Alphorn making

Established in 1983, Neumann Alphornbau is a traditional manufacturer of the Alphorn or Alpine Horn. For the past 29 years, they have been producing their fine musical instruments using time honoured traditional handcraft techniques, materials and processes.

In collaboration with well known musicians and music teachers, the traditional manufacturing process is consistently enhanced to ensure the highest quality of both sound and workmanship. This is also an environmentally friendly process.

Specialised wood storage

  • Specialist mountain timber in log form
  • Uncut raw mountain timber waiting to be processed
  • Specialist mountain woods in unprocessed form
  • Alphorn plank lengths stacked for drying
  • Alphorn plank lengths after one year of drying
  • Alphorn wood storage. Slow drying to ensure the best sound quality
  • Alphorn planks that will eventually be hand carved
  • Only the finest selected mountain woods are chosed to ensure optimal tonal qualities
  • Larger raw timber sections for the curved Alphorn components
  • Alphorn timber store - planks for the medium pipes and tubes components

Our Alphorns are made from the finest and most carefully selected species of wood. These are chosen for their superior grain and tonal qualities, and come from selected mountain resources. Timbers are consistently sourced and procured for our specialised storage and maturing process to ensure a reliable supply.The drying of the wood takes many years and is very carefully managed within our company.

 

 

Alphorn tubes

  • Detail showing a handcarved section of the hollow Alphorn tube component
  • Detail showing a handcarved section of the hollow Alphorn tube component
  • One half of the Alphorn tube component
  • Detail showing a handcarved section of the hollow Alphorn tube component
  • The two separate components for the Alphorn tube
  • Closeup view of the handcarved section of the hollow Alphorn tube component
  • Two components that will be joined to form the Alphorn tube

The tubular sections of the Alphorns are hollowed out through a careful and exact process of hand carving and finishing. In this way, the internal surfaces are finished to ensure the optimal sound resonance and production. Through expert handcraft exemplary quality is guaranteed.

 

 

Rattan cladding

  • The rattan is hand selected to ensure colour uniformity and quality
  • Once applied, the rattan is expertly sanded to a smooth finish and then treated

The Alphorns are carefully wrapped by hand in rattan. The rattan is hand selected and quality controlled to ensure that both the quality of the instrument sound, and it`s aesthetic is always consistently excellent.

 

 

Painting your Alphorn

  • Alphorn artwork - crest motif
  • Alphorn artwork - mountain flowers and grapes
  • Alphorn artwork - Edelweiß and mountain flower arrangement
  • Alphorn artwork - Edelweiß and mountain flower arrangement
  • Alphorn artwork - Edelweiß and mountain flower arrangement

We hand paint your Alphorn individually, according to your personal requirements. We can provide you with a variety of our own existing motifs and designs, or create a personalised design for your alphorn, be it from a club or family coat of arms, a floral design, animal motif or a picturesque landscape design. There are no limitations as what artwork can be applied to your Alphorn.

The wooden mouthpiece - the link between player and instrument

  • Display case with wooden mouthpieces and plastic connectors for metal mouthpieces

This is a very important component, and forms the link between the player and the instrument. It needs to suit the instrument player on a very personal level to ensure comfort while playing the Alphorn. The wooden mouthpiece is also critical for the tonal quality and tonal `colour` of the instrument, and needs to be durable.

Our custom made and individualised mouthpieces in various sizes and formats are produced to allow for the optimal sound and playing performance and your playing comfort.

 

We are always available for questions or enquiries about our products. Customer satisfaction is our priority.