After the fall of the Berlin wall, VEB Blechblas- und Signal-Instrumenten-Fabrik (B&S)—new pages coming—transitioned into the Vogtländische Musikinstrumentenfabrik GmbH Markneukirchen (VMI). Some sections of the national corporation that had been appropriated by the government were liberated once more, while others—such as Hüller—were closed down. After this point in time, VMI only produced standard brass instruments such as horns, trombones, tubas, trumpets, and saxophones.
Despite the company’s return to private ownership, VMI continued producing both Weltklang and B&S blue label horns for a few more years—some of which I have called transitional. It wasn’t until 1991, when they introduced the 2001 series, that it truly stepped onto the world stage as a saxophone maker.
Sadly, VMI ceased its saxophone production in 2005.
These pages of The New Bassic Sax are dedicated to the various models of saxophones that VMI made that really did propel them to the top of the saxophone world for a very brief moment in time—as well as the lesser models that came along for the ride.
Pro model Vogtländische Musikinstrumentenfabrik GmbH Markneukirchen (VMI) horns
- Series 2001
- Guardala Model
- Codera Model
- Medusa Model
- When is a stencil not a stencil?
Scans of printed materials
- Codera Brochure
- 1992 David Guardala Pamphlet
- 1994 David Guardala Brochure
- 2001 Series Alto Brochure
- 2001 Series Tenor Brochure
- B&S Saxophones in 1999
- Medusa Saxophone Brochure
- B&S Medusa Saxophone Dealer Prospectus
Intermediate & student lines
- 1000 Series
- Intermediate Level Stencils (Stencils of the Series 1000)
- 500 Series
- 600 Series
Note for 2025
It should go without saying that this section, like the rest of the site, is a work in progress. As more of the site gets restored, more pages and links will appear. 