Saxophones Grafton, who knows more about it?

[ProfJames]

Met Roy today, only had a quick chat but from that concluded that he worked prior to the first showing of the prototype onwards. He recalls with great clarity, who what, where & why, finance etc etc... and would be pleased for this journey to be documented... I'll try & meet up next week...



By the way, they were produced in Bexleyheath, Kent.... now there is a hotel... he still lives 1km away..

questions?

Which Roy? Deakin?

 

[milandro]

I think that the company which was involved in the making the molds for the injection molding of the Grafton was called ( as you could have read in the link that I gave above, but probably didn’t) British Moulded Plastic Limited , at least, in the article, this company is quoted to have been advertising in 1950 to be able to mold a saxophone and since there were never, at the time, any other molded saxophones it must be it.

The horn was named Grafton because Ettore Sommaruga had a small factory in Grafton Way, now as then, just off Tottenham court Rd. He had a company called Grafton Light Engineering Company Limited.

The article that I gave a link to is very exhaustive, read it if you are interested in the Ettore Sommaruga and his inventions.

This is a picture of member Danny which he published at the start of this thread.

 

[c9off]

Which Roy? Deakin?

@ProfJames - my mate Roy! pls see post 20..

 

[Vlad]

I subsequently read the article in the link, very interesting stuff, funny to think of old Bill Lewington in his days as a player, I remember him in the shop at Cambridge Circus, we were often in there , late 70s early 80s, they'd always let you try a few of their used instruments in the little booths at the back, even tho clearly unlikely 'orrible punks like us were going to actually buy one !
Remember Martin Block too, I got him to solder some bits that had come off my Baritone ,Pennsylvania Special , cost me £200 as I recall, ( the bari cost 200 btw, the solder job was 25 quid ! ) happy days eh..🙂

 

[ProfJames]

Punks in Soho...........................not me!

 

[Vlad]

Very different world then and now, Remember the squats in Covent Garden ?
..on a Saturday afternoon the streets round there were deserted, albeit full of rubbish !

 

[ProfJames]

Very different world then and now, Remember the squats in Covent Garden ?
..on a Saturday afternoon the streets round there were deserted, albeit full of rubbish !

Used to go down Carnaby St, then Beak St up to Soho with Mike Barso and Lee Thomson as they dreamt up North London Invaders! Then down to Praed St and the Tumbledown pub and Fangs disco! Then around the corner were the bands playing in Bayswater and Queensway! Halcyon days!

 

[Vlad]

You must have gone to the Music Machine at Mornington Crescent too eh....
..the little blue pills, 3 for a quid nudge nudge !

 

[ProfJames]

Yeah saw some great bands there. Also saw a man painting a naked lady in the foyet (ooh er) before we saw either ABC or some other '80s icon! No blue pills for me though...........colour blind!

Also used ot go to the Blitz Cafe! What a laugh!

 

[Targa]

You must have gone to the Music Machine at Mornington Crescent too eh....
..the little blue pills, 3 for a quid nudge nudge !

Mornington Crescent, you win.

 

[ProfJames]

Used to work for Limelight Film and Video, Ingestre Place, Soho. The owner's sister had a baby from the co-owner of Virgin Records at the time so we ended up having most of the Virgin acts videos to produce. Great times...

 

[Vlad]

^ that sounds like it was a good gig !

 

[c9off]

I think that the company which was involved in the making the molds for the injection molding of the Grafton was called ( as you could have read in the link that I gave above, but probably didn’t) British Moulded Plastic Limited , at least, in the article, this company is quoted to have been advertising in 1950 to be able to mold a saxophone and since there were never, at the time, any other molded saxophones it must be it.

Spoke again with Roy, the pattern & plugs were created & moulded by De a Rue in Walthamstow.
(among other things they also made playing cards!)

@milandro : yes I did read the article, I'm purely asking the questions & posting for those with an interest...

 

[nomad]

I saw one of these plastic saxophones in mint condition, it looked like it had never been touched forget used, for sale in one of the music shops I visited last weekend in Edinburgh, they where selling it for over £4,000.00, closer to £5,000.00, it looked like a very very expesive gimmick to me. For that much cash you are talking about proper good quality metal, not just brass or bronze but also silver, saxophones from very reputable saxophones companies/manufacturers, I couldn't justify forking out that sort of cash for it myself.


Nomad

 

[Ads]

It`s a collectors item end of story and like all collectors items, prices asked way outweigh practical value, look at the price some dinky toys go for , I doubt anyone could warrant paying it as a "Toy Car" for their kid to play with . Likewise no one buys a mint boxed Grafton because it offers an alternative to a Yani 9932 or Rampone Two voices at similar money.....

Graftons can be had far cheaper but not in the same nick or with the same collectors value but even then, no one`s going to buy one as a player .

 

[milandro]

Definitely overpriced many in mint state have been sold for a lot less. The value or the price of anything second hand or antique is not set in stone and can take turns op or down due to the “ spur of the moment.

5000£ is very unrealistic an maybe they just overprice it to keep on having it on display.

 

[nomad]

Definitely overpriced many in mint state have been sold for a lot less. The value or the price of anything second hand or antique is not set in stone and can take turns op or down due to the “ spur of the moment.

5000£ is very unrealistic an maybe they just overprice it to keep on having it on display.

I never looked af it or thought about it from that angle, however it is still one ugly cheap looking plastic saxophone though, no matter how rare or collectabe it is. Out of curiosity I did a search on ebay for them, and found one listed as being in excellent condition with no marks or scratches complete with case going for £1,700.00 buy it now price, I still think it is too much for what amounts to a novelty items myself.

Nomad

 

[ProfJames]

I never looked af it or thought about it from that angle, however it is still one ugly cheap looking plastic saxophone though, no matter how rare or collectabe it is. Out of curiosity I did a search on ebay for them, and found one listed as being in excellent condition with no marks or scratches complete with case going for £1,700.00 buy it now price, I still think it is too much for what amounts to a novelty items myself.

Nomad

They are more than a novelty item................

 

[milandro]

yes, definitely, especially if one can get one of these with no work needed ( which is really the only serious headache that affects any Grafton).

I recommend anyone having any doubts about this not being just a novelty to play a Grafton and see, hear and feel for oneself

This is a proper musical instrument.

Cute though it is, its virtues are not limited to looks and, provided this is adjusted properly ( which is the most difficult thing to do on a horn with coil springs and without the possibility to bend keys without cracking the body) and has good pads (the original ones are by their own nature spongy and are near to impossible to be replaced without causing problems), it will play as well or even better than most vintage or even new saxophones.

I have played two Graftons. One completely repadded and overhauled by the Saxophone Shop in Deventer NL.

This was an incredible saxophone and has been for sale for years because, probably, the collectors wouldn’t like the Toptone pads with which it was equipped ( the Saxophone Shop is one of the last place in the world still applying these incredibly good innovation which few people have ever tried and that was sadly abandoned before reaching the popularity that it deserved).

The other one was cheap but badly refurbished by a technician who traded it against a debt that he had contracted with a player who lent him some money.

This horn played but had a repaired crack in the brace, missed the pants guard, and one rod was incorrectly mounted ( and to mount it correctly it would have needed the horn to be dismantled again!..........you don’t want to do that on this horn!)



If anyone thinks this is a toy, and yes it has shortcomings, think again, this is a serious instrument!

 

[Nick Wyver]

I find the association of plastic and wood to be aesthetically beautiful and the Grafton being an iconic British rarity that is indissociable from maybe the greatest legend of saxophone, Charlie "Bird" Parker himself, I would say it is a very tasty way to present this stand!

You've obviously never played one.