[thesoloist]

So, I had my first lesson with a new student the other day. He had been renting a nice P. Mauriat but had to move and couldn't keep renting! Before going out and renting something else, they decided to raid grandmas closet and dug out her old PanAmerican alto, which she played when she was in high school. PanAmerican was a subsidiary of Conn (stencil is a more direct term) and they marketed instruments to beginners. The horn is in great shape, no dents and original lacquer. It has octave key issues due to a previous shoddy repair job and does not play. Pads looked surprisingly intact. Serial numbers are unreliable with stenciled instruments, but best I can tell it's 1945-1950 vintage based on grandma's age (75). For anyone interested, the serial is 140914.

So, I guess my question is: has anyone played one of these before? I wouldn't recommend this horn to a beginner, but I personally think they should fix it up and keep it around for later (jazz band/marching band). Thoughts?

I should add: the best part of the horn was the vintage Brilhart Ebolin 3* that was in the case with it. Lucky kid! It still had grandma's lipstick on it.....added bonus.

 

[bandmommy]

There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON why the kid can't start out on this alto.
They are good solid horns. I have a Pan Am tenor that plays circles around many 'new' non-stenciled horns.
Don't forget that THOUSANDS of players have started out on similar horns.
Once that horn is put into GPC it will hold it's own against any horn out there.

 

[thesoloist]

Sounds like you really like Pan Am saxes!
The mom is going to take it to the shop, but I am not going to recommend it until both me and her son get a chance to really play on it. If it plays well and sounds good, it's a keeper. I'm also guessing that it will play pretty well once it's fixed.

 

[bandmommy]

I have an Indiana alto, Pan Am tenor and Buescher 400 bari. You wouldn't care to know about my clarinets...
Every one of them plays and sounds better than any of the 'new' horns brought in by my students.
Maybe because I'm old and have been playing longer than some of their parents have been alive, or, because they're just danged good old horns.

 

[bruce bailey]

These are basically a decontented Conn. It morphed into the 14M Director in 1955 when production stopped at P-A. I would put that serial number in the early 50s. I would say to have the octave key fixed and any obvious problems attended to. Then play it and you can get a feel for what it is. Then if needed, have the whole horn repadded if the pads seem to be mostly bad. I could play on one of these as my main alto if needed. Great bargain horns and free is even better than wholesale. Nice find.

 

[csax]

+1 on suitability, only thing coming from a modern horn is that the LH pinkie table may feel a bit 'un-slick', but they play very well. My vintage C-Sop is a PanAm, and I have a PanAm alto on the bench right now - even has those annoying little locking screws in the pillars, very well built, just lacks some Conn 'main' features like rolled tone-holes (which isn't always a bad thing).

If it's well set-up, so a student doesn't struggle (which can also be a requirement for quite a few modern horns !), it'll be fine.

 

[bruce bailey]

Actually if this one is from the 50s, the only thing lacking may be the microtuner and Conn lost that around 1953, lost the RTH around 1947, etc.

 

[Captain Beeflat]

Actually if this one is from the 50s, the only thing lacking may be the microtuner and Conn lost that around 1953, lost the RTH around 1947, etc.

Some would say that those omissions are, in fact, improvements.

 

[kelp55]

+1 on these.... my son has played both a PA alto and tenor, wonderful solid loud horns with personality. Agree with Captain B.... my son's horns are like a 6M and 10M without the unnecessary stuff.