[AbilSax]

Hey,

I'm new to the forum, and I'm hoping to make a good decision...

I'm moving up looking for a new tenor but I don't want to go crazy and buy an outrageous selmer or anything...two things that caught my eye (and I've tried to find some stuff but not much...) was a Buescher 400 TH&C Serial is 325k and relacquered...and I also read a modern horn P. Mauriat 66R...They both seem to be great dark powerful horns and I can't seem to find anything negative about either one...but they're both different and I was wondering if theres any pros and conns as to which one I choose? Both these horns I found are at about same price...Buescher is like $50 more...

Hopefully someone can help me decide here?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AmSaxPlayer]

Personally, I would go for the Buescher TH&C hands down, but thats just me...

The Buescher will hold its value better and I like the few (2) TH&C tenors I've played better than the P Mauriat tenor I tried. Granted, a small sampling, but it convinced me. The P Mauriat may have more standard keywork, which may make the transition easier, but I thought the TH&C ergonomics were terrific, and the TH&C seemed to have more power and more complexity to the sound than the P Mauriat (let me mention that I still liked the P Mauriat alot, it's just that the TH&C's were on another level in my opinion; that is, even though I own 4 rather nice tenors, I still want to get a TH&C ).

 

[Grumps]

The Top Hat and Cane models are some of the most sought after vintage tenors made. Being relacquered, yours has lost any value as a collector's piece, so you should be able to knock the price down a bit. If you truly like the horn, make an offer and see what happens.

 

[rispoli]

If resale value is a concern to you, go for the well-known and respected THC.
Chances are that you can also make a profit if you buy at the right price.
You never make a profit reselling a new instrument (as I understood the Mauriat would be).

Not sure if you saw this relacquered already:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Buescher-400-To...9QQihZ018QQcategoryZ16234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Being rebuilt it should play really well.
I've seen some dealers asking close to 4K also for relacquered ones....

 

[Dave dix]

Buescher are by far a better horn , re-lac or not it will still be better.
Dave

 

[saintsday]

Buescher for sure.

 

[JL]

The Bueschers (1950s & earlier) were among the best horns ever made. Not sure where the P. Mauriat stands, but I doubt it's in the same league, or same ballpark, to push the analogy.

 

[ChuBerry47]

The busecher is a great horn, but it is relaquered, thus bad for resale, if you plan to sell it, or if you want to play it, only because there will be a different sound compared to if it wasn't relaquere. I would highly recomend the P mauriat. Pretty much it is like a mark VI but I would recommend getting the rolled tone hole version, because it would give longer pad life, and it IS TRUE that rolled tone holes seal up better than straight. Playing a mauriat w/ rolld tn holes is like a conn new wonder w/ the comfortability of a mark VI, then again, if you really want the buescher it would be a great first vintage hron, that would be a real good move up horn, if it has only had one relaquer.

 

[saintsday]

Assuming the price on the TH&C reflects the relac, it will certainly do better for resale than any P. Mauriat. Check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/P-Mauriat-Black...ryZ16234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
You would be very hard pressed to find a TH&C for that money, including a relac even if it needed work.
The whole bugaboo about relacs is fueled by collectors, not players. Some of the best playing horns I've had were relacquered. It was once considered a normal part of maintaining a sax by everyone, including the manufacturers.

 

[rispoli]

Assuming the price on the TH&C reflects the relac, it will certainly do better for resale than any P. Mauriat. Check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/P-Mauriat-Black...ryZ16234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I also had my eyes on that just for curiosity. I did not think it would have gone for as little as half the brand new price (perhaps some sellers ask even more than 3K for it...).

 

[Jonathan C.]

Wow that was a nice horn.

 

[GAS_Wyo]

On the other hand, the TH&C has probably been played a bunch...especially if it's a relac. Ask if it has been swedged or otherwise tweaked to compensate for key wear. Since the owner likely has no idea, why chance it?

First off, I can't believe no one has said "go and try each out each horn". If you are serious about the horn, go try it out.

Second, what type of sound do you want to make? Are you soloing? Classical? Jazz?

Third, if you do a poll of how many people have spent some time with a PM 66r vs. a TH&C, it would probably be 5:1 in favor of the Buescher. With those odds against the PM, what answer would you expect?

Even with all that, when I asked the same questions about 18 mos. ago on this forum, I decided to go try out the PM. The response of the PM is exceptional...especially in the lower end of the horn. I own a few Selmers, and a couple of Bueschers...but I'll never let go of the PM 66R!

 

[JL]

....because there will be a different sound compared to if it wasn't relaquered.

This is not at all necessarily true. It could very well sound identical to how it sounded prior to the relac.

I think Gas_Wyo makes some very good points. The playing condition of the Buescher is very important, and so is your own perception of how either horn feels and plays. You may very well prefer the Mauriat. I don't think I'd buy a horn without trying it, unless I was very sure about what I was getting and already had some experience playing the brand/model in question.

 

[Pinnman]

Most of my saxes are even older than the Th&C in question, and I am happy to live with that - parhaps even relish it. So too, Dave Dix, saintsday, JL and others from previous posts. But it is a key question in a comparison of this sort.

 

[Dog Pants]

It never ceases to amaze me how a bloke can buy a horn on hearsay rather than using your own, God given commonsense.
I've heard it said, that Tasmanian women are the most beautiful in the world, but I wouldn't date one, without at least getting a look at her and counting her fingers first. :shock: You with me so far?
Do as GasWyo and John suggested and try every horn of every make and model you can get your hands on.
If you are in deed "ready to step up," you're ready to make up your own mind.

 

[Dave dix]

Well said dog pants thou the re-sale on a TH/C will always be good so you can take a chance and if you dont like it sell it on!!
Dave

 

[AbilSax]

Thanks for the info guys! Appreciated

Trying horns out no duh that'd be great IF I could do that but out of the two music stores in town, one has a few intermediate yamahas and the other has some Cannonballs. I'll hold my comments about them...lol...

DogPants : I have a wonderful girlfriend anyways, I don't need to go look at Tasmanian Devil's...

I think I've made my decision though. ...


BTW Gas_wyo, was the Buescher(s) you tried out TH&Cs?? Or are you doing what you accused other people of...? Just curious...

 

[saintsday]

OK. So don't leave us hanging. What did you decide?

 

[AbilSax]

Starts with a B and ends in uescher...
Just seems to be more...what I want...I don't care if it was relacquered or not haha...I can post what I think of it later when I get it...

Keep it swingin'

 

[BigHunk]

Congrats,,
I have not played a P.M. horn but i did just purchase a buescher 400 TH&C tenor a month ago and the horn is simply awesome,,,I like the slick keywork on my Ref54 tenor but the buescher just has so much soul in its tone....