Pictures of your grassi

[simso]

Hey folks, there seems to be stuff all to no information out there on these saxophones and there history ect. Any chances of folks posting pictures of there units and ideas of what year model ect. Just might help us individuals trying to source info a bit easier
Thanks
Steve

[Captain Beeflat]

Not sure Steve what photographs would shew. They all look like saxophones. For instance, the bell brace ring would appear to indicate the date rather than the quality.
We have been led to believe that it is the later horns which are of pro standard...the "Prestige" and, to a greater extent, the "Professional 2000" and "Model 2000"..now it seems that the earlier "Jade Series" is quite a player. All regardless of whether they were equipped with high F# or nickel keywork.
Unusually for me I am not too concerned about the appearance of my Pro 2000...it is de-lacquered and turning more green by the minute. In fact it looks more like a casting than thin gauge sheet metal. What does concern me is the fact that the keywork is as good as it gets and that the sound is more "Selmeresque" than any Selmer that I have either owned or played....I love it.

[simso]

Yep I understand that bit, but unfortunatley Im having no luck trying to work out what era my unit is from, and was hoping people posting pics of theres my show some similaritiees to mine and hence narrow the era down a bit. At the moment I wouldnt have a clue. But would seriously like to know or know what to look for to help narrow it down. As I pointed out in a previous post the serial no on mine is ridiculous, its 1609 but it has key guards and it doesnt use a ring for the bell but a single cross brace, none of it makes any sense and its all contradictory
Can you see my dilemma
Steve

[The A Train]

sismo - The Captain has seen these already but for your bennifit here they are -My GRASSI>
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j271/Medusaman/?action=view&current=Grassi.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j271/Medusaman/?action=view&current=Grassi2.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j271/Medusaman/?action=view&current=Grassi4.jpg

[Captain Beeflat]

simso - I do not know if is significant but as far back as the 60s viz. the "Jade Series", Grassi made Selmer lookalikes, even down to the ring bell brace.
Yours has a Conn bell brace; perhaps, in an earlier era they made Conn lookalikes..just a guess, but yours could be earlier than the 60s...it is highly unlikely that they used both styles of bell brace concurrently.

[simso]

Wow you should be proud mate, that horn looks magnificent. I certainly wouldnt mine owning it, Im assuming its one of the newer models by the engraving model 2000. SWeeeet
Okay thanks cap for the info, so ida maria was like a lot of other companies were they made look a likes and copies or did they just stencil the selmers ect. If everything rings true then Ive got a early conn copys s/no 1609 that wasnt to early because it came with key guards ect
Does anyone no what era ida maria started making saxophones and got some photos of those first few
Thanks for the help so far. This is working out well
Steve

[simso]

Thanks for the info cap, using that theory that ida maria simply copied other peoples ideas, I did some research on the selmers history and found the following info
My ida maria has the keywork and rods running down the left hand side and the bell brace is central and not offset, both of these traits are exactly the same as the selmer mdl 26's (1926) and the jim dorsey mdl (1937) and I do mean exactly to the same points and same reinforcing webs and brackets, the difference however is that the lower tone holes on these selmers are on the left hand side, selmer brought the balanced action out in 1935 where they use sheet metal guards for protection of keywork and low and behold they are identical in every form to the style my ida maria has they also have moved the tone holes to the right but in doing so they have also offset the key rods to move down the centre of the bell and have used the classic ring brace set at a 14 degree angle for clearance of the newly relocated rod work.
So what does all this mean, I think it means mine is around that 35-40 era when selmer changed the rod work to run down the centre and then set the tone holes up on the right, I believe if ida maria was simply copying them this would have been one of there transition models they made to try and catch up with selmer and keep there sales going, there bell brace is still the old selmer style but the tone holes are on the right hand side and they are running the new sheet metal keyguards, which meant at a cursory glance it looked like the new run of 1935 selmer saxes. You may find over the next few years they redesigned there sax to be the same as selmer with the ring
Well that was fun but now I have an answer, does anyone else think this is right or wrong
My serial number 1609 now tie in nicely as well. Also I noticed the jade series which are stated as 60's era have serial numbers around the 25000 and they have GRASSI in a running writing styl, mine is Grassi & C. with the two ss italic'd and its not made in italy but made in milano-italy
It all seems to make sense, but we will see
Steve

[Smooth Sop Berator]

Expecting a comment from Marty any time now.......8-)

[steakboy]

sismo - The Captain has seen these already but for your bennifit here they are -My GRASSI>
[/url]

beautiful horn, a train.

i regret parting with the grassi prestige tenor that i bought from scott taylor in turner, maine back in '92. had it for seven years; terrific horn. getting rid of it was a lapse in judgment.

[simso]

And a follow up photo for you cap, if it helps to identify the unit any better, also the lower joints I notice on the 60's era have floral engravings around the bands, mine are just blank plain bands no floral work

[Captain Beeflat]

simo. You are correct in saying that Selmer repositioned the axles to the centre with the advent of the BA...this was circa 1934. This resulted in a vastly improved ergonomic action for low C#. I am not sure about this, but I believe that the American makers continued to use run the axles down the side...everyone else adopted the "Selmer" keywork ststem; which is now the accepted layout.
Clearly, in the case of your horn, they continued to use the American "down the side" system. It is my guess that any redesign that Grassi would adopt from about 1933 would incorporate the Selmer keywork system. Based on this hypothosis then I would further guess that your horn was designed/copied before that date...but the production life of that model is anyone's guess.

[Captain Beeflat]

As others have shewn us their horns...here is mine. Clearly a gigger, unlacquered with silver graffiti Grassi script and some engraving. Engraving on the crook does not shew up too well....Hey, Ho.1957

1958

1959

[martysax]

Expecting a comment from Marty any time now.......8-)
Before:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/cannabis.jpg


and After:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/cheech201.jpg

[Captain Beeflat]

Almost a shame that it is pronounced Grat sea. :-)

[Smooth Sop Berator]

Ahhh... That's more like it :twisted:

[coolsax2k7]

DUDE!!!:mrgreen:

hide ur stash man!! here come the co.. er, moderators!!:twisted:

[martysax]

DUDE!!!:mrgreen:



DUDE!!?!!?!!

[The A Train]

Finally, another MODEL 2000 like mine>
http://cgi.ebay.com/IDA-MARIA-GROSSI-TENOR-SAXOPHONE-2000-W-CASE-SAX_W0QQitemZ120140518267QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16234Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
For awhile there I thought I owned the only one

[Captain Beeflat]

Advertised as a GrOssi...a baritone perhaps? :-0

[Captain Beeflat]

Sold for £283! The bargains are still out there.