Do you offer a warranty on the instruments you sell?We offer a limited 12-month warranty on all instrument sales. For details
click here.
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Can I do a mouthpiece trial?
We do allow mouthpiece trials of no more than 4 mouthpieces. For details click here.
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Can I do an instrument trial?
We do not allow trials on instruments. For details on our instrument return policy click here.
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Do you allow returns on purchases?
We accept returns on items for a 7-day period following delivery. Customer is liable for all shipping costs and all returns must be shipped insured. For more details click here.
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I have an instrument for sale. Do you buy instruments?
We are in the business of purchasing used instruments in addition to selling them. Contact us if you have instrument you'd like to sell. For more details click here.
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Do you accept trade-ins?
We do arrange trade-ins for customers who are making purchases from our store. You can receive cash back for your old instruments!! For more details click here.
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I saw one of your items on Ebay. Does your warranty apply to Ebay auctions?
Ebay auctions are not covered under out warranty. However, we only sell instruments in fine playing condition (no junkers here) and we are sure you'll be pleased with the quality.
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How much do you charge for shipping?
We offer free shipping on all items to destinations in the continental USA. For all other locations (international, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico) rates are $40 flat rate for purchases under $200 and $75 flat rate for purchases over $200.
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What payment methods do you accept?
We can accept all major credit cards through our PayPal merchant account. You do not need a PayPal account to pay this way. PayPal is our preferred method of payment. Paying through PayPal will expedite the process and lead to earlier shipment. We also accept PayPal eChecks, money orders, and cashiers checks although these methods will delay shipment of your purchase until payment has cleared.
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Is it safe to ship musical instruments?
We take great care in our packing methods, and we pack all shipments personally to make sure everything is safe and secure. However, since accidents do happen, we insure all of our shipments to make sure that all of our bases are covered.
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Do you ship outside the USA?
We ship world-wide, but we do not offer free shipping outside the continental USA. Rates are $40 flat rate for purchases under $200 and $75 flat rate for purchases over $200.
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What about customs charges on my international order?
Due to varying customs regulations and rates a in different countries, we offer no information and make no guarantee with regards to what to expect to pay in customs. You are responsible for paying any charges that may be required to admit the package entrance into your country.
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Do you have in-depth information and pictures for each item listed on your website?
All items listed on our website have detailed descriptions and most of them have pictures. To view all of this information, click on any listing and you will be linked to the individual product page where all the details are listed.
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Do you sell new instruments and equipment?
All of our "disposal items" (i.e. reeds, cork grease, cleaning swabs) are new and unused. Most of our instruments, mouthpieces, and ligatures are used but in good condition. We occasionally have some New In Box items in our stock and this condition will be reflected in that item's listing. We are not dealers of new instruments and do not carry new stock of major brands.
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How do I purchase an item from your website?
To purchase an item from our website with PayPal click on the "Buy this item" button (
). If you'd like to purchase an item with an alternate method of payment (i.e. money order, cashier's check) Email Us to complete your order.
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Do you have a retail store?
We do not have a retail store. We are strictly an online business. We are able to keep our prices very low by reducing our overhead and passing the savings on to you!
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Where are you located?
Single Reed Consultants is located in Longmont, Colorado about 40 miles north of Denver. We are right next door to Rocky Mountain National Park, skiing, hiking, rock-climbing, snow-boarding, fresh air, an unusual number of microbreweries, and . . . well, you get the point. Lucky us.
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Can I visit you to try out equipment?
We do arrange visits in some cases. We have all of our stock in-house and it is available to play-test and try out. Depending on the nature of the visit, we may charge a $20 fee (which can be applied to any purchases) for a visit to our stock. If you'd like to arrange a visit Email Us.
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Do you have any items for sale other than what is listed on your website?
Our website is always current and is an accurate representation of the items we have for sale. However, we are always getting in new items - check back often! If you have something you are looking for please Email Us to see if we have any in our stock that hasn't been listed yet.
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Who are you, anyway?
The Single Reed Consultants are April Johannesen (clarinets) and Wil Swindler (saxophones). We are active professional musicians with combined 22 years experience. For more info and bios click here
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Do you give advice on what equipment might be best for me?
YES! This is what sets us apart from many musical instrument dealers. We only deal with saxophones and clarinets as they are our area of expertise. We are performers and teachers of the instruments and are well-qualified to make recommedations on what equipment will work best for you or your student. If you have any questions Email Us.
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Do your instruments play well?
We only sell insturments in top playing condition. NO JUNKERS HERE! All the instruments we sell are checked for any necessary repairs. In most cases, the instruments are completely overhauled and repadded to make them play like new again. Our work and quality is covered by our limited 12-month warranty.
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Do you play-test your equipment before offering it for sale?
All of our instruments are play-tested to make sure they are in top playing condition before we send them out. In most cases, mouthpieces are play-tested as well.
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How should I care for my clarinet?
Clarinets (especailly wooden models) are delicate, fragile creatures. To prevent cracks, always store the insturment at around 70 degrees and 50% humidity. Use dampits in your case to maintain the humidity while not in use and avoid playing the instrument outside or in severe temperature conditions. Always swab out your instrument after each use. Never let your instrument experience any physical trauma (drops, bangs, bumps, and the like) whether in the case or not. Also, always apply cork grease to your tenon corks to keep them supple and moisturized and to reduce friction when connecting the joints. Love your clarinet and it will love you back!
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How should I care for my saxophone?
Saxophones are far less sensitive to temperature and humidity than clarinets. The main problems with saxophone care are deterioration of the pads and dents in the brass. To prevent dents, always take cre with your saxophone and don't let anyone bump it or knock it over. Mind the chair you're sitting in as sometimes the legs or seat edges can bump your horn while your playing and you won't even know it! And, to preserve the lacquer or plating, mind your belt buckle - the metal on metal is the most often the cause of all the little scratches you see on the left side of the bell that accumulate over time. One more thing - students, NEVER SIT ON YOUR CASES. Your case is not a tank and your horn is easily bent. To save your pads, make sure you swab out after each time you play. This can be annoying, but diligent cleaning will keep your horn out of the shop and save you big money and frustration! Also, save your neck cork by greasing it once or twice a week (or as necessary) and never store your mouthpiece on your neck. Neck corks can last years, but leaving the mouthpiece on it will reduce that to a few months.
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How can I care for my mouthpiece or ligature?
Mouthpieces are often damaged when they are either dropped or bumped. It doesn't take much to throw off the specs of a well-done mouthpiece facing. Always store it in a safe place with a mouthpiece cap on. Be careful of your ligature as some models can damage the table. Never store your reeds on your mouthpiece. It is bad for your reeds and your mouthpiece. The moisture from the reed can wear down plating on metal mouthpieces and cause some hard rubber mouthpieces to warp along the table. Not to mention that you'll be severely reducing the life and quality of your reed. With ligatures, store them either in a safe box (like a ring-box) or on your mouthpiece inside the mouthpiece cap if you can do this without damaging the mouthpiece. The important thing is to maintain the shape of the ligature as once they are bent it is hard to get them back just the way they were and it may compromise performance.
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