Martin Indiana saxophones
Made 1942 - 1962 (Ser# 26K - 90K) Classification: Student/Intermediate
The Indiana is one of their student/intermediate line horns which would also be indicated by the gold-lacquer body and Nickel keywork. Though people keep telling me that the earlier ones deserve to be called more then that.
Funny thing is though that the nickel keywork was a feature of their deluxe models.
Chris Holz, a grandson of Fred A. Holz (President MBI from '31 until '48) has brought to my attention that all Martin instruments where made
at the MBI plant it self.
So my assumption that their student models where made in the old Indiana Band Industies plant was false.
Story goes that it has good tone. A dutch owner of an earlier Indiana (gold-laquer keys) wrote me his Indiana Alto has a nice full tone, and it sounds very well. Also the members of the saxontheweb.net forum and saxforum.nl \ speak highly of them.
The Indiana tenor of a neighbour was very comparable with my The Martin Tenor. Maybe a little thinner, but hardly noticable.
People claim there are at least 3 stages of Indianas:
Phase 1.
- Based on CommitteeI or II
- heart shaped left thumb rest
- nickel keys
- adjustable right thumb rest
Phase 2.
- Based on THE MARTIN with gold color keys
- at least some of them have adjustable right thumbrests
- No heart shaped left thumbrest (not on the THE MARTINS either.)
Phase 3.
- Based on THE MARTIN with silver keys
- no adjustable right thumbrest
- No heart shaped left thumbrest
I myself have seen the following models:
Phase 1. - Indiana The Indiana
- Stencil of a Handcraft phase 2 made by "The Indiana Band Instrument Company" until 1938 not sold under the name Martin
Phase 2. - Indiana The Indiana
- Stencil of a Martin Imperial or Martin Standard Special made by "The Indiana Band Instrument Company" until 1942
- not sold under the name Martin (Or maybe under the name Standard Special
Phase 3a. - Martin Indiana
- Gold lacquered body (based on old Imperial or Standard Special)
- gold lacquered keys
- I assume the design was the same as the latest Indiana The Indiana
Phase 3b. - Martin Indiana deluxe
- Gold lacquered body (based on old Imperial or Standard Special)
- nickel keys
- heart shaped left thumb rest
- adjustable right thumb rest
- Forked octave key on the neck
- I assume the design was the same as the latest Indiana The Indiana
Phase 4. - Martin Richards Indiana
- Gold lacquered body (based on ?)
- Keyguard with the 'R' cut out
- Not that much known about this type
I know for sure that 3a and 3b where sold at the same moment because I have a copy of a catalog and pricelist featuring them both.
More pictures (click to enlarge)
Phase 1
Phase 3
Phase 4
Some characteristics (click to enlarge)
Engraving phase 1
Engraving phase 2
Engraving phase 3
Engraving phase 4
The keyguards of the low-B and Bb keys phase 1
The keyguards of the low-B and Bb keys phase 3
The keyguards of the low-B and Bb keys phase 4
The keyguards of the low-c key
Left pinky clusters phase 3
right pinky clusters phase 1
right pinky clusters phase 2
right pinky clusters phase 3
right pinky clusters phase 4
The thumbrests voor left thumb
The thumbrests voor right thumb
The body to bell brace
Necks phase 1
Necks phase 3
Necks phase 4
Toneholes phase 1
Toneholes phase 2
Toneholes phase 3
Toneholes phase 4
Modelnumber SX53 phase 4
