Armstrong student alto with RTH ?

[Steve]

Ran across this on the Bay
An Armstrong student alto sax with RTH
Some Toneholes look like RTH whereas others looks like the tonehole is rounded where the pad meets it, instead of just a flat cut. The pictures aren't close enough but it is interesting.
==> http://www.ebay.com/itm/281917606236?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[pete]

Brief Google showed a lot of pics of the Armstrong 3008a. They're rolled tone holes, all right.

I'm running out of time, ATM, but I'd like to find out if those are actually made in the USA. I'm thinking it's not. Maybe Germanic.

 

[Steve]

From what little I've read they were made in the US

I know from Mr. Ferree that he and Mr. Couf (or the people in their Detroit office) reversed engineered the Royalist horn to create a cheaper student line model made in the US. This was due to the higher German labor costs. Thus the Royalist II line was created. The original Royalist and Royalist I were Keilwerths.

I'm guessing that the Armstrong is of the same thing, since they were all part of the same US company - WT Armstrong's President being Mr. Couf. Taking the Royalist II body and adding RTH.