As I said, Stephen would be my first choice but I would need to get to him by public transport as I don't drive (I know) and that would be a couple of journeys of 2-3 hours each way, I might still do it but I'd rather not just because of the travel. I'd quite like it if he would move closer to London. I suppose the problem may be worse in much of the US and this seems a pretty small inconvenience but distance, like time, alters according to circumstance. Howarths would be ok but I'm really looking for somebody with expertise in vintage horns. My last experience with them, which was a long time ago, was that they do a good business like job but when I got the horn back it played as if it was set up to play classical. I took the Kng in for a valuation and they were puzzled that it had a silver neck and thought it must be a third party addition. Sax.co.uk was a great disappointment and I'll go no further, Dawkes did a great overhaul for me but they're a fairly long trek and getting a horn booked in with the guy who knows vintage can, and did, take a long time. I have the number of someone who is something of a Conn expert so I'll probably have to give him a go but I'm amazed at how difficult it is to find someone in London with a bit of specialisation and skills to match. Thanks for the suggestions.
