Someone mentioned this ebay listing of a Conn bass sax doesn't mention that it's a high pitch. With no shot of the serial number cluster, I think I guess we'd have to go by the tube length. There is a really good discussion of this at Helen's blog:
"Heres a quote from Bear at Cybersax that illustrates my point:
"Heres a quote from Bear at Cybersax that illustrates my point:
I would hesitate to say that ALL high pitch saxes were so marked, but it was the industry practice to mark instruments up until the early 1930s when high pitch instruments were no longer regularly offered
Prior to about 1910 the A440 standard to which modern musical instruments are tuned did not exist. The instruments produced before A440 became standard were tuned to a pitch that, in saxophones, at least, is approximately one semi tone (half step) above a modern sax. That is why the modern saxophone is designated Low Pitch and the others designated High Pitch. Since tube length determines pitch, these High Pitch saxophones are, by definition, shorter in total tube length than their modern counterparts.
In general, the tube length of High Pitch saxophones is about 10% less than for their modern, Low Pitch counterparts. Until the early 1930s some of the USA sax builders still offered High Pitch instruments as part of their regular line. In fact, we have a Conn Chu Berry tenor that was produced in 1929."
Prior to about 1910 the A440 standard to which modern musical instruments are tuned did not exist. The instruments produced before A440 became standard were tuned to a pitch that, in saxophones, at least, is approximately one semi tone (half step) above a modern sax. That is why the modern saxophone is designated Low Pitch and the others designated High Pitch. Since tube length determines pitch, these High Pitch saxophones are, by definition, shorter in total tube length than their modern counterparts.
In general, the tube length of High Pitch saxophones is about 10% less than for their modern, Low Pitch counterparts. Until the early 1930s some of the USA sax builders still offered High Pitch instruments as part of their regular line. In fact, we have a Conn Chu Berry tenor that was produced in 1929."