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Possibly the most important: in 1921, Buescher patented a new invention
called the "Snap-On Pad". This innovation is important as it is
considered the first real "resonator" (unless you want to consider the
Conn Res-O-Pad a resonator). Take a moment to read my detailed feature page on this
innovation.
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In 1928, Buescher introduced three "gimmicky" horns that were actually
a significant improvement over their older, conventional siblings: the
Straight Alto and Tipped Bell Bb and C sopranos. Take a moment to read
my feature page
on these horns.
*
In 1931, the waning days of Vaudeville, Buescher was contracted to
create, of all things, a straight baritone: a one-off working custom
horn. Take a moment to read my feature
page on this horn AND a modern straight baritone.
================
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Baritones switched to the "rounded rectangle" G# key a little after s/n
173000 -- and I do mean "a little after", as I have pics of a 173xxx
bari with the new G# and a 1730xx bari without. There does not appear
to be any other significant change in the baritone design until the
Aristocrat -- excepting, of course, the Custom Built series. I will
therefore "break down" the baritone models according to this break,
rather than the 200xxx break.
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The Custom Built True Tone model (yes, it's engraved
that) is possibly baritone only. It's sort of a combination
of the New Aristocrat and True Tone styles.
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I see no change at all in design of the bass, other than with
engraving, so I'll break diown these horns as I have with the altos and
tenors. Do note that these horns have a keyed range only to altissimo
Eb and do not have a G# trill.
*
One topic of much debate is the introduction of the front-mounted
altissimo F key. It seems to have been
introduced as an option around s/n 157xxx and become standard on alto and tenor around 200xxx -- and, according to
Bootman on the SOTWF, there was, at least, a provision for this keywork
a little earlier, probably 1923 (and a front F from a later horn can
fit on these horns, if it doesn't have one).
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There is one major keywork change to look for on the straight Bb
soprano (only. The straight C soprano doesn't change): the G# hinge
changes from being "under"
the left-hand altissimo keywork to being in a "normal"
location. (This change is very apparent in the example pics linked in
the previous sentence.) I don't have enough examples to give you an
exact "fail-over" date, but an 86,466 horn has the old hinge and a
137,828 horn doesn't, so we're talking 1921-1924 when this change took
place. My money's on 1923.
Note
that considering the C soprano never changed from the old-style hinge,
this is a sure-fire way of determining if the horn you have is a Bb or
C soprano.
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There doesn't appear to be much consistency in the design of the Eb
sopranino until after s/n 117,230 (more probably, sometime in 1923). I
can't say that later models are significantly better than earlier ones,
but they definitely have tweaked keywork.
*
Speaking of Eb sopranino keywork, a lot of people point out that the
majority (if not all) of Buescher sopraninos after around s/n 117,230 don't
have a G# key (earlier horns had either a pearl
button or a rectangular bar). They're right.
Foreshadowing the "articulated" G# cluster, to sound G# on the
sopraninos that "don't" have a G# key, you depress the C# key. Note,
also, that sopraninos don't have a G# trill key.
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I've seen a few random curved Bb sopranos that had a rectangular
G# key, starting around s/n 164xxx and ending before s/n
170xxx. Again, this is not a consistent design change so I cannot
accurately track it.
*
Please note that Buescher did not design a new sopranino, soprano or
bass after s/n 2627xx or so: in other words, there aren't Aristocrat or
400 models of these pitches. HOWEVER, if you wanted a bass in 1950,
say, Buescher would trot out the old True Tone molds and make you one,
generally with different engraving and sometimes with slightly
different keywork, such as a redesigned G# cluster. Extended keywork
ranges are NOT found, though.
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