Hey Jon - Did you try to fit that serial number (000480) into the s/n charts I have on the web? When I do so, the best fit is either the Japan/Yamaha Low Serial # or the Taiwanese chart. The thing is that all the Japanese and Taiwanese Vitos I have come across actually have the country of origin stamped on them. The Japanese Yamaha Vito altos are pretty much identical with the Yamaha YAS-23. I ASSUME the tenors are identical to the YTS-23.
Doctor Sax Woodwinds, 2100 Winnebago St, Unit 105, Madison, WI 53704, USA, phone: (608) 279-9744(608) 279-9744.
You could compare the bell brace and the keyguards and the shape of the octave keytouch, etc. And see if they look similar. I have some pictures of YAS-23 on my website. The only difference I've heard of is that the Vito lacquer is a darker gold color. If those indicators don't match up, then the likelihood increases that it is Taiwanese. But not necessarily. Seems like some of the Vitos that were assembled in Kenosha from parts fabricated in France were not marked with country of origin, being 'hybrids' of a sort.
Do you have pictures of your horn available? Kim, your serial number page was really helpful.
I just brought home a really beat Vito tenor that needs some serious lovin', and was trying to find out more about it. It was made in France, serial number 16774, but I had no clue about what year it might be manufactured. It actually looks really similar to a Beaugnier that I found on Saxpics, and very similar to this one, except the bell keys are on the left on mine: According to your chart this should be a '50s sax, if I read it correctly. Now I just have find a source for parts, like a key guard, brace between the bell and the body, etc. Thanks, David.
Kim - many thanks for doing this, I get the impression that many people have been 'hanging out' for such a list. To add to the evidence: I have a tenor marked Vito, MADE IN FRANCE, s/n 22351 and with RH bell keys. It would seem to be a Beaugnier - the G# mechanism is the same as in the Beaugnier patent drawings to be found on Saxpics. It also shares a number of other features with some Beaugnier models, eg the design of the trouser guard. Let me know if you would like some pictures.
Stefan I have a VITO(Beaugnier)Tenor 16,000 with the bell keys on the LH side. Also, a VITO(Beaugnier) soprano 22,000 pics of that are on another thread in this section. Hi.this is Kim.I started this thread. Seems like I only manage to log on to SOTW like once a month, if that.
I just bought a Vito 'Special' alto.s/n 200xx.RH bellkeys. It does not have the switchable G# articulation that appears on some Beaugniers and Vitos. When I get done repadding it I will post pix on my website. The old pads, at least the larger ones, had huge flat metal resonators.
One pad is approx 45 mm diameter and the resonator is about 35 mm. I am repadding with regular flat metal reso pads from Ferees since I have those in stock. I also decided, for some odd reason to stick the pads in with shellac instead of the amber melt I have been using. One fellow, 'Retread', asked if Yanagisawa Vitos follow the Yanagisawa s/n scheme.
I don't know.I have never owned a Yani.anybody else know? If I get the time (not) I will search for Yani s/n list. The hardest part of all this is assigning dates to the s/n.
I think I read somewhere that there are contemporary Vito-branded horns being made (or at least assembled) in the USA. Can this be true? - Another fellow asked for information about Vito-branded horns that have 'Kenosha' engraved on them. I don't think it explicitly says 'Made in Kenosha' though. Who knows.maybe they are a mix of French-made and US-made components assembled in Kenosha? -I'm going to try real hard to update my Vito s/n list with any new stuff I've got.Thanks to everyone for information and support. Hi.this is Kim.I started this thread.
Seems like I only manage to log on to SOTW like once a month, if that. I just bought a Vito 'Special' alto.s/n 200xx.RH bellkeys. It does not have the switchable G# articulation that appears on some Beaugniers and Vitos. When I get done repadding it I will post pix on my website - Another fellow asked for information about Vito-branded horns that have 'Kenosha' engraved on them.
I don't think it explicitly says 'Made in Kenosha' though. Who knows.maybe they are a mix of French-made and US-made components assembled in Kenosha? From pictures I have looked at it appears that there is some parts mixing mixing with the Kenosha stamped Vitos;eg the one-piece keyguards on the LH bell key horns. Also the low Eb and C keys seem to be American-made while the rest of the horns(altos and tenors) look to be the standard issue Beaugniers, in terms of features. I saw a Vito Special a few months ago that was as you describe. The locking G mech was probably left off of that.model.
for one reason or another? My sop is 22,xxx and doesn't have it, but my tenor 16,xxx does, so they may have omitted that featured around 20,xxx. I have posted this elsewhere, but it fits in here too.
Kimslava asks about Yanasigawa serial numbers for Yani Vitos. I have a Alto Vito VSP with Yani logo on. The serial number bears no resemblance to normal Yani numbers. So I faxed Yanagisawa in Tokyo with the serial number and within 12 hours I was told it was a Yanagisawa made instrument, made in April 1980, and was otherwise a Yanagisawa A-600 - and only 50 were ever made (why!!!!). What makes it different from a A500 or an A800 I do not know. So if you have a Yani Vito with a serial number, ask Yanagisawa! I just got my kid a Beaugnier badged Vito 'The Duke' bari, s/n 183xx.
It has right hand bell keys, eliptical thumbrest, the J-shaped bell attachment and the non-switchable G#. It does not say 'Made in France' but it's clearly Beaugnier - I guess Pierre Le Stamper musta been en vacance that day. It's a pretty nice horn - 'Surprisingly Mark VI-ish' was his take FWIW. Ergonomically my only complaint is that the low Bb key is kinda small. It was obviously a good horn in its day and much more than required to find out how much tenor-playing son wants to investigate the baritone. Kim, do you have pics of any of these horns? I've gone through about 25 Vito's in the last 2 years.
Currently I have an alto I'll probably never part with -I believe its a Duke, never seen one like this before. Side bell key, left pinkie stack that runs inboard (like the Selmer) and the bell brace is longer than the Noblet's. The octave mechanism is kind of Selmer -ish.
It has the absolute sweetest tone I have ever heard come out of an alto-like Paull Desmond. If you would like pics I can send some -let me know.