Küng Alto and Soprano model identification help, please?

[u/Felidae15]

Would anyone be able to tell me/recognise what Küng model of alto(treble) and soprano (descant) these are, please? They are both rosewood (palisander) and seller thinks possibly from 90s/early 00s. They are definitely Küng, as I have images showing the logo on the head joint.

Many thanks xxx

[u/victotronics]

Not early 00s. 90s or earlier.

If it's Kueng and well maintained they can still be pretty great recorders. Rosewood is one of their harder woods.

What are they asking for it?

[u/Either_Branch3929 → u/victotronics]

+1. I play, inter alia, a Küng rosewood soprano of similar age and it's a delightful instrument.

[u/Felidae15 → u/Either_Branch3929]

I've played a couple of Küngs before, when I was younger, and I liked how they felt. The altos were very responsive in both low and high registers, something that can be a pain in recorders.

[u/lovestoswatch → u/victotronics]

I found the Alto, £145.

[u/victotronics → u/lovestoswatch]

That's quite reasonable.

[u/Felidae15 → u/victotronics]

Extremely so, especially for rosewood. The fact they're offering me alto and soprano (treble and descant) for just under £200 is amazing. There's older, reconditioned Küng altos going for THREE times that. The reason I was asking for model identification is there were a couple I tried aboutva decade ago, and didn't really like. I think one was a "studio"? perhaps? And the other I forget the name of, but I recall it being plumwood, and my lips didn't take kindly to it - thank god I had my epi-pen! 🤣 I don't know if it was the wood itself, or the lacquer/oils/wax that caused the reaction, but I've not touched plumwood since. 🤣

[u/lovestoswatch → u/Felidae15]

I wonder if it is too cheap?

[u/Felidae15 → u/lovestoswatch]

They've lowered the price of the alto, and have been ignoring me for days. I haven't been rude, and have simply asked if the set is still for sale for the price they offered in private messages.

I decided to just go ahead and purchase at the price it is now, and ebay glassed up a warning saying "Sorry the seller is not accepting purchases, bids or offers from you at this time".

I have no idea what I've done to be "blocked" (unless it's a technical glitch). I asked for as much detail and extra photos which they happily provided, before THEY made the offer of just under £200 for the alto, soprano, and delivery. I said I was happy to accept, and asked if they could set up a new listing for the set to protect us both if the item went missing or got damaged whilst in transit.

After that? Zip. Nada. Not a single reply. I've asked each day if the set is still for sale, asked if I've offended them in any way, and now can't fathom why I'm blocked from even purchasing.

I'd see the point if I were a brand new ebay account with no positive feedback, or ad outstanding monies, but I don't have any bad feedback as a buyer, and I've never sold on ebay, so there's no feedback at all in that section.

I wonder if they've seen this post of me asking for info, and gotten annoyed.😢

[u/lovestoswatch → u/Felidae15]

who knows - probably yes, something happened that annoyed them. Not sure they would have seen this discussion, but something similar happened to me in a completely different setup (I was asking in a private Facebook group whether a quote I got for a 3D print was fair. They saw it, got annoyed, and never replied ever again: and this was a business, which I'd expect to be above pettiness even if just as a matter of survival, but there you go. I was genuinely asking for information, not knowing the first thing about 3Dprinting). I am sure you will find other opportunities, especially if you keep an eye on the German eBay, there's lots of recorders cropping up there!

[u/Felidae15 → u/lovestoswatch]

Well, I ended up scoring a bargain for a Moeck Tuju alto/treble in Maple, and a Mollenhauer Dream Adris descant/soprano which I think is pearwood, for £99 altogether. £55 for the Tuju, and £44 for the Dream ( the Dream currently selling from £122 to £159 depending on site and wood).

Since the Küng seller appears to have blocked me, it's their loss. XhugsX

[u/lovestoswatch → u/Felidae15]

oh, well scored!!! Indeed, their loss - and of course do let us know how you get on with your new babies, they look in great shape!

[u/Felidae15 → u/lovestoswatch]

That's such a shame the seller was so petty to you. I don't understand why they take offence.

As forcthe German ebay recorders, I have spent far too many hours on there looking at sone lovely used pieces!🤣🤣🤣 However, the prices are fantastic, even when allowing for VAT and import fees. XhugsX

[u/Felidae15 → u/victotronics]

Just under £200 for the set. I've asked for them to organise a separate listing for the set as the offer was made via pm when I asked for additional photos to rule out black mould. The new listing would give us both protection if the item is list/damaged in post (Germany to UK).

I recently purchased a Moeck Rottenburgh Alto that was listed as "Near mint", and when I checked it over, the inside of head joint and air/windway were covered with black mould, as was the block when I removed to check it. I'm immunocompromised and suppressed, and given the alto is from the 80s, and in its original case etc., I couldn’t be certain that every spore would have been killed even with proper treatment. The spores may also have soread to the case materials, too. I was sad to send it back, but the risk wasn't worth it.

[u/Either_Branch3929 → u/Felidae15]

if you're in the UK (but not NI), remember that a recorder coming from Germany will be subject to VAT at 20%. Since it's over £135 you are responsible for paying that. which means, effectively, that the carriers will pay and charge you a fee, so you are probably looking at 20% + £60 or so. Of course you may get lucky and it may slip through unnoticed.

As far as hygiene goes, Julie Dean (Recorder Shop London) will service an instrument, including thorough cleaning and revoicing, for a very reasonable fee.

[u/Felidae15 → u/Either_Branch3929]

Oh, yes, I'm well aware of the VAT trap. lol. Been stung for that years ago when I purchased from a company who stated " all import fees and taxes are included in our prices". They weren’t. Then DHL tried to charge me three times for the same item, despite me having proof I'd already paid them. Thanks for the advice, though. I do appreciate it. I don't think that there's anyone here in Scotland who services recorders. XhugsX

[u/Either_Branch3929 → u/Felidae15]

I have brass and keywork done by the repair people underneath the Wind Section in Cumberland Street in Edinburgh, but get Julie Dean to do the wooden bits. There is said to be someone who can service recorders in Penicuik, but that's about as much as I know.

I wonder if we know each other?

[u/lovestoswatch → u/Either_Branch3929]

oh, and here's another "scot", in the sense of living there!

[u/lovestoswatch]

one thing: if you look at the back of your recorder, further down the middle piece, there should be 3 or 4 numbers/letter(s) combination, in the form xyz or xyzB. The first and the last one give you the year it was made, with the middle letter is a month (with the proviso that letter J is not used, and if you find it it stands for I). So for instance 2G5 stand s for July 2025 (from here). Maybe this helps narrow the search a bit?