This Remembrance Day, we’re proud to celebrate Ron from The British Music Service – a man with music, and the military, at his heart.
A former military musician who served with the Royal Artillery Band, Ron has been playing since the age of eight. Over five decades later, his passion for performance continues, now leading The Veterans Big Band, a 17-strong Big Band made up of UK veteran musicians from the Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force with a collective combined years of service to the Crown of over 400 years. In his words, the band exists to “foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the remarkable talents and invaluable contributions of our veterans.”
From trombones to trumpets, Ron now dedicates his time to repairing and servicing brass and woodwind instruments from his Lincolnshire workshop. With the precision of a craftsman and the heart of a musician, his reputation among both professional and amateur players as well as military musicians is second to none.
Q & A with Ron of British Music Service
Q: Ron, how did you get into the world of musical instrument repairs?
My wife, who is also a musician, was offered a post at an international school in Qatar back in 2009. We then moved to Abu Dhabi to another British international school where I was appointed music administrator. When I saw how much the school was spending on instrument repairs, I decided to train professionally in the UK. Soon, I was maintaining and repairing over 150 instruments while sharing the joy of music with over 200 students. Once I started doing repairs for the school and wider in the Middle East, I wanted to highlight myself as having been trained in the UK, hence the name British Music Service.
We returned to Lincolnshire in 2020, and I set up my workshop at home. Since then, I’ve repaired instruments for all kinds of players, including many serving and veteran members of the Armed Forces, which is always a privilege. I’m now a professional member of the National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers (NAMIR) and proud recipient of the Armed Forces Covenant – Bronze Award in recognition of my commitment to the Armed Forces.
Q: What kind of work do you do at British Music Service?
I offer a large range of repair tasks from general servicing of brass and woodwind instruments to repair and ultrasonic cleaning. The types of repairs we carry out are wide-ranging, including removing dents, fixing stuck valves as well as full-service maintenance. You can check out the types of services and pricing on our website here. Whatever instrument I work on, I am always up front regarding the cost and whether the item is worth repairing. I have expertise in a wide range of instruments from low-budget beginner items, through to pro-level pieces which need the highest level of expertise.
Q: Are there any instruments you particularly love working on?
Working on veteran instruments is always special. Take a recent restoration for a man in his 70s who had his father’s trumpet, played in the RAF Concert Party in Burma during the Second World War. He wanted to give the trumpet to his daughter so his granddaughter could learn to play it. With an instrument like this it was necessary to restore it to a playable condition whilst being careful to preserve its important history, including evidence of the wear caused by his father’s finger marks on the trumpet. It’s not just about what you take out when restoring an instrument with a rich history, but what you leave in too. After extensive restoration and a service, it was given back to the customer along with a video of my wife playing a piece of music from that era. It sparked so many memories for him, he was in tears. It was so special to keep this piece of important history alive for this family, and to know it was passed down through the generations was a very special feeling.
Q: What makes working with British Music Service so special?
Our customers receive the best service available and with over 50 years of experience as a trombonist and more recently as a Big Band leader, I understand why your instrument needs to be in the best condition. Using the very best tools and equipment available on the market, you are in safe hands.
Take a recent repair I did for customer Anne McAneney, sub principal trumpet player for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She came to me wanting two trumpets fixing including a dent removal, bell straightening and general maintenance. She needed them doing quickly which I was able to do for her and she was so thrilled with the level of service.
Anne says: “Ron is a very charming man who thoroughly checked the instruments, spotting a long-standing recurring issue with my first valve and resolving it. I am most impressed with his standard of workmanship and will definitely return to him with any of my instruments needing attention.”
Q: What’s your favourite thing about working with your clients?
Every repair is a challenge and that’s what I love. You never know what will come through the workshop door. From complex vintage restorations to routine maintenance, seeing my clients’ joy when their instrument plays beautifully again never diminishes.
One of my other favourite contracts is my repair work for Normans, who provide musical instruments for children. I bought and still have an instrument from Normans in 1973 and now I’m their instrument repairer!
Q: Have you got any favourite projects which have really stuck with you?
Yes! I recently worked on a German bugle for a customer called Susan who wanted it repairing for her grandson. She had found the bugle at a car boot sale in France and bought it for £20. It needed extensive restoration and it was clearly a well-used piece. It had a maker’s mark which intrigued me so I decided to do some research.
I was surprised to discover the bugle dated back to WWII and it looked likely to be brought to the occupied town it was purchased from by a German unit. Needless to say, it’s an important part of history so it was important to restore it sensitively. Sadly with this one, it was the victim of a lot of corrosion and unplayable, so I decided to carefully preserve it so it could be displayed instead. As an alternative, I sourced another second-hand bugle and refurbished that for Susan’s grandson to play. It was a great solution which meant a unique piece of history had been salvaged and preserved for people to appreciate. Susan and her grandson were thrilled with the result!
Susan Says: “We have asked Ron to repair/restore various instruments from a tuba to a German bugle. The latter was our latest challenge, and the work was carried out to perfection with the added bonus of really interesting research by Ron as to the instrument’s heritage. You won’t find a better craftsman.”
The British Music Service Touch
At The British Music Service, Ron combines the discipline of a soldier with the artistry of a musician. From removing dents and restoring antique instruments to ensuring professional players sound their best, every repair is handled with precision, care, and respect for the music’s history.
Whether it’s an heirloom trumpet, a treasured clarinet, or your everyday flute or saxophone, Ron brings instruments, and memories, back to life.
If you have a brass or woodwind instrument in need of repair or restoration, visit the British Music Service to find out more about their services.
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