Vito Kenosha Tenor Sax

Serial Number 4081A
This horn was purchased new from Belmelford Music in Elgin, IL in the autumn of 1968.
It was probably manufactured 1967 or '68.

SOLD

This is the nicest Kenosha Vito I have ever clapped eyes on.
The lacquer has just a few small scratches and extremely little wear...and there are just a couple dings here and there on the horn.

This is an early Kenosha Vito from 1967 or earlier. I got this horn from the original owner. It was bought for him by his parents in 1968.
I was told that a different Vito, serial number 4296A, was purchased new in 1964. If that is so, it might mean that serial number 4081A sat around for a few years before it was sold? Probably never know for sure.

This Kenosha-assembled horn has the hallmarks of the components being fabricated by Beaugnier in France. It is probably the nearest to a French-made horn ever assembled in the USA.
Particularly, the Bell Brace, and the
Switchable G# Articulation, and the
large, ornate clothing guard, and the
Teeter-totter octave mechanism proclaim their Beaugnier heritage.



The horn has the gold needle springs, just like the Vito Model 35 horns, to give the keyaction a more fluid flute-like feel.

It also has lefthand bell keys. There is none of the circuitous leverage and linkage required from having the lefthand pinkie fingertouch on one side of the horn and the bellkeys on the other (right-hand) side, adding unnecessary weight to the horn.

The body is attached to the bow with small screws and soldered. Unlike the clunky, vibration-absorbing collar used by Selmer horns, this is a much simpler affair.

Also, the keys are supported by individual posts soldered to the body. The later ribbed post construction was a concession to ease of manufacturing, again adding a lot of unnecessary, sound-dampening mass to the body.

It also has an elegant adjustment linkage on the G# lever.

The articulation between the bellkeys and the G# key can be switched off. If it is not something you use, why tax your pinkie with pushing an extra spring whenever you play the low bellkeys? But if a particular passage requires it...flip the switch and it is ready to go.

I replaced the 3 palm key pads, the upper stack A, B, Bb and C pads, and also the low D# pad.
I used MusicMedic "Precision" with flat metal resos to match the original pads.
With the exception of the C pad at the top of the upper stack...there I used a black kangaroo "SaxGourmet" pad.
I added several new corks and felts...adjusted the keys and regulated the keyaction.

This horn comes with the original Vito streamline, hard rubber, Made-in-France mouthpiece and ligature. I've added a Made-in-France cap which has nickel-plating matching the ligature. The cap does have a blemish on the plating.
Also comes with the original LeBlanc neckstrap.
The lyre is probably original too.
As well as the original case which is in very good physical and cosmetic shape.