500:, who placed them under the new parent company "United Musical Instruments" (UMI). UMI revived King's efforts in the student saxophone market, reintroducing the former Cleveland models 613 Alto and 615 Tenor, as well as assembling some Super 20s from pre-1975 stock. Ownership of UMI passed to Skåne Gripen partner Bernhard Muskantor in 1990. Muskantor's interest in King was not merely as an investor; he had family roots in the music business and respect for the company's past accomplishments. His ambitions for restoring King's status as a top-tier instrument manufacturer were reflected in the
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443:, aided by the exchange rate between the French Franc and the US Dollar in the postwar era, put price pressure on the American manufacturers and H. N. White was no exception. Through the mid-1950s into the 60s, the imperative of cutting costs grew and features were dropped to simplify manufacture. During that same period, the Zephyr was sold as a student-line instrument.
27:
337:. H. N. White built a plant to manufacture orchestral woodwinds in 1917. Subsequently, the "Cleveland" and "American Standard" brands were used for less expensive instruments marketed to schools and marching bands, while the "King" brand was reserved for professional grade instruments. In 1925, H.N. White acquired the Cleveland Musical Instrument Company.
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of
Eastlake, Ohio and the name was changed to "King Musical Instruments", reflecting the long absence of models produced under the "Cleveland" and "American Standard" brands. In 1968 Seeburg moved production to Eastlake and instituted a new round of cost-cutting that effectively ended the era of the
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in 1945, with a changed lever mechanism for the neck octave key. With improved left hand cluster mechanisms introduced around 1949, the Super 20 represented the zenith of H. N. White's achievements as a saxophone manufacturer. The visually and aurally striking horn was one of the most desired ever.
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The First World War interrupted the trade of the Czech instruments, so White sought a domestic supplier in the
Cleveland Musical Instrument Company in 1916. Many of the earliest saxophones supplied by Cleveland Musical Instruments were made for military bands as the United States entered
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development project that produced between one and two dozen prototype saxophones for professional testing in 1995. A hard-headed view of production costs and the state of the market for high-end saxophones convinced UMI that the project was a no-go and production was cancelled.
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company, which produced a distinctive line of trumpets in Los
Angeles, CA, shortly thereafter moving production to Anaheim. King was divested of its Anaheim operation in 1983, then used the Benge name for a different model of trumpet produced in Eastlake.
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770:
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in 1935, H. N. White's position as a leading manufacturer of saxophones was firmly established. In 1937 the Zephyr gained a double-socket neck that eliminated the large collar on the body tube at the neck joint and the
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was a soprano saxophone with a downward curve near the mouthpiece and a bell curved 90 degrees from the body, for optimal playing position and acoustic qualities. With improvements to saxophone design embodied by the
317:. He worked with White to further develop instruments. H. N. White sought to expand its offerings to woodwinds starting in 1908, importing Evette & Schaeffer saxophones and clarinets manufactured by the
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was introduced as a deluxe version with a changed bore, improved keytouches for the left hand table, and mother of pearl inlay on all keytouches. Sterling silver necks and bells became available.
513:, a subsidiary of Steinway MI. Use of the Benge name for brasswinds was discontinued in 2005, although Benge models continue to be manufactured in Anaheim and marketed under the brand
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390:-on tonehole chimneys, which have significant advantages over both the soldered-on and drawn types used by other manufacturers. Brazing was also a relatively high cost process. The
367:, the company received government contracts to assemble radar units and fuses. Edna's daughter, Cathryn White Ludwig, married William F. Ludwig, Jr of the drum-percussion company
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for Thomas King, a local player. It became the company's first successful model when it was adopted by Al Pinard, then a famous trombone player. White later designed other
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King emerged from the 1979 bankruptcy of
Seeburg under the ownership of Seeburg's creditors. In 1983 King was sold to Daniel J. Henkin (1930-2012), owner of
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Super 20 as a professional quality saxophone. The Zephyr model saxophone was discontinued during the early 1970s, followed by the Super 20 model in 1975.
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363:
Henderson White died in 1940. His brother, Hugh E. White, acted as president, and his widow, Edna White, took over as president in 1941. During
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as the profitability and market niche of their domestically-produced saxophones became increasingly problematic. Some saxophones from the
422:, with highly desired lines of woodwind and brass instruments. Several famous musicians were featured playing King instruments, including
293:
The company was founded as the "H.N. White
Company" in 1893 by Henderson White, an engraver and instrument repairman. White designed a
371:. Cathryn was named the Vice-President of H.N. White in 1945, making it one of the few companies in America headed by two women.
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of New York in 1910, White started importing woodwinds from the V. Kohlert
Company, then located in the Czech province of the
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There are examples of Super 20s with serial numbers consistent with late 1980s production dates. Pete Hales of
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In 1935 Foster
Reynolds left his position as General Manager of the H.N. White Company, and founded the rival
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has surmised that UMI assembled some from unused pre-1975 factory stock during that period.
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After four changes of ownership for King
Musical Instruments since 1980, the rights to the
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acquired UMI in 2000. Since 2003, King brand brasswinds are manufactured under
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Company of France. After the import rights for Buffet products were lost to
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360:. The H.N. White Company began producing stringed instruments in 1935.
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H. N. White became a major player in the saxophone market dominated by
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496:. In 1985 Henkin sold his companies to the Swedish investment firm
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470:, then located in West Germany, were imported to be sold as the
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Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States
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Bernhard
Muskantor on the future of United Musical Instruments,
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company. Reynolds would later design the extremely successful
234:
for its instruments. In 1965 the company was acquired by the
644:"King Saxophone History: Great Americans | Sax Gourmet"
745:
446:
Starting in the early 1960s King imported saxophones from
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company of West
Germany were imported to be sold as the
242:, and the name changed to "King Musical Instruments".
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663:"First Women of Brass : The Edna White Story"
418:The King line's run of success continued after
386:during the interwar years. King saxophones had
781:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1983
8:
19:
766:Manufacturing companies established in 1893
313:, a talented brass instrument maker at the
761:Manufacturing companies based in Cleveland
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309:. In 1903, The H.N. White company hired
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16:Musical instrument manufacturing company
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434:. The Zephyr Special was rebranded the
289:H.N. White King logo on instrument case
188:United Musical Instruments (1985–2000)
548:The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
7:
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476:In 1965 the company was sold to the
609:. Contempora Corner. Archived from
450:(SML) of France, to be sold as the
713:. Conn-Selmer, Inc. Archived from
542:White, Mrs. H. N. (17 July 1997).
484:In 1972 Seeburg-King acquired the
356:line of brasswind instruments for
39:King Musical Instruments (1965–80)
14:
344:A disassembled King 606 trombone
37:H. N. White Company (1893–1965)
25:
552:Case Western Reserve University
448:Strasser Marigaux & Lemaire
786:1983 disestablishments in Ohio
582:"The Henderson N. White Story"
439:However, new competition from
1:
665:. The H.N. White Company, LLC
584:. The H.N. White Company, LLC
414:King Super 20 tenor saxophone
104:Company defunct, currently a
507:Steinway Musical Instruments
315:J.W. York & Sons company
257:, who use it as a brand for
255:Steinway Musical Instruments
249:name are currently owned by
192:Steinway Musical Instruments
80:; 131 years ago
776:1893 establishments in Ohio
208:(originally founded as the
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544:"King Musical Instruments"
746:The H.N. White Collection
24:
206:King Musical Instruments
466:of Czechoslovakia, and
327:Austro-Hungarian Empire
742:on Conn-Selmer website
415:
345:
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48:Privately held company
462:Some saxophones from
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343:
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217:manufacturing company
607:"Foster A. Reynolds"
711:"About Conn-Selmer"
478:Seeburg Corporation
369:W.F.L. Drum Company
236:Seeburg Corporation
210:H. N. White Company
177:Seeburg Corporation
69:Musical instruments
21:
613:on 19 January 2013
416:
346:
311:Foster A. Reynolds
301:models, including
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253:, a subsidiary of
214:musical instrument
698:The Music Trades,
511:Conn-Selmer, Inc.
259:brass instruments
251:Conn-Selmer, Inc.
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717:on 15 April 2012
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452:King Marigaux,
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405:Zephyr Special
319:Buffet Crampon
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240:Eastlake, Ohio
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719:. Retrieved
715:the original
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667:. Retrieved
615:. Retrieved
611:the original
586:. Retrieved
555:. Retrieved
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498:Skåne Gripen
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424:Tommy Dorsey
420:World War II
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365:World War II
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323:Carl Fischer
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116:Headquarters
55:(1965–2000)
50:(1893–1965)
44:Company type
685:saxpics.com
460:King Tempo.
432:Harry James
400:King Zephyr
335:World War I
219:located in
160:Conn-Selmer
110:Conn-Selmer
755:Categories
520:References
358:F. E. Olds
354:Ambassador
261:including
229:trade name
53:Subsidiary
700:June 1990
494:C.G. Conn
380:C.G. Conn
307:baritones
267:trombones
221:Cleveland
194:(2000–03)
185:(1983–85)
183:C.G. Conn
179:(1965–80)
142:trombones
121:Cleveland
515:Burbank.
436:Super 20
376:Buescher
295:trombone
263:trumpets
138:Trumpets
134:Products
65:Industry
34:Formerly
721:26 July
669:26 July
617:26 July
588:26 July
557:26 July
468:Kohlert
394:Saxello
303:cornets
281:History
93:Founder
83: (
75:Founded
430:, and
388:brazed
384:Martin
382:, and
273:, and
167:Parent
486:Benge
464:Amati
392:King
271:tubas
156:Owner
146:tubas
106:brand
58:Brand
740:King
723:2010
671:2010
619:2010
590:2010
559:2010
305:and
247:King
232:King
225:Ohio
101:Fate
85:1893
78:1893
20:King
238:of
108:of
757::
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627:^
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546:.
528:^
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561:.
87:)
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