{"id":8512,"date":"2015-11-22T10:22:17","date_gmt":"2015-11-22T17:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/version5\/?page_id=8512"},"modified":"2025-08-12T15:59:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T22:59:18","slug":"codera","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/version5\/modern-saxes\/vogtlandische-musikinstrumentenfabrik-gmbh-markneukirchen-vmi\/codera\/","title":{"rendered":"Codera with Resoblades by B&S"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
Resoblades<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Model Features<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Adjustable Palm Keys<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Strathmann Non-stick G# Key<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
B&S Non-stick G# Key<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Wear-free Octave Mechanism<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Models<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alto<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Tenor<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Finish Options<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
Patents<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
The Next Generation of Codera<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
The End of B&S-made Coderas<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n
1998 Dealer Brochure\u00a0<\/a><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"B&S<\/a>
Source: heueregatta on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

B&S began production of the Codera model in 1997. The horns were based on the ideas of Wolf Codera (who gave VMI the license to manufacture them1<\/sup>) <\/a>and were available in alto and tenor versions only. What made these saxophones so unique, was their resoblade technology.<\/a><\/p>\n

What, exactly, is a resoblade anyway?<\/h2>\n

Although the Codera model had conventional pads on all body tube keys, the five keys on the bow and bell (Eb, C, C#, B, & Bb) all utilized resoblade technology. Simply put, resoblades were a piece of metal with a sealing ring.<\/p>\n

\"B&S<\/a>
Source: heueregatta on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"resoblade,<\/a>
Source: doctorsax.biz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although this sounds simple, their construction was, in fact, quite complex. According to the website pro-music-news.com:<\/p>\n

Resoblades are made of a thin metal plate mounted to the keys with a sophisticated mechanical construction… The design allows free swiveling and precise adjustment. A sealing ring provides precise covering of the tone hole rim.<\/p>\n

Source: pro-music-news.com<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Through this, the special suspension, which was different from that of the Dutch-made Toptone saxophones, an optimal coverage of the tone hole was achieved.<\/p>\n

To get a better idea what this looked like in real life, here is a photo of the low C mechanism on tenor #011334.<\/p>\n

\"Codera<\/a>
Source: quinntheeskimo-Vintage-Horns on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>Other features of the Codera model<\/h2>\n

Besides the resoblades shown above, the Codera also had a few other premium<\/em> features. Some eventually were found on other B&S model saxes such as the 2001 and Medusa. Others, like the resoblades, remained exclusively the domain of the Codera.<\/a><\/p>\n

Adjustable left palm keys<\/h3>\n

If you’re familiar with JK saxophones, then you’ve likely seen this type of adjustable palm key<\/a> before. However, unlike JK’s left palm keys where all 3 were adjustable, only the high D and F found on the Codera could be adjusted for height.<\/p>\n

\"Source: <\/a>
Source: doctorsax.biz <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Source: <\/a>
Source: doctorsax.biz <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

It should be noted that looking at photos provided to me by Dave Kessler<\/a>, whose music store was an authorized B&S seller, when this feature became available on the 2001 Series<\/a> and Medusa models, all 3 palm keys were adjustable.<\/p>\n

At this point you might be asking yourself: Who used this feature first, JK or B&S? That’s a good question. Nothing that I’ve come across in any of the literature would indicate who might have devised such a feature; when it came into use by JK; or if it was patented or not.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately most of the modern JKs that I have in my gallery were sold with no serial numbers provided. That said, the lowest confirmed serial # that I have for a modern JK with adjustable palm keys is this SX 90 soprano # 104941<\/a>, which the serial number chart<\/a> puts from 1996. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help us a great deal in determining which company used this type of key first, since the Codera was well past design phase by then. Remember, it hit the market in 1997.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Strathmann non-stick G# key2<\/a><\/sup><\/h3>\n

\"Stathmann-G-Sharp-Diagram-p.-160-Uwe\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Even if you can’t read German, take a look at the date in the italicized line above: April 14, 1968. It was on that date that the man who invented a non-stick G# key, Arnfred Strathmann, wrote a letter to Julius Keilwerth.<\/p>\n

Herr Strathmann let them know that through a conversation with Mr. D\u00f6rfler\u2014who came to work for Keilwerth in January 1968<\/a>\u2014he was made aware that JK was interested in his invention. However, for unknown reasons this device was not implemented on Keilwerth saxophones at the time. It would take three decades before JK used a similar design\u2014such as the one on this CX 90 tenor<\/a>. (Note that the original was intended to go all the way to the F key, but Keilwerth stopped theirs at the F#.)<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting back to the Codera…<\/h3>\n

B&S used a variation of this type of anti-stick G# key on their Codera. Later on some of the Medusa models would benefit from this feature, as would latter editions of the Series 2001<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is tenor #011334 with the rocking mechanism that was used to prevent the G# from sticking. Notice that like JK, B&S also had their lever end at the F# key, rather than extend to the F. However, their design differed somewhat from JK\u2019s. Not only is the B&S spring obvious from the front, I\u2019m guessing the two companies used totally different types of springs.<\/p>\n

\"Codera<\/a>
Source: quinntheeskimo-Vintage-Horns on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>Wear-free octave key mechanism<\/h3>\n

The Codera model also featured wear-free, felt pivoted, ball joints for the octave key mechanism. I do not recall seeing this on other saxophones either before or since. Unfortunately the best view I have found is from alto #011256. Sadly the photo remains slightly out of focus, despite my best efforts to fix it. (You know what they say: You can put lipstick on a pig…)<\/p>\n

\"alto<\/a>
Source: quinntheeskimo Vintage Horns on eBay.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is another view of a tenor Codera that appeared for sale on the German eBay site. The focus in this shot is somewhat better.  Unfortunately the seller didn’t provide the horn’s serial #.<\/p>\n

Notice how the arm that operates the little octave lever is of a more conventional design. I don’t know if all tenors were designed this way, or if B&S switched the Codera’s design on all altos and tenors at some point during the production run.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately I don’t have any other close-up photos of this mechanism in alto Coderas, or in tenors with confirmed serial numbers. At the moment, alto #011256 is the only one that I have seen with the above style of octave key mechanism. That said, felts were still used in the unique octave mechanism design of all Codera saxophones that I have detailed photos of.<\/p>\n

This style of octave mechanism was unique to the Codera model, and wasn’t seen in other B&S models such as the 2001<\/a> or the Medusa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Source:<\/a>
Source: universalsax on eBay.de<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>Model Numbers<\/h2>\n

As mentioned at the outset, the B&S Codera model was only available in alto and tenor versions.<\/a><\/p>\n

Alto<\/h3>\n
\"B&S<\/a>
Source: jlsmithco.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n