The Story

We’re very pleased to bring you a review of this excellent, unusual German saxophone written by Peter Chadwick – a keen player based in the West country…

I bought this instrument from eBay out of curiosity (it wasn’t expensive!). I have become a fan of European saxophones after dumping my Martin to buy a Selmer Pennsylvania Special (see an earlier article by Saxuimus Maximus). I have been unable to discover much about pre-war Kohlert instruments although there is a lot of company history to read if you are that way inclined. I understand that during the late 1920’s Kohlert used the year of manufacture as the model name. I have seen pictures of a “Modell 1926” and a “Modell 1928” – mine is a “Modell 1927” and doesn’t look much like the others.

The Instrument

As you can see, this example is completely undecorated with no engraving or serial number. It has been crudely stamped “V. Kohlertsons Graslitz Bohemia Modell 1927”. It is made from nickel plated brass, with soldered plain tone holes. It has mother-of-pearl touch pieces on stack keys. The bell keys are on the left hand side.. It is non-articulated and has an independent G sharp key with G trill and a front F key. There has been some solder filling around a few tone holes and a tidy modification has been made to the neck clamp – I suspect that a lyre mount has been removed at some time.
I am definitely not an expert but the design of the horn looks elegantly simple. It is very well made and assembled and is certainly easy to work on.

The Player

The bell key/G key cluster is rather clumsy and heavy to operate and the palm keys are awkward for me – although this could be sorted out with a bit of “realignment”. This instrument is also very sensitive to choice of mouthpiece and right now, sounds best for me with a Brilhart Ebolin and a soft reed. The Link I have sounds woolly and the Lakey is too wild and hard to control. With the Brilhart, this horn sounds clean and can produce a hard edge when pushed. (I don’t like buzzy or squawky and what other people call “dark” often equals “muddy” to me). From the look of the octave key and right hand thumb hook, it has been well used, but in spite of that it is in very good shape.
This sax is very easy to blow with an open sound and good projection, but mouthpiece choice becomes critical at the extremes of its range. To me, the action is rather heavy and clumsy, but it is a 1927 design! The instrument has good intonation across the range.

Saxifications

• Make – Kohlert
• Model – Modell 1927
• Serial Number – none
• Date of Manufacture – 1927
• Place of Manufacture – Graslitz, Germany
• Finish – Nickel plated brass
• Weight – 4lb 0oz
• Sound – hard edge with a Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece
• Ease of Blowing – easy with open sound and good projection
• Ease of Fingering – pinky keys a bit clumsy

More about Kohlert saxophones can be found currently on the Web from saxpics.
If anyone recognises this design and can provide some background history, Peter (and I) would be very glad to hear from you. Please let me know by commenting on this post, as Peter did.

Filed under: Kohlert Modell 1927 | Tagged: alto saxophone, Germany, Graslitz, Kholert, Peter Chadwick, Saximus Maximus |