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Buescher neck replacements: what works?

8K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  Skoothondjie 
#1 ·
What have you experienced as good replacements for Buescher (alto) necks? And please tell why they are good.
 
#6 ·
Are you missing the neck, is that the deal ? Or do you have it and just want another, different one ?

As noted in the other thread you had going on the same subject...you need to get some dimensions of a proper period TT neck and then start doing some comparisons....

So...it might be a nice idea to start a thread asking folks to chime in w/ their TT neck dimensions....

Another Buescher-related horn is a good idea...BUT... from a TT to a Bundy I....and all points in-between...that's a big span, so I am gonna guess that there were some neck design changes in those 50 years.

You could conceivably pick up a 20A stencil of some sort for around $100 and score the neck...but again....it's possible the neck wouldn't work, so it's a bit of a roll-the-dice scenario.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the tips.

Yes, I have a TT neck (unmarked) that is too frustrating to play. Was looking for another neck.
Seeing that the dimensions of my neck tenon is the same as most modern horns I went ahead and bought a Phil Barone neck. If this doesn't clash with the Buescher keywork it should play very well.
 
#8 ·
I have my doubts that was the right move, but I wish you luck on it.

It might be far less maddening to simply get a different horn, perhaps a later TT or an Aristocrat if you want to keep with the Buescher brand... especially considering that whatever sax the neck was made for that you'd use to fix yours probably doesn't have the flaw to begin with, and might just have a more updated keywork layout. I have also heard of mods people have done to make the upper end of an early TT play less sharp. I assume that's the problem you're battling. I've experienced it first hand while vintage alto shopping, and it's frustrating to say the least.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the luck-wishing. I'll find out soon enough if it was a terrible idea or not.

The issues you explained above is not the reason why I needed another neck. Also thank you for trying to help, but I would not like to discuss my neck issues here (I'll do this in another post) as this was not the intention of this thread.

The question I'm trying to get answered here is:

Buescher players, have you experimented with and found that other necks work well on your horns?

Hope this makes more sense.
 
#13 ·
Be assured, I meant no disrespect. It's just that modern horns have a different bore than the old Bueschers, and it's likely the volume dimensions of the neck will be different between a modern neck and the Buescher one. I saw an excellent presentation once on how to start looking for an alternate neck for your sax. It involved buzzing into the end of the original neck like a trumpet, and then doing the same on candidate replacement necks until you find one that's similar pitch. That would indicate the internal volume of the tube is at least close, which should mean it would be less likely to have intonation problems on your particular instrument. The tenon diameter doesnt' really mean all that much as tubing can be stretched and contracted.

And, the suggestions of the "01" neck are probably right on, it just feels like a sin to make a nice aristocrat effectively a parts horn by removing its neck.

Gloger can make anything to about any specification, so if you want to go that route, I'd ask for them to fab up as close to an "01" as possible.

On the positive side, if the Barone neck doesnt work, there's a ton of modern horns out there that it will work on, I doubt you'll be stuck with it.
 
#11 ·
I also play a New Aristocrat 01 neck on my True Tone alto (228,XXX). The original 1 neck plays sharp above A2 and has other intonational quirks down low (notably a flat G1 and A1). The 01 neck cleans up all issues quite nicely. Though this has never been confirmed by body/bore measurements, I suspect my late model True Tone with an 01 neck is basically a New Aristocrat in disguise.

If your problem is sharpness up top, many folks here have done modifications to their True Tone alto necks. Search the site including the key word "insert*".
 
#18 ·
Anything works on a Buescher alto. I've used Balanced Action necks, Yamaha Custom necks, I've made a couple of necks from scratch, but it's really a major undertaking for a horn that essentially performs well on most necks. At the most, you'll need to adjust the octave pip diameter (and the neck key of course)

What's the issue with the original neck?
 
#20 ·
Thanks for that tip.
My neck? It's an unmarked neck. The problem is excessive windyness. It makes a hissing sound. It sounds more like a snake than a sax. The problem disappears when I put other necks - well, at least all the other necks I've tried - in it, though.
 
#19 ·
Juan, the new avatar is scaring me.....
 
#28 ·
Thanks! I sincerely hope you're right. Won't hold you responsible if it is in fact not the culprit. It's hard to guess these things from a distance. Your guess, at least, looks like a fairly educated one.

Just to make sure that I understand what needs to be resoldered: The underpart of the neck which fits into the sax and the upper part of the sax which the neck fits into?
 
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