So I went shopping today to find a saxophone for Katy.
Now, cheap saxes run about 600 - 6 bills is a lot of dough for the Dad, on any day.
But I walk into ye olde pawn shoppe here in town, and play 5 or 6 horns, looking for something that will work good - and I find something interesting.
First thing that spots my eye is the case - it's way niftier than the usual brown case that student model horns come it - it's a real case, with natty cloth in an interesting pattern - looks something like this:
The cloth on the case is a dead giveaway that we're looking at something that's a few years old.
So I crack it open and to my suprise I find a brand of saxophone I've never seen before -
The first thing I notice is that the scrollwork ( carving ) and decorations are very ornate - old school, as it were.
It appears that this horn was made in Italy, and it has a low serial number - in the 8000s, rather than 20000s. That's a good bet that it's pretty old indeed.
So I write down some information, and then I play the thing. It plays like an old horn - the keywork isn't exactly the smoothest - the word you're looking for is ergonomic - and the pads are leaky, so it doesn't play about half the notes the way its' supposed to.
However, I have the sneaking suspicion that theres something here - old horns sound better, made from better materials, blah blah blah.
the guy at the shop says - Oh? you're interested in the Italian job? I'll give it to you for $200.
Hmm.
I go home. I research. I look up brands and serial numbers. I decide this might be a really good horn.
And if it's not a really good horn, it's a 3rd of the cost of the average, boring horns I played today. So really good horn, or really good deal, either way, I'm in.
So here is the new Petersen alto saxomaphone, direct from Italy circa 1967.
Now, cheap saxes run about 600 - 6 bills is a lot of dough for the Dad, on any day.
But I walk into ye olde pawn shoppe here in town, and play 5 or 6 horns, looking for something that will work good - and I find something interesting.
First thing that spots my eye is the case - it's way niftier than the usual brown case that student model horns come it - it's a real case, with natty cloth in an interesting pattern - looks something like this:
The cloth on the case is a dead giveaway that we're looking at something that's a few years old.So I crack it open and to my suprise I find a brand of saxophone I've never seen before -
The first thing I notice is that the scrollwork ( carving ) and decorations are very ornate - old school, as it were.
It appears that this horn was made in Italy, and it has a low serial number - in the 8000s, rather than 20000s. That's a good bet that it's pretty old indeed.
So I write down some information, and then I play the thing. It plays like an old horn - the keywork isn't exactly the smoothest - the word you're looking for is ergonomic - and the pads are leaky, so it doesn't play about half the notes the way its' supposed to.
However, I have the sneaking suspicion that theres something here - old horns sound better, made from better materials, blah blah blah.
the guy at the shop says - Oh? you're interested in the Italian job? I'll give it to you for $200.
Hmm.
I go home. I research. I look up brands and serial numbers. I decide this might be a really good horn.
And if it's not a really good horn, it's a 3rd of the cost of the average, boring horns I played today. So really good horn, or really good deal, either way, I'm in.
So here is the new Petersen alto saxomaphone, direct from Italy circa 1967.
It needs work - but it's way more special than anything the other 6th graders will be playing, I garontee.
What you can't read there is 'Ida-Maria Grassi - Milano - Italy - fabrico strumenti musicali italiano'
It even has that vintage horn smell that my wife likes to complain about when I've been playing my King Super 20 Baritone - which is about the same age as this thing.
I'll see how busy the repair shop is this week, and we'll see-a how she cleans-a up. I betcha she cleans-a up good!
Darren
It even has that vintage horn smell that my wife likes to complain about when I've been playing my King Super 20 Baritone - which is about the same age as this thing.
I'll see how busy the repair shop is this week, and we'll see-a how she cleans-a up. I betcha she cleans-a up good!
Darren
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