Expert: Kenton Scott - 9/30/2007

Question
I have a silver plated buescher sousaphone engraved "The Buescher Elkhart IND. USA" On the part where the buttons are is the serial No. 238861 LP B Pat. Oct. 29,07. On the bottom of the tube s TRUE TONE and a triangle logo. Does anyone have any info on this. What do these markings mean and what is "the buescher" and how can I tell if it is a "Conn" or not? Thank you.

Answer
Nope.  Nothing Conn about it.  Buescher was a well respected instrument maker.  

The markings mean:  It was made in 1927, and was tuned to low pitch (which is modern standard pitch), the Buescher patent was for a way to keep the metal of the bell thicker than was possible with traditional bell making methods.  Truetone was basically a model name.  

It would have been at least as good as quality as a Conn.