'Elkhart Built by Buescher' trumpets were a value-line made sometime after WWII until prehaps the late 50s or very early 60s. They are said to be of GOOD quality and play well too. The serial numbers on these trumpets are NOT Buescher Serial numbers (they seem to all be 5 digit numbers), I believe they are Elkhart Numbers. The Buescher aristocrat custom built 244 base horn was produced in elkhart, indiana serial number yielding manufacturer date to emperor bell measures. Leblanc, galaxy, galileo brass, gautrot aine, george mcfadden, ger dowids, getzen, giardenelli, gold crest, grand, grand prix paris, graves, gretsch.
Any one have a list for aging a buescher sousa? The online serial number list I found is only for saxophones. I just picked up a Buescher Sousa that is a copy of a Conn 14K.
![Elkhart Built By Buescher Serial Numbers Elkhart Built By Buescher Serial Numbers](http://www.buescherloyalist.com/Images/Built%20by%20Buescher%20Logo%202-small.jpg)
Plays well, cleaned it out from sitting in an attic for 20 years, might have been a public school horn many moons ago. I think the serial number is 18576 or something very close to that. I imagine somewhere in the late 40s-1963 at the latest. Thanks, Blake bugler Posts: 27 Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:44 pm Location: Kansas City, MO.
The bell says Buescher, made in Elkhart, Indiana. And it has the elk head inside the heart shape.
I'm out of town at the moment so I don't have it in front of me, but I will check it out when i get home. I will also double check the serial number. I check it againist Lars' serial number site as well, but there is no way it is a 1913 horn. I have a 1921 Conn baritone, and a 1910 trombone, so I know what that arge looks like. This horn is definitely from the late 40's-50's-1963. It is a Conn 14k copy.
It takes the conn neck and bits, has the same valve set as all the other Conn horns and and bell is 24 inches. I'll have to post pictures or more info later. Any other serial number lists out there? Thanks again, Blake bugler Posts: 27 Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:44 pm Location: Kansas City, MO. There were two completely different 'Buescher' sousaphones. The 1920's BBb instruments had a smallish outer circle that was made up on the mouthpiece-end of the instrument with an extra main slide that was built on top of the valve section.
The (I'm thinking) maybe (??) late 1950's-1970's BBb instruments (perhaps into the '80's.??) were basically a copy of the Conn 14K/36K/32K with bracing of a sturdiness that I would rate in-between that of the 14K and the 32K. The later ones were made by Selmer-owned Buescher whereas the early ones that I described above were made many years prior to Selmer purchasing Buescher. I'm nearly certain that the runs of serial numbers on these two completely different Buescher BBb sousaphones were totally unrelated. The Selmer version was also sold as 'Bundy', 'Selmer', 'Signet', etc.