{"id":6864,"date":"2013-09-22T17:56:17","date_gmt":"2013-09-23T00:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/version5\/?page_id=6864"},"modified":"2021-03-21T11:33:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T13:33:37","slug":"weltklang","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/version5\/vintage-saxes\/european-made-saxes\/veb-blechblas-und-signal-instrumenten-fabrik-bs\/weltklang\/","title":{"rendered":"Weltklang"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Weltklang,<\/a>
Weltklang tenor, serial # ? Source: The Great Antique Experience on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Creation of B&S<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Weltklang saxophones<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Differences between B&S and Weltklang Saxes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Finish options<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Evolution of the logo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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1. Ornately engraved globe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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2. Large globe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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3. Vertical text<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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4. Horizontal type<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Various models & features<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Sopranos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Altos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Tenors<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Baris<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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More bari thoughts & links<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n

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Soloist<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Serial # chart<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/div><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/div><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>The political reality for private companies in the DDR, and the creation of B&S<\/span><\/p>\n

As already noted on the Akustik page<\/a>, post WWII, independent companies were no longer the norm in East Germany. Government policy was to “nationalize” these private companies, and combine them together into organizational units called Kombinate. These publicly owned, national corporations were known as Volkseigener Betriebe (VEB), and were the legal form of an industrial enterprise in East Germany.<\/p>\n

This process of nationalizing private companies had been going on steadily since WWII, and on January 1, 1953, three existing VEBs were combined together to form \u201eBlechblas- und Signal-Instrumenten-Fabrik” (B&S).<\/a><\/p>\n

Weltklang and B&S saxophones<\/span><\/p>\n

B&S only made the 4 standard types of saxophones: Bb soprano, Eb alto, Bb tenor, and Eb baritone saxophones. The company offered basically only 2 model ranges of saxophones: The simpler Weltklang engraved horns, and the somewhat better saxes designated B&S. In addition to the names that B&S used for its horns, they also stencilled for other companies, which resulted in a great many B&S-made horns, with a wide variety of names. Some of these names include: Akustik, Berg Larsen, Paul Beuscher, University, Sonora, and others. Examples of these can be found in Bassic Sax Pix here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Weltklang was introduced in the early 1960s as a replacement for the Akustiks, and were made for approximately 30 years. The line was discontinued in 1994.<\/p>\n

In German, Weltklang means “world sound”.<\/a><\/p>\n

Weltklang vs. B&S: What’s the difference?<\/span><\/p>\n

In Saxophone: Ein Kompendium<\/em><\/a>, Uwe Ladwig refers to a discussion he had with Gerhard Lederer1<\/sup>. Lederer worked for B&S for 30 years, including a 13-year stint as the Divisional Director of Saxophone Production. According to Gerhard Lederer, the main difference between the Weltklang and B&S saxophones was their tone hole placement.<\/p>\n

Weltklang saxophones had inline tone holes. Vintage horn players are likely very familiar with the feel of inline tone holes, since Conn, Martin, Buescher, and even pre-Mark VI Selmers had the main tone holes in their body tube arranged in a line, one under another.<\/p>\n

\"saxophone<\/a>
Inline tone holes on a Conn New Wonder C melody Source: Matt Stohrer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"saxophone<\/a>
Inline tone holes on a Conn New Wonder C melody Source: Matt Stohrer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"saxophone<\/a>
Inline tone holes on a 1939 Selmer Balanced Action alto. Source: stohrermusic.com Used with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

B&S saxophones, on the other hand, had their main tone holes offset. This means that their right hand tone holes were closer to the player’s hand, thus making the horn more ergonomic. This is something that Selmer introduced in their Mark VIs, and what we continue to see in most modern saxophones to this day.<\/p>\n

\"alto<\/a>
Offset tone holes on a 1966 Selmer Mark VI low A alto. Source: stohrermusic.com Used with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>Weltklang finish options<\/span><\/p>\n

For finish options, Weltklang saxophones were offered with the following:<\/p>\n