Gretson Alto
Sax
(These are photos of the
actual sax).
Sorry, now SOLD
This lovely old sax is engraved "THE GREAT GRETSON AMERICAN" and the serial number is 110035. It is most probably one of the so called stencil brands made by the leading US manufacturers Conn, Buescher, King, Martin or Selmer. It must be pre second world war yet it's in remarkably good condition with no dents or signs of repair. It looks very striking in nickel or silver plate (I can't tell which) with a lovely old gold lacquer inside the bell.
It plays well with a classic vintage US sound. It came from an estate sale and needed surprisingly little adjustment as it had been stored for many years. The pads show some wear but with plenty of life left in them. It looks like the original case, black with purple velour interior and in sound useable condition - catches and handle intact.
Thanks to Ken in Florida for
the following email:
Here's what I
think your Gretson alto is: A Buescher True Tone stencil from early 1923.
Both Buescher & Conn serial number charts confirm this (though sometimes
stencil ser. #s don't match the #s of the pro line). It's silver plated.
Early Bueschers are quite common in availability. They began showing
improvements in 1930 with the Norton screw-in springs (snap-in pads date
back to 1921). Both Conn & Buescher put the patent date on their early
models. Buescher ser. #s were stamped in an arc. Conn's were straight
across. Buescher printed the words "LOW PITCH". Conn used "L" for low
pitch. Buescher & Conn stencil tone holes: straight & cylindrical. Martin
tone holes: soldered and bevelled. Front F often omitted from early
stencils. So, there you have it. Most roads lead to Buescher, from
Elkhart, IN. Best wishes,
Ken
£399
incl.vat & UK mainland delivery.
A vintage US sax (& a piece of sax history) for the price of a new
Taiwanese student sax!
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