B&S Challenger II Trumpet (Bb and C interchangeable)

B&S have been producing quality German-made instruments for more than 40 years. They are currently owned by the behemoth Buffet Crampon and appear to be being quietly phased into oblivion. The following history is taken directly from the official B&S website; the B&S brand appears to be little more than a footnote.

The Buffet Crampon Deutschland GmbH is located in the music corner of Germany – the Vogtland. Like no other region can look it over to a 100-year tradition in the development and manufacture of musical instruments. It shapes up to now the work of the entire company.

Gerhard A. Meinl, whose family has been in the music industry for 7 generations, brought in 1991, the parental company, the Wenzel Meinl GmbH (WMM) in Geretsried, as the manufacturer of the Melton-Brass in to the TA Triumph-Adler AG. There he began the IMM Music Group and later the TA Music Group to build and manage. Soon he acquired the former VEB brass and signal instrument factory and transformed them under the umbrella of the strong parent company in the successful musical Vogtland Factory (VMI).

In 1994, under the umbrella group JA Musik in Markneukirchen, Europe’s most modern plant for Brassinstruments went in to operation – a center of excellence in the art of instruments building and home of the quality brands B & S, VMI, Scherzer and Meister Hans Hoyer. Over the century improved methods are combined with advanced manufacturing and production technologies. Using a finely-designed training program, the knowledge, experience and skills of previous generations are passed forward to a new generation of craftsman to insure quality production.

Today the company trades as Buffet Crampon Deutschland GmbH and is a world leader in multi-instrument groups. Especially in the two home markets of Germany and France, we are the leader for step-up and professional brass instruments. By fulfilling the highest artistic demands, our instruments have found their way into the famous orchestras in the world. Thanks also to very strong and personal relationships with a variety of artists and musicians, we incorporate their professional knowledge and advice in our production process. So we reach an optimum response and intonation, coupled together with a complete full sound.