Egger. The instrument makers.
Swiss can’t help it.
We live tradition, love innovation and can’t let our hands off real craftsmanship.
1964: Adolf and Rainer Egger in the former workshop at Wallstrasse, Basel
It must have been about 1967, when Edward Tarr first came to Adolf Egger’s workshop and asked him to recreate a baroque trumpet according to his ideas: 3-hole model, long shape, equipped with keys. Four pieces of this type were built for him and the members of his ensemble. The forerunner of our current Baroque trumpet models was born.
Edward Tarr with a keyed trumpet after Alois Doke, accompanied by his son Philip, who today, besides being a medical doctor also is a professional timpani player and instructor.
1976: Edward Tarr and Rainer Egger testing and trying, studying the documents and gradually advancing their developments. Obviously Ed’s daughter Natalie is also thrilled!
Rainer Egger and Catherine Motuz present the drawings for the Schnitzer sackbut from Verona.
The trumpet exhibition 1979 in Bad Säckingen was to become an extraordinary collection like never seen before. To be able to exhibit the “Tromba naturale” by Anton Schnitzer the Elder, Nuremberg in 1585, also called Bendinelli trumpet, was one of Ed’s intentions. We had the great task and honour of restoring the trumpet. After a successful restoration, it was one of the great attractions of the exhibition.
Galileo was founded in 1997 by Ralf Masurat and Michael Krawczack. Since 2008, the instruments have been produced under the umbrella of Egger. Here you can see Ralf Masurat with the last instrument delivered from Radolfzell. A Jooleo which went to Tokyo. Galileo started with this model as a prototype and it was the perfect start to the new era at Eggers. The move began the next day.
Bustle – The manufactory in Venice Street today. You are not only welcome to try our instruments in peace. If you have enough time, we will be happy to give you a deeper insight behind the scenes.
In the beginning there were mouthpieces. At the end of the 1920s, Adolf Egger completed his apprenticeship at Wilhelm Bellon, where he was entrusted with the production of mouthpieces at an early age. At that time a knighthood. And Adolf Egger’s skills and knowledge attracted soloists from all over Europe to Basel soon after the company was founded in 1940. But it wasn’t just them who wanted to look over his shoulder. This was mainly the case for his son Rainer Egger. Early on, he learned the secrets of instrument making from his father, and his instinctive sense of sound and materials was added. The foundation for a life as an instrument maker. And for today’s manufactory.
Pioneering spirit
The historically informed performance practice gained momentum from the end of the 1960s. During this pioneering period, the first replicas of historical long trumpets were produced for Ed Tarr. Later keyed trumpets were added, the assortment expanded, the replicas got better and better. During this pioneering period, the first replicas of authentic long form trumpets were produced for Ed Tarr. Later keyed trumpets were added, the assortment expanded, the replicas got better and better. In Switzerland and on the concert stages all over the world. And Egger’s pioneering spirit lives on. To this day, we explore historical originals in museums or with private collectors. Take casts of ornate ferrules, measure wall thicknesses, analyze material samples – and make handmade replicas.
Famous instruments
Driven by an irrepressible urge to discover, we have recreated the famous sackbut by Anton Schnitzer the Elder, dated 1579. Or the Tromba da Caccia after the famous portrait of Gottfried Reiche, the slide trumpet after the painting by Hans Memling, valve trumpets from the time when the valves were invented, romantic trombones of German tradition after Kruspe and Heckel. The list continues endlessly.
In doing so, we try to closely understand the varying performance practices during the great historical epochs. Always striving for the best sound and perfect acoustics. Today numerous faithful Egger Historic Brass replicas as well as various current Galileo trumpets use to leave our workshop in Basel. Played by solo artists and top orchestras all over the world.
80 years of tradition
In 2019, the engineer and trumpeter Peter Boekels succeeded Rainer and Rosa Egger at the top of the company. Egger will not only be continued as familial as before. Our philosophy has remained unchanged since over 80 years. In-depth instrument making reveres history, sets the present to music and always plays a piece in the future.
1964: Adolf and Rainer Egger in the former workshop at Wallstrasse, Basel
Edward Tarr with a keyed trumpet after Alois Doke, accompanied by his son Philip, who today, besides being a medical doctor also is a professional timpani player and instructor.
Rainer Egger and Catherine Motuz present the drawings for the Schnitzer sackbut from Verona.
Galileo was founded in 1997 by Ralf Masurat and Michael Krawczack. Since 2008, the instruments have been produced under the umbrella of Egger. Here you can see Ralf Masurat with the last instrument delivered from Radolfzell. A Jooleo which went to Tokyo. Galileo started with this model as a prototype and it was the perfect start to the new era at Eggers. The move began the next day.
It must have been about 1967, when Edward Tarr first came to Adolf Egger’s workshop and asked him to recreate a baroque trumpet according to his ideas: 3-hole model, long shape, equipped with keys. Four pieces of this type were built for him and the members of his ensemble. The forerunner of our current Baroque trumpet models was born.
1976: Edward Tarr and Rainer Egger testing and trying, studying the documents and gradually advancing their developments. Obviously Ed’s daughter Natalie is also thrilled!
The trumpet exhibition 1979 in Bad Säckingen was to become an extraordinary collection like never seen before. To be able to exhibit the “Tromba naturale” by Anton Schnitzer the Elder, Nuremberg in 1585, also called Bendinelli trumpet, was one of Edward Tarr’s intentions. We had the great task and honour of restoring the trumpet. After a successful restoration, it was one of the great attractions of the exhibition.
Bustle – The manufactory in Venice Street today. You are not only welcome to try our instruments in peace. If you have enough time, we will be happy to give you a deeper insight behind the scenes.
In the beginning there were mouthpieces. At the end of the 1920s, Adolf Egger completed his apprenticeship at Wilhelm Bellon, where he was entrusted with the production of mouthpieces at an early age. At that time a knighthood. And Adolf Egger’s skills and knowledge attracted soloists from all over Europe to Basel soon after the company was founded in 1940. But it wasn’t just them who wanted to look over his shoulder. This was mainly the case for his son Rainer Egger. Early on, he learned the secrets of instrument making from his father, and his instinctive sense of sound and materials was added. The foundation for a life as an instrument maker. And for today’s manufactory.
Pioneering spirit
The historically informed performance practice gained momentum from the end of the 1960s. During this pioneering period, the first replicas of historical long trumpets were produced for Ed Tarr. Later keyed trumpets were added, the assortment expanded, the replicas got better and better. During this pioneering period, the first replicas of authentic long form trumpets were produced for Ed Tarr. Later keyed trumpets were added, the assortment expanded, the replicas got better and better. In Switzerland and on the concert stages all over the world. And Egger’s pioneering spirit lives on. To this day, we explore historical originals in museums or with private collectors. Take casts of ornate ferrules, measure wall thicknesses, analyze material samples – and make handmade replicas.
Famous instruments
Driven by an irrepressible urge to discover, we have recreated the famous sackbut by Anton Schnitzer the Elder, dated 1579. Or the Tromba da Caccia after the famous portrait of Gottfried Reiche, the slide trumpet after the painting by Hans Memling, valve trumpets from the time when the valves were invented, romantic trombones of German tradition after Kruspe and Heckel. The list continues endlessly.
In doing so, we try to closely understand the varying performance practices during the great historical epochs. Always striving for the best sound and perfect acoustics. Today numerous faithful Egger Historic Brass replicas as well as various current Galileo trumpets use to leave our workshop in Basel. Played by solo artists and top orchestras all over the world.
80 years of tradition
In 2019, the engineer and trumpeter Peter Boekels succeeded Rainer and Rosa Egger at the top of the company. Egger will not only be continued as familial as before. Our philosophy has remained unchanged since over 80 years. In-depth instrument making reveres history, sets the present to music and always plays a piece in the future.
