Category: MMI News

We've moved and are open for business!!!!

Posted on by Jessica Nelson

We are extremely happy to announce that we have moved to our new location and most importantly, WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!!!!  Please visit us at:  1621 E. Hennepin Ave., Ste. 100, Minneapolis, MN 55414. (Only two blocks away from our old location!) Our email and phone contacts have not changed.

If arriving by car, take East Hennepin to 16th Ave SE, and park either on 16th Ave SE (it's a dead end), or the parking lot across from the west entrance on 16th.  If needed, there is a ramp located at the back of the building at the main entrance.  Please call us with questions. We are located in the southwest corner of the Fisk building, at the corner of 16th Ave SE and E. Hennepin Ave.

The new space is much larger than our old and includes a recital hall!  Our repair dept. and the retail shopping area have been expanded.  Below are some photos.  We can't wait to welcome you in the store!

20170110_100734 Our new shopping area

20170110_100833The brand new recital hall!  Watch for upcoming events!!

20170110_101010The repair staff (minus Allen) in the new repair shop!  L-R , Eric, Caleb, Ginny, Matt and Coda in the front!

20170110_121359Sales staff in the new sales area! L-R Jeff, Steven, Jessica, Katie, Brandon, Tori.

We thank you for your patience over the new year as we were closed and completed our move.  Please stop by and say hello when you are in the area!  We'd love to give you a personal tour! =)

Best wishes from all of us at MMI!
Jessica, Jeff, Steven, Katie, Brandon, Tori, Eric, Ginny, Matt, Caleb and Allen

Welcome Richie Hawley!

Posted on by Tori Okwabi

We are excited to announce our collaboration with Buffet-Crampon artist and Rice University's Richie Hawley!  Richie is currently the Professor of Clarinet at the Shepherd School of Music in Houston, TX.  He is a highly sought after performer and teacher and we are honored to join forces with him!  Our current plans are to send Richie to the Paris Buffet-Crampon factory in September to hand-select high quality instruments.  His goal is to find instruments that are versatile for any player!

“I’m very excited to be working with MMI to hand-select instruments. There are few shops that can combine an excellent selection of instruments with specialists who can tailor their instruments to your needs.  The folks at MMI are fun, knowledgeable and are guaranteed to give you great service!” -R.H.

Once the instruments arrive at our store they are professionally set-up to ensure that they are in top playing condition for trials.  This includes changing critical pads, adjusting tone holes and spring tension.  You will be amazed by the difference our changes make!

We have a great variety of clarinets in stock including the new Tradition.  The instrument is easy blowing yet the depth of the sound is not compromised. These instruments are a must try!  We also have a great selection of Eb, A and Bass clarinets.  Our Prestige and Tosca bass clarinets  are always in stock!

Our generous 7-day no deposit trial system also allows you to take up to three at a time!  Call us today to set up a trial and feel the difference in our clarinets!

Richie Hawley. Buffet pallet

(Richie at the Buffet-Crampon factory in Jacksonville)

Richie with repair

(Richie working with our repair specialists)

MMI Exclusive Sharpening Steels

Posted on by Jeff Marshak

Now in stock and ready to ship, the Dual-sided sharpening steels for reed knives have returned!  After a long hiatus, we began working with a new manufacturer approximately 8 months ago and have finally created a product which is of the highest standards for our customers.  The micro-grooves are just fine enough to remove an ultra-fine layer of metal from your knife while the smooth side of the rod will add a very fine edge which is extremely sharp.  We have spent a great deal of time with our manufacturer in production to ensure that every detail is perfect and we can present to you a product that we stand behind 100%!

These steels will be exclusively distributed through Midwest Musical Imports.

Check them out in the webstore or you can give us a call in the shop at 800.926.5587 to get yours!

Introducing the Selmer Présence Clarinets

Posted on by Brandon

We have two brand new Bb Selmer Presence clarinets by SeleS in stock and ready to go out on trial.  Selmer has finally manufactured a great professional clarinet at a more affordable price so contact Brandon at [email protected] or 1(800)926-5587  if you would like to give them a try.

Selmer Présence clarinets

Selmer says:

Henri SELMER Paris unveils, under the new brand SeleS, a never before seen clarinet called Présence.

Thanks to its innovative bore design, this clarinet has unique acoustic qualities that provide ease of emission, exceptional homogeneity and above all an instrument that is easy to play.

The sound of the Présence clarinet is a mix of harmonic richness, and timbre; essential characteristics to the instrument. Also, the research done on the position and size of the tone holes has given this clarinet unrivalled intonation.

Specially designed keys, as well as new key orientations and positions, provide unmatched mechanical precision and response combined with player comfort.

Selmer Présence clarinets are available in B-flat and A with two keywork finishes available: silver and nickel. An E-flat lever is also available as an option.

The grenadilla wood is selected, delicately worked, naturally treated, lacquered and waterproofed for a protection and finish at the top of its class. This clarinet comes equipped with Valentino pads, preferred by many clarinetists and recommended by experienced repairers for their seal, stability and durability.

Introducing the Lorée-Cabart Oboe & English Horn

Posted on by Jeff Marshak

We're pleased to offer the Lorée-Cabart instruments here at Midwest Musical Imports - Including both the Cabart Oboe and the new English horn! Looking for your first English horn on a budget then we highly recommend the Lorée-Cabart. A mostly full conservatory instrument, it is all grenadilla  and includes a Lorée 2H bocal, case and case cover. These are beautiful instruments and certainly worth trying!  The oboes have long been an affordable option for students and amateurs alike!  Call for current price and availability.

About the Cabart Firm -

Founded in 1893, Cabart became part of the de Gourdon company in 1974. Cabart is the stamp of well-made student oboes and English horns with close tolerances, key-fitting, and cork pads throughout the instruments. Because of their high standard of manufacture combined with precise and stable tuning, Cabart is, very often, the most promising student choice.

IDRS Conference 2013 Recap in Photos

Posted on by Trent Jacobs

We took many pictures at the conference of our friends and colleagues at the conference in Redlands, CA. We enjoyed seeing and meeting with you all and look forward to working with you through the year. You can see a few more pictures on our Facebook page that we posted during the conference.

New Heckel Bocals

Posted on by Trent Jacobs

With our newest shipment of the most popular CC and CD bocals, our Heckel bocal inventory reaches nearly 100 new bocals! This is in addition to our currently rather large selection of excellent and gently used Heckel bocals.

We also have a new type in stock, a C-XL type. Only currently available in #1 length and silver plated, these are a perfect match for a Fox Renard 240, with more focus to the sound than a CD-XL, but more vibrancy than the CC-XL. Any of the XL bocals are highly recommended with any Fox bassoon.

Contact Trent or Jessica at 1-800-926-5587 to set up a trial.

Introducing The Guntram Wolf Contraforte

Posted on by Trent Jacobs

Guntram Wolf Contraforte

The contrabassoon as we know it today is nearly the same design first developed by Heckel in the mid 19th century. It was a short design process too, done at the request of Wagner for his immediate needs.

What would happen if you were to take the concept of a modern bassoon, and modern acoustical research and technology, and re-design from the ground up a new contrabassoon? The goal would be to solve acoustical problems of inconsistency in intonation and tone color, put the tone holes all facing in the same direction (towards the audience) and point the bell up for the best possible projection, modernize the keywork design with ergonomics in mind, and make the range to low A a standard. The result is the Contraforte, the new instrument designed and coproduced by Guntram Wolf and Benedikt Eppelsheim (the designer of world renowned saxophones like the Tubax and the Sopraillo).

  • Compact design
  • Very comfortable and ergonomic keywork
  • Properly located register keys allowing for 4+ octaves of playable range with simple fingerings
  • Highest quality German materials and craftsmanship

Midwest Musical Imports is proud to be the first dealer in the United States to offer this instrument to American bassoonists.

Lewis Lipnick of the National Symphony Orchestra is now advocating for the instrument, and no longer plays a traditional contrabassoon. He recently performed the Aho concerto for contrabassoon (it was written for him) in Helsinki, Finland, and gave an interview demonstrating and talking about the instrument.

Orfeo: the new standard in oboe by Buffet Crampon

Posted on by Trent Jacobs

Orfeo comes to us out of a collaboration between the Buffet Crampon Research and Development team and a group comprising testers, masters and soloists from renowned international orchestras. It is the fruit of labour of a distinguished team, demanding five years of research to attain the level of excellence that was their goal.

Its entire register creates a sensation of excitement with incomparable low tones, consistent over the whole range, and wonderfully easy flow.

Orfeo unites modern materials of utmost reliability with the handcrafted, traditional quality of its manufacture. Without question, the Green LinE material has been used to its maximum technical capacities.

Call us to discuss pricing, availability, and to set up a trial at 1-800-926-5587. Or, browse Buffet Crampon oboes in our online store.

Pitch:
440/443 Hz

Body:
Green LinE
Black tip rings
tenons and sockets metal-0lined
tenon caps

Keywork:
French conservatory system
3 octave keys, semi-0automatic
left hand F lever
highly reliable keywork, silver-plated nickel silver
gold-plated keywork optional
adjustable thumb rest (new design)
thumb plate keys may be added

Case:
High Tech metallic silver and black leather