Based on a serial number chart I saw posted as well as what the owner told us, this sax is around a or model. This was Grassi's top-of-the-line soprano saxophone model at the time. It has pearl inserts on the keys and it is plated with a 24k gold finish. The pads and corks look to be in very good condition.
Everything functions. There are no dents or dings in the instrument that I can see. Swirls and scratches in the finish are pretty minimal. There is a little bit of some rust spots on the inside of the bell. However, no greenish-blue corrosion. The case is in great condition with all latches working properly and it has the key to lock it if desired. The number that you gave sounds like a serial number to me. If it'll help you to determine the age of your sax, mine is a Model and is about 4 or 5 years old and has a serial number around Currently, Grassi markets two models: the Model and the Prestige.
The Prestige is gold plated and has a few more features. I've only played one or two Grassi's other than my own. I like them. Maybe someday I'll get one. But, at this point in my life, Grassi's what I can afford.
Beside's-mine was a Christmas gift from my wife. Very well done engravings! Dolnet "Bel Air" Tenor saxophone. An older Dolnet Tenor saxophone in very good condition. You won't find them this way very often.
As its' condition is pristine one may conclude that it hasn't been played a lot and therefore probably is a dog. However the original mouthpiece has very deep teeth markings so the opposite is true! Great player and as has been said to me, played by a professional in one of the orchestra's that are working for some dutch broadcasting companies.
All the lower keys on one side as is the case with the older series II. But as his 'brother" this one has that really gorgeous lower end as well! I simply like this shot of this oldie taken well care for! As Dolnet shortly named these saxes "Imperial" and later again "Bel air' or just no type engravings at all it can be a little disturbing but regarding the serial number this one must be dated mid fifties.
In fact a Selmer copy. As I'm a guitar player that is no big surprise of course and a few years ago I already did some investigations concerning this brand. Luthiervents is a France based saxophone repairer who helped me in finding the origin of this instrument.
At first he was surprised as well but the address on this instrument cleared up the mystery. Charles Grass had a factory on the Chaussee d' Antin 12 in Paris so it has to be from that factory. This is an Alto saxophone that didn't surprise me by its' looks but the sound is professional in every way! A fairly straightforward built horn but built with a lot of experience and taste but Ch. Grass was a very good player in his own right. As can be seen this instrument has a small bore as most French saxes have from that period.
This instrument can be dated around This particular model has been marked "PRIMA" which was their most successful and best sounding saxophone. In spite of the small bore the tone is sooo big! With lots of lower end and a beautiful rounded middle and upper register. This was simple to conclude even for a guitar player like me!
I compared it with my Buescher Aristocrat from and this saxophone, I have to admit, out roars the Aristocrat while the Buescher is a great sax as well. I tried this one out with my standard Selmer mouthpiece and a 1,5 reed I didn't have a better suited one at that time that in fact makes a saxophone sound too thin. Not with this one! Of course this saxophone has a single octave key and the next investigation was if it was a low or high pitch instrument as the high pitched instruments are non usable with other instruments.
The extra's on a saxophone regarding extra keys I'm not familiar with as I can play the standard notes but no more than that. In spite of the older pads that in fact better can be replaced it already played down to the lowest notes so it can only grow better! By hearing a saxophone like this I can only wonder how it can be possible that this brand ever disappeared but it counts for more French and German brands as most of the time they did little effort to conquer the international market what resulted in a too small market for France alone.
These Gras labeled saxophones are the ones to look after. Hearing is Believing! A brochure from in which the address at the Boulevard Chaussee d' Antin 12 is mentioned. You are able to enlarge by clicking on the pics. On this picture you can clearly see the two coloured combination that was very popular in the sixties. A chance to take a closer look at the "Ida Maria Grassi" inscription and of course "made in Italy".
It shows the near mint condition of this saxophone. It has been built around - anfd though a while after Julius Keilwerth left the company to start his own business some features on instruments of both makers appear to be identical. These saxophones are sturdy built instruments and de history of this company shows us a lot of ups and downs. Kohlert even produced a while for H. White, an americain based company.
This saxophone has been built for the french market. In present times the markname Kohlert has been reintroduced into the market but these instruments are cheap instruments produced in the far East and can not be compared with the earlier well built saxophones. The main difference I found is in the shape of the key guard. It was originally sold by Musikhaus Lebens in Hamburg.
The counterfeit instruments makers and the people who sell them in North America fascinate me. Guitars, flutes, clarinets and historically recognized violins.
I think that the only way to get the instrument one wants is through an authorized dealer. You want a Keilwerth? A Yanagisawa? A Selmer? You get what you pay for, so pony up and get the real deal! Everything of value is counterfeited or copied in China—or in another country that flaunts the law.
We used to only hear about watches, handbags, and designer clothes that were fake. Now, how can we tell if the car part we are getting is real or knockoff? Are mechanics cutting costs? It all comes down to the honesty and integrity of the anyone providing us with goods or services. A friend of mine bought what he originally thought was a Buffet R13 clarinet. Problem is it was Loading Theo Thanks for the warning. It is a badl translation. It should read falling tone meaning: flat B tone.
In chinees these two things are both written as??. In my last comment the equal Chinese signs for falling tone and falling tune could not be recognized by the edit program, which represented them as question marks.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Definitions I thought it would be helpful here to get some definitions cleared up. Knockoffs, AKA replicas These are goods that are close copies of the original. Counterfeits These are goods produced to deceive the buyer into thinking that they are buying the real thing.
Source: Red Points A victimless crime? No, no it is not. The store had it on consignment. Source: eBay. The upper octave key is shaped differently on the two horns. The way the octave key attaches to the neck is different as well. The stamping on the front of the upper key is quite different. The engraving on the neck is very different.
Easiest to spot : The Shadow is made of German nickel silver, which is why the engraving shows silver underneath where the black nickel plate has been removed through the engraving process. The counterfeit horn shows yellow brass under the engraving. The neck and lyre fastening screws are black nickel plated on the real Shadow, but not on the counterfeit horn. The high F key is shaped differently. The chromatic F key is shaped differently.
The right pinkie keys are shaped differently. The right palm keys are shaped differently. The JK logo on the right side of the bell on the counterfeit, looks nothing like the real one. Fake Here you can see some of the poor build quality that goes into these counterfeit horns. Post shapes are vastly different.
JK has a rather unique post shape that is a carryover from their vintage days. This Chinese horn has conventionally shaped posts. The front F key is shaped differently. The left palm keys on the counterfeit horn are not adjustable.
On the real Shadow they are shaped differently because they come with an Allan key for adjustment. The key touches are the most obvious difference. Real JK horns have oversized, thick, black, mother of pearl buttons on the keys. Fake More evidence of cheap copying.
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