Buescher 1950 ‘Top Hat and Cane 400’ Bb Tenor, #334,3xx

1950 Buescher 'Top Hat & Cane 400' Tenor

(On Consignment - "PLAYS GREAT" - Fully Rebuilt elsewhere)

"This is the type of horn you build, maintain, enjoy, or grow your sax career on."

WHY BUY THIS SAX?

• 1) It's a Buescher THC 400. Robust tone; Respected. Top caliber vintage tone among all models.
• 2) with Buescher elements intact!: ORIGINAL lacquer, Gold Norton Springs, pad snap resos (at 90%).
• 3) REBUILT: Pads and Mechanics (2022). Only mild use for 2 years.
• 4) DEAL PRICING: Save $1,000s - It's at 'final sale pricing' - must go, last chance level.
• 5) ...just re-read #1-4 again and find any comp in the USA near that.

One of the sax world's favorite saxes - Original finish. #334k dates it to 1950.

This original lacquer 400 Top Hat and Cane has been a real head-scratcher. It's one of the most-viewed tenors on our site, yet it can't find a player ready to give it a new home even though it has all the burly, classic TH&C tone you'd expect .... AND is fully overhauled! It sits at thousands less $$$$ than any mintier B400 due to the later, Buescher-era replacement octave key mechanism -- which looks and works like the original. A mint one will list at $5k-$6k currently.

Someone is going to get a very, very nice vintage tenor that's ready for years of playing for a surprisingly low price. Will that be you?

INSPECTION MENTIONABLES:

• Aside from the normal visual inspection you can see from photos and minor solder repairs to posts, there is one custom mod to the octave thumb lever. That's it! - (SAVE $1,000s!) - that explains the bargain price on this sax.
  • the octave thumb lever was customized and replaced with a later era Buescher 400 part(fully nickel). This functions as it should. The benefit is this later design is actually more comfortable than the original TH&C design!
• There is also one post replacement (non-original part) on the lower C#1 backside to mention
• and a faint historical school engraving on the neck ("AHS-3").
• All springs are the gold Nortons!
• Snap it resos are present on 90% of the sax. Only the common lost ones have happened in time: the 4 small upper keys: 3x palm keys and high E3. Otherwise the rest have the original domed snaps.

PADS: The tan pads are also glued in with hot glue. The upper keys without original snaps have a metal rivet resonator (similar to original sizing).

REBUILD SPECS: Rebuilt elsewhere (in 2022 - San Francisco, CA); only getting minor use for 2 years as the owner has other saxes to rotate through.

CASE: yes, SKB molded hard case.

Sound Files on Buescher 400 Tenors!

Item #:WWSConMB2S8.0S0.00.07.122.4-C10