Grassi saxophones models

[Jules S1397]

Grassi Models

-Leader (no photo available)
-Professional
-Wonderfull
-Prestige
-2000 (no photo)
-professional 2000
-A lot of new Taiwanese horns
And some people are speculating about the ''Jade version'' but thats probably
an old Prestige

-Professional alto

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1662/3210bs8.th.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3210bs8.jpg)

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7967/3260id4.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3260id4.jpg)

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9203/akatosi93img450x6001195re4.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akatosi93img450x6001195re4.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5975/akatosi93img450x6001195xy2.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akatosi93img450x6001195xy2.jpg)

Another Alto serial nr. 8xxx

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3859/grassialto8xxx1xr8.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx1xr8.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6944/grassialto8xxx2qw5.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx2qw5.jpg)

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5163/grassialto8xxx3hq3.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx3hq3.jpg)

-Professional Tenor serial nr. 9xxx

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/378/tenor9xxxprofessional1ab4.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional1ab4.jpg)

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2058/tenor9xxxprofessional2hk1.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional2hk1.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3082/tenor9xxxprofessional3ig0.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional3ig0.jpg)

[Jules S1397]

-Prestige Alto serial nr. 37xxx

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8617/grassiusaprestigealto37ex6.th.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassiusaprestigealto37ex6.jpg)

-Prestige Tenor serial nr. 17xxx (Jade Series)

I got a Prestige tenor just like this one serial nr. 19xxx with the jade inlay and it plays extremely well!!!

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8373/tsgrassinr35552gr3.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tsgrassinr35552gr3.jpg)

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/6932/grassijadesn171261je0.th.jpg (http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassijadesn171261je0.jpg)

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5706/grassijade2di4.th.jpg (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassijade2di4.jpg)

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6792/grassijade3lh5.th.jpg (http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassijade3lh5.jpg)

-Professional 2000 alt serial nr. 87xxx

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5674/grassialtpro20002av3.th.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialtpro20002av3.jpg)

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7131/grassialtpro20003ac6.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialtpro20003ac6.jpg)

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7475/grassialtpro20004rc9.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialtpro20004rc9.jpg)


So if you have any photos of the leader, wonderfull, and 2000 post them!

[J.Max]

The "jade series" probably is an old Prestige, although I've never heard it called that. Good to know if that's the name...there seems to be a lot of confusion on these.

I'll get pics of my 2000s up later. They're the same as the "Professional 2000s" as far as I can tell (I've owned both).

[milandro]

I have a 190XX SN baritone jade rollers, can't find anywhere any particular mention of the series but apparently Grassi never produced a baritone in a less than professional series. The Significance of the Jade rollers could be this one. It is amazing that so very little is known of the history of this brand.

[Jules S1397]

I have a 190XX SN baritone jade rollers, can't find anywhere any particular mention of the series but apparently Grassi never produced a baritone in a less than professional series. The Significance of the Jade rollers could be this one.
Could you post some pictures of that Bari, that would be nice!

It is amazing that so very little is known of the history of this brand.
Indeed, it is very strange that there is nothing to bee found about maria grassi.... but i Found an adress & phone number :cheers: haven't tried it yet though...

Ida Maria Grassi
Via A Martini 15
20092 Cinisello Basamo (mi) Italy
02-66047969

[Jules S1397]

The "jade series" probably is an old Prestige, although I've never heard it called that. Good to know if that's the name...there seems to be a lot of confusion on these.

Well i'm not 100% sure of the name some italian guy called it the prestige, but it also could be the ''wondeful'' model, I never saw any picture of that series.
Same story with that ''Professional model'' could be the ''Leader'' its al so vague....

[milandro]

Jules, this number probably refers to the modern Grassi company which is little more than a trading company, they sell Oriental horns which they do not produce. The old company was in Quarna di Sotto the same town where Rampone & Cazzani is. I will post some pictures of the Baritone when I get back to Holland (I am in Italy at the moment) and I will retrieve it from my technician.

[pakito1]

Seems that this village has a big musical history... being so small and producing such great horns!

There is a website of their Brass & Woodwinds museums

I think those Grassi freaks in the forum will appreciate ;-)

http://www.quarnasotto.com/museo.htm

http://www.quarnasotto.com/graphic/gra%20index/welcome.jpg

[J.Max]

Pictures of my old Grassi Professional 2000 alto:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/DarthViolence/grassi1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/DarthViolence/grassi2.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/DarthViolence/grassi3.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/DarthViolence/grassi4.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/DarthViolence/grassi5.jpg

[J.Max]

I'll try and get pictures of my (current) alto, tenor and soprano later.

[DavyRay]

Jules,
I'm curious about the photos of the tenor. There was a eBay auction recently with the very same photos on it. I wonder how you know it's a professional (since the seller did not seem to know this).

The ebay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160184985114


Grassi Models

-Leader (no photo available)
-Professional
-Wonderfull (no photo available)
-Prestige
-2000 (no photo)
-professional 2000
-A lot of new Taiwanese horns
And some people are speculating about the ''Jade version'' but thats probably
an old Prestige

-Professional alto

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1662/3210bs8.th.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3210bs8.jpg)

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7967/3260id4.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3260id4.jpg)

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9203/akatosi93img450x6001195re4.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akatosi93img450x6001195re4.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5975/akatosi93img450x6001195xy2.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akatosi93img450x6001195xy2.jpg)

Another Alto serial nr. 8xxx

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3859/grassialto8xxx1xr8.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx1xr8.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6944/grassialto8xxx2qw5.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx2qw5.jpg)

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5163/grassialto8xxx3hq3.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grassialto8xxx3hq3.jpg)

-Professional Tenor serial nr. 9xxx

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/378/tenor9xxxprofessional1ab4.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional1ab4.jpg)

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2058/tenor9xxxprofessional2hk1.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional2hk1.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3082/tenor9xxxprofessional3ig0.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tenor9xxxprofessional3ig0.jpg)

[milandro]

I've published foto's of my baritone in this other thread
http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=70755

[J.Max]

That tenor is not a Professional 2000. It's an older model Professional horn...it's the same horn as the Martin Busine, probably made in the 60s.

[Perry Cobb]

I used to play an old Grassi tenor back in high school....not sure what model it was.

[DavyRay]

I have that very tenor Grassi here now (the one with the black fabric background). It was on eBay, and I bought it. The bell engraving includes "Ida Maria Grassi". The only mark at the right thumb is:

9280
MADE IN ITALY

(The above is in tiny letters).

UPS brought it this evening, and have not played it yet.

[Yellowhorn]

The LH table of the 2000 model looks like the one of SML!

[Jules S1397]

Found this on the internet
A ''wonderfull'' model

It's really different from the other models!

-the keywork is silverplated (not nickel) and selmer style
-The Bell brace is different
-And look at those huge pearl buttons, they were standard on this specific saxophone!
Don't know how it plays but looks fancy! haha

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/7655/dsc00742dr2.th.jpg (http://img182.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00742dr2.jpg)
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7057/dsc00743ft6.th.jpg (http://img179.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00743ft6.jpg)
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9623/dsc00745yr9.th.jpg (http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00745yr9.jpg)
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6942/dsc00751xf7.th.jpg (http://img293.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00751xf7.jpg)
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5519/dsc00741ae0.th.jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00741ae0.jpg)

[milandro]

Yep, that's the one! And if this pictures come from Holland it might very well be the one I've just bought :)....nice isn't it?

[Jules S1397]

yeah thats the one.
I wanted to buy it, but I wasn't fast enough..... how much did you pay for it milandro?

[milandro]

a fair price :)....sorry about that man!

[milosr]

Hi, is it posible to find with S N when is my alto developed

[J.Max]

No, but we can give you a rough idea if you post pictures.

[milandro]

There are no official charts for Grassi serial numbers . The company has changed management and, although still in business, is in fact only a trading company nowadays and they sell oriental horns. Maybe someone has the archives (the Quarna di sotto museum ?) but it is not clear who.

[Le Grand]

My son is playing his Trumpet for the Central California Youth Symphony on a trip to Italy, which is leaving on the 17th of March. My wife and I will be going along, and I found this site because I was trying to find some info on my old Ida Maria Grassi Alto sax. It has the serial number 11143, which is 'burned' into my memory, and I had hoped to find some information as to when it was made.
My parents bought it for me in Merced, California sometime around 1965. (Boy, can I date myself??!) Anyhow, it has a wonderful tone, and was very easy to play. I had the pads redone back in the late 1990's, but have had soooo much on my plate lately, that I haven't been able to even get it out of it's case, let alone play it.
If anyone has any info on the serial number, would love to hear about it.
I got the address of the Ida Maria Grassi company, and hope it's near one of the cities I'll be visiting next week.

[J.Max]

My son is playing his Trumpet for the Central California Youth Symphony on a trip to Italy, which is leaving on the 17th of March. My wife and I will be going along, and I found this site because I was trying to find some info on my old Ida Maria Grassi Alto sax. It has the serial number 11143, which is 'burned' into my memory, and I had hoped to find some information as to when it was made.
My parents bought it for me in Merced, California sometime around 1965. (Boy, can I date myself??!) Anyhow, it has a wonderful tone, and was very easy to play. I had the pads redone back in the late 1990's, but have had soooo much on my plate lately, that I haven't been able to even get it out of it's case, let alone play it.
If anyone has any info on the serial number, would love to hear about it.
I got the address of the Ida Maria Grassi company, and hope it's near one of the cities I'll be visiting next week.

Cool.

That would have been when Gretsch was importing them, so that's helpful for the serial chart...

[pumatheman]

hi folks!
I've found a soprano link: http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300248193547 and it is marked only as PROFESSIONAL (without the "2000") it is from 1986 and I would like to know from you "great Grassi Docs", what kind of model is it and if it can be compared to the 2000 model,
it has s/n 51XXX, golded keys instead of the nikeled ones of the 2000, and f# key as well
thanks in advance!

[frasermanx]

I just bought a Tenor Grassi with the round Selmer style bell brace ... this horn is good!!! Serial 8688 -- its a keeper ! I will post pix after I clean and de-lacquer. Brass with nickel keys. Great tone ! I think the round brace is the indicator of the earlier PRO models. Also engraved ferrules similar to Selmer --- copying? Also the neck octave arm has a G on it - but that looks like a later model neck. I am sure this is a 60's horn

..but I could be wrong
Frz

[milandro]

I think the round brace is the indicator of the earlier PRO models

..but I could be wrong
Frz

I am afraid that almost all models of Grassis were built with a round brace, The famous jade rollers were not a PRO model, although they were good, and they had a round brace too.

[frasermanx]

There is Tenor Grassi on ebay right now with a bent nail type bell brace similar to Beaunigner but my grassi has round brace and engraved ferrules. Tone is great !

[milandro]

can you send a Link, I can only find Grassi saxophones with round braces? Grassi began making saxophones in the early'60 and they were immediately influenced by Selmer . They went as far as to have an almost identical logo, true that many models didn't have anything to do with Selmers, construction-wise or otherwise other than the brace and the logo (but from the '70 on they did at least acquire the balanced action while the side octave stayed different and looked like a Yamaha more than a Selmer)

[frasermanx]

170286762108 search for this item at ebay.com This model looks like horns made in Taiwan.

Pix of my Grassi. I always buy horns that need lots of work !

[milandro]

cheers Frasermanx! I see it, interesting. I've never seen a Grassi with a brace other than the circular one (if that is original.... but it looks like it is).Once again, the claims that the Grassi were all Selmer copies (I use to think so before I owned 3) are mostly based on that brace, looking well, they are more like Buffet saxophones than Selmer.

You horn looks pretty bashed but I guess that beauty is in the eye of the beholder , right! ;) :), have fun with it. Other that that your horn is practically the same as the one on e-bay and the same as the jade rollers models.

[clayman]

Hi to all Grassi owners and saxophone players,
I have been playing alto saxophone for about 3 years and still a beginner.
I bought a Grassi alto about 2 months ago in France. I didn't know anything about Grassi before I saw this battered looking sax in a pawn shop (By the way, thanks for all this threads about Ida Maria Grassi). I was looking for a cheap sax to work on and this one was selling for 90 euros (about 110 $ US). So I just had a quick look at it, went back home, thought about it overnight and bought it the following day !
The serial number is 34xxx (from 1976 according to the chart posted by Milandro, thanks by the way), there is no model name and no F#.
I started working on it trying to figure out what was wrong with it as it was almost impossible to play. Not being an expert in instruments repair it took some time before I finally reach the day when it could be played properly. Actually, I spent quite a few nights cleaning, repadding, adjusting and readjusting (and again & again).

So a few days ago I finally had my grassi ready to play. I took out my Yamaha Alto YAS25,and played the two horns side by side. I always thought my YAS25 was a nice horn but when I played the Grassi I realized there was something missing in the YAS25. Despite the fact that I was less comfortable on the Grassi, I couldn't stop playing it. The sound was much more lively, deep and just made me want to play whereas the Yamaha sounded a bit cold and inexpressive (sorry for the yamaha fans out there or maybe it 's just me).
So I finally got used to the dodgy ergonomics on the Grassi (especially left hand pinky cluster) and sold my Yamaha. Now my main horn (and only horn) is this 90 euros Grassi.
So here are a few pictures. Could you tell me more about this model. Student model ? any name ? any experience ?

[milandro]

you certainly did very well. The LH table looks a bit different from my Wonderful model which is of the same vintage, other than that is a great sax and you cannot beat it for the money, in fact these are seriously undervalued saxophones which deserve a better fame.

[J.Max]

I agree, that's an old Professional model. Very good horns.