This is a very fine horn - Paxman's best-selling full F/Bb double horn, but with titanium rotors.  These are quicker and lighter than brass rotors, and an expensive option.

The instrument is lacquered (I'd say over 95% intact) and fitted with a large bell having a screw flare.  It's not in perfect condition, but it's not far off:  there are a few little blemishes - the odd pin dent, some slight evidence of repair work, and a tiny area of discoloured lacquer by the bell plaque.  However, as you'll all understand, these are minor cosmetic matters only, and in no way affect the sound or playability of this first class, professional instrument.  It will be fully reconditioned before despatch and, in playing terms, literally as good as new.  It's got all mechanical action and comes with a hard case.

£POA

This fine horn plays wonderfully and sounds fabulous.

A full triple, every bit as good as a Paxman or Alexander, and for a lots less bucks.

£POA

A wonderfully lightweight and beautifully balanced horn.

The low F side is full, warm and not deficient in any respect because of its compensating nature;  the Bb horn is fantastic;  and the Eb alto horn is secure, heroic and like having a secret weapon.  The tone is less grainy in the lower useable part of the Eb alto register than is the case with its F alto variant, and of course it goes a tone lower in the alto pedal register - right down to pedal Eb.

The medium bell makes a bright, perky 'European' sound - not unlike an Alexander - and the flare is detachable.

This is a top quality professional instrument.

£POA

This is a lovely, early, handmade instrument.  It's in lacquered gold brass with a fixed bell, and it's in very good condition.  Slightly more heavily built than Hoyer's current horns, it's likely to come from the early post-92 days, although it plays like a modern instrument, producing a warm, lively sound.  This is a fine, professional instrument at student horn money...

£POA

This is one of the first Model 20s, again from the 100% handmade days.  It's got a few blemishes, some missing lacquer and the odd tiny ding we can't easily get to, but it's been fully reconditioned and plays absolutely superbly.  It's in lacquered yellow brass with a fixed large bell - so it's a 20L.  It's got unusually-engraved rotor caps, with little horns on them!

The world's top orchestras use these wonderful instruments, Paxman's best-selling F/Bb double.

Given how wonderfully this horn plays, it's gonna be a bargain for someone because its cosmetically challenged appearance obviously affects its selling price and it's still got a lifetime's use in it.  This will make someone very happy...

£POA

We've never had one of these before.  We don't usually bother with single F horns because of their very limited applications, the odd Vienna horn apart, of course;  but this is an exception.  It's not a starter instrument - far from it - but a very fine, handmade, professional single F horn for the discerning player who likes to use a single F horn, for whatever application, even just practising on.  It plays every bit as well as the F side on the very best, professional doubles.  It's even got a garland, and the lacquer is almost 100% intact, and very well applied.  It has the following, engraved in the garland:  "MAX GOEPEL KIEL 1940," so I guess it must be 70 years old.  It looks almost new.

Not for a kid, this (unless they're a very careful prodigy), but for the experienced player who just loves the F horn!

£POA

This is a truly wonderful instrument:  from the 100% handmade days at Paxman, an early single Bb/A(+) horn in unlacquered yellow brass with a fixed bell.  It comes in its original case.

The horn is in superb condition and plays just beautifully, making a warm, ringing, noble sound:  the bell is a little larger than Paxman's current medium.  Valve compression is like new, and the horn has a fantastic high register - it's very secure and nimble, and you can get around really quickly on it.  The action is mechanical on all 4 valves.

This is one of the very finest single horns I've ever played - I'll be sorry to see it go!

£POA

This is yet another example of Paxman's fine, best-selling F/Bb full double.  These wonderful instruments have been used by top professionals worldwide for over 40 years, and still are today.

This horn is fitted with titanium rotors - wow! - and is made in lacquered yellow brass with a fixed, medium bell.  This is surely the ideal combination for most purposes.  Condition is excellent - not perfect, but very close (you can see how shiny it is!) - and, of course, it plays absolutely superbly...

£POA

This is a rare and very fine instrument.  Effectively, it's a 'pre-Model 40' but with a slightly larger bell than Paxman's current Medium - more like their current Europa bell.

It comes from the days when Paxman horns were 100% handmade - and don't you ever know it when you blow it!  It sails through all registers with super-fast, silent, silky-smooth valves and a lovely legato facility, and the Bb horn is truly superb - every bit as good as the very best Paxmans I've ever played.

The F alto side is also lovely, and produces clarion-clear, secure high notes and a big, fat and very free-blowing low register below bottom C, right down to pedal F (using orthodox F fingerings below bottom C on the F alto horn.)  Of course, you've also got the A/(+) valve which helps with awkward transpositions and difficult fingerings, and (with the sleeves fitted) renders hand-stopping non-transposing.  Using this valve, sleeves still fitted, you can produce all the slightly lack-lustre notes on the Bb horn using alternative fingerings which give the same tubing lengths as orthodox F horn fingerings, and so make the same F horn sound.  These slightly dodgy notes on the Bb horn include middle C, E and G above, and G below, all these notes down a semitone, and open first space F - and all this is standard single Bb/A(+) horn alternative fingering technique.

Although the horn is tatty it plays extremely well in all registers and makes a wonderful sound.  It's got a thin area in the bell (which has been well patched), several other patches, lots of little dents and imperfections, and no lacquer!  But the fabric of the horn is fine - it'll give many years of trouble-free, excellent service - and it's in gold brass - wow!

It comes fully reconditioned, with a full 3-year guarantee and hard case.  And it's priced to sell...

£POA

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