Hi folks,

I have enjoyed using a B&S Sarastro for my day-to-day playing with great results. Tons of fun and more versatile than I was led to believe. Sometimes it is good to go your own way.

Tim Ornato at Buffet Crampon has two in his possession. If you would like to try these instruments, I suppose he may be contacted directly, but I recommend my favorite dealer, Keith Hilson of Schmitt Music in the Twin Cities.

Keith can be reached at <EMAIL email="keith.hilson@schmittmusic.com">keith.hilson@schmittmusic.com</EMAIL>

Enjoy your day,

Scott Moore

Gustavus Adolphus College

Are these the hybrid German/American designs? I.e. the ones with a kranz, long waterkey, ect.?

[quote="paulyg"]Are these the hybrid German/American designs? I.e. the ones with a kranz, long waterkey, ect.?[/quote]

Yes, these are "hybrid" designs, with nickel slides, gold brass tubes in the valve section, large standard rotors, really slick triggers and linkages, and an absolutely huge progressive bore through the valves. Never seen anything like it.

You'll need to ask Tim about those other options. The Krantz was in my order, but I did not receive it when my horn arrived. I tried the long water key, but it was in the way of my fingers as I hold the slide right where the control is located. I also thought the regular slide that came with the horn played better, for whatever reason.

The horn played so well that I quickly forgot about the other options. Heck, I had been trying every horn known to man for three years by that time. Runner up was Paul Pollard's Courtois but the Sarastro could produce the variety of color I was searching for.

-DSM

They are certainly excellent instruments. I've played a prototype and 2 production models and they were great. Love the long water key too.

Now, if only B&S would go ahead and put the Erde alto in production...

Put your order in......!