FAQ 

• Q: How can I order an item?
  A: The best way to order an item from The Brass Ark is to send an e-mail to noah@brassark.com and I will respond back as quickly as I can.
• Q: What are your hours of operation?
  A: At the moment, I am the only employee. My hours are by appointment only. Clients are welcome to come try instruments in my showroom, but please e-mail ahead of time for an appointment. I'd be happy to meet you at whatever time works for both of us.
• Q: How can I pay for my items?
  A: Right now, I am only set up to take cash or checks. I cannot take credit cards, however, I can accept payment through paypal. If paying with paypal, I would ask that buyers cover the 4% fee, which is very aggressive on a small business like this one.
• Q: I've tried calling your shop and don't get any answer, what's up?
  A: I'm a busy professional musician in Los Angeles and a new dad. Right now,I can't dedicate all of my time to be at the shop. I hope to one day have the opportunity to hire a full time staff, but for the moment it's only me. My e-mail is linked to my cell phone, so if you send me a message there, I will have it in a matter of minutes. It's the best and fastest way to get ahold of me. Of course, you're welcome to leave a voicemail with me on my shop phone or with Brad if he picks up and I will return your call as soon as I am able.
• Q: How much do you charge for shipping?
  A: It depends on where you live and what size item you are buying. For most small items I use USPS priority mail which costs $6-$12 and delivers in 2-3 business days. For instruments I usually use UPS and shipping can be $50-$75 depending on the size of the box, insurance value, shipping materials and handling.
• Q: Do you ship internationally and how much does it cost?
  A: Yes, I ship internationally through USPS express and priority mail. Shipping a trombone to most countries costs around $80-$120 depending which service you choose. I usually recommend express mail, which is 3-5 business days and usually gets items through customs much faster. Please keep in mind that I cannot lower or falsify customs values.
• Q: What about shipping to Australia?
  A: It's true, Australia and a few other countries (i.e. Singapore and Slovenia for example) have size restrictions on incoming packages. The maximum size is a 79” box or 10”x10”x39” about the size of a small trombone case. For items larger than this, a private carrier will need to be used... expect to pay $200-$400.
• Q: Do you offer a trial period?
  A: Yes, Of course! I want you to be happy with your purchase and I know that buying a horn through the mail sight unseen can be a scary process. I try to be as honest and accurate with my descriptions and pictures as possible to minimize returns, but sometimes the horn is not a match. No worries, I will give a full refund minus the original shipping upon receipt of the instrument or item back to me in the same condition I sent it out. It is the buyer's responsibility to return the item and insure it for it's value.
• Q: How long is your trial period?
  A: I offer a one week trial period. At that point, if I haven't heard from you, I consider the instrument sold. If you need a few extra days, no problem, just let me know. My policy exists so people don't take advantage... but I'm a brass player myself, I know what it takes to properly test an instrument.
• Q: Do you take consignments?
  A: Yes. please fill out my consignment form here.
• Q: Do you take Trade ins?
  A: See my consignment page for more information.
• Q: Are custom ordered instruments returnable?
  A: I'm sorry, custom ordered horns are not returnable. A deposit is required when the order is placed.
• Q: How long will a new instrument take to receive?
  A: If I don't have it in stock and a new instrument is being custom made for you, expect 3-4 months depending on the maker's backlog.
• Q: How often do you update your website?
  A: I do my best to update my website as frequently as I can. Sometimes it takes longer than I'd like, but my goal is to do an update once a week. There will always be a date stamp in the upper corner of the homepage with the date of the last update.