Alto Saxofon Grafton Acrylic (Kunststoff)

Attention: there are only a few copies of the "Grafton" plastic-acrylic saxophone left.

History:

The Italian Hector Sommaruga lived and worked in England, where he was in charge of the development and production of an affordable plastic saxophone for Dallas Musical Instruments.
In the 1940s, the plastics industry was on the rise and he chose this new and "cheap" material. The neck and the key action still had to be made of brass for stability reasons. The name was taken from Grafton Way in London, where the instrument was produced.
In 1946 the first prototype was made and in 1950 the first series was on the market for £55. Sommaruga started the series with No. 10'001 and production ended in 1962 with No. 13'082. The Grafton saxophone was a financial fiasco. The acrylic was much too brittle and the mechanical construction with the special springs was a nightmare for every repairer. I too have had my own experiences in this respect.

The Grafton was played for a long time by Ornette Coleman and Charlie Parker at the famous concert in Massey Hall, Toronto.

Charlie Parker

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