It was back in 2015, when I first noticed this electronic sax-shaped “thing” on eBay for the first time. This pristine example of the Nasta Super Sax™ Electronic Saxophone looked very unused at the time. It even came with the original instruction sheet.
That trademark is just so super saxy
Because I’m the curious sort, back in 2015, I did some research to find out what I could about the Nasta Super Sax™ Electronic Saxophone. The website Trademarkia offered the following back then:
On Thursday, January 04, 1990, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for SUPER SAX by NASTA INDUSTRIES, INC., New York 10010. The USPTO has given the SUPER SAX trademark serial number of 74016150. The current federal status of this trademark filing is ABANDONED – NO STATEMENT OF USE FILED. The correspondent listed for SUPER SAX is Howard N. Aronson of Lackenbach Siegel Marzullo & Aronson, PC, One Chase Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 . The SUPER SAX trademark is filed in the category of Toys and Sporting Goods Products . The description provided to the USPTO for SUPER SAX is Toy musical instruments.
Source: trademarkia.com
If you revisit that same page today, you’ll notice that the information reads a bit differently. Most obviously, the contact info has been taken out. In 2022—seven years on—it reads as follows:
On Thursday, January 4, 1990, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for SUPER SAX. The USPTO has given the SUPER SAX trademark serial number of 74016150. The current federal status of this trademark filing is ABANDONED – NO STATEMENT OF USE FILED. The correspondent listed for SUPER SAX is Howard N. Aronson of ********,********, ***** **** . The SUPER SAX trademark is filed in the category of Toys and Sporting Goods Products . The description provided to the USPTO for SUPER SAX is Toy musical instruments.
General Information Word mark: SUPER SAX Status/Status Date: ABANDONED – NO STATEMENT OF USE FILED
6/19/1991Serial Number: 74016150 Filing Date: 1/4/1990 Registration Number: NOT AVAILABLE Registration Date: NOT AVAILABLE Goods and Services: Toy musical instruments Mark Description: NOT AVAILABLE Type Of Mark: TradeMark Published For Opposition Date: 9/25/1990 Last Applicant/Owner: NASTA INDUSTRIES, INC.
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***** ****
Why is this contact information displayed?Mark Drawing Code: Typeset (Words/letter/Number) Design Search: (NO DATA) Register Type: Principal Disclaimer: (“SAX”) Correspondent: Howard N. Aronson
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***** ****Source: trademarkia.com
The Nasta Super Sax™ Electronic Saxophone in a Nasta catalogue
As the Trademarkia information above shows, the Nasta Super Sax™ Electronic Saxophone was marketed by Nasta Industries Inc. While searching for information about this toy horn, I happened across a fantastic site: the Parry Game Preserve. On it I found a 1990 catalogue that lists the Nasta Super Sax™, along with its companion pieces: Horn Magic™ (trumpet), Hit Stix™ (drum sticks), and Mega Mike™ (microphone).
And the inventor of the Super Sax was?
According to The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY, the Nasta Super Sax™ was actually the brainchild of toy inventor, Victor Reiling. This is what museum’s site says about the Super Sax and its inventor:
Toy designer Vic Reiling actually began his career working as an engineer for the U.S. Navy after he earned his degree and commission from the naval academy at Annapolis, MD. When he retired from military service, he gave up national defense for somewhat lighter ambitions. He spent several years working for Fisher-Price, the toy manufacturer headquartered in western New York, and for giant game-maker Milton-Bradley. Eventually, Reiling ventured out on his own, developing his own toy ideas and selling his inventions to many different toy manufacturers. His donation to the National Museum of Play at The Strong includes more than 30 toys based on his original ideas and designs.
Details
Title: Musical instrument: Super Sax Electronic Saxophone
Creator: Nasta Industries, Inc.
Date Created: 1990
Location: China
Subject Keywords: saxophone, flute, clarinet
Type: Creativity Toys
Medium: plastic, printed cardboard
Object ID: 112.6614
Inventor: Victor G. Reiling
Credit Line: Gift of Victor G. ReilingSource: Google Arts & Culture
In other words, the Nasta Super Sax™ shares its pedigree with some very famous toy names. Fisher Price and Milton Bradley are extremely well-known toy brands that continue to this day. Sadly, the Nasta™ name is no more, since it was abandoned a year after its inception—according to the information provided by Trademarkia.
Another example of the Nasta Super Sax™ Electronic Saxophone
As I was looking for information about this electronic toy, I found a number of them that either had sold, or that are currently for sale. In other words, at present they are not as rare as say an original contrabass saxophone, or a Blackgold bari Couf bari sax made by Keilwerth. 
Here is a Nasta Super Sax™ that was listed by the Spider Retro Store from Sweden in early 2022.
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