SML King Marigaux Tenor Original Lacquer Very Good Condition 22245

This is an SML Gold Medal II Tenor, which is pretty much just a Gold Medal 1 with straight tone holes instead of rolled tone holes. This difference makes the price lower, but it also makes the horn easier to maintain, as more repair shops are comfortable seating pads on normal, straight tone holes, than on rolled ones. Anyway, most of these say King Marigaux on the bell (sold under the King name, but also with Marigaux (the M in SML) after the King for clarity. The tone is dark, full, and powerful, but with a more solid core to it than a Conn. SML was originally envisioned as a company offering a French saxophone that played as well as a Conn (as opposed to backward and behind-the-times Selmer). As such, you’ll hear a lot of Conn wideness and darkness to the tone. Yet SML has a sound and feel all its own. As a small company, it was keen on innovation, so the Rev D and Gold Medal 1-2 horns all have a host of design improvements that increase their playability. In particular, you’ll notice the neck tightening ring with four slits for even tightening. This is a great idea, and was recently copied on the Selmer Supreme saxophones. The springs are also very intelligently designed so that the key feel is snappy and even throughout. There are about a score of other improvements touted by SML that you can read about if you google it. This horn is in excellent condition, and just had a few small dings removed pre-sale. It still has its original pads, so nobody has ever messed with it, and it’s ready for its first complete pad job now. That’s how I like to buy saxophones myself. I may get it overhauled here if it is here long enough. These horns are SO fun to play. I have one similar to this in my personal collection, and it blows people away when they try it. They’re all very good. It’s just a matter of getting one that is in excellent condition to start with, and then doing a smart overhaul on it. I recommend Pisoni Italian leather pads and flat or slightly domed medium sized metal resonators. That works great on these. It’s priced to sell. You won’t believe what a great pro tenor you get for less than a nicer Taiwanese horn or Yamaha now costs. And you also sound different from everybody else. Lush and fat like Dexter Gordon, but with more modern keywork than a Conn.

Only one available!