[benliner]

Hello
Have been interested in buying a bargain bari, older model with low Bb will be OK for me, and there are a few coming up on eBay, but I have just found out that some bari's before 1970 were "high pitch", primarily meant for military band use, with the A at 456 Hz, which I guess is about 1/4 tone up.
Now I am paranoid that I am going to end up with one that I can't play or sell, I am looking at a Buescher Aristocrat 35xxxx big "B" which looks interesting but the seller seems genuinely unable to confirm whether it is low pitch or not.
I suppose it is possible for a player with a bad ear to be unaware of it being in the wrong pitch, or maybe he is not a player himself.
There is no indication either way for this model on "saxpics".
Would I be taking a risk buying this model without being able to play it beforehand?
Are there any good guidelines, like were there some models that were never made in high pitch, some only high pitch, where to look for an identification on the sax etc?
With thanks

 

[LBAjazz]

There are no high pitched horns made after 1930 and therefore no high pitched Big Bs at all.

 

[Jonathan C.]

Hey LBAjazz, do you know why they stopped making high pitch horns?

 

[benliner]

Thank you

 

[Jolle]

If you still doubt, check the horn. As far as I know "high pitch" is always indicated somewhere around the logo and/or the serial number. But I'm no expert on this. Taking a tuner with you when you try it out, can tell you as well.

 

[hakukani]

Hey LBAjazz, do you know why they stopped making high pitch horns?

From: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199804/1998.04.05.05.html

"The United States officially adopted A-440 as standard pitch in 1920..."

 

[martysax]

Ever since Bill Lee threw that Blooper pitch to Tony Perez, low pitch has been the standard.

(The Spaceman is my hero!)