Description
This is a GREAT deal on an original pads SML Gold Medal (II) tenor sold by Pichard (music store) as their top of the line, ‘Artist Model’ (not surprisingly, if you have played an SML before). This horn has all the features of a Gold Medal 1, and is not at all a cheaper version of an SML, except it has straight tone holes, like all SML saxophones after 21xxx serial. This is actually better for you because your repair guy will be much better at adjusting a horn with straight tone holes over the years.
It plays surprisingly well on 50 year old original pads, and will clearly be as good a tenor as my personal SML Gold Medal is, with a huge voice that is dark, full, and powerful like a Conn New Wonder II or 10M, while remaining somewhat focused and centered, like a typical French-made saxophone (think Selmer but fatter and darker). Altissimo is not going to be a problem on this tenor either. It pops right now.
This horn is in exceedingly good original condition. It has no dents or dings or past repairs at all, amazingly. I think it was only played for a year or two. The original lacquer looks great. I wiped it off, but it would look nearly new if you had the horn overhauled and had the remaining grime washed off and the nickel keys polished up.
This includes the original case and even the original clear plastic end plug, which I had not seen before. SML tenors have been selling quite high recently, and this represents a great deal on what is clearly an outstanding example.
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