<![CDATA[Pope Horns Inc.: Latest News]]> https://poperepair.com Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:12:57 +0000 <![CDATA[An oldie but always pertinent...]]> https://poperepair.com/blog/horn-repair Fri, 18 Jan 2019 15:53:03 +0000 https://poperepair.com/blog/horn-repair

Pope Instrument Repair, Ken Pope shows how to remove French Horn valves while putting up with smart remarks from his son, Ramsay.

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Pope Instrument Repair, Ken Pope shows how to remove French Horn valves while putting up with smart remarks from his son, Ramsay.

]]> <![CDATA[Fewer Exhibitors.... Fewer Choices.]]> https://poperepair.com/blog/fewer-exhibitors-fewer-choices/ Fri, 10 Mar 2017 19:02:54 +0000 https://poperepair.com/blog/fewer-exhibitors-fewer-choices/ Yesterday a good friend, Rob Cole - of Horn Stuff, informed me that he would no longer be attending workshops as an exhibitor.  Rob has been a mainstay at these shows for decades, and his absence from future shows should send a ripple through the horn community.  
His reasoning was that it was no longer financially viable to attend these shows.  The current way of shopping on the internet gives one the ability to shop by 'lowest price' - no matter if it's by a few cents.  Rob has helped out hundreds of horn players over the years (as have ALL the exhibitors at the horn workshops), yet all of us have to compete with sites which give nothing back to the horn community.  Next time you're looking to purchase anything in the horn world, look at who you're buying it from and ask yourself how they benefit hornists world wide - from donating goods to winners of contests, to underwriting the costs of your local workshop.  

]]> Yesterday a good friend, Rob Cole - of Horn Stuff, informed me that he would no longer be attending workshops as an exhibitor.  Rob has been a mainstay at these shows for decades, and his absence from future shows should send a ripple through the horn community.  
His reasoning was that it was no longer financially viable to attend these shows.  The current way of shopping on the internet gives one the ability to shop by 'lowest price' - no matter if it's by a few cents.  Rob has helped out hundreds of horn players over the years (as have ALL the exhibitors at the horn workshops), yet all of us have to compete with sites which give nothing back to the horn community.  Next time you're looking to purchase anything in the horn world, look at who you're buying it from and ask yourself how they benefit hornists world wide - from donating goods to winners of contests, to underwriting the costs of your local workshop.  

]]> <![CDATA[Hot or Not? ]]> https://poperepair.com/blog/hot-or-not-/ Sat, 21 Jan 2017 14:03:19 +0000 https://poperepair.com/blog/hot-or-not-/ Recently I reunited another stolen horn with its owner.  That makes 3 in a little under 2 years.  I thought it would be good to share some of the subtle (and not so subtle) things that raise alarms when I'm offered a horn to purchase or sell which cause me to think the instrument is stolen.

More often than not if the deal is 'too good to be true' it probably is.

  • When a Pawn shop called me inquiring if I wanted to purchase a horn (which they legally aquired) the price was a few thousand dollars below what I knew the horn was worth.  I declined buying it, and almost 3  months later was talking with a customer who informed me they were replacing their stolen horn.   Yep, it was the one in the Pawn shop and it was still there.  This isn't a hard and fast rule.  Recently I declined buying an instrument which was again way under priced, but even though I couldn't find evidence of it being 'hot' I passed on it. 

Does the seller know anything about the 'trumpet' :) they're offeriing?

  • If walks into my shop and wants to sell me the 'trumpet' they've had in the family for ages it could simply be a case of mistaken identity OR it could be that they're trying to get rid of it fast because it's hot.  Craigslist and ebay are full of such items.  Buyer beware.  I always ask a few questions of the seller about the instrument if they claim to be the owner.  'Oh? where did you used to play?  Where did you buy such a cool horn?' yada yada yada - you get the idea.  If they're easily flummoxed you know they're lying (usually).

Purposeful removal of identifying marks.

  • Serial number scratched off?  College or H.S. ownership stickers defaced beyond legibility?  Red flags!

These are just a few obvious ways to tell if that beauty on the wall is a fabulous deal or something that could bite you back!

Happy Horn Hunting!
Ken Pope.  Freelance Horn Detective Agency Owner

]]> Recently I reunited another stolen horn with its owner.  That makes 3 in a little under 2 years.  I thought it would be good to share some of the subtle (and not so subtle) things that raise alarms when I'm offered a horn to purchase or sell which cause me to think the instrument is stolen.

More often than not if the deal is 'too good to be true' it probably is.

  • When a Pawn shop called me inquiring if I wanted to purchase a horn (which they legally aquired) the price was a few thousand dollars below what I knew the horn was worth.  I declined buying it, and almost 3  months later was talking with a customer who informed me they were replacing their stolen horn.   Yep, it was the one in the Pawn shop and it was still there.  This isn't a hard and fast rule.  Recently I declined buying an instrument which was again way under priced, but even though I couldn't find evidence of it being 'hot' I passed on it. 

Does the seller know anything about the 'trumpet' :) they're offeriing?

  • If walks into my shop and wants to sell me the 'trumpet' they've had in the family for ages it could simply be a case of mistaken identity OR it could be that they're trying to get rid of it fast because it's hot.  Craigslist and ebay are full of such items.  Buyer beware.  I always ask a few questions of the seller about the instrument if they claim to be the owner.  'Oh? where did you used to play?  Where did you buy such a cool horn?' yada yada yada - you get the idea.  If they're easily flummoxed you know they're lying (usually).

Purposeful removal of identifying marks.

  • Serial number scratched off?  College or H.S. ownership stickers defaced beyond legibility?  Red flags!

These are just a few obvious ways to tell if that beauty on the wall is a fabulous deal or something that could bite you back!

Happy Horn Hunting!
Ken Pope.  Freelance Horn Detective Agency Owner

]]> <![CDATA[My First Blog.......]]> https://poperepair.com/blog/my-first-blog/ Sun, 20 Nov 2016 17:16:03 +0000 https://poperepair.com/blog/my-first-blog/ Welcome to all my fellow Horn friends, and welcome to those I have yet to meet.  I've met so many of you throughout the years at various horn conferences, concerts, and shop visits.  Hopefully this coming year I'll get to meet more of you.  That means you'll have to get yourself to one of the upcoming Horn workshops or symposiums.  A complete list of them is available at the International Horn Society page.  I'm assuming you're a member there?  If not....SIGN UP!

Next:  Welcome to my new Website.  My old site was 'charming' but quickly becoming outdated due to its platform.
I'm certain there will be glitches to overcome on the new one, but be patient with me!  (I'm writing this during a rehearsal).

ALSO!, if you have youtube videos of yourself playing a piece I sell, (Or a horn, or mute,,, ) I'll happily link that video to the piece.  Send it to me!

]]> Welcome to all my fellow Horn friends, and welcome to those I have yet to meet.  I've met so many of you throughout the years at various horn conferences, concerts, and shop visits.  Hopefully this coming year I'll get to meet more of you.  That means you'll have to get yourself to one of the upcoming Horn workshops or symposiums.  A complete list of them is available at the International Horn Society page.  I'm assuming you're a member there?  If not....SIGN UP!

Next:  Welcome to my new Website.  My old site was 'charming' but quickly becoming outdated due to its platform.
I'm certain there will be glitches to overcome on the new one, but be patient with me!  (I'm writing this during a rehearsal).

ALSO!, if you have youtube videos of yourself playing a piece I sell, (Or a horn, or mute,,, ) I'll happily link that video to the piece.  Send it to me!

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