This auction is for a Buescher Aristocrat alto saxophone that has been inspected and serviced as needed so that it is in ready to play condition upon arrival to its new owner. This is a late Aristocrat, produced after Selmer bought out Buescher. This model is one of the most popular student line saxophones ever produced. They were sold under both the Selmer (Bundy) and Buescher (Aristocrat) brand names over a period of at least 25 years. I believe this one is from the late-1960's. I actually prefer these older Aristocrats to the supposedly more modern ones that are based upon the design of the Bundy II. The action is lighter and I think the key-work lays better under the hands. I also think they are a better, if simpler, design and were just plain manufactured better. I've worked on tons of both models over the years and far prefer these in that regard. It is a tried and true design which is still quite relevant for use by beginner to intermediate level players.
This one is in overall good physical condition. The body is straight and the neck has not suffered from any 'pull down' or other damage. There are some minor dents/dings/pings, mostly on the bow and rim of the bell, but nothing that affects playability. The lacquer is mostly intact with a typical amount of scratching for a used student owned instrument. There are no re-soldered joints. The nickel plated key-work is bright and shiney. All keys are operating smoothly
This horn received a thorough inspection and was repaired as needed so that it is in excellent playing condition (as you can hear in the video above of this actual instrument). Repairs that were performed included replacement of a few worn pads and key corks, and misc. adjusting. As part of the repair process it was also fully dis-assembled and cleaned inside and out. It now plays easily from high F right on down through low Bb.
The sax comes in its original plastic shell case. The case is in good condition. It has one minor area on the exterior corner where it is cracked, but it is still very solid. The interior is clean and odor free.
Please note, that there is no mouthpiece, nor any other accessories (except for an end plug) included with this sax. If you are the winning bidder and request so, I can probably find a few throw ins, such as a cap/ligature/basic strap/etc, but I know I don't have any mouthpieces to use as throw ins at the moment. Check my other listings though, as I usually have some used pro level pieces available at good prices. Otherwise, I'd be happy to make some recommendations for what to purchase elsewhere.
This would be a great horn for any beginner to intermediate level player. It would also be a perfect backup, 'double', or marching band horn for more advanced players. I've priced this at way less than the average cost to rent an alto for one year, so you can't go wrong.