Saxophones Grassi Saxophones

jthole · Jun 3, 2022

@DavidUK looks like an earlier model to me. A professional maybe?

My bari is a Professional; slightly quirky ergonomics, but a killer sound.

DavidUK · Jun 3, 2022

No, it would say "Professional" by the thumb hook.
I wouldn't buy a Professional anyhow, only a 2000 Professional.

jthole · Jun 3, 2022

DavidUK said:
No, it would say "Professional" by the thumb hook.
I wouldn't buy a Professional anyhow, only a 2000 Professional.

Well, it's definitely not a Professional 2000.

Yes, the Professionals were marked as such, but I have seen "Jade" and black roller tenors that were otherwise (for me) indistinguishable from the Professional.

Hassles · Jun 4, 2022

A model from the 70s I would say. Light and free-blowing. Yeah these are not of the calibre of those that followed but they are more than fine. I like mine

DavidUK · Jun 4, 2022

Shame to leave it forlorn in a pawn shop, but for £300 I'd expect to (one day) come across a 2000 Pro alto, perhaps with high F#.

I generally only buy those (many) horns on my "I'd like to try buy" list as and when they come up at a bargain price. Others still tempt me but I'm wise enough now not to buy what others may regard a lemon. Those which aren't well thought of tend to stick on re-sale.

Back to Blighty Sunday...

jthole · Jun 11, 2022

DavidUK said:
Shame to leave it forlorn in a pawn shop, but for £300 I'd expect to (one day) come across a 2000 Pro alto, perhaps with high F#.

I had to pay around £550 for my Pro2000 tenor (not alto).

TBH, despite lacking the "balanced action" keywork, I don't find the earlier tenors that much worse than the Pro2000. Certainly not when it comes to the sound.

None of them beat my Martin though.

DavidUK · Jun 11, 2022

jthole said:
I had to pay around £550 for my Pro2000 tenor...

Mine was £50. 😉

...plus £425 for a total overhaul!
The story's on here... waaay back.

PigSquealer · Jul 8, 2022

The thread title on this caught my attention. I’ve been curious about these for a while. After reading some of the information I stumbled on one. Appears to be in the second half of the 60s at serial number 8371.
Solid little alto that appears just need a good cleaning and possibly a re-pad. Of all places I picked it up at a thrift store for $75/£62.

well I just found a nice little bang to the right of the thumb hook. No big deal.

DavidUK · Jul 8, 2022

Nice one.
Must be cheap Italian week!

PigSquealer · Jul 8, 2022

DavidUK said:
Nice one.
Must be cheap Italian week!

Very odd too. I’m doing service on a Ancora tenor. A Alfonzo Rampone stencil. No front F or B flat on top. No F# or G trill on bottom. Otherwise it’s a clone to a Artcraft tenor. A good smoky dark sounding horn.

PigSquealer · Jul 9, 2022

I don’t recall seeing this information on Italian makers anywhere in the thread.

http://woodwindshelp.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/7/9/23791000/italy_sax.pdf

jthole · Oct 19, 2022

With some pain, I ended my (over) ten years relationship with my Grassi baritone. I had an enormous amount of fun with it, but I left the Italian lady in the shop, and went home with the “New King” 😉

The Grassi served me very well, and I hope to have at least as much fun with my Keilwerth. Besides, all is not lost; I still have my Grassi Professional 2000 tenor.

Thanks to @milandro for selling the Grassi to me in 2011, and advising me on the purchase of my new baritone!

maximaal · Oct 19, 2022

Hello,
I have an opportunity to buy a Grassi soprano in good shape for around €300, but it has a serial number of 65920 and seems to be a bit newer than most other grassi's discussed here. Does anyone know something about these newer saxophones and if €300 is a fair price.
Thanks in advance

jthole · Oct 19, 2022

maximaal said:
Hello,
I have an opportunity to buy a Grassi soprano in good shape for around €300, but it has a serial number of 65920 and seems to be a bit newer than most other grassi's discussed here. Does anyone know something about these newer saxophones and if €300 is a fair price.
Thanks in advance

Do you have a bit more info, like a model number or pictures? I’d say, for €300 you should not set your expectations too high (did you have the chance to inspect and play it?).

Edit: if it’s the one from Marktplaats, that’s a modern one, which has nothing to do with the Italian made saxes.

maximaal · Oct 19, 2022

jthole said:
Do you have a bit more info, like a model number or pictures? I’d say, for €300 you should not set your expectations too high (did you have the chance to inspect and play it?).

Hi, thanks for your response. However, the seller has already reserved it for someone else. Thanks for your advice anyway, and I'll be sure to use this forum more in the future when I have another opportunity!

jcannon · Mar 10, 2024

I realize this is a dead thread but thought I would add that I have owned a Grassi Alto SN 22531 for 20+ years. Purchased from a small instrument shop near Vancouver, BC and played it all throughout high school. Just dug it up and have started to clean and considering attempting repairs myself.