Keilwerth-made Couf Superba 1 saxophones are among my favorites in vintage horns. Particularly if you’re fussy about keywork and want something that feels like a modern saxophone, but has a bit more richness and complexity to the tone, you could hardly do better than the Couf Superba 1. The Superba 1 was made for Herb Couf, who was instrumental in introducing Keilwerth saxophones into the US market. Keilwerth is Germany’s top saxophone maker, and gives you the fully professional build quality and features that you want in a ‘big four’ saxophone maker. Keilwerth is the only modern horn that has the darker, wider tone that people chase in vintage Conn and Selmer instruments, like the Conn 10M or the Selmer Balanced Action. My assistants both play Couf Superba 1’s, as they think they’re about as good a horn as you can get for the money.
Grover Washington Jr famously played these, and got his signature fat but projecting sound on his. This alto just got a complete high end restoration by one of my repairmen, and it plays its very best! You can’t beat it. The pad work is better than new, and it will last a very long time.
