wwjdwithca
10-29-2006, 04:58 PM
Bought a Kessler Custom Alto for my son about 6 months ago, I've had quite a bit of input from horn people, my Son's played if for 6 months, and I've had some QC issues so I believe I've covered the gammut with this purchase.
First, the horn. It's an excellent piece. My Son's current private instructor is amazed at his intonation. He gives all the credit to my Son (playing for just over a year, and is 11), but there's no way my Son is adjusting his embouchure, so the horn is doing it's job...in spades! It did take my son a bit of adjustment to learn the fingerings from his MexiConn. May just be because he learned on the Conn, but I'm not sure about that, if the fingerings were easier it should have been, "Wow, I love the fingerings!" Instead it was, "The fingerings are different, I need to learn them." Which after a week or so he never mentioned it again, but he did bring it up several times after starting with it.
The case is not very durable, after just a few short months of my Son taking back and forth to school, the zipper broke. Which brings me to Customer Service.
Kessler is a great guy, but do not rely on e-mail with Dave. Call him! Don't get frustrated like I did with him not repsonding to e-mail, just call him. He sent me out a new case without really questioning the condition of the existing case, or checking the records of my purchase. Apparently he remebered me, but forgot that I bought an Alto, and sent me a tenor case. But sent me an Alto ASAP, and a return shipping document for the tenors return.
One of the screws on the neck broke as well, and he was very accomodating to that as well. He said he'd provide shipping labels ,and he'd take care of it. Which I haven't done yet cause I'm waiting to get my Son a backup horn, but I'm very confident he'll take care of it when I'm ready....just need to call him.
I haven't had any of the stories I've heard where people (like instructors) knock the horn cause they've never heard of it. I've noticed that alot of sax players in my Son's band play the Chinese horns, so I think band instructors at his level are used to seeing lots of different horns. I think it's advantage actually, people think he's playing a cheap horn, yet he sounds really good, so he gets all the credit!
My Son liked the horn the second he blew into it. Shinny new, and sound great. I like it cause I know I got my money's worth, and it's supported well, like you should be when you just paid $700 for a musical instrument.
First, the horn. It's an excellent piece. My Son's current private instructor is amazed at his intonation. He gives all the credit to my Son (playing for just over a year, and is 11), but there's no way my Son is adjusting his embouchure, so the horn is doing it's job...in spades! It did take my son a bit of adjustment to learn the fingerings from his MexiConn. May just be because he learned on the Conn, but I'm not sure about that, if the fingerings were easier it should have been, "Wow, I love the fingerings!" Instead it was, "The fingerings are different, I need to learn them." Which after a week or so he never mentioned it again, but he did bring it up several times after starting with it.
The case is not very durable, after just a few short months of my Son taking back and forth to school, the zipper broke. Which brings me to Customer Service.
Kessler is a great guy, but do not rely on e-mail with Dave. Call him! Don't get frustrated like I did with him not repsonding to e-mail, just call him. He sent me out a new case without really questioning the condition of the existing case, or checking the records of my purchase. Apparently he remebered me, but forgot that I bought an Alto, and sent me a tenor case. But sent me an Alto ASAP, and a return shipping document for the tenors return.
One of the screws on the neck broke as well, and he was very accomodating to that as well. He said he'd provide shipping labels ,and he'd take care of it. Which I haven't done yet cause I'm waiting to get my Son a backup horn, but I'm very confident he'll take care of it when I'm ready....just need to call him.
I haven't had any of the stories I've heard where people (like instructors) knock the horn cause they've never heard of it. I've noticed that alot of sax players in my Son's band play the Chinese horns, so I think band instructors at his level are used to seeing lots of different horns. I think it's advantage actually, people think he's playing a cheap horn, yet he sounds really good, so he gets all the credit!
My Son liked the horn the second he blew into it. Shinny new, and sound great. I like it cause I know I got my money's worth, and it's supported well, like you should be when you just paid $700 for a musical instrument.