[SaxyAcoustician]

I was just on the Woodwind & Brasswind site. They don't seem to be carrying too many of their horns now.

 

[Raphyel]

I think wwbw is getting sold...Keilwerth has a new distributor. Maybe they are working out something with wwbw but I dont know.

 

[Steve P]

Yes, Keilwerth is no longer being distributed by Boosey...

Steve P

 

[J.Max]

I'm not sure that they have a US distributor right now...

 

[Morry]

They are distributed by Powell, the flute folks.

 

[mountainman]

Keilwerth

I was just on the Woodwind & Brasswind site. They don't seem to be carrying too many of their horns now.

I think they may be rebelling against the higher wholesale pricing. If you can't sell it and make a profeit then you can't afford to stock it!!!

 

[Randall]

Last I heard they are NOT going out of business...but they have been struggling a bit in the last 2 or 3 years.

 

[JCBigler]

I believe that Sonare Winds is the current distributor for Keilwerth saxophones (and Schreiber bassons), heard that here a few months ago. These are the same people who distribute Powell flutes, and Zonda reeds.

Sonare Distributes Keilwerth

Though when I emailed them a couple of months ago agout getting some Keilwerth swag (case stickers, jackets, etc...) the lady that replied seemed surprised that I had already heard of the new distributorship. Apparently it was leaked to the internet before they were ready to mention it.

The Woodwind and Brasswind, however, is about to go bankrupt. So, maybe it's not such a bad thing that they aren't carrying Keilwerth anymore.

 

[J.Max]

WWBW is already bankrupt. They filed for Chapter 11, and were subsequently bought by Musician's Friend/Guitar Center.

 

[Pinnman]

Keilwerth and Schreiber were both part of Boosey & Hawkes, before a major fraud in their US office caused that company to collapse. The various subsidiaries have had to go their own way under different management, and no doubt the road has not been easy for all of them. Setting up new distribution arrangements will have been just one problem.

I can't remember all the subsidiaries, but Buffet and Winter come to mind; also one of the reed makers - Rico I think.

 

[Joe Jazz]

I seem to remember reading earlier that the new Keilwerth distributor didn't want WW&BW selling Keilwerths anymore. I can't help but nptice that no one seems to be buying any new JK's off ebay. Guess I'm not the only one hating the higher prices!

 

[EZ]

Boosey Boosey Bop - Diddy Bop!!!

 

[Morry]

Maybe if JK did go belly up, the prices of existing second hand horns wouldn't suck so much.

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

I seem to remember reading earlier that the new Keilwerth distributor didn't want WW&BW selling Keilwerths anymore. I can't help but nptice that no one seems to be buying any new JK's off ebay. Guess I'm not the only one hating the higher prices!

I think this is the reason why Yamaha and Yanagisawa survive in the marketplace. You have to have at least some pro horns that are ~$2000. Keilwerth has no pro horns at that price point; their minimum is $3k. It's too bad. Keilwerth makes nice horns. I just wouldn't pay the prices they expect to be paid.

 

[Joe Jazz]

Also, it's just hard to justify spending approximately $1,000 more on a top of the line Keilwerth rather than on a top of the line Yamaha or Yanagisawa. I get the guilts everytime I think about doing it again!

 

[stevesklar]

Yamaha has a entire spread of saxes from student to a couple pro models AND other instruments - more than just sax and more than just musical instruments. I would wonder how profitable each line was (especially since they closed their GrandRapids, MI facility).

But apparently Yani is doing something right.

I'm curious why ppl don't like the regular SX model as much as the SXR (theoretical) but then Yani doesn't have a RTH model at all as the differentiating feature.

JoeJazz .. weren't you a SP JK player at one time ??

 

[Joe Jazz]

Yes, I've been a JK silverplated, nickelplated, black nickelplated, clear lacquer over brass, and Shadow player......I wouldn't be surprised to see me with another Shadow alto at some point....I'm one sick puppy!

 

[Agent27]

I think this is the reason why Yamaha and Yanagisawa survive in the marketplace. You have to have at least some pro horns that are ~$2000. Keilwerth has no pro horns at that price point; their minimum is $3k. It's too bad. Keilwerth makes nice horns. I just wouldn't pay the prices they expect to be paid.

About 6 years ago, when the exchange rate was in America's favor, I bought my black nickel SX90R tenor from Saxophoonwinkel for $2,100. WWBW was selling them for $3,500.

 

[Joe Jazz]

Those were the days...when men were men, and women were too...

 

[JCBigler]

One also has to remember that Yamaha is THE single largest music equipment manufacturer in the world. They build everything: brass, woodwinds, percussion, pianos, strings, electronic gear, entry level to touring grade professional audio consoles, speakers, recording equipment, hell, even motorcycles and jet skis. It's hard for anyone to compete with that kind of market share. Yamaha IS the two ton gorrilla of the music world.

And yeah, they make good saxophones, but Keilwerth would have to expand their manufacturing capability by AT LEAST four or five time to even come close to their prices. But, I still like the character of the Keilwerth horns better.