Wichita Band Instrument Co.

2525 East Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67211, USA tel (316) 684-0291; FAX (316) 684-6858 E-mail wbic@wichitaband.com and E-mail wbic@aol.com

Model 90M Professional German Single Bb French Horn from Alexander of Mainz.

Philipp Alexander’s small team of master technicians produce about 600 superb French horns each year. The small workshop in Mainz also produces trumpets and tubas of the highest quality, but horns are Alexander’s specialty and have been forever.

The model 90 is a single horn, in Bb, four vavles including the muting/stopping valve.

This particular instrument is in unlacquered yellow brass.

We’ve been the American agent for new Alexander instruments for decades and have an excellent relationship with them. A new Alexander 90M, with case, is now priced at a bit below $6,000.

Our Ebay instrument is a used horn, no serial number, but dating from the late 1950’s or early sixties.

It’s not a “closet queen” that’s in pristine condition, but it is a solid and serviceable pro-quality instrument. The rotors are original and show almost no wear. There’s no loose-play at the bearings and there is good compression, indicating that the previous owner must have used plenty of valve oil during the life of the horn.

The body and bell of the instrument have no thin spots, no patches and all parts are original, though the mouthpipe may be a replacement.

The bottom line is that the horn is a solid Alex that’s in good mechanical condition.

If you’re particular about how a horn looks, we’d be happy to supply you with a new Alexander. If you’re more concerned about finding an excellent single Bb horn at a “best buy” price, this one will be of interest to you. It’s clean, solid and dent-free, ready to ship.

Our starting price on this one is a mere $1950; it’s less than a third the cost of a new Alexander.

Questions about French horns? Email us at wbic@wichitaband.com or telephone Richard Bentson, our horn specialist, at 1-800-835-3006. *****

Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in wind instrument restoration. Today we have 18 employees including eight of the finest repair technicians in the country. Virtually ALL the items we sell have been fully reconditioned in our own shop, although we do sell a few unrestored historical instruments each year.

It’s sometimes possible to buy a horn on Ebay for a low price, but unless that instrument has been reconditioned by a reputable shop, you won’t know how it plays until you spend another few hundred to have it mechanically overhauled. With an instrument from OUR shop, you know it’s in the finest condition when it arrives at your home!

Wichita Band’s service warranty is the same as it’s been for more than thirty years:

“ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace, whichever in our estimation is the more advisable, pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.”

Wichita Band’s service warranty does cover dents and dings to your instrument. If your instrument sustains damage to the body, end bow, neck, slides or bell, we’ll burnish out the dents and make it look “like new” again. The cost you is absolutely nothing except for shipping and insurance charges.

Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially “free” for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953!

In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or Wichita Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer.

Anything we sell can be sent to you for a short approval period without obligation. We collect NO SALES TAX, unless you’re lucky enough to live in Kansas. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance and must pre-pay back to us any freight charges on returned equipment. International shipping is available. Returned items will be refunded within 3 weeks of receiving the item. We’re happy to send any instrument “on approval” for ten days, but ask the prospective buyer to pay shipping both ways and to please reimburse us for clean-up and re-stocking charges, 2.95%, on any returned item.

VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER/MONEY ORDER/CHECK/WIRE TRANSFER ACCEPTED. Credit cards not accepted from some countries. We must ship to the credit card billing address with exceptions made only at our discretion.

We’re happy to correspond with musicians, players, parents and enthusiasts of all types. Written appraisals are always available, but please don’t write or telephone and ask “what’s granny’s baritone sax worth?” Do an Ebay search and you’ll learn more than we could ever tell you.