Couf Baritones: Superba I vs. Superba II

Intro/limitations	Theory	Features on all Superba II	2 vs. II engraving	Phase 1 baritones	Keyguard variants	Phase 2 baritones
Phase 3 baritones	Phase 4 baritones	Exceptions	Thanks	« Back to overview	« Superba I	H. Couf serial # chart

Superba 2/II Baritone

Intro/Limitations

Unlike the Superba I, the Superba II baritone did not get nearly the same amount of updated features. Why? Don’t know. I do have theory though that I will mention below, but before I do it is important to note that at the time of publication—August 2025—I have only managed to collect data on 20 different Superba II baris.

Furthermore, although relatively complete, not all 20 samples provided me with the full 23 datapoints I am tracking on the baritones. As noted on page 1 of this Couf baritone section:  

1. 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.
2. The quality and quantity of photos is often very limited for each instrument (sample).

These are among some of the reasons I consider this model’s description more a work in progress, and will be updated as I find more examples in the future.

Theory

As I was collating the data in my Excel spread sheets I noticed something unique to the Superba II baritones. The highest serial #’s on the Superba II samples I collected data on, were circa 10K less than their Superba I counter parts. However, in the baritones that difference was significantly higher. 

	Lowest serial recorded	Highest serial recorded
Soprano
Superba I	76975	91912
Superba II	64031	80587
Difference		11,325
Alto
Superba I	51363	91160
Superba II	56462	82516
Difference		8,644
Tenor
Superba I	54xxx	91xxx
Superba II	56412	81518
Difference		9,482
Baritone
Superba I	55760	91793
Superba II	55413	7712x
Difference		14,673

True, I may just not have managed to find any Superba II baritones for sale with a serial over 77xxx. However, combined with the Superba II’s lack of feature evolution, I decided to take a deeper dive into the Superba II’s supposed alter ego: the Armstrong Heritage series, as well as the Armstrong 3070 series. The reason: I began to wonder if Herb Couf—who was President of Armstrong after all—had decided to put the company’s $$ and resources into developing their own pro and intermediate levels of baritone saxophones, rather than relying solely on Keilwerth. 

The more I looked into these different models from Armstrong, the less clear I got. Simply put: Contrary to whatever is being stated in the online world, the Armstrong Heritage is NOT simply a Superba II with a different name on it.

Of the samples I’ve been able to see, the Heritage looks more like a Superba I hybrid. And the 3070? It has more in common with the Superba II than the Heritage does.

What are all of these models of baritones? Why did Armstrong order/produce them? Perhaps my friend and colleague, Pete Hales, said it best back in the day on his original Saxpics site when he wrote:

…No, I don’t know why Armstrong had these models available at the same time as the H-Couf, nor why Armstrong had two virtually identical horns with different model names.

Source: saxpics.com

This all led me down the rabbit hole of more research I will need to do: Armstrong baritone saxophones vis-à-vis H. Couf models. But that’s for another day.

Features common over the entire production run

That all said, to date I have found that the Superba II bari still has 4 phases based on visual characteristics. These 4 phases are described and illustrated below. Additionally however, there are also some features that the Superba II had over its entire 20+ year production cycle at Keilwerth. Those will be illustrated first.

• Low Bb & A horns were both available
• Black plastic G# key touch
• Black plastic left thumb rest
• MOP key buttons with metal edges
• Bell to body brace: Single round metal bar
• Post to body construction
• Bell to bow soldered directly
• Body to bow soldered directly
• RH pinkie keys squarish in shape
• No high F# 
• No front F/E guard
• No chromatic F# guard
• Fixed metal right thumb rest
• Simple metal strap ring
• Straight tone holes
• Engraving on bell only 

What is the significance of the Arabic numeral 2 vs the Roman numeral II in the engraving? 

I asked myself this question for years, and I have to say that without someone from JK’s former sax department chiming in for an answer to that question, I suspect we will never know. However, after researching the H. Couf brand for a decade, I have come to the conclusion that there likely wasn’t any significance. 

Based on the research I have done to date, unlike on the Superba I baris, the Arabic 2 doesn’t appear until much later in the production run. The first horn I have documented an Arabic 2 on, is Superba 2 bari #71998. The last documented Arabic 2 is on bari #75207—which coincidentally all happen to be Phase 3 horns.

Why did the engraving ultimately switch entirely from 2 to II? I have a couple of theories, but theories are not proof. Ultimately it may well have come down to a decision by H. Couf himself—who was very involved in virtually all aspects of the horns that bore is name.

Phase 1 – features 

• Pigtail brace: Single round metal bar with 3 point attachment
• Clothes guard: single piece of Lucite
• Latest serial # seen to date: 55413

Defining feature for Phase 1 bari

Other than the serial number indicating one of the first years of H. Couf production, these early baris have a single, short Lucite pant guard. Lucite guards are seen on JK horns during this period of time.

Keyguard variants on the Phase 1 Superba II baritones

Until now I have not mentioned keyguards for any of the H. Couf saxophones I have discussed because there had been no variations. All the keyguards in all sizes and models of Coufs that I have tracked have been the Keilwerth metal guard with the felt adjustment pad that was standard on Keilwerth horns at the time. The baritone had independent guards, but the design is the same. 

When I saw the guards on these Phase 1 Superba II baris, I had to take a bit of a deeper dive into their possible origins, since neither looked quite right.

From left to right the following are illustrated below:

1. This is the standard JK keyguard we see on all sizes of H. Couf saxophones, as well as Superba II Phase 2-4 baris.
2. This keyguard on low A bari # 55413, is a throwback to the old-style JK guards that predate the angelwing.  ¹   
3. The same old-style JK guard ⇑ , is the one that was used on the Armstrong 3070 baritone, as well as other stencils such as the King Tempo, etc.
4. The keyguard found on low Bb bari #55xxx, does not have the felt adjustment in the centre that is normal for JK guards. As soon as I saw it, I recognized it immediately as one that Dörfler & Jörka (D&J) put on their saxophones. ² 
5. The standard D&J keyguard that is seen on the their horns—including the baris they had stencilled from other companies—after circa #8xxx.

To date I have only catalogued the following two, Phase 1 Superba II baris. Until I find more for the database it is obviously not possible to draw any conclusions about the keyguards that these earliest Superba IIs had. It is safe to say however, that like so many H. Couf horns’ and their features, these currently remain an enigma. 

Superba II with low A # 55413 – Lacquer

Superba II keyed to low Bb # 55xxx – Lacquer

Phase 2 – features 

• Same pigtail brace as Phase 1: Single round metal bar with 3 point attachment
• Metal clothes guard
• Serial # range seen to date: 61xxx – 68xxx

Defining feature for Phase 2 bari

There is only 1 change that occurs from the first to second phases of the Superba II baritone:

1. A single length metal clothes guard replaces the Lucite one.

Superba II with low A # 61xxx– Blackgold

Phase 3 – features 

• Metal clothes guard like on Phase 2 * (See below)
• Pigtail brace: There are 2. A round metal bar between socket & body tube. And another from body tube to lower part of pigtail. * (See below)
• Serial # range seen to date: 71998 – 75207

Defining feature for Phase 3 bari

THE defining feature for the Phase 3 baritones is the change in the pigtail bracing. This double brace introduced in Phase 3 continues through until the end of the H. Couf run in circa 1987. 

Superba II with low A # 72978 – lacquer

Phase 4 – features 

• All the features of Phase 3 baris.
• Chromatic F# key shape changed to round MOP button key.
• Latest serial # seen to date: 7712x

Defining feature for Phase 4 bari

THE defining–and only–feature of the Phase 4 Superba II bari that distinguishes it from a Phase 3 horn is its chromatic F# key shape. The horizontal teardrop-shaped key is replaced with a MOP button key. 

Superba II with low A # 77xxx – lacquer

NB: Of course there have to be exceptions

• #733xx shows no evidence of ever having had a pants guard.
• #733xx also shows no evidence of ever having had a pigtail brace—let alone two. The owner of the horn is a SOTW member and provided me with clear, detailed photos of all areas of the horn. He did mention that when he bought the horn back about 10 years ago, his tech did do some work on the pigtail since it was out of alignment. Looking at the photos you can see the solder marks where the parts were rejoined. This leaves us with two possibilities: 1. The horn never had any bracing there to begin with, or 2. Part of the pigtail was replaced. Either way, Superba II low Bb bari #733xx is again what one would call an enigma.

Many thanks go to the following people:

I want to acknowledge the incredible work done by Steve Sklar. Steve has been researching and writing about H. Couf saxophones for years before I came along. By generously allowing me to springboard off his materials, Steve has saved me countless of hours.

Thank you Steve. You are a great colleague, and I very much appreciate and enjoy our work together on the Woodwind Forum!

I also want to thank Brian at Get A Sax, Paul from PM Woodwind, Roberto from Robertos Winds, Mark from USA Horn, as well as Chadd from World Wide Sax, for allowing me to use their images throughout all these H. Couf saxophone pages. Beautiful images are vital to illustrating the beautiful horns that Herb Couf helped the Julius Keilwerth Company design.

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¹  Baritones with angel wings and their successors are found in The New King gallery.
² The D&J/JK/Couf connections are numerous. See the D&J and H. Couf main pages for more information.