King Super 20 Silversonic Saxophone

We currently have a secondhand King Super 20 Silversonic Tenor Saxophone for sale, serial no. 400144. It was made between 1960 and 1965 in Cleveland, Ohio. It's been overhauled by us, with new pads, corks and felts. The condition is good and the horn has not been re-lacquered. There are tiny spots of missing lacquer on some of the keywork and some minor scratches on the bell. It has the Solid Silver Neck, and the original mother of pearl rollers. The engraving on the bell looks brand new, see photo

Price on Application only. Please contact us via email or on 01628 630800.

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.

King Super 20 Silversonic photos

Silver Crook with overslung key	B, Bb, C#, G# key cluster
In the Workshop	Being repadded
Super 20 Bell showing engraving	King advertising brochure

Resources
King Super 20 review - Shwoodwind
King Super 20 history - Saxpics