Production is thought to have started with the King Super 20 Baritone Eb Model #1017 around 1959-60. Originally launched with only sterling silver neck.
#1017...King Super 20 Eb Baritone Saxophone
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 11 Ibs.
Length: Inches
Bell Diameter: 7.6875 Inches
Top Left: 1960 King Catalog
Production is thought to have started with the King Super 20 Tenor Bb Model #1016 around 1946. Essentially a slightly modified King Zephyr Special saxophone the King Super 20 would go on to be one of the most famous saxophones of all time. Originally launched with only sterling silver neck by 1947 a sterling silver bell was added to the lineup.
#1014...King Super 20 Eb Alto Saxophone
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 7 Ibs. 4 oz.
Length: Inches
Bell Diameter: 6.1875 Inches
Top Left: 1946 King Catalog
Second Down on The Left: 1954 King Catalog
Production is thought to have started with the King Alto Model #1004 around 1916. This saxophone evolved from just the “King” to the ”King Voll True” (both I & II) to the “Zephyr” then to the “Zephyr Special” and then back to the “Zephyr.” This saxophone kept the same model number throughout its entire production period ending sometime in the 1970’s. Without a dought this was one of the finest saxophones made by HN White and gained popularity as the Zephyr. The top dog at HN White until the creation of the King Super 20 Saxophone line. They Zephyr saxophone was put into production around 1934. By 1939 the King Zephyr Special line was launched. The King Zephyr Special later became (post WWII) the King Super 20 and the Zephyr line was still considered professional grade but not as good as the King Super 20 line up. Throughout post WWII production many of the improvements seen in the King Super 20 saxophones made its way to the King Zephyr Alto line. King Zephyr’s were less expensive than the King Super 20 and a good alternative.
#1004...King Alto Saxophone
Built In: Low Eb to High F
Weight: 4 Ibs. 14 oz.
Length: 26.5 Inches
Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches
Top Left: 1919 King Catalog interesting mention of U.S. Quartermaster Corps
Second Down on The Left: 1931 King Catalog King "Voll-True" Eb Alto (catalog picture from 1932)
Third Down on The Left: 1935 King Catalog King Zephyr Alto
Fourth Down on The Left: 1939 King Zephyr Special Ad
Fifth down of The Left: 1946 King Catalog
Production is thought to have started with the King Super 20 Alto Eb Model #1014 around 1946. Essentially a slightly modified King Zephyr Special saxophone the King Super 20 would go on to be one of the most famous saxophones of all time. Originally launched with only sterling silver neck by 1947 a sterling silver bell was added to the lineup.
#1014...King Super 20 Eb Alto Saxophone
Built In: Low Eb to High F
Weight: 5 Ibs. 4 oz.
Length: Inches
Bell Diameter: 4.875 Inches
Top Left: 1946 King Catalog
Second Down on The Left: 1946 King Catalog
Third Down on The Left: 1963 King Catalog
Production is thought to have started with the King Baritone Model #1007 around 1916. This saxophone evolved from just the “King” to the ”King Voll True” (both I & II) to the “Zephyr”. As far as we know there was never a King Baritone Zephyr Special. This saxophone kept the same model number throughout its entire production period ending sometime in the 1970’s. This was one of the finest saxophones made by HN White and gained popularity as the Zephyr. The Zephyr series saxophones was the top dog at HN White until the creation of the King Super 20 Saxophone line. They Zephyr saxophone was put into production around 1934. The Zephyr line was still considered professional grade but not as good as the King Super 20 line up. Throughout post WWII production many of the improvements seen in the King Super 20 saxophones made its way to the King Zephyr Baritone line. King Zephyr’s were less expensive than the King Super 20 and a good alternative.
#1007...King Baritone Saxophone
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 11 Ibs. 0 oz.
Length: 40 Inches
Bell Diameter: 8 Inches
Top Left: 1927 King Catalog
Second Down on The Left: 1931 King Catalog King "Voll-True" Bb (catalog picture from 1932)
Third Down on The Left: 1935 King Catalog King Voll-True II Alto
Fourth Down on The Left: 1954 King King Catalog
Production is thought to have started with the King Tenor Model #1006 around 1916. This saxophone evolved from just the “King” to the ”King Voll True” (both I & II) to the “Zephyr” then to the “Zephyr Special” and then back to the “Zephyr.” This saxophone kept the same model number throughout its entire production period ending sometime in the 1970’s. This was one of the finest saxophones made by HN White and gained popularity as the Zephyr. The Zephyr series saxophones was the top dog at HN White until the creation of the King Super 20 Saxophone line. They Zephyr saxophone was put into production around 1934. By 1939 the King Zephyr Special line was launched. The King Zephyr Special later became (post WWII) the King Super 20 and the Zephyr line was still considered professional grade but not as good as the King Super 20 line up. Throughout post WWII production many of the improvements seen in the King Super 20 saxophones made its way to the King Zephyr tenor line. King Zephyr’s were less expensive than the King Super 20 and a good alternative.
#1006...King Alto Saxophone
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 7 Ibs. 8 oz.
Length: 32 Inches
Bell Diameter: 5.625 Inches
Top Left: 1924 King Catalog
Second Down on The Left: 1931 King Catalog King "Voll-True" Bb (catalog picture from 1932)
Third Down on The Left: 1935 King Catalog King Zephyr Alto
Fourth Down on The Left: 1939 King Zephyr Special Ad
Fifth down of The Left: 1946 King Catalog
Introduced around 1918-1920. This was the most popular saxophone to play if you were an amateur. The C Melody was very "user-friendly" and could be played without complicated transposition of sheet music. As the saxophone evolved, the C Melody became mostly a beginner saxophone. With King, the C Melody would continue to be manufactured thru the 1930's under the "Cleveland" and "American Standard" brands.
#1005...King C Melody.
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 5 Ibs. 14.5 oz.
Length: 27.5 Inches
Bell Diameter: 4.75 Inches
Top Left: 1924 King Catalog
Put into production in late 1924-25 the Saxello was a major departure from the "Straight" Soprano. The Saxello was the first patent application (U.S. Patent 1549101, granted November 2, 1926) for saxophones sought by The H. N. White Company. By 1938 with the great depression, production of the Saxello ended. Later models come with unique stand.
#1000...Bb Soprano.
Built In: Low Bb to High F
Weight: 2Ibs. 4.5 oz.
Length: 25 Inches
Bell Diameter: 3.5 Inches
Top Left: 1927 King Saxophone Catalog
Some time in 1908 King began importing Evette & Schaeffer saxophones and selling them as a less expensive alternative to American made saxes. Then in 1910 Carl Fisher Instruments became sole distributor of Evette & Schaeffer saxophones and Mr. White was forced to look elsewhere. Mr. White chose to import V. Kohlert saxophones while he built up the King facilities to enter into his own production of saxophones. Finely around 1916 Mr. White began producing his own saxophones and by 1925 he introduced a new series of horns eight (C soprano, straight and curved Bb sopranos, Bb saxello, Eb alto, C melody, Bb tenor and Eb baritone) horns made in Cleveland. From 1917 to 1918 the entire production of saxophones was made for the government during World War I. Saxophones produced during the War are engraved with U. S. or some other type of engraving which tells which branch of the military it went to. (U. S. N. =Navy, U. S. M. C.=Marine Corps) These saxophones featured many new improvements by King associate Mr. Henry Dreves. The most interesting of these improvements was the introduction of the King "Saxello" in the early 1920's. The saxello was a curved neck and a bell tipped at a right angle on a straight soprano. In 1918 the company was incorporated and "Co" was added to the engraving of all instruments, before 1918 the engraving read simply as "H. N. White."
King saxophone production in my opinion did not hit full stride until the "Zephyr" models were produced. Zephyr's featured better key design and improved bore. The Zephyr Special represents the culmination of Mr. White's work, which would lead to the development of the world famous "King Super 20" after World War II. The list of H. N. White super 20 players is impressive including: Mr. Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Mr. Georgie Auld, Mr. Sam Donahue, Mr. Charlie Ventura, and the great Charlie Parker Jr. The H. N. White Company made the following brands: King, American Standard, and Cleveland saxophones.
This page is designed to show the first known year of production (based on our catalogs) and any changes that are made over the production cycle of the instruments including model numbers and any unique specifications. Please note all the "www.hnwhite.com" watermarks on the catalog pages, sellers from www.ebay.com have used information inaccurately and without permission from this website and it is essential that buyers know the source of information. Sellers may use watermarked catalog pages, please do not edit out the website address. This website strives to provide the best information possible.
Production for Soprano Saxophones is thought to have started around 1916-1920. On a few other website's it is thought that King did not make their own Soprano Saxophones, but The H. N. White Company did make there own until WWII. The company has not in the habit of importing or stenciling any of their saxophones. After WWII the Soprano Saxophone line was dropped (none were offered to dealers) and production never resumed.
#1001...Straight C Soprano Production is ended in 1939-1940.
#1002...Straight Bb Soprano.
#1003 Curved Bb Soprano. Production is fazed out by WWII.
Top Left: 1924 King Catalog
Bottom Left: 1938 King Catalog
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