Techie Notes:
- Bass, soprano and sopranino models were discontinued as a production model when the True Tone was discontinued. The bass and curved soprano were available as "custom order" horns and were essentially True Tone horns with different engraving and minor keywork improvements. The bass and soprano made a return around 1959 as a production model.
- The Aristocrat "I's" were essentially New Aristocrats, but with different engraving, until about s/n 269xxx or 270xxx when the bell keys switched to the LH side of the horn. Many people consider the New Aristocrat the "transitional" horn and Aristocrats after 270xxx "true" Aristocrats.
- I can tell essentially no difference between the Big B and model 140 Aristocrat altos, except that the 140 has less elaborate engraving. All other tooling appears identical.
- The Aristocrat is a much more classical horn than the 400 -- Sigurd Rascher used to advertise them! -- They have exceptional intonation, a "complex" dark sound and are fairly nice to play. However, I don't like the G#/C#/B/Bb key cluster -- I think it's too tight.
- The Big B and 400 "Top Hat and Cane" models introduced gold-plated, screw-in Norton springs. These are exceptionally nice and very springy, even when the rest of the horn is in bad shape.
- Some Big B models were available with a sterling silver neck.
- Looking at the model chart, the implication is that the Big B overlapped the model 140 a bit.
- Its probable that these horns were available in gold plate, up until the introduction of the model 141, but I have yet to see one.
- After Selmer bought the company around 1963, the Aristocrat quickly exolved into the Bundy.