The King Super 20 Silversonic Saxophone was made by the H.N. White band Instrument company.
Jazz musicians such as Jonny Griffin, Wardell Gray, Roland Kirk and Charlie Parker have all played on King Super 20 Saxophones. Charlie Parker
played it on the cover of the live album 'Bird at St.Nicks' and appeared in Kings advertisments.
There were two versions of Super 20 Saxophones; a plain brass version, and the Silversonic, with a solid silver crook and bell. Using precious metal
in Instrument manufacture is costly, and rumour has it that King lost money on every one they made.
So what makes the King Super 20 Silversonic Saxophone so sought after?
Well firstly, they give incredible power and projection, partly due to having a silver bell and crook.
They are also very robust. A number of the keys have a double locking setscrew type fastener on them, to prevent the screws working loose.
The tone-holes are not pulled from the main stack, but silver-soldered.
The octave mechanism on the King Super 20 Silversonic Tenor Saxophone is of the semi-underslung variety, just like Yanagisawa Saxophones.
Resources
King Super 20 review - Shwoodwind
King Super 20 history - Saxpics
