Manufacturing

The manufacturing process consists of several stages.

Wood

First, we receive the wood, mostly grenadilla wood (dalbergia melanoxylon) coming from Mozambique or Tanzania. 
The wood is drilled and turned a first time in a cylindrical shape, in order to facilitate drying. 
The wood is then stored and dried during 6 to 7 years minimum.
Then, the dried wood pieces are turned again, to obtain the final oustide shape and the bore of the instrument.
Tone holes and holes for the mechanics’ support (posts) are drilled.
Finally, the posts are installed on the wooden joints, drilled and milled.

Metal

Instruments keys are made of German silver.
Some keys are turned, while some are milled, bevelled, cut, and then soldered together
There are more than 200 pieces before soldering, and about 50 after.
The pieces are then silver-plated.
They are finally installed on the wooden parts.

Final steps

The finishing of the instrument consists in installing the cork pads – in order to make the instrument air-tight -, springs and adjusting screws.
Then the instrument is tuned, and final bore adjustments are made.
Finally, the instrument is placed in its case and is ready to ship or to be tested by our clients at the workshop located 48 rue de Rome, Paris 8th arrondissement.