What is Antique Sound Workshop?
- Everything (and quite possibly more than) you ever wanted to know about who we are and what we offer, as well as some information about our history, our publications, and our sales policies. If you can't find the answer here, there is always E-mail, telephone, fax, or [shudder] snail mail for the hopelessly retro.
Antique Sound Workshop Catalogue
- Our extensive on-line catalogue offers more than 800 different models of recorders and an equal number of other historical woodwind, brass, string, keyboard, and percussion instruments. Our sheet music catalogue contains more than 15,000 titles the last time we counted. Feel free to download and print out any specific catalogue pages in which you are interested. However, if you're looking for something specific or want advice or guidance, it might just be quicker if you call up and ask.
ASW Information Bulletins
- These bulletins will provide you with concise, detailed, and authoritative information on various aspects of the recorder and its playing technique. If you need a crash course in some specific subject, this is a good place to start. Beginners will want to read the first five bulletins in the order listed. If you have questions not answered here, feel free to call us. And do bear in mind H. L. Mencken's dictum: "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."
Special Notices to Our Customers
The current worldwide economic crisis is, perhaps not wholly unexpectedly, having its effect on the seemingly insular world of historical musical instruments as well. The trends, already evident in the past few years but accelerating even more in recent months, toward consolidation, down-sizing, and economizing have become increasingly evident among virtually all historical instrument makers. Sales here at ASW have thankfully been affected very little by the slow-down; apparently our loyal customers appreciate the fact that the custom-serviced and optimized instruments from our workshop are an excellent investment, especially in these difficult economic times when they really can't afford to waste money on sub-standard instruments.
However, one sad reality is that the number of different makes and models that we have been able to offer our customers in the past has unfortunately been reduced due to cut-backs by our suppliers. Some makers, such as Huber and Fehr, have cut costs by reducing their wood inventories and eliminating specific models as the wood supply for them becomes exhausted; other makers, such as Küng, have sadly chosen to eliminate entire model series. Moeck closed its historical wind instrument department at the end of 2008 after 45 years of production, the venerable Adler-Heinrich workshop went out of business completely two years ago, as did the Roessler workshop earlier, and many smaller workshops are struggling just to stay in business.
Despite the dire economic news that bombards us daily, there are three very good reasons for purchasing the instruments you have always wanted to have NOW rather than waiting until later: (1) you will be supporting instrument makers, aiding them to stay in business and remain profitable, (2) you will be helping to stimulate the global economy, and (3) you will be able to choose from a far wider variety of makes, models, and wood choices than will ever be available to you again in the future. Almost daily we receive requests for instruments which are sadly no longer to be had. It may seem to be counter-intuitive, but there is actually no better time for you to invest in a new custom-serviced instrument than right now.
Thanks to an overall improvement in the exchange rate since last March which has more than offset the 2009 price increases from the maker, we are able to offer appreciably lower prices on all recorders, especially the Denner series, from the Mollenhauer Workshop in Germany effective immediately. This maker has also introduced for 2009 new tenor recorder models with additional keywork for the manually-challenged, as well as two superb new greatbass recorder models. Unfortunately, the excellent yet inexpensive Ninjo soprano, in production for only three years, has been replaced by the newly-redesigned Student soprano. See What's New at Antique Sound Workshop for detailed information on these long-awaited new models.
Due to the recent upsurge of renewed interest in baroque flutes amongst our customers, we have revised and expanded our information on the excellent custom-tuned Aulos Baroque Flutes available from our workshop. These faithful reproductions of surviving museum instruments provide an excellent and relatively inexpensive introduction to baroque flute playing. For those who prefer wooden instruments, the equally inexpensive Sweetheart Baroque Flutes are available with interchangeable middle joints, which allow playing at either a'=440 or 415 Hz., and in a choice of maple, rosewood, or boxwood.
A year ago, we were able to roll back the prices on our custom-serviced Yamaha plastic recorders to those in effective prior to July of 2005. We also reintroduced the entire 40, 60, and 80/800/90 series of Yamaha wooden recorders with special sale prices of 30% off the current suggested list prices for these instruments. Thanks to special arrangements with this maker, we have been able to continue those discounts into 2009. Please see the current prices for these instruments. Yamaha has also introduced two new innovative models of electronic digital metronomes in wrist watch and desktop cube formats.
The Adler-Heinrich workshop was forced by economic circumstances to close its doors in November of 2006. Many models are now completely sold out, and the remaining others are in very short supply. We urge our customers to act quickly to obtain their choice of our remaining inventory.
We ask that all orders for plastic recorders, accessories, and/or sheet music be placed using our ASW Order Form. This will enable us to process and fill your order much more quickly and efficiently. We are no longer able to accept verbal telephone orders for these items and ask for your cooperation and understanding in this regard.
ASW Staff E-Mail Addresses
- In order to serve you more efficiently, each member of our staff now has his or her own E-mail address. Our ASW staff directory provides you with quick and easy-to-use E-mail reply forms.
How to Place Your Order
- If you want to "cut to the chase" and place an order now, go to our ASW Order Form. If you want to send us an order by E-mail, please contact our Sales Department at sales@aswltd.com. You may also call, fax, or write us.
What's New at Antique Sound Workshop
- You will find here direct links to the newest items in stock at Antique Sound Workshop. All items are in reverse chronological order, so the most recent items are listed first.
Shortcuts to Frequently Updated Pages
- These links will take you to those pages on our web site that are regularly updated with current information about historical musical instruments available from our workshop.
ASW Web Site Search Engine
- If you are looking for something very specific, rather than just browsing, our new and powerful site-wide search engine will find every mention of it for you in just a few seconds.
Chrestologia Archives
- We have listed the contents of all back issues of our customer newsmagazine for the past ten years. Copies of most back issues are still available.
You are visitor no. 
to this Web site since August 1st, 1996.
Copyright, Antique Sound Workshop, Ltd., 2009. All rights reserved.