Information on B Flat Buescher True Tone Tenor Saxophones
In the early 1920s, tenor saxophones were still a new breed of instrument. The newness made the manufacturing process hit or miss and making a consistently good horn a difficult task.
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Finish
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Most True Tones were made with a satin-style silver finish. Rarely will you find them with lacquer. This gave the horn a distinct sound that cut unlike the darker-sounding lacquer horns. Most silver horns today are quite pitted and is a natural phenomenon for these horns.
Intonation
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The Buescher True Tone is recognized as a favorite horn of the '20s and its intonation was superior to most horns at that time. By today's standards, this horn does not have good intonation. The optional Eb key on the left side of the bell is best to be corked shut to prevent leaks and intonation problems.
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Action
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Most of horns of this era had average action. The spring technology was bad and made of hard steel, less flexible than today's blue steel springs. However, this problem can be solved by replacing them and improving the action tenfold.
Sound Popularity
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The Buescher has a special bright sound not found in other horns at that time. The fact that it was made in Indiana allowed this horn to be available locally. The combination of sound and availability made it very popular.
Value
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A Buescher in good shape, playable with no noticeable damage, can go for $1,000 to an interested party. However, most horns are not in good enough condition to fetch these prices. It is usually more interesting as a collection piece.
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