WE WILL BE CLOSING FOR CHRISTMAS ON THURSDAY DECEMBER 17TH, RE-OPENING JANUARY 4TH.  ANY ORDERS FOR NEW HORNS PLACED BY FRIDAY 11TH WILL BE DESPATCHED IN TIME TO ARRIVE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, UNLESS WE ADVISE OTHERWISE.  TONEBLOBS & CDs WILL BE DESPATCHED RIGHT UP TO DECEMBER 24TH.  WE'RE VERY BUSY - PLEASE ORDER NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT...

This is from the golden days when Paxman horns were completely handmade.  These wonderful instruments are becoming rarer all the time and these days seldom come onto the used market - people hang onto 'em.  Truly a better-made horn than the modern offerings from Paxman - and they're wonderful - these horns represent incredible value for money to the discerning hornist.  This one is in unlacquered nickel-silver (the lightest, strongest, most dent-resistant and anti-corrosive - and most expensive - of the 3 metals) and comes with a fixed bell. We've just reconditioned it and it's ready to go.

It will come with our standard full 3-year guarantee, a hard case and a mouthpiece and mute if wanted.

You can't get these for love nor money nowadays, gentlemen:  snap it up quickly if you've always wanted one...

£POA

PLEASE NOTE:  JUST BEEN INFORMED BY THE SELLER THAT THIS IS A 21L - IT HAS A LARGE BELL.  ALL OTHER DETAILS UNCHANGED.

This horn hasn't arrived yet, and is shown in the seller's photo.  It'll be here next week and so, effectively, is immediately available as of today, 5 November 2009.

Obviously I haven't seen it yet, but it's a Paxman so it will play superbly.  There's some missing lacquer (14%, apparently!) and the odd blemish, but this is a used horn, after all.  The fabric of the instrument looks to be very good - and is so-reported by the seller - and cosmetic condition also seems good.   It's made in gold brass with a screw bell.  It'll be fully reconditioned before sale - so it will be in literally perfect playing order - and will come with a full 3-year guarantee and a hard case.  A mouthpiece and mute (both top quality) can be thrown in if required.

Note that this horn is basically a Model 20 - Paxman's best-selling, well established double horn - with a stopping valve, so useful in orchestral playing.

And it's priced to sell...

£POA

This wonderful horn has been fully refurbished by Paxmans very recently.  The work included a brand new medium bell - it was formerly a Model 20L - and the serial number and model designation have been appropriately amended.  It was originally built in 1984.

Basically, it's a brand new 20M.  It's in lacquered gold brass with a screw bell and in absolutely pristine condition.  It comes with a volcano-shaped, Marcus-Bonna-style Paxman case, also in as-new condition.  I dread to think what this would cost new, and there'd be the usual 12 - 18 months wait.  This one is here, now, and ready to go.  But it won't be here long...

£POA

This is a very fine playing horn indeed.

It does feel a little unbalanced in the hands (a tendecy to tip backwards or forwards), but this is the last thing you need to worry about.  It's an incredibly secure, notchy horn with a high register to die for;  the mid register legato is lovely, and the low register also super.  This is the hand-stopping version of the Model 103 - Alexander's famous full double - and so sounds exactly like a 103. 

It's in lacquered gold brass with a screw bell.  There is some missing lacquer in the usual places, and currently a few dents (which will be removed during preparation, obviously) but these things apart, the horn is in good overall condition as can be seen in the pic.

It comes in a hard, crocodile-effect briefcase-shaped Alexander case, also in good condition.

Very useful to have that double stopping valve, gentlemen...

£POA

This is a wonderful, free-blowing Geyer style instrument. It's very similar in every respect to an original Geyer: the wrap and general architecture is virtually identical, the bells also; and, if anything, the workmanship is even better. Of course, it plays just sublimely - again like a Geyer original. In fact, if you compared this side by side with a Geyer original, but wearing a blindfold, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart - it plays THAT well.

It's in unlacquered gold brass with a few, superficial blemishes only - general condition is excellent, and so is valve compression. Listen to Haitinck's Mahler & Wagner CDs (with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw) to hear just how fabulous these very rare, very special horns sound...

£POA

Yamaha 662 - very high quality pro F/Bb double horn.  Tatty but fab, and with plenty of life left in it.

Paxman Model 40 Bb/A(+)/F alto descant horn.

This is the Geyer-style version of the famous 103. 

These fine horns sound exactly like a 103, but are more free-blowing and slightly less 'awkward' to play.  This one is in lacquered yellow brass with a fixed bell.  The lacquer is 99% intact, and there are virtually no blemishes.  The valves are highly airtight - the horn hasn't been used much at all - and the slightly flat high register and slightly sharp low register which 103s are famed for is absent.  The high register is slotted and secure, the mid-register legato is lovely, and the low register is fat and meaty.  It makes the bright, heroic sound that all Alexanders make, and it's ready to go.  What more can a guy want?

£POA

This truly beautiful instrument plays like a dream.  It comes from the days when Paxman horns were 100% handmade - this one in unlacquered gold brass - and doesn't it ever show!  Every note is in its dead right place, intonation is superb, and it plays smoothly and flawlessly across all registers.  There's a detachable F extension, and it all comes in the original, slimline Paxman case.  This fine horn will make a discerning player very happy indeed...

£POA

This wonderful instrument comes from the days when Paxman horns were 100% handmade.  The second you play it, you can tell why these instruments are so fiercely sought-after:  it's got a full and warm sound (unusually warm, given the medium bell), every note is in its right place, intonation is superb on all 3 horns, and changing between them is seamless.  Obviously, it's not a lightweight instrument and, if you're looking at buying one of these, you'll be aware of these and other issues;  that said, it's not over-heavy (nowhere near as heavy as a full triple) and is simply perfect for orchestral use.  It's a joy to play.

Used by a retiring top professional player throughout its life, it's now ready for its next home...

£POA

This is a traditional, Kruspe-style horn from Holton.  It's a fully professional instrument, and in lovely, almost-new condition - almost blemish-free.  Unusually, it's silver plated.  It will come fully reconditioned - not that it needs hardly anything done to it - and with our standard, full 3-year guarantee and a hard case in good condition.

It plays beautifully, makes that lovely, dark 'Hollywood' sound and will last its new owner a lifetime.

And it's priced to sell...

£POA

This is a fine-playing orchestral workhorse.  Made in gold brass, and with a beautiful coat of laquer, this horn is free-blowing and warm-sounding.  The stopping valve will help with awkward transpositions (and hand-stopping, of course) and the lightweight construction offsets the inevitable additional weight of the stopping valve mechanism.  All in all this is a beautifully balanced and elegant instrument, ideal for all work but perhaps especially suited to an orchestral life.

A lovely horn.

£POA

This is an absolutely beautiful - I'll say it again - absolutely beautiful - 100% handmade single F alto descant horn with an in-built intonation-adjusting thumb valve.

It's made in gold brass, with a fixed bell, and is lacquered.  Condition is virtually perfect - no blemishes that I can see, anyway.

It's plays just fabulously.  If you're a high player and want to be a superstar in that Brandenburg One or Quoniam or whatever, this is the horn for you.  One only, and unrepeatable, so don't mess about...

£POA

I'm repeating myself, I know, but this wonderful horn plays and sounds just like an Engelbert Schmid - again, enough said.

£POA

PS:  Anyone notice the 'deliberate' mistake, corrected at 20-05 today, Friday June 26th?  If so, send me an email and tell me what it was and you may win a free Absent Soloists CD...!  SORRY - COMPETITION NOW CLOSED;  BUT WATCH OUT FOR OUR FORTHCOMING COMPETITION...

This beautiful instrument sounds and plays almost exactly like an Engelbert Schmid - enough said.

£POA