typeset wrote:

I lean more towards elite--in fact, that's what I use most often--but using this SM4 is sheer delight, no matter the typeface.

Just to be clear, Senatorial is an elite typeface; the scale on your SM4's paper bail is proof of that.

typeset wrote:

I really like its feel, though I prefer my SM3s.

The SM4 has the same components as the SM3 and should not feel any different. If you prefer one model over another in your collection it has everything to do with each machine's respective condition and tuning rather than the model. 
 

KatLondon wrote:

Just to clarify, 'elite' and 'pica' refer to size, not to the typeface itself. The terminology around typefaces, fonts etc, is all confused these days due to computers, which have rendered 'print' virtual, and turned real things into metaphors, and then the slightly different terminology in typewriterland confuses it again! But just in a nutshell, a font is a subset of a typeface the way a breed is a subset of a species. Ie, Baskerville Italic is a font, where Baskerville is a typeface. Senatorial is a typeface, and elite is the size of the one on your machine.

Well said, Kat. Thanks. It's nice to see the issue laid out so clearly. It's rather important to be able to communicate and all these words have unique and established meanings. Your post should be pinned for permanent access in our FAQ.