SML Alliance trumpet

Mark 63 · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:09 pm Post subject: SML Alliance trumpet

Hello. I'm new to the trumpet game, and this is my first post.

Today I bought an SML trumpet from a local shop. It's in very good condition, and I'd like to know more about it. However, I've been unable to find any information at all about SML trumpets. The company well known in saxophone circles (I play tenor). But I find nothing about their trumpets on google, and can't find any listing for one in any of the used trumpet sellers on the internet I checked.

The horn has a fairly elaborate engraving of a flower growing up from the bell to the valves. On the bell it says:
SML
ALLIANCE
STRASSER-MARIGAUX
144-146 BOUL DE LA VILLETTE
PARIS
FRANCE

I suspect it dates to after M. Lemaire left the company since his name is no longer listed. Perhaps Alliance is the model name?

The serial number is 1xxx. The valve casings are numbered 22, 23, 24.

Can anyone help me get to know the history of this fine horn. It sounds beautiful even when I play it.

Pictures are at the ready, but I can't figure out how to post them.

Thank you.

Mark [/img]

david johnson · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:38 am Post subject:

hi, mark63! i'm eager to see the pix.

dj

Mark 63 · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:32 am Post subject:

It looks like one can only link pictures to another server, which I don't have.

I did post this message to Sax on the Web's Doubling/Brasswinds forum. Pictures are posted there.

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=127467

evitucci · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:04 pm Post subject:

I know this post is very old but hopefully someone has some more info on SML horns. I have an old SML horn that was my Dads he bought it in the early 60's new sold it for a Bach Strat in 1980 and bought it back for me in around 1987 I used it in March band and beat the hell out of it, its in really bad shape and I am looking for parts to rebuild it. If anyone has any information on where I could get parts that would be a really big help.

Thanks,
E

evitucci · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:17 pm Post subject:

Here are pics of my Horn as you can see she is in really bad shape, but still actually plays. I want to find parts for it and have it restored some day.

http://s846.photobucket.com/albums/ab27/Evitucci/SML%20Trumpet/

I just started playing trumpet after 19 years off, I am rather lucky to have a few nice horns that where my dads, but this one has a lot of history and sentimanal value. My Dad bought this horn new in the early 60's we think about 64, his teacher told him it was made by Selmer. He sold it in 1980 and bought a Bach Strat which I also have, in 1988 he bought it back for me to learn on, and I played it though grade school and high school. Being a dumb kid I beat the hell out of it, I regret that but I hope to restore her to her former glory again.

If anyone knows of where I can find parts for it, it would be a huge help.

Crazy Finn · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject:

krax · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:06 am Post subject:

The bottom valce cap threads... It looks like they are on the outside of the tubing? Selmer trumpets have their threads on the inside.
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musicalmason1 · Veteran Member Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 431

Your horn looks rather similar to Evette-Schaeffer horns I have seen before. Evette Schaeffer's were made by Buffet....so if my knowledge of clarinet manufacturer histories is correct, I believe there is a link there. I believe there is also some lineage link to Selmer paris. It seems as though those French companys never learned to keep their hands to themselves...there is (was) a lot of co-operative work going on between many of the French manufacturers.

ChopsGone · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1377

SML were woodwind makers. They were contractors to Besson during the Meha days, but the trumpet work was done primarily by established brass houses (Aubertin, among others).

http://www.besson.com/en/history.php

The heavy finger ring is unfortunately fairly common in French-made trumpets of different brands. There's an old issue of "Brass Review" which has some information about SML, contained in an article on Aubertin. I believe it was issue #59, but my copy's temporarily gone into hiding.
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Vintage Olds & Reynolds & Selmers galore
Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls....

evitucci · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 8:30 am Post subject:

Thank you all so much for your reply's. I will take a look at some of these horns and see if any of parts from those trumpets might work on mine. Someone asked if the threads for the valve caps are on the outside and they are.

Here is some more info from the horn on the bell

SML
Strasser Marigaux
144 146 Boulde La Villbtte
Paris France

The Valves are marked 22,23,24
and 6563 is stamped on the outside of the second valve

Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5072

What Chops Gone said......The thing to keep in mind Europe eslecialy WWII and earlier few shops did everything in house. You had a ot of cottage industry where one place made mostly bells, another made the drawn tubes another made valve assemblies etc.......

In fact this is how a lot of things where still being made even during WWII in parts of Europe and Asia.....You see for example pictures of school girls in Japan in someones back yard with a tiny lathe turning parts for machines guns and another back yard they might be puting tubing together to make machguns etc......You saw this is in UK......After the war we see it still going on in Spain a good example is guitar effects pedals made in workshops that where basically someones house. One neighbor winding coils around old iron nails for instance for said pedals.

So when talking French trumpets especialy pre-war it can be a real hornets nest of who made what.....

Even today we have companies lke B&S and Kanstul that supplie more other companies with trumpet valve assemblies then anyone else but we do not have a list as such. Then you have all theothe replaces that will sell you a limited amount if you are lucky and they have more then enough for their own production needs like Getzen. What happens when they are not meeting their own production needs and you need more assemblies???? These modern examples are nothing new......You could prob. insert Bauerfiend in their and have it be true too. So just because someone usually used part from one company for this and another company for that it can not be said with 100%. Look at Bach he used more then one company as well for valve assemblies!

You will prob. never know all the details about your trumpet. In fact even in the USA some European maker's sold parts and people in the USA did the final assembly.

The important thing is how does it play and what does it need work wise?
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evitucci · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 4:10 pm Post subject:

For the beating the horn has taken I am shocked it plays as well as it does. It has a nice dark but round sound that I always liked.

It needs a valved adjustment, one new valve button, 3 new valve caps, it needs a support brace by the C slide. The bell is a mess with dents and other small dents and could use a refinish.

But I would like to get the valve button and new valve caps and then take it to a repair shop for the valve adjustment. But she still plays ok.