Saxophone Forum


by sandy357
(5 posts)
19 years ago

Identify a Sax

I recently acquired a brass sax The only name on it is on the bell " the knickerbocker" elkhart indiana. It has a 4 digit serial number on it. Any idea who made this sax? any help is most apreciated, Sandy

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  1. by skulicke
    (3 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Identify a Sax

    Sandy, my son just bought a baritone engraved with the name Knickerbocker on the bell and with the serial number 9900. We have no other info. Scott

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    1. by Dave Dix
      (421 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: Identify a Sax

      knickerbocker was a buescher made stencil Dave

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      1. by skulicke
        (3 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Identify a Sax

        Dave, thanks for your prompt reply. If the sax is a Buescher stencil, can I assume from the serial number (9900) that its a True Tone made before 1910, or is the serial number sequence for stencils different from bueschers own saxs. thanks, Scott

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        1. by Dave Dix
          (421 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Identify a Sax

          No there is no list for stencils. The best way is to try to match it to another horn . If its split bell keys it will be a true tone, same sided it will be aristocrat. I have only seen one knickerbocker and that was a true tone with Aux front F so it would have been built after 1926. Dave

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        2. by skulicke
          (3 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Identify a Sax

          Dave, it does have split bell keys and an aux front F, indicating it's a Buescher, but my sons sax teacher pointed out that it has beveled tone holes which he associates with Martin, not Buescher. What do you think? And by the way, thanks for your time. Scott

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        3. by Dave Dix
          (421 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Identify a Sax

          Well knickerbocker was a stencil made by buescher but with bevelled and soldered on tone holes that was a martin build, two things , martin may have built horns for the same buyer as it went on who had the cheapest price at the time so buescher could have made a batch then martin . Secondly some stencils have been found with bevelled tone holes but buescher or conn built so a collaboration may have taken place as they were all in Elkhart so at least you know it came from a good factory Dave

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