SML Gold Medal [Archive] - Sax on the Web Forum

zdali

11-13-2006, 09:40 PM

Apologies if this has been answered before, but i seem to have a bit of confusion in regards to serial numbers.

I've picked up an SML Gold Medal tenor sax serial# 15334. According to serial chart, they weren't "Gold Medal" until around about mid 15xxx.

What exactly have i got here? Just curious to know.

Either way it sounds great :-)

tjontheroad

11-13-2006, 09:53 PM

The "Rev D" was the prior SML

http://saxpics.com/sml/revd.htm

Welcome to SOTW btw :)

ThunderWhale

11-13-2006, 10:07 PM

Congrats on the new sax! I recently tried out a SML Gold Medal alto, and it was probably the best horn I've ever played! I'm going to save up some extra money, and look into getting one!

zdali

11-14-2006, 04:12 AM

Aha, the pics did help. This is definitely a Gold Medal then :-) on the account of having the magic words engraved on the bell :-)

Funny thing is I had the thing for years (10 or so), but only realized what i got now that i found some spare time to actually blow through it. Bought it ages ago because i wanted a cheap (and i mean cheap) tenor to mess about on...

Time to find a decent mouthpiece and give it a proper go...

I wonder if it's worth getting it refinished?

saxyben

11-29-2006, 10:36 PM

Hi Just a quick note to say that if by having it refinished you mean to have it relacquered, Don't Do It! Relacquering can affect the sound and the value of a vintage sax and even with todays more considerate techniques, an original lacquer on a vintage horn like an SML (whatever the state) is better than a relacquer.

hafuch

12-01-2006, 10:05 PM

I definitely second what saxyben has to say. Do NOT have it relacquered. You will thank yourself later. It does compromise the sound quality, and to do so on vintage horns such as these is a tragedy.

Anyway, my two cents' worth.