[Beastie]

I have a Sopranino Sax which is IDENTICAL to one I see on Ebay in every detail (http://www.ebay.com/itm/270858616610), which is "marked" as an International Woodwind.
A Sopranino (Eb) Identical to mine down to the etched scroll, Case & Hardware. Everything except the MARKINGS.

The one I have has the markings, "Matt Raines, Special Edition, Precision VI", SN-3100.

Anyone have knowledge of either "INTERNATIONAL WOODWINDS" or "MATT RAINES"..??

I do see that there are Matt Raines Guitar models out there, with a web sight & all. However there is NO mention of saxophones or that he has ever played one.

Is this sopranino a special IW custom issue model.?
A back door taiwan "re-brand"?
A chinese overstock slick liquidation.?

I can't imagine IW would sell outright TRASH, with a name like that.
Being the same horn, by observation, how do I explain the marking variant.?

 

[Wade Cornell]

I have an IW C soprano that is an E&R design made in Taiwan or China. They put their own label on them. This is called stencilling. It's a common practice, especially now with lots of little brands that are made in Taiwan or China for various markets. Occasionally you will see the same instrument sold directly from the manufacturer with their own label or labelled by another party from one of those countries. Nothing sinister about it. Just the way it is. Sometimes if you are sure about what you are looking at you can pick up a "name brand" off Ebay direct from China or Taiwan for much less than the American or European intermediary sells them for.

 

[Beastie]

a boon when discovered purchased & enjoyed while you own one, but it makes selling these things problematic.

 

[tsh30039]

yeah i would agree