Hanson International (Music) Ltd Avis 10

Made an appointment to visit and get a bit of advice. So helpful and lovely. Really couldn't ask for more. No pressure and top advice from people who clearly know their kit.
I'll be back to make a purchase very soon.

Like some other customers I decided to make the journey from the south coast to Hanson Music in Marsden. I am so pleased that I made the journey as I was served by Alistaire Hanson himself. He gave me so much time for which I am very grateful.
I went to try two of their plateau clarinets one in rosewood the other in grenadilla. It was a very difficult choice but I thought that the grenadilla one had the edge.
I am delighted with my purchase.

Ordered online and paid for a violin case. Premium next day delivery. Still waiting after two weeks - absolutely no communication from the company, despite many emails and texts. Have organised a refund via my credit card company. Avoid any company connected with Hanson music. Or at least check reviews on Trustpilot before you consider an order.

I sent my oboe to them in October 2021 using their courier service. Since then I have had absolutely no response even though I have emailed and called lots of times. I have even sent paperwork a couple of weeks ago by special delivery which they have received. Absolutely disgraceful. Will be going to a small claims court.

I bought a musical instrument recently from this company and the experience was stressful and unpleasant from beginning to end. Communication is appalling- emails, phone calls and messages are largely unanswered. I found the owner to be rude and unprofessional.I believe I still would not have received the instrument had I not complained to my bank. The instrument was advertised as being in perfect condition. It wasn’t and I had to pay for it to be serviced elsewhere. I have also seen evidence that the company has recently been in financial difficulties.
Regarding the response from Hansons, everything I have said in my review is true and can be evidenced including the companies previous financial difficulties.

Websites the company has used:
Hanson World, Hanson Music, Hanson Musical Instruments, Hanson Arts, Hanson Clarinets, Hanson Saxophones

Registered companies (Companies House):
Active – Alastair Hanson Limited (06909509), 36251 Limited (14864915), NOE Centre for Music and Arts CIC (15885353)
Dissolved – Music Service Limited (13048193), Concerto Musical Instruments Limited (05841845), Hanson International (Music) Limited (05108944)

Timeline and facts:

Jan 2023: I sent a trumpet to Hanson Music for refurbishment and sale.

Oct 2023: After repeated attempts to obtain an update, I was informed that the business had experienced a burglary (approximately six weeks earlier), but it was unclear at that time whether my trumpet was among the stolen items.

Jun 2024: After multiple further requests and an eight-month wait, I was eventually informed that the trumpet had indeed been stolen.

Feb 2025: No reimbursement had been offered by this point. When I first sent the trumpet for refurbishment, I was initially given a higher valuation during a phone call, but as this was not recorded I accepted the later, lower written valuation. When an offer was eventually made, Alastair Hanson claimed that a 20% sales commission was due under the company’s terms and conditions (“If any loss or damage occurs whilst your instrument is in our care then the transaction will be dealt with as if your instrument had been sold”). He acknowledged that I should have been paid within 30 days of the burglary. I disputed the commission (not the valuation) because the instrument had not been treated as sold — I was not paid within 30 days — which, in my opinion, did not comply with the company’s own contract.

Mar–Apr 2025: Attempts to resolve the matter through mediation and alternative dispute resolution received no response, so I filed a claim in the small claims court. The claim and court documents were sent to the address listed for the defendant on Companies House, although it is my understanding that this was not Alastair Hanson’s current business address. I was informed by the court that I was required to use it. Keeping Companies House records accurate is the responsibility of the company director.

May 2025: The defendant did not respond to the proceedings in time. A Judgment in default was issued in my favour.

Jun–Aug 2025: The defendant applied to have the Judgment set aside, and a hearing was held at his request. The judge ruled in my favour. A further application to set aside the Judgment was later dismissed by the judge as “totally without merit.”

Sep 2025: The defendant ultimately paid the Judgment in full following bailiff enforcement action, including interest, court fees, and bailiff costs.

From January 2023 (long before the burglary) until payment was eventually received in September 2025, I did not receive a single proactive update at any point by email, letter, or telephone. Every update during this entire period was only provided after repeated chasing, and many of my messages went unanswered. This experience was lengthy and highly stressful, but I hope my account helps others make a more informed decision before using this business.

It is with great sadness that I’m writing this. I’ve used Hansons for years and I have recommended them to many students and friends. However, they have seriously let me down following the sale of my sax on commission. Simply, they owe me money. They are not responding to my emails. They have effectively ghosted me. I now have to go through the small claims court.

I took a three-day trip from the Midlands especially to visit Hanson's and choose myself a new clarinet. Finding the place was a veritable nightmare, as satnavs don't seem to like Yorkshire lanes, and there is no road signage to the building (it's actually via the 'disabled and staff vehicles only' entrance to the Standedge visitor centre). But we can't blame Hanson's for that!
Once in the right building, I spent the best part of two hours at Hanson's, trying out various instruments, with some very helpful and knowledgeable advice from Alastair. He and his staff couldn't have been more helpful, and nothing was too much trouble for them. After choosing my instrument, it needed some minor setting-up adjustments, so I chose to collect the following day.
Service was impeccable, the instrument is beautiful and realistically priced (far more 'bang for your bucks' than many mass-produced instruments).
If you're planning a long journey to Hanson's, I suggest you do what I did and make it part of a short break to enjoy what the rest of the area has to offer.

It was worth the wait!
If you want a next day delivery don't buy your instrument here. However, good things are worth waiting for and my rubbed brass SA5 alto sax is not only beautifully crafted but sounds heavenly.
I have fitted it with a Otto Link 6 mouthpiece, a François Louis Basic ligature and a Rigotti Gold Jazz 2H reed. Its range and tonality are amazing. My patience was indeed rewarded.

I purchased an alto saxophone from Hanson on the 8th of September 2023 online. The company rang me right after the online purchase to explain about the recent break in, in there shop and that it will take longer, I explained that online it did say 13 days, the member of staff said yes someone must of updated the webpage then. It is now the 11th of October and I am still waiting! The communication from Hanson is shocking! I wouldn’t have minded about the late delivery so long has i was kept in the loop with a date but despite numerous attempts to ring and email and text they only got back to me the once and said they can’t see the order in the shop and that they will contact me when ready for delivery, this to me means they haven’t even started to build the saxophone yet. There is ZERO communication attempted on there part which is appalling to say the least. If i could give them zero stars I would! This is now being investigated by my bank.

***update!*** Hanson music had got in touch with me by email phone and text to say that part of the delivery from abroad to build the sax’s has arrived, (bare in mind Hanson is known for everything being built in England), however.. it is only the silver one not the one I ordered and would i like this one instead. I said yes although I didn’t expect anything to turn up, he proceeded to say he was going to send it the next day which it never did, it was 4 days later and that he was going to include some extras to say sorry for your wait, which i never received!!. I am almost certain this sax is the one he said he was looking at that i could borrow that was on display. I’m just glad that something had turned up but Hanson had taken the fun out of buying a sax and rest assured I wouldn’t recommend buying from them. I’ll pay more and order from a more reputable sax store in the future.