HOLTON H-279 "FARKAS" DOUBLE FRENCH HORN, NEW DEMO ! Never sold / rented, an in-house display horn, perfect. Start Price USD 3,050.00 Current Price USD 3,050.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 3,150.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, October 08, 2008 End Time Saturday, October 18, 2008 Location Wichita, Kansas See more about 'HOLTON H-279 "FARKAS" DOUBLE FRENCH HORN, NEW DEMO !' Description Wichita Band Instrument Co. 2525 East Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67211, USA tel (316) 684-0291; FAX (316) 684-6858 E-mail wbic@wichitaband.com IT'S A NEW HOLTON "PHIL FARKAS" DOUBLE HORN, MODEL H-279 DETACHABLE BELL FLAIR, NO DENTS OR SCRATCHES. IT CAME TO US FROM ANOTHER DEALER WHO HAD TOO MANY IN HIS INVENTORY. This one's a real bargain for somebody who's wanting a new American-made double horn. Phil Farkas played principal horn in the Chicago Symphony for quite a long time, then took a position as music prof at the University of Indiana. I first heard him play in Wichita, in 1954 and visited with him a number of times in the following years. Phil was a superb musician and a fine gentleman. While in the Chicago Orchestra, Phil used a Conn 8D for a while (he was using one when I met him in 1954), later one of Carl Geyer's horns. But in the 1960's, he made a deal with the Frank Holton Company to design a new horn for them. By the middle of the decade, Holton was owned by G. LeBlanc president Vito Pascucci and that's when the H-179 / H-279 horns began. Vito's idea was that the horns would sell better if the throat of the bell spout was a little wider. The H-177 / H-277 "medium bell" horns were fitted with a new bell design and so began America's "best selling" double horn. Phil told me, more than a decade ago, that LeBlanc / Holton produced about 5,000 horns per year of the Farkas model. We've sold the Farkas Holton horns since the very first ones were introduced. I can't tell you how many have been placed by us, but it's got to be more than a thousand. And we've NEVER had a complaint. The horns were initially produced only in solid nickel-silver, but brass "Farkas model" instruments were introduced a few years later. Barry Tuckwell told me on one of his CD recordings of the four Mozarts, that he'd used a Paxman model 20L on two and a large bell Holton Farkas brass horn on the other two. In any event, we have the absolute highest regard for the workmanship and playing characteristics of the H-179 / H-279 horns and we ALWAYS have a large number of them in our warehouse, ready for immediate shipment. But this particular horn didn't come directly to us from the LeBlanc / Holton company. A fellow music merchant, who deals mostly in rental instruments, told us it had been on the shelf for a few months and since he didn't have anybody fired up to buy it, he's traded it to us for things he can use. But the horn has never been sold, never rented, never sent out "on approval". It has NO dents, no dings, no scratches. The case is also perfect, without any sort of scuff or scratch anywhere. And since we've not paid a big price for this one, we're passing on the savings to our customers. "Suggested retail price" on the H-279 is now $5675. Yes, we have them in our warehouse, priced far below this figure. This particular horn, though, is unique. That means we have only ONE at this "Buy it now" price. Top recommendation on this one. Questions about French horns? Email us at wbic@wichitaband.com or telephone Richard Bentson, our horn specialist, at 1-800-835-3006. ***** Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in wind instrument restoration. Today we have 18 employees including eight of the finest repair technicians in the country. Virtually ALL the items we sell have been fully reconditioned in our own shop, although we do sell a few unrestored historical instruments each year. It’s sometimes possible to buy a horn on Ebay for a low price, but unless that instrument has been reconditioned by a reputable shop, you won’t know how it plays until you spend another few hundred to have it mechanically overhauled. With an instrument from OUR shop, you know it’s in the finest condition when it arrives at your home! Wichita Band’s service warranty is the same as it’s been for more than thirty years: “ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace, whichever in our estimation is the more advisable, pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.” Wichita Band’s service warranty does cover dents and dings to your instrument. If your instrument sustains damage to the body, end bow, neck, slides or bell, we’ll burnish out the dents and make it look “like new” again. The cost you is absolutely nothing except for shipping and insurance charges. Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially “free” for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953! In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or Wichita Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer. Anything we sell can be sent to you for a short approval period without obligation. We collect NO SALES TAX, unless you’re lucky enough to live in Kansas. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance and must pre-pay back to us any freight charges on returned equipment. International shipping is available. Returned items will be refunded within 3 weeks of receiving the item. We’re happy to send any instrument “on approval” for ten days, but ask the prospective buyer to pay shipping both ways and to please reimburse us for clean-up and re-stocking charges, 2.95%, on any returned item. VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER/MONEY ORDER/CHECK/WIRE TRANSFER ACCEPTED. Credit cards not accepted from some countries. We must ship to the credit card billing address with exceptions made only at our discretion. We’re happy to correspond with musicians, players, parents and enthusiasts of all types. Written appraisals are always available, but please don’t write or telephone and ask “what’s granny’s baritone sax worth?” Do an Ebay search and you’ll learn more than we could ever tell you. Place a Bid!