I have a trusty old faithful Moeck Rotty in rosewood and love it very much but it isn't a top instrument. I am toying with the idea of adding another alto to my artillery. If you wanted to upgrade, out of interest what would you choose and why?

I know what you mean - I'm very fond of my Mollenhauer Denner in olivewood, but again it's a mid-range alto. The experience I've had suggests the only thing is to try lots of instruments out. If I've ever gone with a pre-conceived idea it has always been wrong!

Having said that, I've heard from several people that Tim Cranmore's recorders are very good. He has come to the Easter Early Music Course for several years with a number of his instruments but I've not tried any out (yet!). If I were looking for a handmade instrument I think that's where I would begin my search.

It is SO difficult finding a good all-rounder. I ended up with 2 for modern rep by Michael Dawson (Satin wood/Ivory and Rosewood) and 1 for the Early stuff by Dolmetsch (English Box). I must say that if finances ever permit (ho ho ho) I'd love a Cranmore alto. Piers let me have a blow down his in Ab and it was fabby to play if not the prettiest instrument.

BrokeBag x

My Takeyama treble's lovely, as is my teacher's Ran.

The next thing on my shopping list would be a voice flute with interchangeable barrels at a'=415Hz and 440Hz: I've also been advised to consider Tim Cranmore, and my recorder teacher waved her new instrument by him at the last SRO meeting and then played a few beautiful notes on it for us.... .

Having said that, the first thing I will do is head down to Greenwich if at all possible in November, to sample as many as I possibly can. My treble I'm happy with - it's a Moeck Denner model in box, so a step up from a Rotty, and I think they're hand finished even if not handmade. It is incredibly flexible at the top end, able to produce any note I ask of it, including some of the unreasonable ones with too many ledger lines - and has a clear tone which is fairly powerful, but is not everyone's cup of tea, and certainly not a consort instrument - too attention-seeking. The early models all tended to be a bit flat, but I understand Moeck now has its standard tuning at a'=442Hz...

So - if upgrading, yes, I'd go for handbuilt by a maker rather than factory produced or from the big companies: on the whole I tend to prefer to stick to boxwood, the traditional wood for recorders. I'm wary of ebony and rosewood with their increased risk of causing dermatitis, and like the bright sound of box very much - or pear for bigger and consort instruments.

*Maizie puts her fingers in her ears and sings la la la I'm not listening*

Except I am. I hanker for a new treble, and there is a possiblity (slim) that by November I might actually have cash-in-hand to go shopping for one.

My existing treble is nice, though at the lower end of wooden instruments - a Kung Studio in cherrywood. My teacher has declared it perfectly acceptable, and indeed said it would be really well suited for modern stuff like Berkeley, but that perhaps I might want to consider something more baroque-suited as I advance(!), given that I'm only ever going to play not-baroque/early when forced to do so

Are many forumites thinking about going to Greenwich this year? I'm hoping to but not planning to add to the recorder collection. I will employ my don't pick up anything you can't afford approach so will probably have my hands in my pockets all day.

I'm devastated to find I can't go. I'm teaching all of the Friday, have recorder orchestra and SRP on the Saturday and I've just found that the woodwind classes for our local festival are on the Sunday.

I'm going on the Sunday, as usual, and probably with the usual gaggle of pupils in tow - it's a lovely day out for them

Doesn't look promising, sadly. In York on the Saturday for my recital with Miss Ross, mwl1 and bohemian, and it's the Royal Northern Sax Day on the Sunday, which for me is a must-visit. That leaves Friday, and to be honest, I think the best I could manage on the Friday is a quick visit in the morning, and I'm not sure that'll be really worth it for the entry fee...

Saturday or Sunday, I could go but would probably bring my husband with me and he might not be quite so enthralled by an entire day of it!

So I was thinking it would be a fine excuse to have the Friday off work and visit, but then realised I have my music lessons on a Friday evening so I would have to get back early.

But then I remembered that my teacher teaches for Trinity (Juniors, on Saturdays), so perhaps he might be going along to it so that might be a good day for me to go along, as he might then be of use in helping me choose something to buy, if I have the money...