All our instruments are 'handmade'. That means right from the beginning of cutting up tube, making the slides, pistons and valve section, they are made to fit each other and marked with a serial number. Instruments made in 1985 are still in full time professional use today.
		'Mass produced' instruments are assembled from vast quantities of 'identical' parts which are put into the instrument at the final stage of production. So that 'any part' will fit 'any instrument' the tolerances need to be greater than those of 'handmade' instruments, resulting in things such as looser valves. Mass produced instruments tend to be heavier as the lighter and thinner materials used in the handmade instruments are not suitable for use in the heavy machinery used to shape and bend mass produced pipes and bells.
		The diameter of the internal bore through the valve and slide secions. The terms 'large', 'medium' or 'small' are subjective and it is how the whole instrument feels to the player which matters.
		Millenium Product status is awarded to products that exemplify contemporary innovation and creativity and that are considered to be truly innovative, forward-thinking and problem-solving by the British Design Council. The Smith-Watkins Cornet achieved such status in 1999 after scrutiny by a panel of leading figures from business, design, science and culture. They also contacted leading cornet players (i.e. some of our customers) for their views.