of the work challenging- especially on a Super 20 since the key barrels are solid nickel! Swedging them is a good bit of exercise.
Super 20 bell keys are just so weird. One of these days, I will reinstall the criss cross applesauce low C# and low B on some of the altos without having to think quite so hard. But not yet.
Pad set cutouts for a Super 20 alto. Felt, card, leather. Neck for scale
Almost done this old workhorse Martin tenor. I get to work on a lot of extremely good condition horns. But I also get to work on daily drivers, and horns that have seen a lot of use. They are both rewarding in different ways, but there’s something special about these horns with a few miles on them- sometimes, it’s like you can feel the gratitude. A lot of times when you’re…
I have an old HN White alto (56k serial) in silver hanging on a tree outside my Airstream workshop. I have noticed an uptick in the past few years of people looking to refurb (usually at home as a DIY project) these older HN White horns and I am only sometimes successful at resisting sending people this photo when they ask about them.
Mark VI tenor I just overhauled wearing the pads I make. I am really loving these. I’ve made improving my padwork a major focus over the last 5 or so years and I think I am finally arriving at a place I like. Perhaps time to pick up the overhaul video series where I left off!
Original pads, original condition American-assembled 1955 Mark VI tenor saxophone with high F# and original Tonex resonators. Look at that padwork. The horn still plays well!
Finished up the Nixie clock build! I have been wanting to make one of these since 2010 or so. I Made the enclosure on the laser cutter that I use to make pads.
Booklet from a 1957 Martin “The Martin” tenor saxophone.
What a little more than half a day of neck fitting a 10M can look like. The left most picture is after everything was cleaned and the initial expansion was done and the first lapping step was done and then the lapping compound cleaned away. You can see the (typical) low spots below and around the neck screw slot in the dull metal. This is typically caused by overtightening of the neck screw, a…
This 1941 Conn 10M appears to be in decent shape! Just overhauled by me with my self-made pads.
One of the things I’ve found that I really enjoy about my self-made saxophone pads is that they’re really, really flat. I think that that’s basically what happens when you have an even tension on the skin all around, and it isn’t too tight. Getting an even tension on the skin is part of the handwork of making the pad, and while it is not difficult to do, it helps to be…
my intonation journey with the StroboConn is just starting but I can tell it will be of this type
some neat old photos at the Indiana Memory site of the Indiana Library. You can search C.G. Conn, Buescher. Martin unfortunately is too generic a name. https://digital.library.in.gov/Search/Results?lookfor=c.g.+conn
SML alto with the “permagold” finish. Not actual gold but instead zinc chromate, and you don’t often see them looking this good!
The StroboConn is a super high precision mechanical tuning device that was invented in the 1930s: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2286030A/en The 12 wheels allow you to see very note at once, so you can see the relative strength and intonation of your harmonics at the same time as your fundamental note. Production continued through World War 2, as it has industrial uses beyond tuning…
Hell yeah got it working!
It has been a great year! Very full. I just updated the Index, and there are now 274 videos and articles in there, which is kind of a breathtaking number. I cannot believe I have made that much saxophone content- and that there is still so much more to explore! Last year, in July 2024, on a road trip with our home-built camper, I visited the Greenleaf Collection at Interlochen Center for the Arts.…
Some of the first pads I made. This guide is based on the method generously taught to me by Phil Noy over about 6 months starting in late 2024. We both believe that knowledge like this belongs to all of us, and that by having it out in the open, the saxophone benefits. Phil’s saxophone pad making method is elegant because you only need one tool: a laser cutter . With this tool you make your…
Whoever fit these necks before, I imagine it was like [FREE BIRD GUITAR SOLO FADES IN]
No, Neo. I’m telling you that when you’ve got enough unfinished projects in your workshop, you won’t need clamps.