Hi again, I thought I'd start a new thread (part II) with some new pictures, so they don't get lost in the middle of my first post. These pictures are a bit sharper and provide some more detail. I was hoping to get a second look from some of you.
This is a recently purchased Buescher Aristocrat Series I tenor sax (serial 275xxx). My dad and I purchased it for $800, not really knowing much about vintage saxes - I'm a sax player turned "boring accountant", but I just never knew much about vintage horns, or about it's relative condition, other than it looked to be in great shape.
For the first post and more background, see my initial post here.
These new pictures show the color of the lacquer better than my previous post. We took the photos with a better camera (dSLR), so we could get some up close, in focus, good color pictures. So, please have a look at these new pictures and let me know what (additional) thoughts you might have.
Also, I do have several questions:
1) What might be the value of this sax -- same opinion as in initial post, or have the new pictures changed anything? I have no plans to sell it, but I'd just like to know for kicks.
2) What do I do with this thing? When we first got it, we delivered it to a tech to have him look at, but we later changed our mind and went and picked it back up before he did anything to it. We want to be sure we're doing the right things, and only what's necessary. Any advice on what you would do first thing if this horn was in your care? Leave it as is? Find a good tech to do adjustments? Anything
3) Does the new batch of pictures confirm the opinions in the prior post, or change them at all? In the new batch of pictures, you can see signs that the horn definitely had a life prior to sitting in the last owner's closet for likely several decades (he wasn't a sax player). Any negatives stand out to your eye (e.g., the neck opening on the body has some corrosion, one of the few spots).
4) In the engraving below the serial number, and in a few other places (e.g., on the case), it reads "True Tone" and "Low Pitch". I thought True Tones were before the Series I horns. My serial 275xxx falls into the series I range. What's the deal here -- do all Series I's say "True Tone" on them?
5) What do you think of the "Buescher" reed sleeve -- it was in the case, and I'm guessing the sax probably hasn't been played since around the time that this reed was purchased. Any guesses on the date of this type of sleeve? I forgot to get my dad to take a picture of the read itself (I'll ask).
6) The neck only goes in about 75% of the way, and we don't want to force it. Not sure why yet. Does the neck look original? How would I know if it's a matching neck? I'm guessing the neck opening on the body is just too tight together -- something to do with the corrosion there, but I have no idea how to adjust this, and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it myself...suggestions?
7) Anything else...I have a lot of questions and don't know where to start. Probably I'll have more when I finally get to hold and play (maybe in January).
By the way, thank you for the great responses to my prior post!!! You guys are so knowledgeable, and I really appreciate you helping me learn more about this beautiful vintage horn. This forum is awesome!
On to the pictures...
This is a recently purchased Buescher Aristocrat Series I tenor sax (serial 275xxx). My dad and I purchased it for $800, not really knowing much about vintage saxes - I'm a sax player turned "boring accountant", but I just never knew much about vintage horns, or about it's relative condition, other than it looked to be in great shape.
For the first post and more background, see my initial post here.
These new pictures show the color of the lacquer better than my previous post. We took the photos with a better camera (dSLR), so we could get some up close, in focus, good color pictures. So, please have a look at these new pictures and let me know what (additional) thoughts you might have.
Also, I do have several questions:
1) What might be the value of this sax -- same opinion as in initial post, or have the new pictures changed anything? I have no plans to sell it, but I'd just like to know for kicks.
2) What do I do with this thing? When we first got it, we delivered it to a tech to have him look at, but we later changed our mind and went and picked it back up before he did anything to it. We want to be sure we're doing the right things, and only what's necessary. Any advice on what you would do first thing if this horn was in your care? Leave it as is? Find a good tech to do adjustments? Anything
3) Does the new batch of pictures confirm the opinions in the prior post, or change them at all? In the new batch of pictures, you can see signs that the horn definitely had a life prior to sitting in the last owner's closet for likely several decades (he wasn't a sax player). Any negatives stand out to your eye (e.g., the neck opening on the body has some corrosion, one of the few spots).
4) In the engraving below the serial number, and in a few other places (e.g., on the case), it reads "True Tone" and "Low Pitch". I thought True Tones were before the Series I horns. My serial 275xxx falls into the series I range. What's the deal here -- do all Series I's say "True Tone" on them?
5) What do you think of the "Buescher" reed sleeve -- it was in the case, and I'm guessing the sax probably hasn't been played since around the time that this reed was purchased. Any guesses on the date of this type of sleeve? I forgot to get my dad to take a picture of the read itself (I'll ask).
6) The neck only goes in about 75% of the way, and we don't want to force it. Not sure why yet. Does the neck look original? How would I know if it's a matching neck? I'm guessing the neck opening on the body is just too tight together -- something to do with the corrosion there, but I have no idea how to adjust this, and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it myself...suggestions?
7) Anything else...I have a lot of questions and don't know where to start. Probably I'll have more when I finally get to hold and play (maybe in January).
By the way, thank you for the great responses to my prior post!!! You guys are so knowledgeable, and I really appreciate you helping me learn more about this beautiful vintage horn. This forum is awesome!
On to the pictures...