stevesklar
03-14-2004, 10:27 PM
I've been looking at acquiring a Signet tenor. But info on it's "tone" is hard to come by. Some ppl say "lush" and big.
My question, based on the below quote, is how do ppl find the Signet tenors (with the "S" brace an left bell keys) to be overall compared to say a more modern Mk 7 or SA80 II/III ? Or Yamaha, Yana, etc based on your experience ?
Of course, I know the player, mpc, reed, etc. all make a difference, but thinking all things being equal what are the perceptions out there?
I've found this link
http://www.harrybakker.nl/SXT_CDML/infoserienummersbuescher.htm
which has serial numbers and this description
"The first Buescher horns (pronounced "Bisher") were manufactured in 1888. Serial numbers up to approximately 4000 were produced prior to the fire at the Elkhart, IN Buescher plant in 1905, when all records are believed to have been destroyed. The "Buescher 400" was their professional entry into the Saxophone market. They also made a saxophone labeled "The Aristocrat" at the same time. This tends to be a bit misleading as this model was not marketed as a "Student" instrument as such, but yet another entry into the marketplace. What distinguished the Buescher 400 from the Aristocrat was a larger bell, silver plated key mechanism with a lacquered brass body, highly ornate raised engraving, and options of silver or gold plating for the body and key mechanism, the patented "Norton" threaded gold-plated springs, and, the underslung octave key on the neckpiece. This model had slightly larger inner bore dimensions than other models of the period which gave them a bigger sound more conducive to Jazz. The "Aristocrat", on the other hand, was a decidedly "sweeter" sounding instrument, yet still very powerful. It seems that the earlier versions of the "400" are preferable to the latter entries. Some believe that the "400's" made by the Selmer Co. (after they purchased Buescher in 1963) were not up the quality of the earlier versions. After Buescher was purchased by Selmer, the "400" became the "Signet" and the "Aristocrat" became the "Bundy"; same looks but drastically different bore dimensions. The original Bueschers were each "handmade" instruments, and incorporated Adolphe Sax's unique design of a parabolically curved bore design. "
My question, based on the below quote, is how do ppl find the Signet tenors (with the "S" brace an left bell keys) to be overall compared to say a more modern Mk 7 or SA80 II/III ? Or Yamaha, Yana, etc based on your experience ?
Of course, I know the player, mpc, reed, etc. all make a difference, but thinking all things being equal what are the perceptions out there?
I've found this link
http://www.harrybakker.nl/SXT_CDML/infoserienummersbuescher.htm
which has serial numbers and this description
"The first Buescher horns (pronounced "Bisher") were manufactured in 1888. Serial numbers up to approximately 4000 were produced prior to the fire at the Elkhart, IN Buescher plant in 1905, when all records are believed to have been destroyed. The "Buescher 400" was their professional entry into the Saxophone market. They also made a saxophone labeled "The Aristocrat" at the same time. This tends to be a bit misleading as this model was not marketed as a "Student" instrument as such, but yet another entry into the marketplace. What distinguished the Buescher 400 from the Aristocrat was a larger bell, silver plated key mechanism with a lacquered brass body, highly ornate raised engraving, and options of silver or gold plating for the body and key mechanism, the patented "Norton" threaded gold-plated springs, and, the underslung octave key on the neckpiece. This model had slightly larger inner bore dimensions than other models of the period which gave them a bigger sound more conducive to Jazz. The "Aristocrat", on the other hand, was a decidedly "sweeter" sounding instrument, yet still very powerful. It seems that the earlier versions of the "400" are preferable to the latter entries. Some believe that the "400's" made by the Selmer Co. (after they purchased Buescher in 1963) were not up the quality of the earlier versions. After Buescher was purchased by Selmer, the "400" became the "Signet" and the "Aristocrat" became the "Bundy"; same looks but drastically different bore dimensions. The original Bueschers were each "handmade" instruments, and incorporated Adolphe Sax's unique design of a parabolically curved bore design. "