I have a Buescher 400 (Top Hat and Cane) that I really dig... great tone, nice light action... but I've always had a problem with the intonation being really flat in the palm notes. When I bought the horn, it came with a later 400 neck (still underslung and looks pretty much right, but there's some slight differences in the octave lever and tenon attachment that give it away as a later neck), and I always thought that explained the issue. But recently I had the chance at my local shop to try another fellow's TH&C neck, and the issue was the same.

For my neck, I experimented a bit and improved the intonation by forming a bit of a resevoir of hot melt glue in the bend of the crook to decrease the diameter... but I'm wondering if there's a better way to achieve the same result? The key opening heights in the palms are already set as low as is practical... Ideas?

Pete

I would suspect the neck. It ids most probably the wrong length for your horn.

If both your neck and another produce the same results, your problem is not likely the neck. Try inserting some tuning crescents in the lower radius of the tone holes.

I don't see that you mentioned it, but this is a THC Tenor Right? The TH&C Tenors are often flat in the palm keys. Some of what you mentioned might not work for you.

If the palm keys are as "Low as practical" they are too low. If the palm keys are flat, you need to open those heights as much as possible.

That said, lowering the heights of the stack keys in general will help to "raise" the pitch of the palm keys.

Good luck!

Curt Altarac
www.MusicMedic.com

Curt:
Is the intonation any better on the later, Selmer made 400's? I've got my eye on one that is for sale on Craig's list. It's cheap and I'm thinking back up horn.

I think most of the tooling was the same, and the horns played about the same. The key work was cheapened a bit, but the body tube and the neck seem to be the same. The bell is different, of course.