Altos for sale

We have a couple of alto saxophones that are well worth a look for serious players.
Firstly is a Yamaha YAS62. This is one of the best modern instruments. Highly regarded and thought to be very close to the Selmer MkVI sound.  This one is a great example of an early 62 with the 'Purple logo' badge and long bell key guard. (Modern ones have Selmer style guards and I've heard some arent' built in Japan any more. ) Great  instrument to upgrade to.

The second one is a Selmer Balanced Action. One of the best sounding altos ever made. This is great for a soloist. It stands out with a big edgy sound. The not-so-good news it has had a knock or two in the past and repairs are quite visible. But that means it's cheaper than it should be, so here's a chance to grab a super horn.

Come and give them a try. (See Saxophone section for pictures and further info. )

Get palm key risers on your sax !

Palm key risers on a modern tenor sax

Saxophones are instruments that have changed gradually over time. The older ones may need a little adjustment for today's play. An example of this is in the palm keys. You can buy rubber palm key risers and these do help play the instrument - BUT they also have a problem in that they can come off or move.

We use a silicone putty to mould palm key risers to suit the player exactly. They won't fall off.

Older saxophones may need more silicone to make them fit your hand, but even newer saxophones can benefit from having palm key risers fitted. You may need just two on a newer sax. (As in the top picture.) The lower picture shows three palm key risers fitted to an old Selmer 'Cigar Cutter' alto.

Autumn - service time?

As the weather turns and the leaves start following, it's nice to stay warm inside and play some music. The baritone appears to be sold, pending payment, but we have a few more instruments.

We have a number of beginner-intermediate flutes, mostly made in America. These are built far better than most of the new instruments you see today for the beginner, which are made in China.

There are vintage and nearly new alto saxophones. These are very versatile instruments as you can play blues, rock and jazz on them as well as classical etc. It isn't so easy rocking on a clarinet!

We have just a few clarinets. A couple of beginner instruments and a couple of wooden ones. I'll be looking to get one or two in to keep stocks up.

But if you already have your instrument then perhaps it's time to be thinking of getting it in for a service. Before long we'll be into the festive season where instruments tend to be used a lot with many concerts taking place.

So get your instrument serviced now, so it'll be ready for when you need it. 

A Couple of Pics

We've got two piccolos in that are now ready to sell.

The first is a Czechoslavakian intermediate level instrument with a wood body. Almost certainly this will be from the Amati factory. Many people here know the cheap clarinets, but they did make better quality instruments too as this shows.

Piccolos aren't the easiest instrument to play partly because of the tiny embouchure hole. This one has a shaped lip-plate which makes it easier to play.

It has been repadded and is an instrument with a nice warm tone.

The second piccolo is a Bundy. Basic student instrument from the States. Sturdy construction similar to Yamaha 32 but now at a fraction of the cost.

These are a good choice for occasional use. 

In the flute dept, we have some Artley flutes as well as the similar Gemeinhardts. They are well-built, beginner/intermediate model instruments. Most of the new instruments for the beginner are now made in China and we feel these American flutes are much more reliable.

See our FLUTE page for more information.

Baritone Reduced !

It's been a difficult year with everyone struggling so we've reduced the price of our Selmer MkVI baritone hoping to find a new home for it. It is certainly worth more then that, so grab it before it goes.

Selmer Mk VI baritone with low A now £4750

Selmer MkVI Baritone.

We have a nice example of a Selmer MkVI baritone in for sale. It's one I worked on some years ago when it had a different owner. The instrument had a full overhaul and I'm pleased to see it is still playing well.(Though I have given it a service and done any minor tweaks necessary.)

These classic Selmers do seem to be a good investment. A few years ago Selmer baritones were half the price they are today. So the price now may seem a bit high but these instruments more than keep their value!

If you fancy a decent investment a Selmer MkVI seems liek a good bet. And you get a decent instrument to play with too.

See the saxophones section for more details.

French Horn

We get some different things in from time to time. Recent items to sell on commission are a French Horn with compensating valve, a Selmer baritone and an old Boosey and Hawkes Regent clarinet.
The old Regents were a solid reliable bit of kit. There were lots of them used in schools and after 30 or 40 years they are still going strong. This one needs a bit of work before I sell it but it should make for a good useable beginners instrument.
The baritone is a 1970s Selmer Mk VI. Highly regarded instruments, this is a good blower whcih comes in the original case, which is a pretty neat shaped case. I need to check it over before selling it, but it is in good condition and well worth a look.
The French Horn is a Lehmann of Hamburgh. Probably Carl Lehmann. It has detachable bell whcih appears to be gold plated. This has had a fair bit of use and been knocked about a little, but it works well and looks to be well made.
I'm not sure who will want these but if you know anyone that might be interested please pass on out details!