{"id":43543,"date":"2015-04-08T11:50:31","date_gmt":"2015-04-08T18:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/?p=43543"},"modified":"2024-06-18T11:19:45","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T18:19:45","slug":"klingenthal-era-hess-saxophones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/2015\/klingenthal-era-hess-saxophones\/","title":{"rendered":"Klingenthal-era Hess Saxophones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
Colour Catalogue Cover 1940<\/a><\/td>\nOtto Riedl Alto<\/a><\/td>\nKlingenthal-era Hess<\/a><\/td>\n1940 Hess Features Chart<\/a><\/td>\nFeatures Discussion 1<\/a><\/td>\n1950 Catalogue Page for Saxophones<\/a><\/td>\n1950 Hess Features Chart<\/a><\/td>\nWhat were the differences in Post WWII vs Klingenthal Hess Saxes?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Post-WWII era vs. Klingenthal-era Hess saxophones: is there a difference?<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"vintage<\/a><\/p>\n

Almost a year ago to the day I published my first article on Hess saxophones<\/a>. At the time I focused on the horns that come from West Germany, after the company’s owners were driven out of their homeland in Klingenthal\u2014a town directly across the border from the Czech city of Graslitz.<\/p>\n

Recently the topic of Hess saxophones came up again on the Woodwind Forum<\/a>, when Pete happened across a Klingenthal-era Hess saxophone that carried the Otto Riedl name.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: babluth on eBay.fr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

It is worth noting that at the time Hess did not make their own saxophones, but rather bought them from “reliable manufacturers”. Ernst Hess stood behind the horns that he had stencilled for his company, since he offered an 8 day trial period, as well as a 5 year guarantee on all his saxophones.<\/a><\/p>\n

Klingenthal-era Hess saxophones<\/h2>\n

The following is a page from a circa 1940 catalogue, which explains the three versions of Hess saxophones: the “Schlager”, vollkommene, and Solisten models. BTW, the illustration is of the alto intermediate version\u2014the vollkommene<\/em>, or complete model\u2014which is Nr. 80.<\/p>\n

\"Klingenthal-era<\/a><\/p>\n

Since the majority of you who frequent my site don’t read German, I’ve translated the features that each of the Klingenthal-era Hess saxophones had. You will find the information in the chart below.<\/a><\/p>\n

1940 Hess Saxophone Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Modell “Schlager”<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nAimed At<\/strong><\/td>\nFeatures<\/strong><\/td>\nAvailable In<\/strong><\/td>\nFinishes<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\norchestras & dance bands<\/span><\/td>\nnone provided<\/span><\/td>\nEb sopranino – straight, Bb soprano – straight, Eb alto, Bb tenor, Eb baritone<\/span><\/td>\nshiny silver nickel plating with gold plated bell<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\nsilver plated with gold plated bell<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Das vollkommene Modell<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nAimed At<\/strong><\/td>\nFeatures<\/strong><\/td>\nAvailable In<\/strong><\/td>\nFinishes<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\ndemanding players<\/span><\/td>\nkeyed from low Bb to high F<\/span><\/td>\nEb alto<\/span><\/td>\nnickel plated with inside of bell gold plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nautomatic octave key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated, with inside of bell gold plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nB&C trill keys<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated, with inside of bell gold plated, and keys highly polished<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nchromatic F# key<\/span><\/td>\nBb Tenor<\/span><\/td>\nnickel plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n2nd B key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nplate for a new B, combined with G# key – presumably articulated G#<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\neasy operation of low B to G#, low Bb to G#, and low C# to G#<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\neasy connection to all other tones, and easy A flat key operation<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nBb can be played with either left or right index fingers<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n4 rollers<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nkey guard on chromatic F# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n10 MOP key touches<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nright-sided bell keys<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nmicrotuner<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nmodern engraving<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nprotective capsule for the automatic octave key lever<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\ntone holes are drawn & rolled<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nall pads have metal rings and are moisture resistant<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Solisten Modell<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nAimed At<\/strong><\/td>\nFeatures<\/strong><\/td>\nAvailable In<\/strong><\/td>\nFinishes***<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nnone provided<\/span><\/td>\nkeyed from low Bb to high F<\/span><\/td>\nBb soprano, Eb alto, Bb tenor, Eb baritone
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		nickel plated with gold plated bell<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nautomatic octave key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated with gold plated bell<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nfront F key**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin silver plated, with bell gold plated, and keys highly polished<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nB&C trill keys<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nsatin gold plated, connecting rings, keys, and engraving highly polished<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nBb can be played with either left or right index fingers<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nchromatic F# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\neasy operation of low B to G#, low Bb to G#, and low C# to G#<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\neasy connection to all other tones, and easy A flat key operation<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nplate for a new B, combined with G# key – presumably articulated G#<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nF# – G# & G – G# trill keys**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nautomatic C-D trill key and automatic connection of D with all other notes**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n7 rollers**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n13 MOP key touches**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nkey guard for the chromatic F# key, and for the pillar of the connected, right sided bell keys-C#, B, & Bb**
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nmicrotuner<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nmodern, rich engraving**<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nprotective capsule for the automatic octave key lever<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\ntone holes are drawn & rolled<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\nall pads have metal rings and are moisture resistant<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

**Specific to the Solisten model<\/span>
\n***Finishes are different in the Solisten model because they are available across all voices of horns. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Based on these descriptions, the Otto Riedl alto saxophone<\/a> shown above is a version of Das vollkommene Modell, with an added G# trill key.<\/p>\n

A year ago<\/a> I originally published the following catalogue page from Hess. The company had moved to West Germany\u2014specifically Munich. It is there that they operated a massive mail-order business, and sold their saxophones.<\/p>\n

We know that ten years earlier in Klingenthal the company bought stencil horns, but did Hess manufacture their own saxophones after their forced relocation to West Germany? That’s a bit unclear, since the 1950 catalogue page<\/a> I have describes the following, and doesn’t specifically mention saxophones:<\/p>\n

…their musical instruments were made by Sudeten German refugees<\/em>\u2014those who had been expelled from the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia after 1945\u2014in their home shops. Hess Musik however, assumed all guarantees for quality and clean workmanship.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As I mentioned last year, although this saxophone pictured here shares similarities with a number of German saxophone makes (JK, Kohlert, and Hohner), it doesn’t look like any one of them. Unfortunately over the last year I haven’t come across any photos of West German Hess saxophones, which makes it harder to draw any conclusions.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"vintage<\/a><\/p>\n

I’ve translated the features that each of the post-WWII era Hess saxophones for you below.<\/a><\/p>\n

1950 Hess Saxophone Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Modell I<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nFeatures<\/strong><\/td>\nAvailable In<\/strong><\/td>\nFinishes<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nkeyed to low Bb<\/span><\/td>\nEb alto & Bb tenor<\/span><\/td>\nnickel plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nautomatic octave key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nlacquered<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nB&C trill keys<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nquadruple silver plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nBb can be played with either left or right index fingers<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nplate for a new B, combined G# key – presumably articulated G# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nF#-G# trill key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nchromatic F# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\neasily move from G# to all other notes<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nwith rollers and MOP key touches<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nmassive tone holes<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nrust-free screws<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nstrengthened bow guard<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\npatented pads with moisture resistance<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nBb and B like on Modell II on right side of bell<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Modell II<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nFeatures<\/strong><\/td>\nAvailable In<\/strong><\/td>\nFinishes<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nguaranteed lightest and most comfortable grip through improved key layout<\/span><\/td>\nEb alto & Bb tenor<\/span><\/td>\nnickel plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nkeyed to low Bb<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nlacquered<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nautomatic octave key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\nquadruple silver plated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nspecial high F key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nB&C trill keys<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nBb can be played with either left or right index fingers<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nplate for a new B, combined G# key – presumably articulated G# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nF#-G# trill key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nG-G# trill key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nchromatic F# key<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\neasily move from G# to all other notes<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n7 rollers & 12 MOP key touches<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nmassive tone holes<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nrust-free screws<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nstrengthened bow guard<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\npatented pads with moisture resistance<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nright-sided Bb and B keys ensures smooth key operation<\/span><\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>Post-WWII era vs. Klingenthal-era Hess saxophones: What are the differences?<\/h2>\n

If you compare\/contrast the Klingenthal-era Hess saxophones, to those sold by the company after their move to Munich, you’ll notice that many of the features are indeed the same. What they did however, is add a few new features.<\/p>\n