These
horns are "intermediate" horns that SML produced. They
have a very different set of engraving, rather similar to
the Super model, and may lack the brace under the neck that
is found on most of the "pro" line SML's.
Recently,
I found a stunning s/n 79xx Standard horn. This horn has all
the tooling of a Rev. B horn (keyguards, etc.), but it's serial
number is smack in the Rev. C era -- by a rather wide margin
(remember, in SML terms, 200 horns could be an entire year's
worth of production). This seems to indicate that
the Standard used the older pro model SML's tooling, similar
to what Buescher did with their Elkhart line -- and
unlike what Conn did with their stencil lines, some Standards
DO have rolled tone holes.
So,
in other words, if it was 1959 and the Gold Medal was available,
the 1959 Standard model would look exactly like -- and have
all the features of -- a Rev. D.
Indications are very good that there are no Standard baris
or sopranos.
Around 202xx there seems to have been a consolidation of the
model types that SML offered and, probably due to financial
considerations, the Standard model disappeared -- and rolled
tone holes disappeared from ALL SML models and stencils.
===========
I changed the starting serial number
for this series of horns because I found this ad on the website
for Wichita
Band Instruments:
SML,
#5254 (1950-1952?), standard alto, exactly like #5003, but
the bell engraved "SML Standard", plus logo and address.
Acquired by us with a gaggle of other French saxes, this
one's a clean example that needs to be padded. Now "on the
back burner" 'cause #5003 is just like and ready today.
Could be made ready in a week or less. New case, no major
damage anywhere.
Anyhow, the s/n 5003 horn
that they were advertising is not EXACTLY an SML Standard
for one major reason: it doesn't have that engraved on the
bell.
NOTE
that Rick Mussi has found a horn labelled "Modele Standard"
from the Rev. A era (s/n 2355). This horn has rolled tone
holes and probably shouldn't be considered a Standard model.
Please see my notes on Rev. A model
horns and their interesting naming schemes.
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