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Saxophones buescher true tone

2112sax

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Hello all
I wondered if anyone had any experience of playing a Buecher True Tone Alto, series 4?
I saw a 1928 one for sale, it needs an overhaul, but I have been considering buying it as early Bueschers usually have quite good reviews, but I am struggling to pin down a review on this one, any advice?
 
My personal experience of Buescher is limited but all positive.

I helped a friend of mine some years ago in choosing an alto and she ended up buying a True Tone (can't remember how old it was but it was old). It had a really really sweet tone and I can't remember any difficulty with the ergonomics.
It seems to me that they were one of the premier manufacturers at that time but sadly (just like HN White and others) weren't able to compete for sales at this level in the long term through the post war (WWII) years.
The Top Hat and Cane models are especially good IMO !!!
 
Fine saxes but IMO a few facts to consider ....

.... these saxes were constructed and built in the 20's and were designed to play the music from that era. You may find that the timbre is differnt. The sound is more "muffed"/"nasal" (smaller tube). Can be hard to blend with other (modern) saxes. But on the other side it might work well as a solo sax.

.... difficulties in finding mouthpieces that work on a sax from the 20's. There are mebers on this forum who are able to play modern mps's on a Beuesher True Tone, but I find it diffucult.

.... the snap-on system is no hit. Hard to find as well. You can buy snap-on pads but the "button" is hard to find. On my True Tone Beuschers the snap-on pads/system is replaced with a modern pads and the "pegs" are removed. I think a website for a pad seller shows how to mount new pads without remove the "pegs".

The Beuschers TT are popular among classic saxplayers. It has a sweet lyrical tone. But even players like Hodges played Beuschers. Like Saxlickers says the Top Hat and Cane models are sought after, among rocksaxplayers. Great tone. Lee Allen played most of his R&B solos on Beushers.

Thomas
 
Thanks Thomas, thats a few sound pointers to consider, I think that I should stick to my original resolution of waiting for the right horn to come along.
many thanks
Geoff
 
I've got a 23A, which is basically a truetone wiith slightly changed bell keys. I love it. Roars, lovely tone. But then I'm not over keen on the dicky tone of modern altos. Doesn't have the snap ins. Not sure if this is normal or someone did the mod to do away with them. Works well with a large chamber mouthpiece (such as my morgan). But I don't like it on Meyer, Selmer S80, Selmer Soloist... Also works well on a Brilhart Personaline W, but they're like hens teeth and just as expensive.

I'm not sure what you mean by series 4. Just check it's not a modern revival of the name, post TH&C. One thing I've heard is that the necks are critical - and you can't interchange necks between truetones of different ages. Not sure how true it is, but would be good to check the neck and sax match properly.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by series 4.

I guess it's the last version of the TT saxes from the late 20's! My TT soprano is a serie 4 but the model was called LP 122 by Beuscher company. I'm not sure Beuscher company used to call thier saxes serie 1, 2 , 3 or 4.

Thomas
 
There have been some reported sharp upper octave problems with the #1 True Tone neck on earlier models. I even had to have a #1 neck re-tapered by Mark Aronson in order to sell a True Tone alto that I had restored. The neck stamped 3 is reportedly the best for intonation.
 
I've had one for years. Plays great, no intonation problems and it works very well with a Yanagisawa metal 7 mouthpiece. Ergonomics are crap, though. Palm keys far too low if you have long fingers. Risers are a must for me.
 
the series 4 is the last series of the TT era and the best. Their production runs from 1927 to 1930 (the TT series started in 1890)


Series IV features both a relatively modern style G# key with 4 rollers on the plateau (as opposed to the button of series 1 and 2 ) and has a front F or quick F allowing for easy access to the altissimo register.

These horns have had several types of necks , sometimes they are marked with a number(1,2 or 3 ) on the tenon or sometimes they were left unmarked.

It is debatable which of these necks is “ better” , some folks find different intonation tendencies.

I have had two TT series 4 , they both played beautifully.
 
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