Nicolas Trefeil


Becs saxophone - Refacing- Rectification - Refaçage - Mouthpiece service - Vintage saxophones.

 


Mouthpiece Museum






" Woodwind Co"


 New York. 1918 - 1967


* The "Woodwind Co". was founded in 1918 by Walter Gemeinhardt.


* Located to 240 E, 86th St. New York city.


* Composed of the following members:


     - Walter Gemeinhardt, citizen of Germany

     - John Schmidt, ..........citizen of Czechoslovakia

     - Eugène Bercioux,.... citizen of France

 

* 19 March 1920: the firm patented the trade mark  "Steel Ebonite", a specially developed hard     rubber that is highly sensitive, durable as tough metal, not warping under extremely high 

    temperatures and which was continuously used by Eugène Bercioux since July 1910. 

    ( Patent n° 141,819)


*  The facings of woodwind mouthpieces are made with a special facing machine patented by

     Eugene Bercioux the 24 of April 1923. (Patent n° 1,452,953).

* 1926: The firm moves to 235 East  60th Street, new York.

      - The produced models are "Woodwind" and "Meliphone" chambers.


* 1928: The firm moves to 131 West 45th St. New York city.

* December 1935: New "Chester Hazlett" model.

* 1936: New "36 model.

* March 1937: New "Sparkle-Air" model

* 1950: The firm is sold to Ernest Deffner and is now located to 461 Eight

     Avenue, New york City 1, N. Y.,

*  In September of 1967 the firm was acquired by Leblanc Corporation.

                                                .......................................................


  The tone chambers of Woodwind

    mouthpieces are designated

    by model names:


  

     *   "Original Woodwind" model 1918 - 1967 Which has a large  

          round type chamber design of  the 20's.


     *  " Meliphone Special" model 1920 - 1967 which has a 


            clarinet type chamber.


     *  " Dick Stabile" model,  February 1934> based on the

            Meliphone Special.


     *  "36" model,  1936> which his a medium large

            chamber design with a"powered chamber"and a "sensitized

              tip".


     *  "Merle Johnston" Early 30's - 1934 model, based on the

           Original Woodwind.


     *  "Chester Hazlett" model, December 1935 - 1944 

          based on the Original Woodwind. 


     *  "Sparkle - Air " March 1937 - 1967 which has a

          medium round chamber offering more brilliance and 

          power than the old "Original Woodwind" or "36  design.


    

                                                            ..............................




"Original Woodwind" model 


   1918 - 1967 



Below: Alto and tenor model

 


(right) 


  The baritone model. 


  This model was played by the famous Harry Carney.



.........................................................................................................................................




"Meliphone Special" model


1920 - 1967


Below: Alto, C melody and tenor sax models.

Below: typical box of the 50's.

............................................................................................................................



  " Merle Johnston " model

 

       Steel Ebonite,

       

       Original Woodwind chamber


        ( alto, tenor )


        (early 30's >1934)



* Based on the Original woodwind chamber.


* Only one tip opening for each instrument as played by Merle Johnston.

                  


Below: alto model.


Model
 Tip opening
Alto
  1,56 mm -  0,61 "
 Tenor
1,52 mm - 0,60 "  .
 

Below: Alto and tenor models.



...........................................................................








" Dick Stabile Special "model


    (1935> )


 


 * Soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax and Bb clarinet.


 * All models based on "Meliphone" steel ebonite stock model with straight inner side walls           type chamber.


 * The alto model was also played by the classical virtuoso Al Gallodoro.


 * Only one tip opening for each mouthpieces as played by Dick Stabile himself.


Dick Stabile:
 
(May 29, 1909 – September 18, 1980) was an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader
He was one of the great alto sax player of his time.
He was the only jazz musician to hit the top note of the saxophone, "an Octave and 2 Notes above the Scale - practically a range of 4 full octaves."
See web site Dick Stabile tribute by Bob Ferrari  :  http://www.dickstabile.com/home.htm




                        (left to right): 

                        Soprano alto and tenor models.


Below:

Bb clarinet model




Below: baritone sax model

 
 




(left): 

Later alto and tenor version without silver nickel ring on shank.



Model
 Tip opening
Soprano sax
 1,38 mm - 0,54 "
 Alto sax
 1,57 mm - 062 "
 Tenor sax
 1,74 mm - 0,68 "
 Baritone sax
 .
 Bb Clarinet
 1,14 mm - 0,44 "
 

.........................................................................................



 

  " Chester Hazlett "model. 

     Alto and tenor sax, Bb clarinet, bass clarinet. 

     (December 1935 -1944)

* Based on the "Original Woodwind" model.


* Available only with one facing for each instrument as played by Chester Hazlett himself.


    


  Below: tenor model

Chester Hazlett was a famous sax and clarinet player  of the 20's and 30's , essentially known for his work with the Paul Whiteman band. He also advertised for King Super 20 saxophones in the 40's. The Chester Hazlett saxophone mouthpieces was designed to develop the "silvery mellow sax tone for which Hazlett was famous" and clarinet piece was "built to facilitate sub-tone playing".


      Below: alto model


(right) : Chester Hazlett in 1935 with his alto Selmer Balanced Action, short bell and Steel Ebonite "Chester Hazlett" mouthpiece.

    

Model
 Tip opening
 Chester Hazlett  Bb Clarinet facing
 1,09 mm - 0,429"
Chester Hazlett alto facing
 1,55 mm - 0,61 "
 Chester Hazlett tenor facing
 1,63 mm - 0,64"

          


 Below: tenor: large chamber model

         

 Below: tenor: "Meliphone" chamber                    model with straight inner side walls.


              Below: alto large chamber.

........................................................................................


                 

 "36 model.


      1936 >


.............................................................................................................



"Sparkle - Aire" model.



        March 1937 - 1967  




The Woodwind Co. of New York introduced the Sparkle-Aire model in March 1937.
This new model was available for alto, tenor and baritone sax. 
The company has been working towards a model which increased the volume of the instrument without detracting from intonation and tone quality.
The new mouthpiece was carved from sensitive Steel Ebonite and changes where made in the tone chamber and mouth-rest in order to increase comfort and volume control.


.............................................................................














Below: 


the 1950 Woodwind Co catalog.

 

Below:


 the 1962 Woodwind catalog.

 
 
 

Leblanc Corp. / Woodwind.


 (1967 > )


Below: 

Typical box for Woodwind mouthpiece marketed by Leblanc Corporation in the 60's / 70's.


 Woodwind  Company (New York)



"Bonacio Custombilt": 


   


     ( April 1937 > 1940 )


 

 




Bennie Bonacio.


Born : September 04, 1903 in Mineo, Italy.
Died : January 10, 1974 in Clearwater, Florida.

Bennie Bonacio played in the bands of Lou Gold, Rudy Vallee, Paul Whiteman, André Kostalanetz, Morton Gould, Percy Faith and others.

Model
 Ouverture en mm
 Tip opening inches
Alto sax medium
  1,48 mm
 0,583 "
 alto sax open
  1,60 mm
 0,630 "
 Tenor sax medium
  1,45 mm
 0,571 "
 Tenor sax open
  1,90 mm
 0,748 "
 Baritone sax medium
  1,85 mm
 0,729 "
 baritone sax open
  2,14 mm
 0,842 "
 Bb clarinet medium
  0,96 mm
 0,378 "
 Bb clarinet open
  1,34 mm
 0,528 "
 Bass clarinet medium
 
 
 Bass clarinet open
  .
.