Wow, you have the first version of the famous Aulos Haka (current version is 709B). I thought I was the only person who had one of those. Yes, they are VERY fat (and very shiny!). One of the changes they made with the current version is to bring it down to the size of most other altos. They even have a wood-grain version of the old one (maybe you have that?). Anyway, they are nice recorders too (like all Aulos).
I think the “-E” means English (Baroque) fingering. All my Aulos recorders have that.
Makes sense… I knew the current model number had the “B” and I would’ve wondered if “E” was for “English” except the above with the Symphony model numbers. Mine isn’t wood-grain, sadly. And unfortunately, I don’t prefer that it’s fatter (I don’t think. Could be I’m just used to the Yamaha). I feel like I have to over-rotate the foot joint to get to that F-hole (maybe I’d just need to make it my regular player and get used to it, and then the Yamaha would become annoying).
This was my thrift-store “rescue” recorder, along with a 311N-E tenor. Both happened to have tags of that week’s “half off” color, so I brought both home for I think less than $20 because how could I *not*?? (Unfortunately, that right-hand stretch on the tenor is pretty hard for me {and the left hand isn’t that easy, either}, so I don’t really play it.)