King Super 20 Alto Full Pearls 298xxx Original and Overhauled

Description

If you are looking for one of the best jazz altos I have played, this is it. It is a freshly overhauled King Super 20 298xxx from 1948-9, and it has a very good overhaul that will last for a LONG time with nothing more than regular maintenance. The tone on this horn is that concentrated essence of mainstream jazz alto that people look for in a Super 20. It has a flexible, punchy, medium bright tone with a unique “American” core that is powerful and projecting. Very free blowing – easy altissimo. This is lots of fun to play. Pair it with a NY Meyer, and you sound a lot like Cannonball Adderley tonally. (That said, you’ll have to practice a lot to sound like him stylistically, and you’ll have to live a lot to match his soul!:-)

Cosmetically, the solid silver neck looks great and has not been pulled down. The only past repairs I see are in the area of the back of the bow where some small dents have been removed resulting in some lacquer loss, and one key cage leg got resoldered on low Eb. The bow guard itself looks great and has not been damaged. The rest of the horn looks like it has a clean history. This horn has not been played all that much since it was made, and it looks beautiful and feels nice and snappy under the fingers. It ships in a BAM Classic or Hiscox Pro II case, your choice.