Buescher 400 THC tenor MPC woes

[jicaino]

Hey there guys

I have limited experience with 400's THC tenors. I'm taming one right now that has the best lively fat full tone I have ever played on a tenor, including other 2 400 THC and several other good horns

I'm stumped as for MPC matching. My florida link behaves like a small squeeze chamber MPC on this horn. Also I have to pull the MPC a lot to get things in tune, when I usually put my MPC's all the way in on other saxophones.

I had to change the body octave pip for correcting intonation. Body is straight and had only minor dents, most dents were on the bow, followed by the neck but nothing really major or bad so I would suspect drastic reshaping done there.

I have the feel of playing a Bb baritone instead of a tenor. Diaphragm support, emission, etc, calls for baritonistic technique. I have tried it with a couple of bari MPC's and actually works better than with tenor MPCs, that's how big a chamber this tenor likes.

Suggestions? your setup if you use a 400 THC tenor?

Thanks!

[SactoPete]

Hey there guys

I have limited experience with 400's THC tenors. I'm taming one right now that has the best lively fat full tone I have ever played on a tenor, including other 2 400 THC and several other good horns

I'm stumped as for MPC matching. My florida link behaves like a small squeeze chamber MPC on this horn. Also I have to pull the MPC a lot to get things in tune, when I usually put my MPC's all the way in on other saxophones.

I had to change the body octave pip for correcting intonation. Body is straight and had only minor dents, most dents were on the bow, followed by the neck but nothing really major or bad so I would suspect drastic reshaping done there.

I have the feel of playing a Bb baritone instead of a tenor. Diaphragm support, emission, etc, calls for baritonistic technique. I have tried it with a couple of bari MPC's and actually works better than with tenor MPCs, that's how big a chamber this tenor likes.

Suggestions? your setup if you use a 400 THC tenor?

Thanks!

I really like mine with a high-baffle RPC. Big chamber, husky sound, but good cut.

[BigHunk]

I agree with SactoPete,When I had my TH&C I played it with a RPC .115B and it was a perfect match.in my opinion there is nothing like the TH&C horns,Im trying to get mine back as its the one horn out them all I really regret selling.

Anyone know where I can find a TH&C tenor???

[jicaino]

A mexican member here (goes by the handle of thearreglator) had one very good THC for sale. I didin't get it because I have recently made a huge investment in machines and shop relocation, and since mid february I haven't been collecting as smooth as I used so I'm kind of tight.

Sactopete, what about intonation with a high baffled MPC? can you send me one or two pictures of the RPC so I can see the chamber? I'm not sure I can get an RPC down here.

[JL]

Sactopete, what about intonation with a high baffled MPC? can you send me one or two pictures of the RPC so I can see the chamber? I'm not sure I can get an RPC down here.

jicaino, I doubt you'd have any intonation problems with an RPC mpc. I use one on two different Buescher Arisocrats (series one & 156) and on my MKVI; three very different tenors, but the RPC works exceptionally well on all of them. I don't have a TH&C, unfortunately, but I'd be surprised if the RPC wasn't a great match for that horn.

The RPC baffle is not that big (at least not on the two I own, a 120B & 115B), and combined with the large tip opening and big chamber, you can get a big fat tone. The baffle adds maybe a bit of edge and volume (PLENTY of volume!). Of course Ron can make you one without a baffle, or a small rollover.

More info here on these mpcs. I'm obviously a fan after trying a lot of what's out there:

http://www.saxmpc.com/index.html

If you order one, you'll have to be patient. Patience is a virtue (I heard that somewhere).

[Enviroguy]

It sounds like something is very wrong with that 400. It should blow very easily. Maybe a little slower on response than a small-bore tenor, but not much. And the Link should be a good match. I suspect a leak.

[awholley]

The lower-baffled RPC is working wonderfully on my 400 tenor. It's the first time I have EVER been happy with my tenor setup....

[ratracer]

I agree with SactoPete,When I had my TH&C I played it with a RPC .115B and it was a perfect match.in my opinion there is nothing like the TH&C horns,Im trying to get mine back as its the one horn out them all I really regret selling.

Anyone know where I can find a TH&C tenor???

Check this thread out:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=107414

[Bob M]

Interesting discussion. I have a 400TH&C and the horn seems to be generally very mouthpiece friendly. Having said that, I just got a Fred Rast Soloist (Fred dramatically enlarges the chamber and makes kind of a wedge baffle out of the remaining material) which works great on my Conns, but I wasn't so happy with the way it worked on my TH&C. I wonder if the chamber is too big?

Anybody try a regular Soloist (or scroll shank) on a TH&C? I wonder if the normal horse shoe configuration would work better?

[jicaino]

jicaino, I doubt you'd have any intonation problems with an RPC mpc. I use one on two different Buescher Arisocrats (series one & 156) and on my MKVI; three very different tenors, but the RPC works exceptionally well on all of them. I don't have a TH&C, unfortunately, but I'd be surprised if the RPC wasn't a great match for that horn.
The RPC baffle is not that big (at least not on the two I own, a 120B & 115B), and combined with the large tip opening and big chamber, you can get a big fat tone. The baffle adds maybe a bit of edge and volume (PLENTY of volume!). Of course Ron can make you one without a baffle, or a small rollover.
More info here on these mpcs. I'm obviously a fan after trying a lot of what's out there:
http://www.saxmpc.com/index.html
If you order one, you'll have to be patient. Patience is a virtue (I heard that somewhere).

Thanks! I'll check up on those. They look nifty!


It sounds like something is very wrong with that 400. It should blow very easily. Maybe a little slower on response than a small-bore tenor, but not much. And the Link should be a good match. I suspect a leak.
It is indeed very free blowing. Nothing leaks. I'm used to big, BIG bore horns (I play on a 15.67mm bore Bb clarinet... I know it's not good to compare apples with oranges but still) I just notice that I have to "extend" the lenght needed for tuning up on similar horns (aristocrats). Then again if the bore is bigger, for the same pitch you need more tubing (this holds true for cylindrical bored instruments, I don't know about tapered ones)
The horn's a pleasure to play, but I notice that it likes bigger chambers than what I've played on jazz tenors so far. The other 400's I've tried I haven't stick around them for long, so I cannot really comment on wether this is an issue from this particular instrument or I'd have the same problem on other 400's tenors.


The lower-baffled RPC is working wonderfully on my 400 tenor. It's the first time I have EVER been happy with my tenor setup....
Thanks! is that a THC or a later 400? Just for knowing, yours an A baffle? thanks.

[awholley]

Mine is a later 400 (post Selmer, but still with Nortons, snaps, engraving and underslung neck), but acoustically it shouldn't make any difference.

I went to the RPC web site, and it appears that mine would be like the A rollover baffle. I can't say that it is that for sure because the seller threw in two mouthpieces with the sax. It is definitely not a high-baffle model.

I got a great-playing 400 and the RPC for a total of $687! Perhaps the best deal I've gotten off of eBay.

[JL]

I went to the RPC web site, and it appears that mine would be like the A rollover baffle. I can't say that it is that for sure because the seller threw in two mouthpieces with the sax. It is definitely not a high-baffle model.

Usually Ron scratches something on the RPC mpc to indicate the opening and whether it has a baffle or not. Take a magnifying glass and look to see. If it says something like "115B" that would indicate a tip opening of .115 and a baffle. Maybe he puts an "R" for rollover(?), but I don't know. The baffle on my 115 is pretty low and doesn't look like a typical baffle, but it's there nonetheless. On my 120, the baffle is more pronounced.

It's always best to talk to Ron on the phone and tell him exactly what you are looking for. He's pretty good at giving you what you want.

And of course there are other mpcs that should work on a TH&C.

[awholley]

RPC in red letters. 95 (no letter) scratched next to the table, and a 95 very faintly visible (as if done with a pencil eraser) on the top of the mouthpiece.

As I said, it's definitely some version of one of his lower-baffled pieces.

[Jazz House]

How about a Caravan opened up and with some baffle? :twisted: