Musical instrument makers and repairers

Hanson Music is a family firm based in Marsden, West Yorkshire, England.   Established in 1989 we are one of a handful of British Musical Instrument Makers and members of the Heritage Craft Association.

Owned by the Hanson family:  husband and wife Alastair and Jenny Hanson who have three children; sisters Lucy and Eleanor, little brother Robin, five rabbits and nineteen chickens.

We make and restore traditional musical instruments:

  • Clarinets – the Worlds first FSC sustainable clarinets were made by Hansons in 2011 and presented to HRH The Prince of Wales.

  • Saxophones – we are the only makers of saxophones actually making complete instruments in Great Britain for more than a hundred years.

  • Brass – our instruments, handmade in Marsden Yorkshire, have been used by players of note in some of the Worlds best brass bands and orchestras including Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Black Dyke Band and The London Symphony Orchestra.
  • Orchestral Strings – we have one of the finest selections of orchestral stringed instruments in the North of England with full expert workshop facilities for repairs and restoration.

  • Guitars – more than a hundred guitars are waiting for you in our showroom.  Electric and acoustic instruments from famous brands including Gibson and Fender along with bespoke handmade instruments.

Our manufacturing supports music making in the community from grass roots:

HANSON ARTS providing opportunities for all to learn and play together: Music for Everyone! 

Supported by our musical instrument making and with generous support from The Arts Council England.

British Makers of Musical Instruments.  Serving customers for more than 30 years.

We’ve been around a long time.  You can rely on our experience and expertise.

High quality. Excellent value. Ethical and sustainable working practices. 

We will always do our best to help you.

In 2018 we founded ‘Hanson Community Arts’;  a not-for profit organisation providing music making to the community.   

Headed by the inimitable Simon Wood the organisation runs a junior wind band, small orchestra, community choir, jazz collective, two string groups, ukulele group and big band from our rehearsal room.  Our outreach programme provides musical making with instruments and lessons free of charge to our local junior school.

The community arts initiative is a great success and has members of all ages and demographics.  The project is funded by Hanson Music, private donations and support from The Arts Council England. 

For more information visit www.hansoncommunityarts.org   

Hanson Music  became the worlds first FSC Certified maker of woodwind instruments in 2011.  

Taking a leading role in initiatives for sustainable manufacturing in the music industry, specifically to conserve endangered forests areas, led to  a special award for their outstanding contribution by the FSC.

Alastair was delighted to present HRH Prince Charles with the worlds first FSC certified clarinet, a landmark in sustainable musical instrument manufacturing.

Alastair Hanson

Alastair Hanson founded his musical instrument making business in 1989 after graduating from Leeds College of Music and with support from The Prince’s Trust.   More than thirty years on and joined by his wife Jenny,  Hanson Musical Instruments are recognised amongst the world’s finest.

Recognised as one of the foremost instrument designers in the world, his expertise and experience in instrument design and production generates international demand for his services as a consultant within the industry.

Alastair has worked with factories manufacturing for Buffet, Selmer, Backun, Keilwerth, Stomvi, Vincent Bach International, Rath, Ripamonté, Howarth, Blessing, Jupiter, and many more.

A qualified Ski Instructor and Ski Race Coach, Alastair has taught many youngsters in sport as well as music and is especially proud to coach daughters Lucy and Eleanor and share their successes and more importantly their smiles as they whizz past (regularly) on the snow. In his spare time he seeks out locally brewed real ales and ‘tinkers’ with Betsy, his antique Landrover.

Visitors to the workshop will hear Alastair playing the clarinet or sax or double bass, but his ‘first study’ is actually in brass instruments. Privileged to have studied with cornet legend James Shepherd, Alastair grew up playing with World famous brass bands, going on to play professionally with the National Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist. A ‘multi-instrumentalist’ whose performances have included horn, trombone, trumpet and cornet… clarinet, saxophone and flute… alpenhorn, string bass, a coat-stand and bidet!

Alastair is proud to be born and bred in Yorkshire.

 

Jenny Hanson

Jenny Hanson is a professional viola and violist, teacher and home educator.

Graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Postgraduate as a soloist from the Royal College of Music, London Jenny has appeared in concert, on stage, in film and recorded with many of the country’s leading orchestras and international artists. Jenny was awarded a NESTA fellowship in 2006.

Jenny’s playing career is diverse; Classical, Pop, Folk or Opera; a small soundbite of work would include the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Opera North, recordings with Michael Ball, Shirley Bassey in London’s Hyde Park; Michael Marra, Karine Polwart at Celtic Connections, Sessions for Isobel Griffiths, The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, The National Symphony Orchestra, The Goldberg Ensemble and countless international tours and recordings at Abbey Road. Credits as a solo artist include solo tracks for the Universal Studios film, Leap Year and her original compositions featured in the Commonwealth celebrations debuted at Westminster Abbey for the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prime minister and Heads of States.

Jenny is also a qualified ski instructor, racer and British Masters Slalom Gold Medalist, regularly beating husband Alastair (but only by a fraction of a second!!). She is proud to be fae Scotland, though she has been granted honorary Yorkshire citizenship.

Alastair and Jenny have two daughters and a young son; Lucy, Eleanor and Robin.
Lucy and Eleanor are members of the National Childrens Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. All three coincidentally have a love for music, Land Rovers and skis!

MUSIC FOR EVERYONE - HANSON ARTS

How to get in touch with us

When contacting us please bear in mind that we are a busy factory workshop, not just a showroom and warehouse, and often it's not possible to answer phones or emails right away.

Contact us

PHONE

Click the blue button in the bottom right hand corner of your screen to request a call back from a member of the team

ADDRESS

Hanson Musical Instruments
Marsden
West Yorkshire
HD7 6AB

 

Opening times

FIND US

Weekdays - 09:00-17:30
Saturday - 10:00-16:00
Sunday - Time for Practise - a few bars may need checking out!

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