| Superba I | Superba II | H. Couf Serial # Chart |
What really are the differences between the Superba I and Superba II Couf baritone saxophones? The short answer is: Not as much as you might think, and it all depends on when they was made.
H. Couf baris did undergo changes over the approx. 22 years that they were produced. It does appear that the earliest horns shared more with their JK cousins than latter horns did—as you will see below.
A quick disclaimer
Unlike the Selmer Mark VI bari—that had some very well documented changes over horn’s production run—very little is known at this point about the H. Couf saxophone’s design changes. To the best of my knowledge, the research I have gathered here is the first real attempt at collating relatively large amounts of data about this J. Keilwerth-made saxophone brand.
However, there are a number of limitations with this data:
- The data gathered is based only on what can be seen in photos I have managed to find scattered across the Internet—or in a very few cases in person. This is especially difficult in baritones since many bari sales don’t include photos of all areas of the horn, or focus on areas that are of little interest when trying to establish the models’ evolution.
- The quality and quantity of photos is often very limited for each instrument (sample).
- Any changes not visible to the naked eye—such as bore dimensions for example—are obviously not known.
- In some cases the sample sizes that I have been able to gather to date are so small, that I haven’t been able to conclusively draw any conclusions. There are simply not that many baris compared to altos and tenors.
- Many of these were former school horns and have been badly abused over the years. Parts are missing, and often the horns are sold as parts horns.
For all these reasons this page continues to be a work in progress. Over time, my hope is to fill in the missing blanks. If you can help in some way, please do not hesitate to drop me a note. Thanks!
What does the term “intermediate” mean in Couf speak?
Herb Couf said:
There were three levels of H. Couf saxophones; Superba I, the professional line…. Superba II the intermediate line with many of the same features as the Superba I…
Source: Saxophone: Ein Kompendium, Uwe Ladwig. Second Edition, 2012. p. 59
That said, “intermediate” does not mean inferior, or not up to pro horn standards. The Superba II were built to the same level of precision that their Superba I cousins were. All intermediate means in this case, is that a few minor things were different. (Much like the only difference between JK’s pro and intermediate Toneking and The New King was the presence and absence of a high F# key.)
What’s interesting about the Superba IIs, is that the model doesn’t follow the same neat evolutionary trajectory that the Superba I does. Why? Since H. Couf has passed away I’m not sure we will ever truly know for sure. And unless someone invents a time machine and we can go back and talk to the man himself, we likely never will.
With all that in mind, it’s time to take a closer look at what makes a I a I, and a II a II, and their various phases and features.
Superba I Phases & serials
No serial numbered horn catalogued to date. Only 1 horn catalogued based on features.
serial # range catalogued to date: 55760 – 69970
serial # range catalogued to date: 73957 – 83601
serial # range catalogued to date: 85253 – 91793
Superba II Phases & serials
serial # range catalogued to date: 55xxx range
serial # range catalogued to date: 61xxx – 68784
serial # range catalogued to date: 71998 – 75207
serial # range catalogued to date: 77xxx range
A quick and dirty overview chart of the differences between the Superba 1 & 2 baritone saxophones
Why is this quick and dirty? Because it doesn’t account for the various exceptions to the features outlined in it—and in the case of baris, there are A LOT. These exceptions, and much, much more, are gone over in minute detail in the following Superba 1 & 2 pages. So think of this chart as a primer, or a review, if you’re looking for a simple broad strokes listing of what changed when.
Superba 1 vs 2 baritones
Feature | Superba 1/I | Superba 2/II |
|---|---|---|
Low A/Bb | Available | Available |
G# key | Phase 1-3 circa 79890 : Black Plastic. Phase 3 79891 - Phase 4: MOP | Black plastic |
Left thumb rest | Black plastic | Black plastic |
MOP keys | Larger, without metal edges. (Like what`s now on the SX90.) | Smaller button inset within brass "cup". Metal edges encircle the pearls. |
Pigtail brace | Phase 1 & 2: Single round metal bar with 3 point attachment. Phase 3 & 4: Two. A round metal bar between socket & body tube. And another from body tube to lower part of pigtail. | Phase 1 & 2: Single round metal bar with 3 point attachment. Phase 3 & 4: Two. A round metal bar between socket & body tube. And another from body tube to lower part of pigtail. |
Bell to body brace | Phase 1-3: Single round metal bar. Phase 4: Flat, wide metal beam. | Single round metal bar |
Clothes guard | Phase 1: Two, made of Lucite. Phase 2-4: Double length metal. | Phase 1: single length Lucite. Phase 2-4: single length metal. |
Construction | post to body | post to body |
Lyre holder | Front, just below upper bow | Front, just below upper bow |
Bow to bell connection | Soldered directly | Soldered directly |
Bow to body connection | Phase 1-3: Soldered directly. Phase 4: Uses connecting ring. | Soldered directly |
RH pinkie keys | Phase 1 -4 until circa 90xxx squarish. Phase 4 circa 90xx onwards: "new", round JK style. | Squarish |
Front F/Eb key guard | Phase 1: No. Phase 2-4: Yes | No |
High F# | Phase 1-3: No. Phase 4: Available. | No |
Chromatic F# key | On back of body. MOP key touch. | Phase 1-3: On back of body. Horizontal teardrop-shaped key. Phase 4: On back of body. Round MOP key touch. |
Chromatic F# key guard | Yes | No |
Right thumb rest | Phase 1-3 circa 81xxx: adjustable metal. Phase 3 82xxx - Phase 4: Fixed black plastic. | Fixed metal |
Strap ring | Thick, flat ring | Simple metal ring |
Tone holes | Straight | Straight |
Engraving | Bell & bow | Bell |
Couf saxophones intonation & some Couf bari trivia
While it’s true that H. Couf saxophones are known for their good intonation, here’s a fun-fact about the Couf bari: In about 1980, Herb Couf mentioned at a trade fair visit in Frankfurt that the originally-planned neck for the baritone was too long for him. He had Keilwerth shorten the neck by 1 cm, and deliver all new baritones with this shorter neck. Meanwhile the bari players who had such short necks on their horns, ordered the regular length ones because the intonation was problematic for them. 1
What year exactly Herb Couf made JK switch the neck length is not cited in Uwe’s work. Nor is there any mention in Uwe’s research when or if Couf switched back to the longer neck length. Given the popularity of Couf bari saxes, and the lack of intonation problems players have with them, we can only assume this was only a brief blip in Couf’s bari development, and is really only more a curiosity than a current problem for owners of these horns.
Based on personal experience, I can say with 100% certainty that my 61XXX Superba II bari suffers from no intonation issues.
1 Saxophone: Ein Kompendium, Uwe Ladwig. Fifth Edition, 2017. pp. 66-67.